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As part of the Naturally Mathematical Challenge, we included a whole round of
challenges based on dominoes. And as soon as we had written the challenge
questions, we felt that we couldn't let it stop there. Since then, Ann has been
trialling ways of using dominoes to promote the use of mathematical language in
contexts in which dominoes are used. We also unleashed over 100 boxes of
dominoes on students at a Maths Camp in Yeppoon - with really exciting results.
And so a new series was begun. The ideas matched the work that Beth Wood was
doing on numeracy, and as a result, Beth has joined us to author this series -
this is an important collaboration for us, as Beth has such a depth of
experience in the Primary Maths field that her contribution to the series has
been invaluable.
We have put the activities into two levels. Level 1 covers early number
concepts and encourages children to develop appropriate language to match the
concept. Level 2 focuses more on the problem solving aspects - and it really is
remarkable what a range of problems that can be created with just 28 bones!
In the examples below, you'll get a flavour of what the activities and games are
like. You'll be pleased to know that, as well as getting the books from us, we
have managed to source boxed sets of dominoes that are very reasonably priced
($3.30 per set)... and you get a complimentary set with each book.
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Activity 1: Domino Snake
Observe how
the children select the dominoes. Some children may not:
- Select from dominoes with the least number of spots (confidence with
number).
- Keep to the rule that the dominoes need to make a proper domino
path.
- Use known number facts to calculate the total number of spots.
Challenge the children to make a longer snake if they haven't already
done so, but still keeping the total as small as possible.
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What is the least number of
spots that this domino snake can have?
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Activity 2: Domino Triangle
Observe how the
children select the dominoes. Some children will:
- use the smallest/largest possible number of dots on each domino,
(confidence with number)
- select only dominoes that have an even number of dots on each half (not
realizing that two odd numbers also give an even number of dots),
- count all the dots on all dominoes (limited use of count on or addition
strategies and possibly no indication of subitization),
- use known number facts to select dominoes to use.
Encourage the children to generalize or hypothesize by asking:
"Will you always get an even answer when you add two even numbers
together?"
"Will you always get an even number when you add two odd numbers
together?"
"Will you always get an odd answer when you add an odd and an even
number together?"
Allow time for the children to investigate, record and prove their answers.
Challenge the children to find a triangle with even sides using an odd
number of dots on each triangle if they haven't already done so.
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All the dominoes
have an even number of dots.
Make 3 different
totals that use this rule.
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