Practical Math: Card Games

Objectives

• Students will use mathematical operations and relationships among them to understand mathematics.
• Students should realize that math skills are used for a recreational purpose.

Kit Contents

• Red Program Folder

• Books (in kit)
  • MacColl, Gail The Book of Cards for Kids

• Equipment (in kit)
  • 1 Large Deck of Cards, 54 cards includes 2 jokers
  • 1 Regular Sized Deck of Cards, 54 cards includes 2 jokers

Lesson

• Program
  • Cards can be used for many different math concepts: matching, grouping, adding, subtracting, pattern recognition, sequencing, probability, etc. Remember that cards have colors, numbers and shapes (suits) on them.
  • Operations: In addition to the standard card games described in the book, you and your student can play simple math games by drawing two cards and trying to mentally add, subtract, multiply, or divide them, given the level of the student. Cribbage is a wonderful card game giving practice with combinations or groups of numbers equaling 15.
  • Probability: Depending on the learning level of your student, you could pull out a card and have him/her calculate the probability of drawing that card. This can be altered by what cards there are in the pile. For example, if you have the whole deck, the probability of picking a heart would be 25%, whereas if you were to have only the red cards, it would be 50%. You could complicate it by asking for the probability of that specific card rather than suit or color.

 

Kit Topics | Families Counts