Math Games for Elementary Students
Hands-On Pyramid Solitaire Activity Teaches Break-Apart Numbers
Elementary students learn break apart number strategies and counting skills with games that promote kinesthetic learning.
Math is fun when students play hands-on games that promote kinesthetic learning!
Pyramid Solitaire
Understanding how numbers break apart or come together is fundamental to the development of early math skills. Variations of Pyramid Solitaire, a traditional card game that encourages the learning of sums, can increase student confidence and math fluency.
Math Content Areas: break apart numbers, addition, number line skills
Materials:
- One oversized numberline (0-20)
- One oversized (teacher created) card set with adhesive velcro tabs attached on the back.
- A poster board with appropriately spaced velcro tabs (mates for the tabs on the oversized cards) in the shape of a pyramid with that allows five cards at the base (see below)
- A standard deck of cards for each pair group. (Note: Determine your school district's policy on standard playing cards prior to to this lesson. In the event that standard cards are banned, you may want students to make their own on 3X5 cards. Students will need four sets of cards numbered 1-13.)
- A number line for each pair group.
Activities:
Teacher led Instruction:
- Begin by asking students to come up with sums that equal 13. Write them on the board (Example: 1+12, 2+11, etc.) .
- Using the poster board and oversized cards, show students how to deal an overlapping pyramid of cards. The top row will have one card, the second row, will have two, and so on until the final row has five overlapping cards. Each card will attach to a velcro tab on the poster board.
- Explain to students that the goal is to find pairs of numbers that equal 13. (On a standard deck, Aces will count as 1, Jacks as 11, Queens as 12, and Kings as 13). When pairs are found, they are taken from the pyramid and discarded. Students may create pairs with drawn cards that match exposed cards in the pyramid.
- Ask students if they see any kings or pairs of cards that equal 13 in the bottom row of the pyramid. Allow students to come forward to pull off pairs place them in a discard pile. If there are no pairs, the teacher (or a student volunteer) may draw cards from the pile until s/he finds one that can be paired with an exposed pyramid card that equals 13.
- The game continues until no more pairs can be made OR until the pyramid is depleted of all of its cards.
- Once students understand the game, break them into pairs to play. Both students must agree on the sum of each pair before discarding.
Activities for Extension and Differentiation:
- If students create their own decks, the traditional game can be altered so that students can find pairs that equal 10, 20, or any other sum; however, the deck's numbers must be large enough to play such a game. )
- Ask students graph their wins and losses.
Award students who finish their math work ahead of schedule by allowing them to Pyramid Solitaire alone or in pairs.
The copyright of the article Math Games for Elementary Students in Curricula by Grade is owned by Susan Hyde. Permission to republish Math Games for Elementary Students must be granted by the author in writing.
