Connecting Games

Whenever I have students who struggle with addition I try to play the commercial game Make 7 with them.  The only problem is that everyone wants to play and I don't have that many games.


To solve the problem of not having enough games, I went and purchased some dropping disc type games.  I began purchasing the regular games and travel size at every thrift store, garage sale, and discount store on clearance that I came across.  I try to be as thrifty as I can.  :0)


Then, with a permanent marker I wrote the numbers on the disc.  This was much cheaper than buying just one more of the commercial games and I could adapt to fit my students needs.


If I found a game but the disc holder was broken, that was okay because it was cheaper.  I just added more disc to the other games I had.  With me choosing the numbers on the game and writing the numbers, it could now become make 12 or make whatever number the pieces would allow.


Since it is now within your hands of how the game is played and what the numbers are, the possibilities are endless.  Maybe one version could be make 30, but instead of adding the numbers you multiply them or you make discs with bigger addends.  Again, you choose the numbers, so you choose how it is played.  (Be sure to have enough discs so that both players can each the desired number.)


The hardest part was making up my mind on how to play and what numbers I wanted to use! 


(My students love playing this style of game.  I have some that I made in PowerPoint for them to play while working on other skills.  Some are available in my TPT store and at my new Teachers Notebook shop.)