Math games

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Home : 2005 : May : 8

Math games
By Mrs. J

I've used a game called "Bizz-Buzz" in small groups (but it might be fun in large groups) to help with multiples. This can work with elementary or middle grades. You start out by choosing a number (usually I choose something
between 3 and 7) to be "Bizz." I usually have students stand in a circle and I join them. One student starts out the counting with "one." Students go around the circle counting in order. However, when you get to any multiple of your chosen "Bizz" number, students have to say "Bizz," not the number. For example, if 3 was the "Bizz" number, the first student would say "one", the next

student "two", the next student "Bizz", then "four", "five", "Bizz", etc. Once students are comfortable with this you can add another number for "Buzz." Now you have two multiples that students are trying to remember. For example, if multiples of 3 are "Bizz" and multiples of 5 are "Buzz", the third, sixth, ninth, etc. students would say "Bizz", the fifth and tenth students would say "Buzz", and the fifteenth student would say "Bizz-Buzz" (because fifteen is both a multiple of three and five). You can play like musical chairs where when a student says a "Bizz or Buzz" multiple he or she is out, or you can just play for fun. It's amazing how quick they get with practice!