By Linda Hillard

Giant Cards and Dice

Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand-Number Concept
CCS-MCC.3.NBT.2 Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and
algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship
between addition and subtraction.
Materials Giant Cards made from numbers 1-12
Giant Dice

Have students lay cards in a row 1 - 12

First student rolls the dice --- rolls a 4 and a 2
That student can turn over any combination of cards that equals 6 (5 and
1, 3 and 2 and 1, 2 and 4, ...)
The first student plays until they turn over all the large cards. The turn
ends if they cannot turn over cards to equal the rolled amount.
The next student takes their turn.
The winner is the student who can turn over all the cards during their
turn.

Reference- Math Games (2013, December 6). Retrieved from

http://www.mathcats.com/grownupcats/ideabankaddition.html

Multiplication Bingo
Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand-Basic Fact/Computation
CCS- MCC.3.OA.5. Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and

divide.
Materials- 2 pieces of construction paper per student
pencil or marker
scissors

Setting up the game board:

1. Each child needs two pieces of construction paper.
2. Instruct the students to take one piece of paper and do
the following:
a. Fold in half from top to bottom.
b. Fold again from top to bottom.
c. Fold in half from side to side.
d. Fold again from side to side.
3. When the students open the paper, there should be 16
squares.
4. As you call out the products of sixteen multiplication
facts, the students write those products in a
different square. Keep a list for yourself of the
facts that you are using that day.
5. Students should fold the second piece of paper exactly
as they did the other. Using scissors, cut out the
squares so that there are sixteen pieces of paper to
use on their gameboard.
Playing the game:
1. Decide which kind of bingo you want to play. Some of
the games we play are: (a) horizontal, (b) vertical,
(c) diagonal, (d) postage stamp (four in the top right

hand corner), (e) "L" (four on the left and four on

the bottom), (f) bulls eye (four in the center) (g)
picture frame (all but the four in the center), (h) "X"
(two diagonals). Your students will come up with other
ideas.
2. Using the list of sixteen multiplication facts, call
out the factors only. For example, you say "2 x 5".
The students must know the product, find it on their
gameboard, and cover it with a piece of paper.
Students are not allowed to tell other students what
the product is.
3. Continue calling out facts until someone gets a bingo.
Be sure to mark on your master copy the facts you
called, so you can check your winner to see if he/she
covered the correct products.
4. Keep a record of who wins the most games. That student
could be the first in line for the day, have extra free
time, be excused from the day's homework, etc.

Reference- 3rd grade math games. (2013, December 8). Retrieved from
http://www.theteachersguide.com/mathlessonplans.htm

Where does it go?

Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand-Number sense
CCS- MCC.3.NBT.2 Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms
based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and
subtraction.
Materials- 1 Dice

&

Chart

Procedure:
Use 1 dice. Two Players. Take turns to roll dice. Record on the chart.
See who can make the largest number.

Player 1

---------

____

___

____ ____ ___

Player 2

-------

___ ___

___ ___ ____

Reference: Laycock, M., &McLean, P. (1993). Weaving your Way from Arithmetic to
Mathematics with manipulatives. Hayward, CA: Activity Resources Co. Inc.

ADD TO MAKE ONE

Grade Level- 3rd Grade

Mathematical Strand-Fractional Understanding
CCS- MCC3.NF.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is
partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size
1/b.
Materials-A pair of dice (one red, one green)
Paper & pencil

Procedures:
1. The player who has been chosen leader rolls the dice. The red dice names a
numerator while the green dice names a denominator.
2. The first player names the fraction indicated by the dice. Then he names another
fraction that can be added to it to give the sum of 1. If he is correct, he scores one
point.
3. Play continues with each player taking turns in order.
4. The winner is the player who has the most points after a given number of rounds
have been played or a given period of time has passed.

Reference: Kennedy, L., & Michon, R. (1973). Games for individualizing mathematics learning.
Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company.

Multiplication Hopscotch
Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand-Basic Fact/Computation
CCS- MCC.3.OA.1 Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 7 as the total
number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each.
Materials-Hopscotch board with numerals 0 through 9
Two sets of numeral cards marked 0 through 9
A stone or small piece of chain to throw

Procedures:
1. One player shuffles each set of numeral cards and puts one set face down near
HOME and the other at the opposite end.
2. The rule for hopscotch is used.
3. Before each player can begin his hops, he takes the top numeral card. He multiplies
the number in each square as he hops across the playing space by the number on his
card. As long as he names the right products, he can continue hopping. If he makes
a mistake or cannot name a product, it is a miss, and he must go back to home and
await his next turn.
4. Play continues with players taking their turns in order.
5. The winner is the first person to complete the game.

Reference: Kennedy, L., & Michon, R. (1973). Games for individualizing mathematics learning.
Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company.

