What’s the one thing you expect to be teaching this September, no matter which class you’re in? That’s right—place value. But how can we make place value more active and engaging when we teach it during Back to School season every year?
I’ve put together a list of my top three interactive place value maths games to give this foundational concept the dynamic and engaging approach it deserves.
These games will help your 3rd to 6th class students master place value in mathematics, laying a strong foundation for more advanced maths concepts throughout the year.
Place Value Scavenger Hunts
Whether they are physical or digital, scavenger hunts offer a fun and interactive way to practise place value in mathematics. Physical scavenger hunts have many benefits, such as active learning, as students move around and engage with the material in a hands-on way. They also promote collaborative learning, as these hunts are often carried out in small groups, promoting teamwork and communication while playing place value maths games.
Digital scavenger hunts are equally engaging. By using tools like Google Forms, students can interact with place value concepts digitally while still enjoying a hands-on, immersive experience. These online scavenger hunts can also be completed solo or with a partner. One of the major advantages of digital scavenger hunts is that they can be self-checking, allowing students to monitor their progress and identify areas where they need more practise with place value.
Scavenger hunts are also great for differentiation, as the difficulty level can be adjusted to suit different learners. This ensures that all students can participate and benefit from engaging in place value maths games, regardless of their current proficiency in key mathematical concepts.
By incorporating physical and digital scavenger hunts into your Back to School activities, you can create a lively and effective learning environment that makes place value fun and accessible for all your students.
Place Value Maths Mazes
Another novel and interactive way to practise place value in mathematics is through maths mazes. In this type of place value maths game, children solve problems to navigate through a a print or digital maze. Digital versions can be created using online platforms such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Students type their responses and see their virtual path appear based on correct answers. This immediate feedback allows them to self-correct any mistakes.
Print versions of mathematical place value mazes can be easily created by adapting questions from textbooks using existing maze templates, or you can encourage students to draw their own. Students can use pencils or colourful markers to trace their path through the maze according to their answers.
These print mazes also serve as a formative assessment tool, helping you gauge student understanding of place value in mathematics. By incorporating interactive mazes into your teaching this September, you can provide a fun and effective way for your students to master place value concepts while enjoying the learning process.
Place Value Pop Playoff
If you’re looking for fresh, new place value maths games to play as a whole class, one fantastic option is the interactive ‘Pop Playoff’ game for Microsoft PowerPoint. Pop Playoff is an original series of self-checking, team challenge games, designed to turn place value in mathematics into an exciting group competition.
Students pop buttons on an interactive PowerPoint Gameboard, answer place value related questions, and earn points for their team. The competitive aspect of earning points keeps students engaged, and the animated answers add an extra layer of excitement. The game also encourages groups to use mini whiteboards for place value calculations, promoting collaborative problem-solving, teamwork and participation from all students.
With 28 differentiated questions in each game, ‘Pop Playoff’ keeps students motivated while mastering place value concepts. It’s not just fun; it’s also educational and designed to align with the Irish Primary Mathematics Curriculum (2023). Finally, the self-checking nature of the game means that as students work through the questions, they receive immediate feedback, which helps them to track their progress and correct mistakes on the spot.
To sum up, place value scavenger hunts, mazes, and interactive PowerPoint games are all excellent ways to engage students in learning about place value. These activities can be adapted to suit different learning styles, mediums, and class levels, making them valuable tools for teachers. By incorporating these maths games into your lessons, you can make learning about place value in mathematics fun, interactive, and effective. Go ahead, give one a try this September!
