Lesson Plan #: AELP-ATH0200

Snake

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan Submitted by: Jennifer Bergfeldt
Email: brgfeldt@telusplanet.net
School/University/Affiliation: Calgary Waldorf School

Date: August 8, 2000

Grade Level: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Subject(s):

Duration: 30-45 minutes

Description: Snake is a fun and highly interactive math game for practicing basic math skills. This activity is great for substitute teachers. It is quick and easy to set up if you find you have some unplanned time. The game also helps substitute teachers gain rapport with students. Some of the classes I subbed in would ask me to play the game with them on repeat visits. I would use it as a treat at the end of the day if the students had worked hard for me that day.

Goals: Increase proficiency in basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts.

Objectives: Students will use mental math to compute answers to arithmetic problems. Students will add columns of numbers to arrive at a total score.

Materials:

Procedure:
Each student writes the word "SNAKE" in large letters at the top of a piece of paper, making a column under each letter. All students stand by their desks, and the teacher rolls the dice and announces the two numbers. Depending on the grade level or the ability of the students, the teacher can have students add, subtract, multiply, or divide the two numbers. The students will do so quietly in their heads and then enter their answers in the first column "S." (The teacher should record each answer on a piece of paper as well.) The students continue to record their answers in the "S" column until they choose to sit down and play it safe or until the round ends. When a student has chosen to sit down, he/she can no longer collect points and must wait until the next round to stand up and rejoin the game. A round (or column) ends when one of the following occurs:

1. All the students have chosen to sit down.
2. The teacher has rolled a 1 on one of the dice. In this case, all the students who are still standing will lose all their points for that column only. Their total for that column will go to 0.
3. The teacher has rolled "snake eyes." In this case, all the students who are standing will lose all their points in each completed column and in the current column. Their score will now be 0.

After a round ends, all the students may stand up again and begin collecting points for the next column. After all five rounds have been played, the students will add up all of the columns to determine their total score. The student with the highest overall score wins. You may want to have students double check their calculations with a calculator. The teacher's answer sheet can also be used to verify students' scores.

I have tried this game with students in grades 3 through 8. Every class has loved it, as long as you make it appropriate for their age level. I usually give out a little treat to students with the top three scores. The students really love the challenge of out-guessing the roll of the dice.

One difficulty of the game is trying to keep students from calling out the answers. If students are silent, then all children can practice their math facts in their heads. Also, when students have their scores, they tend to rush up front to show the teacher. I made a rule of having students remain in their seats and raising their hands when ready to share scores. I would display a child's total score on the board and ask if anyone had a higher score. I would repeat this until I had the top two or three scores.

Assessment: Observe students' participation throughout the game. Collect students' sheets and compare their answers with the teacher's answer sheet.