Today I’m going to share with you how I use a popsicle stick game to increase math class participation. I play this game with my middle schoolers, and they absolutely love it.
This game came to me one morning on my way to work. I wanted something I didn’t have to prep using materials I already had in my classroom. I also wanted it to solve a major pain point. Students who have low to no participation when it comes to independent work time.
I know I can’t be the only one who has this problem. You teach the lesson, independent work time begins, and participation stops. The same students rely on the same other students to give the answers. I, as the teacher, am not sure who gets it and who doesn’t. Believe me when I tell you this game helped solve this problem! I couldn’t believe it!
What You’ll Need:
- a set of popsicle sticks with each student’s name
- bingo chips (or any random items that are different colors)
- a storage container for students to draw their chips
How It Works:
First, you will need to assign teams. I usually just do two teams for ease. This can be done in many ways – counting off randomly, boys vs. girls, and simply dividing the room in half. I have even used choosing teams as a reward. Just an idea – pick the students with the neatest homework papers and allow them to choose the teams.
Next, determine how many points each chip color will be worth. I usually choose point values that are relatively close to each other – I always choose at least one negative. The bonus here is students also get to practice using signed numbers when they tally their points. And… that’s it! You’re ready to go.
Following an independent work time, I get out my popsicle sticks and begin to draw names. For each problem, I draw one name at a time until someone gives me the correct answer. The person who gets the correct answer comes to the front and draws a bingo chip. The color of the bingo chip determines the number of points for their team. I keep a small scoreboard on my whiteboard for each class and team to track their totals.
I usually give candy to the winners at the end of the week. You could always do this at the end of each class. I find it works better for their interest to keep it going for a week. It gives both teams a chance to score as many points as possible.
Why It Works:
Students are competitive – Please try this! I kid you not – as soon as I get my container out that holds my popsicle sticks and chips, pencils start moving. The excitement that builds over one student drawing a chip is palpable. They cheer for one another, silently anticipate the chip color, and –of course – faithfully remind me to award candy at the end of the week.
I know who’s struggling – This game is a perfect way for me to see who’s struggling. There have been problems that seemingly no one knew how to do. It was the perfect time to stop, take a pause, and work the problem out together.
Instant engagement – You might think it’s simple, but sometimes that’s the best method. It’s easy for me, and they will try their best for the chance at drawing a chip for their team. They also seem more concerned about what the correct answer is when they’re wrong. It’s almost like they have to prove to me their answer was correct (even if it wasn’t).
There you have it! Quick, easy, and high reward to increase your math class participation! I hope you’re able to use this to help in your classroom. Please let me know if you love it or have any ways to make it better!
If you’re interested in a few more ideas for your math classroom — specifically quick review games — check this post out to keep reading!