NAME OF ACTIVITY: Math Munchers

GRADE LEVEL: 2-12

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 30-50 tennis balls, or other items you can Number and symbol (index cards, scrabble tiles) and 1 hula hoop or carpet square per team.  Dome markers or other similar item to hide the numbers and symbols.

HIGHLIGHTS: Running, team strategy, math integration, and teamwork 

INSTRUCTIONS:  I have each team base, set up an equal distance from the center of the playing area.  each team uses a carpet square or hula-hoop as their base.  In the center of the playing area place the numbers and math symbols (tennis balls), under the dome markers.  The object of the game is to be the first team to create a designated math problem.  Ex. Be the first team to create a true math equation.  You can make this as simple as difficult as you wish.  I let my students use addition, subtraction, division and multilication.  However, you could take this to virtually any level.
     On the signal, each team will send one player to the center hoop to retrieve a tennis ball (number or symbol).  That player will then return the ball to the base and tag the next runner on their team who will go to the center and retrieve another ball.  This will continue until the team has a number of balls equal to the number of balls designated to create the equation.  So if a 5 balls are designated, a team may have no more than 5 numbers and symbols at their base.  Once a team has the correct number of balls, they may begin to exchange their numbers or symbols for numbers and symbols in the middle.  This will continue until a team has won the game by creating a true math statement with the correct number of balls designated.  Once a team has created a statement, they need to yell stop immediately, and will be declared the winner.   Following are some guidelines:
     1.  Players may never have more numbers and symbols at their base, than the number of balls designated for the word.
     2.  Players may never retrieve more than 1 ball at a time.
     3.  Players must take the number or symbol that they uncovered - like it or not :)

Similar Games: see Scrabble Scramble, or Hoop Scrabble
  

HELPFUL HINTS: When players get a ball (letter), they need to leave the dome upside down, so the other teams know it is empty.

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