Math Code | The Robertson Program | Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Curriculum Goal

Created by Courtney Wickware. Adapted by The Robertson Program.

Primary: Number Sense

Read, represent compose and decompose whole numbers up to and including 200, using a variety of tools and strategies, and describe various ways they are used in everyday life.
Determine what needs to be added to or subtracted from addition and subtraction expressions to make them equivalent.
Identify and use equivalent relationships for while numbers up to 100, in various contexts.

Related Links

Context

Students work in pairs.
Students should have prior experience with addition and subtraction.

Materials

In-person version

Writing tool
Paper
Pre-made math cards with different numbers and equations (Appendix A)

Online version

Game file (Playingcards.io upload instructions)
Video conference capabilities

Lesson

The goal of the game is to create pairs of equivalent numbers.
Students decide who is going to be the leader of the game by pulling a card from the deck. The player who pulls the highest number is the leader.
Players place the cards on the table face up.
The leader will select a card in their mind and provide their partner with a clue about that card in the form of an equation (e.g., 15-1).
The partner needs to look for two answer cards on the table: one with a whole number answer (I.e., 14) and one with an equation (I.e., 7+7). They must both be equivalent to the equation given by the leader.
Encourage students to discuss their strategies when choosing their cards. For example, students would express that 7+7=14, similarly to 15-1=14.
When the partner has identified the two equivalent cards, the leader will continue giving clues until all cards on the table are matched.
Students should be encouraged to use a piece of paper and a pencil if they are struggling to do the math in their mind.

Look Fors

Can students readily identify different equations to achieve the desired sum?
What strategies do children implement to determine the appropriate equations?
Can children add or subtract two single- or double-digit numbers?

Extension

Have two pairs of students create their own sets of cards and switch them to complete the game.
Create a more challenging set of cards that have a sum total greater than 100.
Integrate a card set with fractions.
Introduce multiplication and division number cards.