So how’s the summer going for everyone? I can’t believe how fast the summer is dashing by! And how are the summer games with the family? Did any of you play the Bingo game? If you didn’t, keep an eye open – we just might have this again sometime….
We hope that everyone is having a blast with the games. Isn’t this just the best way to keep the math skills fresh? Sure beats flash cards and worksheets!
So far, we’ve explored addition and subtraction games, a basic fraction game, and a money game which used addition and basic multiplication. This week? We’re looking at three clock games which will use multiplication and addition skills.
The first game, Hours and Minutes Memory, game C19 from the Math Card Games book, helps the children associate the correct and often “invisible” minute numbers with the visible hour numbers. This will utilize the multiplication facts of five. The second game, Fifteen Minutes Later, game C23 from the Math Card Games book, has the children figure out the time 15 minutes after the start time. Addition skills will be put into action with this game. The third game, Thirty Minutes Later, game C24, uses the same skills, albeit with a different number.
Let’s start with Hours and Minutes Memory, game C19. Two people can play this game. If you have more than two who want to play, assemble as two teams. You’ll need to use the clock cards. This deck consist of 24 cards, numbered from 1 to 12 and from :00 to :55 in one color and the identical 24 cards in a different color for a total of 48 cards.
Lay the 12 hour cards of one color in random order face down and the 12 minute cards in the second color in random order face down next to them. For reference, use a clock without minute numbers.
Like a traditional memory game, the first child turns over an hour card and a minute card. If they match, she collects the two cards and takes another turn. If they do not match, she turns them over and the next child takes his turn. Matches are the hour number and the minute number for the same position. Pairs are 3 and :15, 7 and :35, 11 and :55, and so forth.
Our first child turns over the 2 hour card. She needs to find the :10 minute card for the match.
She found it! She collects her pair and gets another turn. This time she turns over the 6 hour card. What minute card is she looking for?
Oh no! No match this time. Turn the cards over and it’s the next person’s turn.
Our next player turns over an 11 hour card. Ooooh. We’ve seen this match. Do you remember where it is?
The game continues until all cards are matched. So, what’s the purpose of this game? We are working on matching the hour numbers on a clock with the often unseen minute numbers. This is also practicing the multiples of fives!
Our second game, Fifteen Minutes Later, game C23, has the children figure out the time after fifteen minutes. Here we will use all 48 of the clock cards along with a clock for reference. Two to four players are best.
Deal one color deck to the children – each child will have an equal number of hour cards and an equal number of minute cards. Cards to be placed face up on the playing area. We are looking at three players here sitting side by side.
The second color deck becomes the stock; the hour cards in one pile and the minute cards in a second pile.
Start by forming a time by turning over the stock cards.
The children determine what fifteen minutes after 2:20 will be. Tell them to start at the current time, 2:20, and count by 5s to get the new time. It should sound like this: 2:20, 2:25, 2:30, 2:35. Some children will need to repeat the start time and others will not.
Now we need to see who has the 2 card and the :35 card. Looks like our first person has the minute card and the second person has the hour card. Each take their matching card and set it aside.
Turn over the next cards from the stock and calculate the new time.
This is going to be trickier. Remind the child to count by fives: 7:55, 8:00, 8:05, 8:10. Our third player has both cards! He will set those aside. Continue the game until one person has all their cards set aside and they are the winner!
The final game, Thirty Minutes Later, game C24, is a variation of Fifteen Minutes Later. Of course, you can change the game to be any amount later. Or, when they children are very comfortable, play Thirty Minutes Earlier!
Hope you all have a great “time” with these games…..
