PYP PE: Maths Integration and Running! (Grade 1)

A great game that I had my grade 1 students play yesterday was "Find the Dots and Add Them Together". Quite a wordy title, but I can't think of a better, more succinct name right now! Anyways, try this game out.

Materials needed

• coloured sets of dots with numbers on them (if you don't have this, using markers, write numbers 1-10 on different coloured sheets of paper.
• eager kids (not too hard to find!)

Game 1 (warm up)
Divide kids up into whatever number of teams you want (each team has its own set of numbers)
Take dots with numbers, or different sets of numbers you have written on paper, and spread them out around the gym face down.
On command "Go" each team must find their own set of numbers, run back to their team area and place them on the floor in order.
You can repeat this a few times having them structure the order differently each time. For example, they can form a circle with the numbers in order, or a triangle, or a zig zag pattern. Anything is OK provided the numbers are in order.

Game 2 (the real deal: Find the Dots and Add Them Together Game)

In this game, spread the dots all over the gym this time (some face up, some face down).  Rule change here is that the kids can take any colored number. It doesn't have to be their own color only. The object of the game is for your team to run out and collect numbers. Not just randomly, but to collect numbers that add together to form a correct sum. For example, 4 and 3 = 7. There are no addition signs or equal sign needed. They just have to run back to their team area and place the numbers down in a proper row (5 5 10 which really means 5 plus 5 equals 10). What you will find happen is that all teams will have uncompleted rows which is when all teams must work together sharing numbers in order to complete rows. For example, if team A has only 3 and 4 but not 7 they need to go ask another team for 7. Negotiations and trading take place, all positive of course. It really promotes mental maths and thinking skills. As well they need to be super active running around all over the place. I loved this game. TRY IT OUT.