Playing your way into math

Suma Vivekanandan

Not all students like math and my aim is to develop an interest in the subject among students. I do this by devising games to help them learn the different concepts in math. Here I present a couple of these games. The first helps students master the basic operations of addition and subtraction. It also strengthens the place value concept.

The give and take game

• Ask the students to sit with a partner.
• Ask both students to write any 4 or 5 digit number.
• Children take turns and say a number aloud. If the partner has that digit in his/her number he/she gives the place value of that digit.
• For example child X writes 5678 and child Y writes 8514.
• Child Y asks give me 7. Then child X says you get 70.
• Child X subtracts 70 from his original number. Child Y adds 70 to his number.
• If child Y asks give me 5. Child X does not have 5 in his number, then child X says you get 0.
• Now it is child Y’s turn to ask. This process continues.
• At the end of six rounds, children have to compare the original number and the new number. If both the students’ numbers increase, they have to see how much it has increased by. The one with the bigger number is the winner.

Indirectly children are practicing addition and subtraction. Also they have a better understanding of place value.

Child X is the winner

Activity on estimation
This is an activity to develop estimation skills. A lot of everyday math is about estimating quantities. It is an essential life skill that can save time and money. Skills of estimation develop over time and with practice. At grade 4 a lot of work can be given to build estimation skills.

Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 students each. Put a number of chits in a bowl with different estimation tasks written on them. A member from group A is called to pick a chit. The chit picked up might say “estimate the length of the blackboard”. Other tasks might be: “estimate the height of the ceiling” or “the width of the door”, etc. The tasks should include dimensions that the class is familiar with (number, length, width, height, area, weight, etc.).

Before this activity starts, each group has to be given a tabular sheet as follows.

Each group has to fill up the sheet. The teacher can then measure the length of the blackboard. Children have to write the actual answer and find out the difference between the actual length and their estimation. Whichever team with the least difference gets 10 points.

Now team B can come and pick a chit. If it says, “the height of the table”, let all the groups estimate the height and write the answer. Now the winner of previous question gets the chance to find the actual height. The game continues. You can give tasks like weight of a chair, weight of a tiffin box, area of a page, perimeter of the table top, etc. Whichever team gets the maximum points is the winner.

(To find the actual measurement you have on hand measuring instruments such as a weighing machine, measuring tape, meter scale, etc.)

The author is a mathematics teacher and primary coordinator in Atul Vidyalaya, Atul, Gujarat. She can be reached at suma_vivekanandan@atulvidyalaya.ac.in.