A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

studymaths · 2011-02-21 11:28:54

Hi, I thought I'd share a few of the free games I have made to help my pupils learn times tables, negatives and trial and improvement:

http://studymaths.co.uk/games/beattheclock.html
http://studymaths.co.uk/games/trialandi … tgolf.html
http://studymaths.co.uk/games/nastynegatives.html

My pupils find them a lot more interesting than worksheets!

Regards,

Jonny

Last edited by studymaths (2011-02-24 03:05:39)

bobbym · 2011-02-21 12:05:10

Hi studymaths;

Nice games! Good luck with your students.

MathsIsFun · 2011-02-21 12:07:37

Thanks for those Jonny

studymaths · 2011-02-24 03:16:03

Cheers thanks,

I'm a secondary teacher on half term break at the moment so I took the opportunity to make some games, I won't have time when school starts again next week!

bobbym · 2011-02-24 08:56:17

Hi studymaths;

I respect that you thought of someone else when you had free time.

studymaths · 2011-03-05 06:20:49

Hi bobbym,

Thanks, although I have to admit I do actually enjoy making these games!

Anyway after a week off most of my pupils had forgotten completely what prime numbers are so hence my latest game:
http://studymaths.co.uk/games/findtheprimes.html

I challenge anyone to get past level 15!

bobbym · 2011-03-06 07:18:09

Hi;

I get to level 10 fairly easy after that my mouse skills degrade rapidly.

phrontister · 2011-03-06 12:28:31

Hi!

I bombed out on Level 14 (didn't know enough bigger primes).

Good game to dust off the prime cobwebs.

phrontister · 2011-03-06 12:56:59

Got to Level 17!

Had to guess a few of the big ones on the last 3 levels and got lucky.

I quickly eliminated digit-sums that are multiples of 3 for the larger numbers that I didn't know, but after that I panicked and let the mouse run wild.

Last edited by phrontister (2011-03-06 13:54:06)

bobbym · 2011-03-06 14:13:34

Level 17 that is impossible!

phrontister · 2011-03-06 15:07:26

Panicked again.

bobbym · 2011-03-06 15:12:27

Hi phrontister;

Nice score!

phrontister · 2011-03-06 23:20:00

Thanks, Bobby.

With my second flop on L17 I was annoyed that I didn't get to L18 because I only had one prime to go.

I felt tempted to learn some higher primes so that I could advance to a higher level...but then I'd fail that higher level and be annoyed that I didn't get to the next level.

And on it goes...... Hey, that reminds me of the song "And so it Goes", by Billy Joel. Here's an a cappella version of it by the King's Singers that I really like. Fantastic harmonies, timing and feel.

The idea of me learning larger primes doesn't appeal, so I won't bother with that. I'll just play using what I know (plus guesses).

Anyway, somebody who's already done that extra learning will get a score that will make mine look puny.

Last edited by phrontister (2011-03-06 23:26:19)

bobbym · 2011-03-06 23:39:53

Anyway, somebody who's already done that extra learning will get a score that will make mine look puny.

As the song goes, "It ain't necessarily so..." Someone would have to know the larger primes and be able to beat out your 27 year old eye and hand coordination.

studymaths · 2011-03-07 05:21:29

Level 17 is a very good score! My best is 15. I told my pupils that anything over level 5 shows that they know what their doing when it comes to primes, anything higher is a bonus!

I'm thinking the 5 second penalty for an incorrect prime is a little harsh, possibly might reduce it to 2 seconds. Or give 20 seconds per level rather than 15.

Anyway thanks to all for trying the game, it is appreciated. Now if only my pupils they could remember what square numbers, triangle numbers, factors, multiples etc.. are

bobbym · 2011-03-07 09:15:27

Hi studymaths;

How are your students doing at. What is their best score?

studymaths · 2011-03-07 09:25:49

Hi,

They get to about level 4 or 5 then run out of time. This for me shows understanding of primes, even if they can't identify the larger ones by memory.

