Tug Harder!

This game reinforces negative numbers and their relationship to positive numbers. The second version takes the game to a higher level as pupils will be making decisions as to which calculation to perform and why.

Start by dividing the class into two teams, one Positive and one Negative, to play against each other on the interactive whiteboard. Throw two dice and call out the numbers for each team's turn, inviting a child to come up and move the counter each time. Having played a few times, ask the children whether they think it would be a better game if the counter has to reach the end exactly. Decide on some new rules to test this out and ask the children to play in pairs. It is a valuable activity in itself for them to draw out their own number line.

Bring the class together and ask which version of the game they thought was better and why. Listen out for children who back up their opinion with a clear reason. Next, introduce a new version whereby children can add, subtract, multiply or divide the dice numbers. Play in two teams using the interactive whiteboard again to get a feel for this new game. Each time you throw the dice, ask the children what the possibilities are and discuss which would be best in terms of the move to be made and why. Then invite pairs to play on paper (they can decide whether the counter needs to reach the end of the board exactly or not).

In the plenary, ask the class which version of the game they thought was best and why. In this case, draw out responses which indicate that the choice of operation means players are more in control. You could suggest that children invent their own rules to make better games, perhaps over a longer period of time, and you could dedicate an area of your wall to their ideas.

Is it better to play a game where you have to reach the end exactly, or where you can go over the end? Why?

Shall we add, subtract, multiply or divide the two numbers? Why?

Is it better to play a game where you can choose the operation you apply to the numbers on the dice? Why?

Can you think of some different rules of your own?

What makes your game better than the other versions?

You could take the mathematics in the game further still by explicitly discussing addition and subtraction using negative numbers.

Learners could play Tug of War before they try this version of the game. You may want to have multiplication squares available so that children do not worry about the calculations as such but concentrate on the strategy.