This game is a long-lived tradition I picked up in college in a Math Methods class. Rules and explanations (even a video demonstration) are included below. I hope you enjoy.
A screenshot of the Beat the Teach game board.
Rules of Play:
The benefits I see in this game is that students are not only referring to "multiples of" the values at the top of the playing board, but also looking below to see where they can block their opponent and gear their choices around NOT leaving a factor that can be used to their opponents' benefit. In my experience, students can develop a pretty fierce rivalry in this game, which is fun to have in a math classroom from time to time.
- Divide the class into two teams (boys-vs.-girls, teacher-vs.-all, sophomores-vs.-freshmen, etc.). Select a team to go first. I usually ask around to find which team has the member with the next closest UPCOMING birthday, just because it's fun to get students talking to start the game.
- Two coins (or similar markers) are used to select two numbers at the top of the game board. Both coins may lie on the same value, if chosen. Multiply the selected numbers and place a marker on the appropriate cell on the game board below.
- Once a cell on the game board is covered, it cannot be re-covered. The team with the next play may move one or the other coin at the top, but NOT BOTH coins. They multiply the two selected values and cover the corresponding value below with their color chip/marker.
- Game play continues in this manner until one team gets four of their colored markers in a row either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
The benefits I see in this game is that students are not only referring to "multiples of" the values at the top of the playing board, but also looking below to see where they can block their opponent and gear their choices around NOT leaving a factor that can be used to their opponents' benefit. In my experience, students can develop a pretty fierce rivalry in this game, which is fun to have in a math classroom from time to time.
Beat the Teach game template (PDF format)
Beat the Teach game template (.notebook format for SMART Notebook software)
If you have questions, comments, or need clarification on this game, please post something in the Comments.
This has become a tradition between my students and me for many years and quickly becomes a class favorite.
--Keltner--
Beat the Teach game template (.notebook format for SMART Notebook software)
If you have questions, comments, or need clarification on this game, please post something in the Comments.
This has become a tradition between my students and me for many years and quickly becomes a class favorite.
--Keltner--
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