Algebraic Sense Activities for Grades 3 - 6
These activities will help your child develop algebraic sense, an important "strand" or math theme tested in the WASL math activities.
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Algebraic Activities - Use the following links to see the activity. |
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| Pattern Time | A Hundreds Chart |
| Coordinate Graphing | How Many Numbers Can We Make? |
| Digit Search | Square Numbers |
| Beat the Beetle | Pattern Rummy |
(Activities taken from Mathematics a Guide for Parents to Everyday Mathematics and Helping Your Child at Home Grades K-6, published by Central Kitsap School District Department of Curriculum and Instruction, 2000.)
Pattern Time
- Have your child think of a number pattern and give you the first three numbers in the pattern, such as 1,3,5. You must guess the ext number (7). You can keep points. If you guess on the first try, you get three points; on the second try, two points; and on the third try, one point. After three guesses, your turn is up and your child selects the next number and explains the pattern. Take turns making the pattern and guessing.
A Hundreds Chart
- Using a hundreds chart and crayons, have your child color in each number as he/she counts (i.e., by 2s, 5s, 10s). Ask what the pattern looks like on the chart. Have the child continue to look for other patterns in the chart.
Coordinate Graphing
- Using graph paper, your child can set up a coordinate system of factors. Have the child label the x-axis "number" and y-axis "factors." Then plot all the factors of a number. For example, the number 4 has three factors--1,2, and 4; so plot the points (4,1), (4,2), and 4,4). You can ask questions such as "Which numbers have 2 as a factor? Which numbers have only two factors? Which numbers have an odd number of factors?"
How Many Numbers Can We Make?
- To play this game, you will need two or more people, a deck of cards, paper, and pencils. Give each player a piece of paper and a pencil. Using the cards from 1-10 (use the Ace for 1), deal four cards out with the numbers showing. Using all four cards and a choice of any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, have each player see how many different answers a person can get in five minutes. Players get one point for each answer. For example, if the cards dealt are 4, 8, 9, and 2, what numbers can be made? Answer: 4+9+8+2=23; 4+9-(8+2)=3; (8-4)x(9-2)=28; (9-8)x(4-2)=2.
Digit Search
- On a piece of paper, write a three-digit number, such as 356. Keep it covered. Your child is allowed to ask questions about the digits to find out what they are, but is not allowed to guess an actual digit. Some questions might be: "Is the ones digit greater than 5? Is it less than 8? Is it an even number?" Based on your yes or no answers, you child can conclude that the digit is 6 and can continue asking questions about the other digits until the number is guessed. Once a guess is made, the round is over. Then take turns thinking of a number and asking questions. To make the game more difficult, limit the number of questions allowed for each digit to three or four.
Square Numbers
- Begin with the first square number, which is 1. Have your child use counters, such as pennies, discs, or beans to build the second square number around the first. Have him/her continue to build until he/she has an 8 x 8 square. Have your child make a chart to observe the pattern of the differences among the square numbers. Questions you can ask include, "What shape did you add on to each square? What does that shape have to do with the differences?
Beat the Beetle
- This game is an adaptation of Hangman, working with equations. To play, it requires two people, paper, and pencils. The first player makes up a secret equation and draws blanks to represent each digit and operation sign in the equation. The second player begins to ask for digits and signs. Player one puts the digit or sign in an appropriate blank if a guess is correct. If the guess is incorrect, player one draws a part of a beetle: body, head, six legs (one at a time), and two eyes (one at a time). A separate guess is required for each blank even if the digits or signs are the same. Player two "beats the beetle" and gets a point if the equation is complete before the beetle is complete. Players change roles when either the equation or the beetle is complete. The winner is the player with the most pints after two rounds. Source: Mathtotes by Addison-Wesley Publisher Limited, 1994.
Pattern Rummy
- To play this variation of the popular card game, you will need a deck of cards with the numerals 1 through 100. Determine who the dealer will be. The dealer shuffles the cards and deals ten to each player. The remaining cards are placed face down (draw pile). The player to the dealer's right draws a card. The player may put down any set of three or more cards that show a number pattern (e.g. multiples of 2, square numbers, numbers whose digits total 7). The player gives the rule for the pattern and discards. Players take turns drawing, making pattern sets, and discarding. Players may add to any set that is already on the table. The winner is the first player to have no cards left after a put-down and a discard. Source: Mathtotes by Addison-Wesley Publishers Limited, 1994.