Laura Weakland
Math Center
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Overview and Objectives
Welcome to Multiplication on Safari! This center contains a variety of multiplication games and activities that can be use for whole-group, small-group, or individual instruction. The object of the center is to help students gain computational fluency in their multiplication facts up to 10x10 (Michigan GLCE = N.FL.03.11) and can be used in a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade classroom.
Differentiation
Most of the activities are abstract in nature and assume students have had adequate concrete and semi-concrete instruction in multiplication using manipulatives (area and array models) as a means of understanding multiplication is the result of counting the total number of objects in a set of equal groups. However, there are two activities in the center that rely on pictorial or semi-concrete representation (On Safari MultiBlocks and Safari Survivor). For those students who still need concrete representation, any of the activities can be used with manipulatives (i.e, actually physically counting out 6 groups of 3 to determine the product of 6x3). This will slow the games and activities down and students will quickly realize the games would go more quickly once they gain fluency in their multiplication facts. In addition, all of the activities include a “No Peeking” multiplication reference chart for students to check their partner’s answers.
Grouping/Rotation
There are enough activities in this center for a teacher to use it as a whole group activity rotating students through the activities in groups of 4. As a means of grouping students, the 36 (or less) cards from the Zebra Concentration game can be distributed to students with students finding their match (equation to product). Once students have found their match, the teacher can select foursomes by selecting 2 matched pairs of students to work together.
Games/Activities
Games/activities included in this center are summarized as follows:
1. M-A-T-H-O Multiplication Bingo (4-40 students) – play is similar to a regular BINGO game with students answering multiplication flash card equations and marking the resulting products on their game boards. (Instructions)
2. Having a “BALL” on Safari (4-30 students) – students sit in circle and toss the ball back and forth answering the multiplication equations as they go.
3. Navigating the Water Hole – Checkers (2 players; 2 sets included) – similar to checkers except students must answer multiplication equations before moving to the next spot.
4. Mooove It! Multipication (2 players; 2 games included) – students roll number cubes placing markers on the game board. If their opponent has a marker on their resulting product, they may “mooooove” it off the board with the object being the first to get all 8 counters on the board.
5. Four Little Monkeys on Safari (2-3 players; 2 games included) – students roll 3 number cubes selecting the product of two and placing a marker on the game board with the object being the first to get 4 in a row.
6. Safari Survivor (2 players or 2 pairs of 2 students) – play is similar to “war” only the students use multiplication arrays
7. On Safari MultiBlocks (2-6 players) – students race around a game board drawing cards with the object being to get the most “sets” by the end of the game. A set equals an equation, a matching product, and a matching pictorial array. (Instructions, Game Board and Cards must be purchased from www.teacherspayteachers.com - Search on "MultiBlocks")
8. Multiplication is EGG-Cellent! (2-4 players) – students battle for points by solving multiplication products of where their “eggs” landed in the egg carton. (Instructions, Instructions for Egg Carton)
9. On Safari (2-4 players) – similar to the game of “battleship” with one student hiding the letters for the words, ON SAFARI, on a multiplication chart and the remaining players trying to locate the words by solving multiplication equations. (Instructions, Master Game Board, No Peeking Cover, Player Game Sheets, Game Pieces)
10. Zebra Concentration (1-4 players) – students lay cards face down and try to match equations to products. (Instructions and Matching Cards)
11. Multiplication Mazes (1-4 students taking turns with the mazes) – students try to find their way through a maze of numbers using their knowledge of multiples. Students may refer to a multiplication chart for help. (Multiplication Chart and Mazes)
12. Rhino Relay (whole group) – students race to be the first to answer all the multiplication problems (Instructions and Rhino Cards)
13. Buzz…Buzzzzz…Splat! (whole group) – students practice multiples of “3” and “5” (Instructions and Overhead Chart)
14. Hungry HIPPO (4-40) – similar to a game often called “PIG” or maybe “SNAKE” where students roll 2 dice and determine their product. Students much decide to keep going or to stop. But being greedy for points doesn’t pay off when a “1” or double “1s” are rolled and the student loses all points for the round or so far in the game! (Instructions and Gameboard)
15. Safari Survivor 2 (2 players) - play is similar to “war,” only students flip over two cards and determine the product to compare to their opponents product. (Instructions)
16. Circle of Multiplication (32 players or less) – a whole group game whereby students call out a “I have 32…who has 5x5?” The student with 25 answers and the game continues until everyone has had a turn and the circle is complete.
Resources
All the game boards and associated activities were created by Laura Weakland with the exception of MultiBLOCKS. The following resources were used to create the multiplication activities in this center:
1. M-A-T-H-O Multiplication Bingo – Game boards - http://print-bingo.com
2. Having a Multiplication “BALL” on Safari – Paper Plate Geometry from “Move It Math!” Shawna Veit, DACTM Conference 2008
3. Navigating the Water Hole – Checkers – Checkboard Math (p. 115) from Math Wise! Hands-On Activities and Investigations for Elementary Students By Jim Overholt (1995); Reproducible Excel spreadsheet obtained from Tiffani Ewert; obtained from www.teacherspayteachers.com
4. Mooove It! Multipication – Move It Addition from “Teaching Math as a Workshop Format,” Danielle Daniels, DACTM Conference 2006
5. Four Little Monkeys on Safari – Math 381 Coursepack (p. 40), EMU, Dr. Barbara Leapard
6. Safari Survivor – Array card templates –
7. On Safari MultiBlocks – MultiBlocks is copyrighted to Fran Hilgendorf (2005), A Home Education Resources Game; obtained from www.teacherspayteachers.com
8. Multiplication is EGG-Cellent! – Break My Eggs - http://www.multiplication.com/classroom_games.htm
9. On Safari – Here I Am (p. 111) from Math Wise! Hands-On Activities and Investigations for Elementary Students By Jim Overholt (1995)
10. Zebra Concentration – online version http://www.aplusmath.com/Games/Concentration/Multiplication_Concentration.html
11. Multiplication Mazes – Math Number Mazes, Kristi Eckern, www.teacherspayteachers.com
12.Rhino Relay – adapted from a game obtained from: http://www.multiplication.com/classroom_games.htm
13.Buzz…Buzzzzz…Splat! - adapted from a game obtained from: http://www.multiplication.com/classroom_games.htm
14.Hungry HIPPO – adapted from a game called SNAKE obtained from: http://www.proteacher.net/discussions/showthread.php?t=2972
15.Safari Survivor 2 - adapted from a game obtained from: http://www.multiplication.com/classroom_games.htm