What is fun though is using an interactive whiteboard and then get pairs of pupils up to the front to work as a team. With double the hands they finish levels in half the time Although this can cause arguments between them if one of them clicks a non prime number! They have reached level 10 doing it this way.

bobbym · 2011-03-07 09:32:38

Hi;

That is interesting. It does show the value of working in teams. The old adage about 2 heads being better than one.

studymaths · 2011-03-07 09:40:39

Indeed, in fact I did try it with more than two pupils at the board but then the adage "too many cooks spoil the broth" applies!

bobbym · 2011-03-07 09:51:34

I know! It is difficult to get us to work together. But it is one of the most valuable lessons that we can learn. When they get out into the world they will often have to associate and work with people they do not like.

Have you seen the games that are here at Mathopolis?

http://www.mathopolis.com/

phrontister · 2011-03-07 19:03:33

bobbym wrote:

Someone would have to know the larger primes and be able to beat out your 27 year old eye and hand coordination.

Yes...youth has its advantages. I won't be 27 forever , but maybe when I'm old I'll have learnt enough larger primes to be able to blitz my best score from my youth. That is, if hand shake hasn't set in by then.

I bettered my previous score but clicked on a multiple of 2 on the last level! That killed it, as I only had a few seconds left. But I was gone anyway, as I still had 4 primes to go.

Hi studymaths,

A smaller time penalty for incorrect answers, particularly on levels with 3-digit (and greater!) primes, would be good. That would allow for some quick mental arithmetic with at least the first few primes to see if they'll divide into the test number. I did that a small number of times on my way to L20, using primes < 23.

I was able to use that tactic as I'd worked my way through the lower levels as quickly as I could and had a time of about 55 seconds with 3 or 4 levels to go.

Last edited by phrontister (2011-03-07 19:52:15)

bobbym · 2011-03-07 19:14:15

I did find the game having one point that was too tough. If you click a number by mistake you have no chance to unclick it. But as the game was designed for young people whose hands are presumably steady that maybe is not a problem.

Fantastic score by the way.

studymaths · 2011-03-08 05:48:26

Hi Bobby, yeah I use the games at mathopolis with my pupils as well as the games as mathisfun.com, boxup is one of my personal favourites.
From a pupil point of view I find that any game which has a timed element are the most popular with kids.

Thanks to everyone who tested the prime game as a result of the feedback I've changed the rules slightly. You now get 20 seconds per level and only a 3 second penalty for an 'incorrect prime'.

Level 25 should be achievable now

Last edited by studymaths (2011-03-08 05:50:01)

bobbym · 2011-03-08 05:57:58

Hi studymaths;

If I get to level 25 then phrontister will get to level 50.

studymaths · 2011-03-08 06:08:44

That would be impressive. Each at the start of a level each tile is assigned a number between 1 and (10+level*level). So at level 50 all the primes up to 2510 would have to be memorised!

I think I'd have to make the tiles wider as well

Last edited by studymaths (2011-03-08 06:09:10)

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2011-02-21 11:28:54

A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#2 2011-02-21 12:05:10

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#3 2011-02-21 12:07:37

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#4 2011-02-24 03:16:03

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#5 2011-02-24 08:56:17

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#6 2011-03-05 06:20:49

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#7 2011-03-06 07:18:09

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#8 2011-03-06 12:28:31

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#9 2011-03-06 12:56:59

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#10 2011-03-06 14:13:34

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#11 2011-03-06 15:07:26

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#12 2011-03-06 15:12:27

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#13 2011-03-06 23:20:00

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#14 2011-03-06 23:39:53

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#15 2011-03-07 05:21:29

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#16 2011-03-07 09:15:27

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#17 2011-03-07 09:25:49

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#18 2011-03-07 09:32:38

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#19 2011-03-07 09:40:39

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#20 2011-03-07 09:51:34

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#21 2011-03-07 19:03:33

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#22 2011-03-07 19:14:15

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#23 2011-03-08 05:48:26

Re: A few maths games I have made to help my pupils

#24 2011-03-08 05:57:58

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#25 2011-03-08 06:08:44

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