Your classroom system sounds like it's going to be great! Cool plan! :o) And I'm glad you like some of the ideas. Sorry about the software. :o( But you still may want to look into the Family Game Packs. Actually, that just made me think of something else that I haven't thought about in years. There is a book by Marilyn Burns called "Family Math." You may want to check that out if you haven't already. As I remember, it had a lot of game-type math activities in it. Well, good luck! Laurie --- "Magi D. Shepley" <magid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > These are seriously cool, Laurie. ;) I can't buy > any software, because > we can't install anything on the school computers. > I did get around > that a bit by bringing in my old laptop... We don't > get to use it as > often as I'd like because it is a laptop. I need to > get a mouse for it, > and to bring in the printer and scanner that went > with it. > The classroom business/pay already exists... The > students were earning > checks based on their classroom behavior, but > because only 3 of my > students use any kind of formal point sheet, it was > very subjective. > And, because of that, the students didn't respond > very well. We tried > doing a sticker chart (their choice), and saying > that so many stickers > equaled $1.00, and they'd receive classroom checks > to spend in our > classroom store. Nobody ever remembered to put the > stickers up, so that > didn't work. Then, when we started playing Monopoly > and I started > looking for some related materials, I found the > Trend behavior charts. > They were designed for home, though, so I > brainstormed some ideas of my > own. What we came up with was that the students can > earn up to 4 houses > per day (1 per period they are in the room; I have > one student that is > only with me 2 periods every other day, so she only > has to earn 2 houses > per day). Once they earn 4 houses, just like in > Monopoly, they can > trade their houses for a hotel. Once they earn 4 > hotels, they can > "save" their hotels and bank it (by depositing $1.50 > in their classroom > checking account), or spend it at our classroom > store (by writing a > check). One of the local credit unions has a teen > savings program and > when I explained what I wanted gave me REAL > checkbooks for the kids, > with age-appropriate teen themes. :) Our > classroom store has a > variety of lunch-type things, and healthy snacks > (bottled water, > pretzels, popcorn), and then homework passes, > magazines, computer time, > game time, etc. And then, because we are also > having serious issues > with the kids working together and being socially > appropriate instead of > tattling, and maing up stories about each other (if > they don't have an > adult with them sitting RIGHT THERE at lunch time, > they come back > telling us that soandso curses, kicked, spit, etc on > them all during the > lunch period), for every hotel that the students > earn on their own, the > class gets 1 house. When the class gets 4 houses, > they can trade it for > a hotel... and when they have 8 hotels we will do > something special on > our community instruction day like going bowling or > going to Blockbuster > to get a movie, or out for ice cream or a visit to > Wegman's to watch the > model train sets.. If we can't get off-campus, they > can order lunch in > the classroom. You see, I make them work doing > community instruction... ;) > We're going to start it after Spring Break. I'd > wanted to start it > before, but so many of the kids were out with this > bug that it wasn't > worth it. > > Magi > > Laurie Menke wrote: > > >Hi, Magi! I'm finally getting back to you about > some > >possibilities for your class. > > > >First off, I was wondering if you've ever heard of > the > >Everyday Math curriculum published by The Wright > Group > >(McGraw Hill)? I'm asking because the school I > work > >at uses it, and it includes a substantial game > >component as an integral piece of the curriculum. > >None of the games are that amazingly wonderful, but > >the kids do seem to enjoy them, the instructions > are > >fairly simple, and they all use common materials: > >dice, coins, cards, etc. Many of the games are > also > >available on computer CD, so if you have a computer > >available, that's another option that tends to be > fun > >just because it's different. :o) Start at this > web > >address: > >http://www.wrightgroup.com/index.php/programsummary?isbn=0076038793 > > and look specifically at the EM Games (that's the > >computer versions--available for $32 each in K, > 1-3, > >and 4-6 grade levels) and the Family Games Kits > >(includes all boards/materials at $36 each in the > same > >three grade groups). Really, what you'd be buying > is > >the game ideas, because as I say, the materials are > >all typical game components...you could use > Monopoly > >money and markers, Yahtzee dice, etc. You might > also > >look at the Activity Books and specialized decks > ($60 > >per book and five card decks, each focusing on a > >different topic, such as time or money). Finally, > >even if you choose not to purchase anything, you > can > >have your students play some of the games by using > >their sample pages. Click on the "Learn More About > >This Product" link from each product's page to get > >sample pages, and in the case of the computer > games, > >actual playable sample games. So that's my first > >suggestion. > > > >Other than that, here are some other ideas: > > > >Scrabble: Use the tile counts to determine things > >such as whose name is worth the most points > (adding). > >Or for language development, have each student add > to > >a list in a category you name (such as Types of > >Clothing or Vegetables). Then have the class > >determine whose contribution was worth the most > points > >in Scrabble tiles. > > > >Scrabble: There is a game on the market called > >Equate, which is basically Scrabble with math > >equations. You could create your own by simply > >writing numbers (fractions, too, if they're up to > it) > >and operations (whichever ones you want them to > work > >on) on the backs of the existing Scrabble tiles. > In > >Equate, the "equals" symbol tiles are always > available > >to all players, but are worth 0 points. Players > then > >create number sentences such as "3+3=6" or > "12-2x2=20" > >or "5=5" and place them on the board in crossword > >fashion. Double/triple letters become > double/triple > >digits, and double/triple words become > double/triple > >number sentences. This game is a definite mental > >workout, and may be too hard for your kids...I > don't > >know. I have played it with LD kids from 3rd to > 11th > >grades. The 3rd graders struggle a lot, but enjoy > the > >challenge. The 11th graders are still somewhat > >challenged, but seem a little bored by it. > > > >Yahtzee: If you have two sets of Yahtzee dice in > >different colors (such as 5 white and 5 red) that > >should be enough to play the small version of > >Cephalopod. See > >http://www.marksteeregames.com/Cephalopod_rules.html > > >for the rules. This game does involve a lot of > >adding, but only up to six (such as 1+1+4), so it > >would be for your more low-functioning kids. > > > >Monopoly: Use the Monopoly money to set up a > >classroom economy. Each student is a "business" > and > >collects money for their services. For example, > the > >student who "owns" the pencil sharpener could > charge > >$5 per use. The student who is the "mailman" > (returns > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com