Practicing Math with Equate
Equate plays like the crossword game we all know and love (Scrabble). You can build equations up and down and across. Unlike a word game though, an equation reads both ways so you can often add on to someone’s equation with the ever so helpful equals sign.
Other facts about practicing math with Equate:
- There are three tile sets (be sure not to mix them!): Original which comes with the game, Junior and Advanced. The more advanced sets have more fractions and exponents in them. The Junior and Advanced sets are sold separately.
- You get to keep score and there are spaces on the board which have more point values than the equation itself.
- The tile sets include all four operations although the Junior Set does not use division or multiplication.
- I try not have kids who love a good math challenge and those who do not play together. While it can be character building for both, it often results in the one being frustrated. So, I play with them and we go for best score for best score’s sake and not for the competitive win.
Benefits to Playing Equate
- Practice at working with math facts
- Work with math sentences
- Helps kids with mental math exercises as they form equations and determine whether one is true before it goes on the board
- Encourages higher level thinking math when you try for the equation that offers the most points which usually calls for fractions and negative numbers.
- Allows kids to apply the math they are learning to a game situation. Manipulating equations becomes pretty compelling to a student who loves games.
- Offers a hands on way to practice math facts
Enjoy playing with equations and practicing math along the way.
~by Heather, Blog, She Wrote