Multiplication & Fractions: Math Games for Tough Topics

by Denise Gaskins

Rescue your child from math phobia — by playing games!

You’ll love these math games because they give your child a sturdy foundation for understanding multiplication and fractions.

Help your child master the times tables and build mental math skills. Play with advanced concepts such as division, fractions, decimals, and multi-step calculations.

Multiplication & Fractions features 25 kid-tested games, offering a variety of challenges for upper-elementary and middle school students. Chapters

Mathematical Learn to picture multiplication and fractions in a way that supports your child’s comprehension.Conquer the Times Enjoy practicing the math facts until correct answers become automatic.Mixed Give mental muscles a workout with games that require number skills and logical thinking.Fractions and Master equivalent fractions, work with decimal place value, and multiply fractions and decimal numbers.Math games prevent math anxiety. Games pump up your child’s mental muscle, reduce the fear of failure, and generate a positive attitude toward mathematics.

Parents can use these games to enjoy quality time with your children. Classroom teachers like them as warm-ups and learning center activities or for a relaxing review day at the end of a term. If you are a tutor or homeschooler, make games a regular feature in your lesson plans to build your students’ math skills.

So what are you waiting for? Clear off a table, grab a deck of cards, and let's play some math!

201 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 9, 2016

Reviews

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so excited that this book is finally here! If you haven't come across Denise Gaskins' previous books (Counting and Number Bonds, and Addition and Subtraction), then you should know that she presents a way of learning maths that may seem revolutionary to those raised with traditional memorisation and rote practice methods. She argues that we should be able to see mathematical exploration as fun and joyful, the way we do with stories, pictures and music. She also points out the damage that bad teaching can cause, as children not only can become maths phobic but also fail to gain a real understanding of number, having instead merely a collection of apparently unconnected facts that if they are lucky they can recall when needed.

As well as general suggestions, the bulk of the book consists of a collection of games that can help with number sense, that is, real understanding of what multiplication and fractions mean and how they work, as well as practice in the times tables. The games largely use simple household items such as playing cards, dominoes or dice, as well as several game boards available for free online. One difference in this book is that she also provides two custom decks of cards to illustrate various ways of 'seeing' multiplication and fractions, as well as instructions to make your own if you prefer. I'd recommend the latter as I think it helps to really gain a thorough understanding of the concepts, but we've only used the printable ones so far and they've been great. My 9yo who has really struggled with the idea of multiplication loved pretending the images were tasty treats - arrays were chocolate bars, sets were cookies with chocolate chips. In just a few plays with this deck not only has her understanding improved but so has her self-confidence and impression of multiplication as fun rather than something to be afraid of.

The games are divided up into four main sections, with 5-8 games each, so there are plenty to try! We've also been enjoying 'Galactic War' (including my 4 year old!) and my oldest loves playing "Times-Tac-Toe" and "The Product Game" both of which have given her lots of practice in multiplication strategies and remembering some of those elusive facts. I'm really looking forward to exploring the rest of the games.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to impart a love of maths to their kids, to anyone who loves games, and to anyone looking to help kids with these tricky concepts in an enjoyable way that builds real mathematical understanding. I should note that I received a free review copy of the book, although if I hadn't I would have bought it anyway!

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you were in school, did you have a problem learning the multiplication tables and studying fraction? These are two areas which are among the first major stumbling points for students in their math studies. Multiplication and Fractions is the third book in Denise Gaskins’s series “Math You Can Play.” Book one is Counting and Number Bonds: Math Games for Early Learners, Grades PK-2, and book two is Addition and Subtraction: Math Games for Elementary Students, Grades K-4. In each of these, Sections I and III, which consist of setup information and math teaching tips, are each repeated to make sure the books can stand on their own.

Section II, after providing instructions on making multiplication and fraction playing cards, contains 25 math games divided up into four main divisions, with five to eight games each using simple household items such as playing cards, dominoes or dice, as well as several game boards available for free online. Some of them are based on well-known old games such as Fish, Concentration, War, Rummy, Tic-Tac-Toe, Twenty-Four, and Pickle. Others are newer ones developed by math teachers. Gaskins quotes Sue VanHattum who wrote, “Most people like games, so that’s an easy place to begin. At first the games can be the sweetness that helps the math medicine go down. Over time perhaps you can find the sweetness in the math itself—in a problem that inspires you to work and struggle until you finally get it, just for your own satisfaction.”

Playing math games helps students not only to see mathematical exploration as fun and joyful, but also to gain a more thorough understanding of number concepts instead of having merely a collection of apparently unconnected facts that if they are lucky they can recall when needed. The emphasis is on using games for conceptual understanding, learning different mathematical models, flexibility in working with numbers, logic, problem solving, and generally the importance of mental math. The author also quotes Ruth Beechick who said, “If you stay with meaningful mental arithmetic longer, you will find that your child, if she is average, can do problems much more advanced than the level listed for her grade. You will find that she likes arithmetic more. And when she gets to abstractions, she will understand them better.” Get ready—get set—let’s play math!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has so many great game ideas. I am both a homeschooling parent and at times a math teacher/tutor for other homeschoolers, and I look forward to using it more in both contexts. This book has many different games for different skill levels, including many that I've not seen before. I appreciate the emphasis on conceptual understanding, use of different mathematical models, flexibility of working with numbers, mental math, and logic and problem solving. One of my favorite things in this book are mathematical models card deck games. These cards present multiplication facts or fractions with several different visual models and you can use them to play common card games like War, Go Fish, Rummy, Concentration, etc. My 9yo and I had fun playing Go Fish with multiplication facts. I also enjoy the variations and house rules options offered after many of the games, as well as the history.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful resource for learning the basic math facts through games and play. We love the whole series.