Curricular goal: Advanced addition and subtraction.
Non-Curricular goals : Working memory, planning, collaboration and team work.
Learning theories: Situated learning, Constructivism.
Target audience : Grade 5-7 students facilitated by a teacher/instructor between each group of 11 students, Location – classroom /other indoor space, participation by the whole class.
Materials needed :
1. 1 laptop/pc +1 makey makey +12 alligator clips (between each 11 students).
2. Labels depicting numbers 1-9 and + and – signs (these should be easily switched between players ex. Hats or boards rather than stickers )
Time : 15-20 minutes of class wide activity.
Procedure :
1. Set up Makey-Makey and laptop together and reprogram to include numbers 1-9 and ‘+’ & ‘-‘ signs. Open any text editing software in the laptop/PC.
2.Distribute the labels to the group. ‘+’ and ‘-‘ players should stand in the middle near the center (ground connection of Makey-Makey) and other players form a circle around them.
3.Connect the alligator clips to corresponding ports and hand the 1-9 number clips to corresponding students, connect ground connection to a large conducting object(henceforth referred to as ‘center’)
4.Activity starts with a “number player” touching the center(ground connection), each number player then take turns randomly to touch the center once , plus and minus players can decide to touch the center anytime between two number players. Each number player has to touch the center only once. While the sign players can touch the center for a total 3 times as a group.
5.Everyone has to calculate the total by adding or subtracting ( based on the active sign) the numbers being tapped on the center . The active sign is the sign (+ or -) which was last tapped on the center (activity starts with + as the active sign). Everyone reports their answer to the teacher/instructor after each round of play.
6.The motive of the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ players is to work together to get as close as possible to an pre-assigned number by manipulating the active sign as they encounter numbers being added or subtracted as other players touch the center (ground connection). Plus and minus combined can tap the center (ground connection) only for a total of 3 times to change the active sign.
7.The number and signs gets logged into a text editor running on the laptop as students touch the center. This info and the reported answer of students are then used by the teacher/instructor to assess the answer (total) and also student performance. The teacher can also assess the planning and strategic skill of the sign player used by them to get close to the preassigned number.
8. Teacher reassigns roles and starts another round until each student has played a ‘+’ or ‘-‘ role.
Non-Curricular goals : Working memory, planning, collaboration and team work.
Learning theories: Situated learning, Constructivism.
Target audience : Grade 5-7 students facilitated by a teacher/instructor between each group of 11 students, Location – classroom /other indoor space, participation by the whole class.
Materials needed :
1. 1 laptop/pc +1 makey makey +12 alligator clips (between each 11 students).
2. Labels depicting numbers 1-9 and + and – signs (these should be easily switched between players ex. Hats or boards rather than stickers )
Time : 15-20 minutes of class wide activity.
Procedure :
1. Set up Makey-Makey and laptop together and reprogram to include numbers 1-9 and ‘+’ & ‘-‘ signs. Open any text editing software in the laptop/PC.
2.Distribute the labels to the group. ‘+’ and ‘-‘ players should stand in the middle near the center (ground connection of Makey-Makey) and other players form a circle around them.
3.Connect the alligator clips to corresponding ports and hand the 1-9 number clips to corresponding students, connect ground connection to a large conducting object(henceforth referred to as ‘center’)
4.Activity starts with a “number player” touching the center(ground connection), each number player then take turns randomly to touch the center once , plus and minus players can decide to touch the center anytime between two number players. Each number player has to touch the center only once. While the sign players can touch the center for a total 3 times as a group.
5.Everyone has to calculate the total by adding or subtracting ( based on the active sign) the numbers being tapped on the center . The active sign is the sign (+ or -) which was last tapped on the center (activity starts with + as the active sign). Everyone reports their answer to the teacher/instructor after each round of play.
6.The motive of the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ players is to work together to get as close as possible to an pre-assigned number by manipulating the active sign as they encounter numbers being added or subtracted as other players touch the center (ground connection). Plus and minus combined can tap the center (ground connection) only for a total of 3 times to change the active sign.
7.The number and signs gets logged into a text editor running on the laptop as students touch the center. This info and the reported answer of students are then used by the teacher/instructor to assess the answer (total) and also student performance. The teacher can also assess the planning and strategic skill of the sign player used by them to get close to the preassigned number.
8. Teacher reassigns roles and starts another round until each student has played a ‘+’ or ‘-‘ role.
Shashank Pawar 