Math Games Effectively Meet Math Standards

Your state’s mathematics standards are intended as a statement of what students should learn, or what they should have accomplished, at particular stages of their schooling. The goal of every state’s math standards is to engage students in meaningful mathematical problem-solving experiences, build math knowledge and skills, increase students’ ability to communicate mathematically, and increase their desire to learn mathematics. Those are the goals for math games, too!

Specific content knowledge will vary according to the game students play and the connection to school-day learning and the state standards. A major goal for students in the elementary grades is to develop an understanding of the properties of and the relationships among numbers. One of the very effective ways teachers can reinforce the development and practice of number concepts, logical reasoning, and mathematical communication is by using math games. They are great for targeted practice on whatever standard the children need to meet.

You will meet significantly more of your state’s grade- level mathematics standards by having your children play a game than will have been met by having them complete a ditto or a workbook page.

At all my teacher trainings, I begin by giving the teachers a quiz using a ditto with many three-digit addition problems. We then proceed to look at the mathematics standards, and the teachers decide which standards (or parts of each standard) were met by doing the ditto.

We then play a three-digit addition game, and, again, look at the standards. The teachers decide which standards were met by playing the game. Here are the results:

Standards met when doing the ditto:

Number Sense

1.1 …write whole numbers to 1,000…

2.2 Find the sum… of two whole numbers up to three digits long.

Mathematical Reasoning

2.2 Make precise calculations…

Standards met when playing the game:

Number Sense

1.1 …write whole numbers to 1,000 and identify the place value
for each digit.

1.3 …compare whole numbers to 1,000…

2.2 Find the sum … of two whole numbers up to three digits long.

Mathematical Reasoning

1.1 Determine the approach … and strategies to be used.

2.1 Defend the reasoning used and justify the procedures selected.

2.2 Make precise calculations…

As you can see, not only did we meet more standards by playing the game, but many of the standards were met more fully! Many teachers are surprised at this result, but once they begin to use games in their classrooms to help their students learn and reinforce math skills, they are convinced.

Give a math game a try. Find many math games at your child’s or student’s grade level by going to this page.

Math Games and Computation

The New York Times has another article about an ideal elementary classroom.

In their theoretical classroom, children would spend a short period of time each day practicing computation — adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

As a veteran elementary teacher, I have found that math games are an effective and useful way to practice that computation.

Math games put children in exactly the right frame of mind for learning. Children are normally very eager to play games. They relax when they play, and they concentrate. They don’t mind repeating certain facts or procedures over and over. Games incorporate the ways children best learn mathematics – games require active involvement. Actively engaged children learn more quickly.

Children throw themselves into playing games the way they never throw themselves into filling out workbook pages or dittos. And games can, if you select the right ones, help children learn almost everything they need to master in elementary math. Good, child-centered games are designed to take the boredom and frustration out of the repetitive practice necessary for children to master important math skills and concepts.

Playing math games is even more beneficial than spending the same amount of time drilling basic facts using flash cards. Not only are games a lot more fun, but the potential for learning and reasoning about mathematics is much greater, as well. Games require a variety of problem-solving skills, such as making and testing hypotheses, creating strategies (thinking and planning ahead), and organizing information. Plus, as children play, they further their development of hand-eye coordination, concentration levels, visual discrimination, memory, and their ability to communicate and use mathematical language.

Play games with your children/students. My grade-level specific games would be an ideal addition to your home/classroom!