Fish out of Water Game

This is a simple counting game, designed by a Monmouth University student.  It's a great game for Dr. Seuss day, accompanying One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.  Students begin with 20 fish out of water, toss a die, and place that many fish back in the bowl.


While the file provides a game mat, teachers might choose to use a bowl and fish manipulatives.  It's fairly easy to find plastic fish in dollar stores.  Plastic fruit containers from the grocery store simulate a fish bowl and the lid can be used to store the pieces in the fish bowl for use in the math center.


Although the game was designed as counting practice for young students, it may be enriched to provide a data collection activity for older students.  Given the premise of the game, students are asked to estimate how many times they will have to toss the die to get all of the fish back in the bowl.  Students then play the game several times, collect data and add it to class results.  Students analyze the data in small groups and draw conclusions backed up by the data.  The teacher then leads a class analysis of the data.


Download Fish out of Water, which includes game mats for a single player, two players, center icons, and directions.  Add this game to the math center for independent practice.

Tally Ho! Game

This game was created to help kindergarten students learn to use tally marks to count.  The game mat was specially designed to support young learners who must master the skill of tally counting.  

Tally marks are made in groups of five (four upright and the fifth goes across the four) for easy counting.  The game mat has four dots to prompt students to mark four upright tallies.  Then the dotted line prompts students to close the gate by drawing the fifth tally across the group of four,  Finally, each group of five is in its own box.

Now, students practice making tally marks in a game format.  They roll a die and add that many tally marks to their game mat.  For ease of use, place the Tally Ho! game mat in a sheet protector and use dry erase pens to make the tally marks.  They are easily erased to play again.

• Download the Tally Ho! game mat.

Differentiation:  Use this dot and dashed line approach as an accommodation for students having difficulty making tally marks correctly in groups of five in classroom activities. 

Counting Game: Car Race

In the counting game, Car Race, students toss a die and move cars that many spaces.   First player to cross the finish line wins the game.   This is a simple counting game that reinforces counting 1-6 spaces and one-to-one correspondence.

• Download the directions, game mat and center icons for Car Race.  
• The game mat is printed in 3 sections which should be taped together.
• Students enjoy using small cars as their game pieces.
• NOTE:  This game was developed by a Monmouth University student for the Probability Fair.

Math-Literature Connection: Ladybugs

The Grouchy Ladybug
by Eric Carle

• Download Vicki Blackwell's Grouchy Ladybug clock.
• See NCTM Illuminations lesson plan for this book which develops students understanding of time based on activities in their days.
• View an entire ladybug unit from Homeschool Share.

 Ladybug on the Move
by Richard Fowler

• See NCTM Illumination's Ladybug Lengths unit that helps students develop the concept of measurement through the use of nonstandard units including a ladybug tape that may be downloaded from the site.
• Let students play with the Hiding Ladybug applet to practice measurement skills.
• Ladybug Leaf is another online version of this applet game that requires students to estimate distances in a Logo-like environment. 

Lots of Ladybugs
by Michael Dahl


This book was designed to provide practice in counting by fives, offering yet another way to include math in a ladybug unit.  Each page adds five more spots to count until you reach 50.

• Download Ladybug Counting worksheets. 

NOTE:  The worksheet is designed as a companion to the Lots of Ladybugs book.  

• Worksheet 1 has all numbers in a traceable font.
• Worksheet 2 has some missing numbers.  Printed numbers are in traceable font. 

 Ladybug Scramble

The ladybug cards are all scrambled and students must put them in the correct order.  This deck is designed to be printed on card stock, cut apart and stored in plastic bags for use in a math center.

• Download Ladybug Scramble cards in color.
• Download Ladybug Scramble cards in black-white. 

Differentiation:  This activity is easily differentiated by varying the number of cards given to students to accommodate the varied learning levels in the class.  Consider creating A, B, C sets in baggies that contain different number of cards.  Students may move to the harder level once they have mastered the first set.

Using the Hundred Board to Count Money

Hundred Chart: students who confidently use the hundred chart and its patterns to solve problems can utilize this tool to work with coins: 

Counting coins: Use a hundred chart to help students count coins.   Have students place coins on the correct number.   For instance, given 3 dimes and 1 nickel, students would place dimes on 10, 20, 30 and the nickel on 35. The last coin tells students how much money they have altogether.   This method is effective for having students figure out which coins to use to pay for an item.

Making change for a dollar: Place a counter on the price of the object.   Place pennies on each square to get to the nearest multiple of 5.   Use nickels, dimes or quarters to get to $1.00.   Students should begin with whatever combination of coins they wish then work toward using the least number of coins as they become more proficient at making change.

Gingerbread Math Games

Counting Game:  Run, Gingerbread Man, Run

This game was designed to introduce students to the randomness of spinners and dice. Each color gingerbread man starts at the same place and has the same chance of winning by crossing the finish line, but does it work out that way? Students will enjoy playing the game AND use a clothespin graph [see sample on right] to collect some useful data on the winners.



Once students have collected class data from playing many games, they will come together to analyze the clothespin graph results. Students will be asked to discuss whether or not they think the game is fair for all of the gingerbread men and explain their reasoning.

Download the Run, Gingerbread, Run game so that students can get started playing and collecting data. The pdf file contains the spinner, gameboard, clothespin graph icons, and an optional tally sheet. 

Coordinate Graphing Game:  Catch the Gingerbread Men

For this game, students toss two dice (one regular and one marked A-B-C-D-E-F), form an ordered pair (e.g. B5), then remove the gingerbread man from that space, if there is one. Play continues until the timer rings or until one player has caught 10 gingerbread men. Students love playing the game and they get to practice their coordinate graphing skills in the process.


Coordinate Pairs: This seasonal version of the classic Battleship game provides practice in forming coordinate pairs, identifying the x-coordinate (A-F), then the y-coordinate (1-6) so that spaces are identified as C3 or E6. Hopefully, lots of practice will help students transition to the algebraic ordered pairs (x,y) where x and y are both numbers. Just be certain to reinforce the notion that the x-coordinate (across) comes before the y-coordinate (up or down). The alphabetical cues (across comes before up or down) help some students remember the order.


Download Catch the Gingerbread Men game mat, game pieces and directions for playing the game.