Dog vs Squirrel Math Game

Today my students were playing Dog vs Squirrel. They were working pretty quietly, considering it was a game, but then I heard them burst out in laughter. I started to get a little upset, thinking that they were playing around instead of working, but then realized someone had flipped over a squirrel and had to clear their board. The laughter was just them having fun, imagine that!

Dog vs Squirrel is a game in which students flip over cards to make addition and subtraction equations. The number cards are placed on the student's board and can be moved around until an equation is completed. At that point the equation is frozen. But students need to beware! If they flip over a squirrel then they need to clear their board. Once a squirrel has been found then it is removed from the game. Eventually, after all the squirrels have been taken out, the game can be completed without interruption.

What I like most about this game is that it challenges students to really think about the equations. For example, one student had made the equation 4 - 8 =. When I asked what number he was hoping to find in order to complete the equation, he realized that he had to switch the numbers around. Another student had worked to set up all of his equations, but hadn't realized that maybe some of those numbers could be used as the answer to the equations that he had on his board. Technically, he was probably using the better strategy by doing it his way, because none of his numbers were frozen.

Dog vs Squirrel is available at my teacher's store if you are interested. 

Dog vs Squirrel Math Game

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dog-vs-Squirrel-Math-Game-1645519