March Madness is a great theme to leverage in the spring. Not only is it an exciting time in the college world, but it also can be use to promote teamwork. Over the years, I have used the basketball tournament to generate some fun math activities that still “shoot” for those standards. This theme is especially helpful when Easter falls late. With this said, here are just a few of easy March Madness math activities that have delighted my students in the past.
HOOP IT UP
Hoop It Up is an active group sort. It’s the perfect way to sneak in some extra PE time while still targeting a standard.
Prepare for this March Madness math activity by making and laminating a set of place value cards. For every number card you make, you will also need a card in base ten, number name, and expanded form (see photo below).
Next, set up your course in a grassy area. I suggest that you use cones to create a boundary. Place 10 hula hoops at the far end of the course. Put one number card in each hula hoop. Scatter the remaining place value cards (expanded notation, number name, and/or base ten picture) in the middle of your course.
To begin play, put your students into relay teams (4-5 kids in each).On your signal, the first student in each team will run the course and pick up a place value card that is scattered in the grassy area. This card will then be placed in the corresponding number hula hoop. For example, the place value card showing 20 + 2 would be placed in the hoop with the 22 number card. Once the card has been sorted, the child runs back to the start of the course and tags the hand of the next player in his/her line. The steps are then repeated by the new player. Play continues relay style until all of the cards have been sorted into the hoops.
BEAT THE SHOT CLOCK
Ten more and ten less is no match for this fun whole class activity. Provide each student with a game sheet (similar to the photo below) and set your timer for 25 seconds. (This time can be reduced as they understand the game.) Call out a number that corresponds with your game sheet and start your timer . Students will have until the sound of the timer to write the number called in the correct box (10 more, 10 less, 1 more, or 1 less).
After the timer sounds, correct it together on the overhead or doc camera. Award a tally mark for sorting the number correctly (have them keep a running total as they progress through the game). If students have placed the number incorrectly, have them make corrections at this time.
NUFFIN’ BUT NET
I don’t know about you, but my kids (especially the boys) love shooting wads of paper into the trash. Well, why not incorporate this fascination into a March Madness math game? Really, this is just another way to actively sort something. It can be used for just about any math standard and I dig the basketball connection. The best part is that you ONLY need is some scratch pieces of paper and two empty classroom garbage cans with labels to play! {I am going to use true and false equations in the description below to help illustrate what I am talking about a bit more.}
Set up two garbage cans and label them with what you want your “players” to sort by – one trash can will have a true sign taped to it and the other will have a false sign. You also need to write a series of equations (true and false) on pieces of scratch paper. Finally, set up the “court” – place the two labeled trash cans about 3 -4 paces away from a mark on the floor.
When you are ready to play, select a handful of players. Place the first student on the mark on the floor and line the rest up behind him/her. On your signal, the first player will grab a sheet of paper, read the equation out load, and yell true or false. He/she then crumples the paper into a ball and sorts it by shooting it into the correct trash can. The player grabs the next sheet and repeats the process. Play continues until all paper balls have been sorted correctly. Simply put out the paper balls, flatten them back out, and play again with new students.
I know what you’re thinking . . . what if they miss the shot? No worries. Just have the kiddo “rebound” their paper and slam dunk it into the correct can! Check out the little in the photo above 😉
WORKING FROM THE BENCH
Number order practice in an interactive way . . . that ties into a March Madness math theme? Yes, please! To prepare, you will need a set of number cards (at least 30 cards total). Numbers can be in a series (23, 24, 25) or random (12, 34, 68, 120).
To play this game, create a team of 5-6 students. Select one student on each team to be the “coach.” Provide each of the remaining “players” on the team with a number card. Make sure that they don’t peek – you may choose to tape the card to their back, hold it right their chins, or place them on lanyards/string to wear. If you go with the necklace style, have them wear it so the card hangs down their neck.
On your signal, the coach will use verbal clues to put the “players” in number order. Again, the team needs to face forward as the coach “orders” them using academic language and math vocabulary. Want to get more out of it? Invite the “fans” in the audience to use mini white boards to order the numbers while the coach works.
TAKE A TIME OUT . . . HAVE A MATH CHAT
I love letting students verbally work out math problems in partners. The chatter that transpires is often more valuable than a direct teaching lesson. With this in mind, why not create a series of basketball-themed questions to work on in pairs?
To prepare for this March Madness math activity, print and laminate a class set of word problem cards. When you are ready to play, place your students into pairs and provide each “team” with a word problem card. Have your babes read the problem and work together to solve it. {I suggest modeling what this looks like prior to your first Time Out session – i.e. academic language and walking through the thought process.} Give your teams scratch pieces of paper to write and draw their solutions.
As “teams” finish their problems, cruise the room and check their work. Listen to their reasoning to make sure that their drawing/work is correct.
Speaking of word problems, why not use the March Madness theme in a book of mini word problems too? Create a few half page problems to print out and put a crafty cover on them. These look amazing on the wall and the kids always get a kick out of them.
You can run with any of these March Madness math activities on your own with a few hours of prep. However, if you are looking to print and play, I have you covered. Check out my March Madness math games collection and snag everything you need. I also offer a quick and March Madness math printables packet. These themed pages can be used for independent classwork or homework throughout your tournament week.
Alright, I am out of here. Thanks for taking the time to visit me. I hope to see you again soon.
