Fraction match
A task which depends on members of the group noticing the needs of others and responding.
Problem
This is one of a series of problems designed to develop learners' team working skills. Other tasks in the series can be found by going to this article.
What are you aiming to do?
For the task:
Every member of the team has to end up with a set of four cards in front of them that are related to each other in a similar way.
The task is only successfully completed when everyone on the team has completed their set.
As a team:
- Responding to the needs of others
- Helping others to do things for themselves.
Getting started
Tackling the problem
How to play
Players pass cards to other team members in order to help one another complete their set.
Rules
- No one can talk or give non-verbal signals to other members of the team.
- Each member of the team starts with four cards in front of them.
- The cards in front of each person should be visible to everyone.
- Team members can only give cards; they cannot take cards from someone else.
- Each team member must have at least two cards in front of them at all times.
Use an observer to check that the team obeys the rules and to keep a record of when members of the team help someone else (rather than, for example, when they just pass a piece on without looking at what the other person or team actually needs).
Student Solutions
As this activity is for groups to work on and there are all sorts of possible outcomes, we haven't received many solutions.
However we had one very honest email from Aaron, who is from St.Helen's C of E Primary School:
First of all, the cards are dealt out randomly. Next without communicating, I concentrated on one person to get a complete set of cards by making sure they have all their numbers, fractions, decimals and pictures on them (e.g. $\frac{1}{2}$ and $0.5$).
Then I focussed on another and so on, then it made it easier to get the game finished, even though I struggled at the end to complete the game.
We found it hard to communicate, which was annoying because I wanted to complete the game quickly.
We found it easier to complete the game as we played more games!
Thank you Aaron and maybe when people read your message they may be encouraged to have a go themselves.
Teachers' Resources
Fraction Match
This is one of a series of problems designed to develop learners' team working skills. Other tasks in the series can be found by going to this article.
What are you aiming to do?
For the task:
Every member of the team has to end up with a set of four cards in front of them that are related to each other in a similar way.
The task is only successfully completed when everyone on the team has completed their set.
As a team:
- Responding to the needs of others
- Helping others to do things for themselves.
Getting started
Tackling the problem
How to play
Players pass cards to other team members in order to help one another complete their set.
Rules
- No one can talk or give non-verbal signals to other members of the team.
- Each member of the team starts with four cards in front of them.
- The cards in front of each person should be visible to everyone.
- Team members can only give cards; they cannot take cards from someone else.
- Each team member must have at least two cards in front of them at all times.
Use an observer to check that the team obeys the rules and to keep a record of when members of the team help someone else (rather than, for example, when they just pass a piece on without looking at what the other person or team actually needs).
Why do this problem?
This team-building task is designed to develop learners' team-working skills. If you wish to learn more about these skills and find other team-builder tasks look at this article.
This task depends upon members of the group noticing the needs of others and responding. It requires learners to:
- respond to the needs of others
- consider the needs of the whole group
- help others to do things for themselves.
Possible approach
Share the purposes of the activity and the rules with the group.
If you have more than four people in a group then use an observer to ensure the team obeys the rules and notes when there is evidence of members of the team responding to the needs of others.
Key questions
- Can you give any good examples of when someone noticed what you needed and tried to help?
Possible extension
Other skill-building tasks can be found by going to this article.
Possible support
Other skill-building tasks can be found by going to this article.