Translating Algebra: Flyswatter Game (With At Desk Version)

As a 5th grader, my classmates as well as I ever looked frontward to the days where the flyswatter game was on the agenda. Mrs. Murray, my instructor for scientific discipline as well as social studies, would utilization the game to aid us review our vocabulary words at the halt of each chapter. Each vocab discussion would endure written on the dry out erase board. We would cast ii lines inwards forepart of the dry out erase board. The someone at the forepart of each delineate of piece of occupation would endure given the coveted wing swatter. Now, these were exceptional wing swatters that were solely to endure used for this game, non killing actual flies.

My instructor would read out a definition. The kickoff someone to slap the right reply would acquire to move to the dorsum of their line. The other person, however, had to provide to their seat. They were out of the game. This continued until solely 1 squad remained standing. The solely prize nosotros received for winning was bragging rights, merely that ever seemed similar enough.

Over the years, I've used this game inwards my ain classroom for diverse topics. I've blogged nearly using the flyswatter game for differentiating betwixt the different forms of linear functions as well as the different forms of quadratic functions as well as locating points on the coordinate plane.


This year, I decided to utilize the flyswatter game to review for our quiz on translating betwixt words as well as algebra. I printed the diverse symbols nosotros were translating on colored newspaper as well as laminated them for longevity.

Here's an activity shot every bit ii students race to position the symbol that agency the same affair every bit "quotient."

To maintain myself sane spell calling out the words, I created a "Calling Card." As I called out each phrase, I marked it off. This meant my students heard a skillful mix of words. I spot it inwards a dry erase pocket (affiliate link) to acquire inwards easily reusable.

Now, I did deviate a flake from the way Mrs. Murray taught us to play the flyswatter game. Instead of having ii lines of students waiting to play on the dry out erase board, I gave each yoke a plow to play 5 or as well as thus words at the dry out erase board. Then, about other yoke got a turn.

When students weren't playing alongside the flyswatters on the dry out erase board, they got a run a jeopardy to play alongside a mini deck of cards at their table. With this version, students had to endure the kickoff to slap the right answer.

Some of my Algebra 1 classes tin acquire a flake rowdy, as well as thus I wanted to maintain every pupil engaged during the entire game. 

Having straight off played this, I would likely brand about tweaks to the game. Let's endure honest, I'll endure making tweaks to my entire approach to instruction translating betwixt words as well as algebra. It's such a difficult topic to teach. My students induce got in conclusion acquire confident alongside their translating, merely it has taken over a calendar month of continual practise instead of the calendar week or as well as thus that I expected. Throughout our solving equations unit, I induce got given them their equations inwards discussion cast such every bit "Three less than 5 times a spot out is equal to negative twenty-three." Students induce got had to interpret it earlier they tin solve it. This continual practise seems to induce got done the trick. But, I would similar to detect a way to expedite this learning procedure inwards futurity years. 

You tin download the files for this activity here.

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