Gingerbread Math Games

Counting Game:  Run, Gingerbread Man, Run

This game was designed to introduce students to the randomness of spinners and dice. Each color gingerbread man starts at the same place and has the same chance of winning by crossing the finish line, but does it work out that way? Students will enjoy playing the game AND use a clothespin graph [see sample on right] to collect some useful data on the winners.



Once students have collected class data from playing many games, they will come together to analyze the clothespin graph results. Students will be asked to discuss whether or not they think the game is fair for all of the gingerbread men and explain their reasoning.

Download the Run, Gingerbread, Run game so that students can get started playing and collecting data. The pdf file contains the spinner, gameboard, clothespin graph icons, and an optional tally sheet. 

Coordinate Graphing Game:  Catch the Gingerbread Men

For this game, students toss two dice (one regular and one marked A-B-C-D-E-F), form an ordered pair (e.g. B5), then remove the gingerbread man from that space, if there is one. Play continues until the timer rings or until one player has caught 10 gingerbread men. Students love playing the game and they get to practice their coordinate graphing skills in the process.


Coordinate Pairs: This seasonal version of the classic Battleship game provides practice in forming coordinate pairs, identifying the x-coordinate (A-F), then the y-coordinate (1-6) so that spaces are identified as C3 or E6. Hopefully, lots of practice will help students transition to the algebraic ordered pairs (x,y) where x and y are both numbers. Just be certain to reinforce the notion that the x-coordinate (across) comes before the y-coordinate (up or down). The alphabetical cues (across comes before up or down) help some students remember the order.


Download Catch the Gingerbread Men game mat, game pieces and directions for playing the game.

Gingerbread House Coordinate Graphing

Introduce elementary students to coordinate graphing through seasonal coloring activities. The winter Gingerbread House activity requires students to use the grid code and crayons or markers to create a gingerbread house on a blank 11x11 grid. The use of letters on the horizontal axis and numbers on the vertical axis introduces young students to coordinate pairs without the confusion of the standard (h,v) format. Notice that it is important that elementary students become accustomed to listing the horizontal coordinate first as this will transfer to the Cartesian coordinates they will use in later grades.

Download the Gingerbread House Coordinate Graphing activity.

Fall Problem Solving

The following open-ended assessments require students to apply mathematical concepts and skills to solve problems and explain their thinking using words, pictures and numbers.

• Candy Corn presents a triangular numbers problem using a candy corn pattern. Younger students might use candy corn to model the problem. A sample solution shows how older students might use an input-output table to model the pattern and find the solution without the use of manipulatives.
• Younger students will enjoy analyzing and completing Fall Patterns.  They should then classify the pattern and explain their reasoning as part of the class discussion. It is possible that students will see different patterns in some of the items so their explanation and justification are very important mathematical discourse.
• Annual Fall Parade challenges students to use the triangular pattern to figure out how many students are in the fourth grade. Given the number of full rows, students must apply the pattern and use effective recording (picture, table, etc.) to explain their reasoning.
• See more Problem Solving Resources from the Mathwire collections.  All problems are classroom-ready in PDF format.  Many contain a sample solution for teacher use.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Spider Math

Be sure to check out Spider Math in the Mathwire Activity Themes.  The spider collection features math mats, name-collection spiders, glyphs and graphing ideas.  Spiders are also the theme of the day for a whole series of games as well as some problem solving activities including insects and spiders problems, which are a twist on the familiar cow and chicken legs and heads problems. 

The games are original Mathwire games designed to develop students' proficiency with important math concepts and skills.  The downloadable PDF files include game mats, directions, recording sheets and game pieces.  The spider games develop coordinate graphing, probability and map coloring, a discrete math topic.

• Catch the Spider Game requires students to roll dice, form an ordered pair, and catch the spider in that square, if possible.
• Spider Game-1 develops the concept of the probability of the outcome of tossing one die.
• Spider Game-2 expands the game to examine the probability of the outcome of tossing two dice and how that change impacts the outcome of the game.
• Spider Web Map Coloring Games require students to use map coloring rules to win the most points in this spider web game.

Teachers may use the Spider Math activities as a Halloween treat or add them to thematic spider units.  The games may be introduced as a whole-class activity, then shifted to the math center for pair play during transition times or indoor recess.