Hopscotch

8
3
4

9
5
6

7
0
HOME

Multiplication 4 in a row
Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand: Basic Fact/Computation
CCS- CCS- MCC.3.OA.5. Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide.
Materials-1 copy of the game board
2 paperclips
2 different kind of place markers (beans, color rocks, small game pieces)

This game is for two players. It is great for practicing those facts!
Procedure:
The first player takes the two paper clips and places each of them on a number (29) at the bottom of the board. That player than says the multiplication sentence (ex.
4 X 7=28) and places one of their markers on the product.
The second player then gets to move only one of the paperclips to make a new
multiplication sentence. That player calls out the multiplication sentence and put
on of their markers on the product.
Play continues as players move one of the paperclips making new multiplication
sentences, calling out the fact, and marking the product. The first player with 4 of
their markers in a row (up, down, or diagonal) wins.
If someones marker is already on the product, you must come up with a new
multiplication sentence.
Paperclips can be stacked on top of each other for number sentences such as 8X8.
If all products are covered moving only one paperclip, both may be picked up and
placed on new numbers.
Reference: Games for 3rd graders. (2013, December 8). Retrieved from
http://www.proteacher.org/c/684_Math_Games.html

Math Solitaire for Two

Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand: Number Concept
CCS- MCC.3.NBT.2 Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms based
on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.
Materials- Deck of cards
Paper and pencil for keeping score
Procedure:
1. Begin the game by shuffling the deck and dealing 20 cards to each player in the following
manner:
o Deal 4 cards face-down to each player. Position the cards straight across in a row.
o Deal 4 rows of 4 cards face-up to each player. Line them up under the previous
rows as you would in solitaire.
o After dealing, there should be 12 cards left in the deck. Divide them evenly and
give each player a face-down deck of 6 cards.
2. Player 1 begins with his first column (moving left to right) and mentally adds all of the faceup cards in the column. The goal is for your total to be as close to 20 as possible. Face cards
(Ace, King, Queen, Jack) count as 10.
3. Once the cards in the first column are added, Player 1 must choose to turn over the remaining
card in the column or the first card in his deck of 6. Once he turns over the card, he must choose
whether to add or subtract the card in order to have the column total be as close to 20 as possible.
For example, if Player 1s face-up cards total 14 and he chooses from his deck and turns over a
10, the column total is 24.
4. Player 2 follows the same process with her first column. Once Player 2 gets a column total, the
players compare answers. The player with the total closest to 20 wins the column. In the event
of a tie, mark it as a tie. Play continues moving left to right across the columns until one player
wins 3 out of 4 columns to win the game!
In the event of a tie for the grand total of columns (i.e. both players win 2 columns), players add
their remaining face down cards (cards in their decks and those at the top of the columns). The
highest total wins!
Reference: 3rd grade math games. (2013, December 14). Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/activity/third-grade/math/

Factors: A Math Card Game

Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand: Basic Fact/Computation
CCS- CCS- CCS- MCC.3.OA.5. Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and
divide.
Materials- Paper
Marker
Box of crayons
Friend
Procedure:

1. Using the marker, help your child write the numbers one through 30 on the
paper, in six rows of five numbers.
2. Playing the game is simple. Have your child pick a crayon color and color
around a random number, say 12.
3. Next, have the other child take the crayon and color in all the factors of the
number the first child picked. So, for our example of 12, the child would
want to color the following numbers: 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
4. Then, have the kids switch roles.
5. If a number is already colored in, it doesnt need to be colored in a second
time.
6. The game is over when there are no more numbers with uncolored factors.

Reference: math lessons (2013, December 15). Retrieved from

http://www.education.com/activity/third-grade/math/

Name that Number

Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand: Number Concept
CCS- MCC.3.NBT.2 Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms based
on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.
Materials: 4 cards each of numbers 0-10 and 1 card each of numbers 11-20
Procedure: 3 or 4 players
A player shuffles the deck and places five cards face-up on the playing surface. This player
leaves the rest of the deck facedown and then turns over and lays down the top card from the
deck. The number on this card is the number to be named.
In turn, players try to (re)name the number on the set-apart top card by adding or subtracting the
numbers on two of the five face-up cards.
A successful player takes both the two face-up cards and the number-named top card. A
successful player also replaces those three cards by drawing from the top of the facedown deck.
Unsuccessful players lose their turns. But they turn over and lay down the top card from the
facedown deck, and the number on this card becomes the new number to be named.
Play continues until all facedown cards have been turned over. The player who has taken the
most cards at the end wins.
Example:
Mae's turn:

The number to be named is 6. It may be named with 4+2, 8-2, or 10-4.

Mae selects 4+2. She takes the 4, 2, and 6 cards. She replaces the 4 and 2 cards with the top two
cards from the facedown deck and then turns over and lays down the next card to replace the 6.
Mike's Turn:

The new number to be named is 16. Mike can't find two cards with which to name 16, so he
loses his turn. He also turns over the next card from the facedown deck and places it on top of
16, and the number on this card becomes the new number to be named.
Play continues as before.
Game Variations: If children are finding the game difficult, increase the number of face-up
cards.
Use any combinations of two or more numbers and all operations. For example, Mike could have
named 16 as follows:
10+7-1
10+12-7+1
8+12-10+7-1
Children can experiment by using different numbers of face-up cards.

Reference: Reference: math lessons (2013, December 15). Retrieved from

http://www.education.com/activity/third-grade/math/

The Great Round Up!

Grade Level- 3rd Grade
Mathematical Strand-Number Concept
CCS- MCC.3.NBT.1 Use place value understanding to round whole numbers to
the nearest 10 or 100.
Materials- Number cubes
Rounding worksheet

Procedures:
Game Instructions and Recording Sheet
1. Player 1 will toss all three number cubes and make the GREATEST possible 3digit number with those digits.
2. Player 1 will write his or her number on his or her recording sheet.
3. The player with the GREATEST number in that round will round his or her
number to the nearest hundred and record the rounded number in the total column
on their recording sheet.
4. All other players will not record a number in the total column for this round.
5. Play will continue for ten rounds.
6. The winner is the player with the greatest total.
7. At the end of the game, students should share their efficient rounding strategies
with one another.

Reference: Georgia common core standards (2013, December 8). Retrieved from
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Common-Core

ROUND

Example
round

Greatest 3 Digit Number

432

Rounded Number

400

1.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9..

10.

TOTAL