Concept Game- Snakey Fractions

The math concept game I intended to create was a board game. The game includes three different board faces that indicate three different levels of concept understanding. The board with the most amount of spaces is intended for those students with a greater understanding of the math concept whereas the board with the least amount of spaces should be given to the students who do not have a great understanding of the concept yet/ still. What is great about the board is that it can be used to teach any mathematical concept as long as you create questions to coincide with it. I created the board game questions so that they reflect the current topic of fractions for my third grade class. Although I have not yet had a chance to implement the game in the classroom, I look forward to doing so in the near future.

Instructions for a teacher:

The game requires two or more players. Groups should be 2-3 students depending on how many students are present the day the game is played. These groups should be predetermined based on the students level of understanding (Differentiated game boards- more spaces for those with better understanding, less spaces for those with little concept understanding).

Each student is to choose a piece that represents themselves moving throughout the board.

To begin, the students should roll a dice to determine what order the students will be playing in. The student who rolls the highest number goes first. After the order of the students is determined, it is time to begin! The students are to start with their game pieces on the tail end piece of the snake that is labeled “start”. Player 1 is to begin play by first rolling both sets of dice; the diec with the letters on each side and the dice with the numbers labeled on each side. This will guide the student to which question they are to answer. The student is to correctly answer the questions and follow the corresponding steps as to how many spaces to move. The student may only move spaces if the question is answered correctly. If the question is answered incorrectly, they may be prompted to move back a space or 2. After player 1 finishes their turn which consists of rolling the di once and answering one question, it is then player 2’s turn. Player 2 then rolls the di to guide them to the question they are to answer. After Player 2 completes their turn, game play continues as such to whoever the next player is by taking turns in order.

Game play continues as such until a player is able to move forward and land on the head of the snake labeled “finish” by being prompted to move forward a space or 2. Each time a question is answered/ completed correctly, it is to be crossed out. If a player rolls a question that has already been answered either by themselves or another player, they are to reroll until they receive a question that has not yet been completed. If a question was answered/ completed incorrectly, the question is not to be crossed out and another player has the opportunity to roll that question again and answer it correctly.

As each question is correctly answered, the student who rolled the question is to move their piece according to what they are being told to do:

For example:

If a student rolls A7, they are to answer the question that coincides with section A number 7. They are to complete the work for their question on their individual white boards that they have. After answering the question, they are to check their answer- if their answer is correct, they are to move their game piece accordingly. If the answer to the question was ⅓ and they see the correct answer is ⅓ with the words “move forward 2 spaces” next to it, then they are to move their game piece forward 2 spaces.

Instructions for Students:

Everyone should begin by choosing a piece that you will move through the spaces on the board. Put your piece on the start space.
Then, take out your white boards and expo markers. This will be used to help you answer questions if needed.
After each piece is chosen, each student is to roll the dice. Whoever rolls the highest number will be the first to go.
The first student should roll both the number and letter dice. The letter and number that you roll will tell you which question to answer. (For example, if you roll A and 6, you will answer question A6).
After you determine your answer, you are to check if your answer is correct on the answer sheet provided.

If you answer the question correctly, move your piece the amount of spaces that is stated next to the correct answer on the answer key. If you answer the question correctly, cross the question out as it cannot be answered a second time.
If you answer the question incorrectly, then you are not to move your piece any spaces. If you answer the question incorrectly, do not cross it out as the question is still able to be answered again correctly in the future.

After you finish your turn, the next student should follow steps 4 and 5 just like the first student did.
If a question that was correctly answered and crossed out is rolled more than once, then the student is able to re-roll until they get a question to answer that is not crossed out.
The game is played until a student reaches the finish space. The finish space can only be reached by a student correctly answering questions that allows them to move forward to that space.

Materials needed:

White boards with expo markers (each student has their own)
1 game board per every group of students (differentiated as such- multiple boards)
1 Letter Dice and 1 Number Dice per group (multiple sets)
Game pieces to represent each student- 1 per student (multiple pieces)

As previously mentioned, I created the questions to align with the Mathematical standards of a 3rd grade classroom learning fractions. This board game can be used for any grade level and any subject as long as questions are created to align with the standards that you aim to teach. That makes these boards reusable and multifunctional for all students as there are differentiated boards for different levels of understanding.

Grade Levels-

Intended to align with 3rd grade mathematical standards and concepts

Can be modified to reflect other grade levels and concepts

Standards:

3.NF.A.1- Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b. (Grade 3 expectations in this domain are limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8.)

3.NF.A.2- Understand a fraction as a number on the number line; represent fractions on a number line diagram

3.G.2- Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole. For example, partition a shape into 4 parts with equal area, and describe the area of each part as 1/4 of the area of the shape.

Practice:

1- Keep Trying- make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

2- Think about math- reason abstractly and quantitatively

6- Check your work- attend to precision