Global Math Week Part 3: "Race to a Flat" with Different Bases

"Each digit has a place and each place has a value. That's why we call it place value."

This is such a foundational concept to understand in math. To better understand this important concept, the Navigators engaged in a game called Race to a Flat. 

Starting with base 10 using digits 0-9

Supplies:

Base ten blocks

    Units (1s)

    Longs (10s)

    Flats (100s)

Two dice

Place Value mat.

Rule: Only one digit can be in the "place". 

Roll dice, add together, and add that amount of units to your place value mat. 

Regroup (or KABOOM) if you have more than 9 units in the "place". 

Keep playing until you have reached a flat. (10 longs regrouped into 100)

Student playing Race to a Flat base 10

He has 4 "longs" (4 tens) and 0 "units" (ones)

We put the 1s, 10s, and 100s blocks into our "bank" at the top of the page, ready to regroup or KABOOM. 

We played this game until we had gained a foundational understanding of place value. 

After having played base 10 Race to a Flat, and having watched "Exploding Dots", we were ready to try Race to a Flat in different bases!

Even base 2! She played beyond a "flat" and needed lots more "places".

Base 2 (We flipped a coin marked 0 and 1)

Base 6 (We used a regular die with the number 6 covered.)

Base 4 (This die had digits 0-3)

Base 5 (this die had the digits 0-4)

Base 7 (This die is a regular die with digits 1-6)

Amazing, right?!