Tic Tac Toe

LEVELS

Grades 3 - 6

SKILLS

adding 3-digit numbers
missing addends

PLAYERS

4 players (2 teams of 2)

EQUIPMENT

playing cards Ace (=1) through 9
paper and pencil

GETTING STARTED

The goal of this game is for pairs of students to work together cooperatively to find missing addends. Teams try to get Tic Tac Toe before their opponents get it.

Each team draws nine (9) cards from the deck. They use those cards in the order drawn to create an addition sentence/problem in which three 3-digit numbers are added.

Example
Player 1 turned over these nine cards: 4, 7, 9, 3, 2, 1, 8, 7, and another 2. The problem he creates is:

4 7 9
3 2 1
+ 8 7 2
---------

1 6 7 2

The team figures out their sum and then turns over three of the cards in a diagonal row and displays the sum to the opposing team.

Example

7 9
3 1
+ 8 7
---------

1 6 7 2

The other team now has the opportunity to figure out the missing addends. When they figure them out, they tell their opponents the missing addends. If they are correct, they may put one X mark on a Tic Tac Toe gameboard.

The other team now has their chance to figure out the missing addends in a math problem created by their opponents and to add an O to the Tic Tac Toe board.

Play continues until the Tic Tac Toe game is completed.

Joanne Currah and Jane Felling have created two best-selling math game books -- Shuffling Into Math (for teachers of grades K-3) and All Hands on Deck (grades 1-9). Each book includes simple instructions for more than 100 math games that help children discover math concepts and reinforce math skills. Education World is pleased to present a selection of those activities in this series.

Click to learn more about these books and other exciting products and service from Joanne and Jane's Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks.

More About Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks

Joanne Currah and Jane Felling created their company, BOX CARS & ONE-EYED JACKS, for the sole purpose of making math fun -- not threatening or frustrating -- for children. Joanne and Jane spend many days each year on the road as they train teachers to make math fun for kids and run Family Math Nights at schools. To learn more about the authors, their books, and the services they provide, visit them at www.boxcarsandoneeyedjacks.com or email them at boxcars@planet.eon.net.