Featured Game: M & M Probability Game
M and M Game: 2-dice Version Students place M&M markers on the numbers 2-12.   Students may place one M&M marker on each number or place several on some numbers and leave other numbers blank.   Next, students toss two 6-sided dice, find the sum, and remove an M&M marker from that number, if there is still one.   The first player to remove all markers wins the game.
NOTE: This game was developed by Susie Siegel who currently teaches fourth grade at Irwin Elementary School in East Brunswick, NJ.   Ms. Siegel created M&M markers on the computer and used sentence strips for the gameboard, as pictured. She also designed a recording sheet students could also use to play the game and record data.
These activities support students as they conceptually develop a sense of how probability affects the outcome of games.   Students will find that applying their knowledge of probability will help them win some of the games.
- See Data Analysis: One-Die Toss Activities for games that help students develop an understanding of the probability of the outcomes of tossing one die.   Games include Pig, Car Race, Ladybug, Fly Home!, Free the Animals, and Release the Prisoners,   The Cereal Toy Investigation encourages students to investigate the probability of collecting all six toys in a cereal sales promotion.
- See Data Analysis: Two-Dice Toss Activities for games that help students develop an understanding of the probability of the different outcomes of tossing two dice.   Students are asked to organize the data, analyze the results and use this working knowledge to develop effective winning strategies for the different games. Games include two-dice versions of favorites: Pig, Free the Animals, Release the Prisoners, and Face Off! Several new games are also introduced: Skunk, M&M Probability Game, and the Great Cookie Contest.
- Download the Heads & Tails Game:   One student is heads and one student is tails.   Students start their markers on the star in the middle of the snake.   If the coin lands on heads, the heads person moves his/her marker one space toward the head of snake.   If the coin lands on tails, the tails person moves his/her marker one space toward the tail of the snake.   The first person to reach the head or tail of the snake wins the game.   Students should enter the winner (Heads or Tails) on the class tally chart as a data collection exercise.   Class discussion should focus on analyzing the data to determine if the game is fair or not.   Directions and gameboard are included in the download.   This game is based on a game developed by Arleen Turinsky, a Monmouth University student, for the ED 556 Probability Fair.
- See directions for the Penny-Flipping Game. Students each flip coins and alternate calling "heads" or "tails." The winner places the penny on his/her ten-frame mat. When one partner fills his/her ten-frame, that partner exchanges the ten pennies for a dime and the game starts over. The first player to get three dimes wins the game.
- Download the Face Off! Game Students place markers on the numbers 2-12.   Students toss two 6-sided dice, find the sum and remove a marker from that number, if there is still one.   The first player to remove all markers wins the game.   This game can be used as addition practice or as an introduction to the probability of the different outcomes of rolling two dice.   This game was developed by a Monmouth University student for the Probability Fair.
- Download directions for The Game of Pig: the classroom version with one die challenges students' perceptions of the probability of a single dice throw.   How long can you safely collect points before a "1" is thrown?   Use this for simple addition practice of several addends.   Challenge student groups to develop winning strategies and raise the bar for critical thinking about a simple one-die game.
- Play Pig online: the two dice game
- Download the Skunk Game: the game of Pig moves to a new level with this version.   Just when students think they have a winning strategy for pig, introduce Skunk and challenge them to develop a winning strategy for this version.
- Download the Release the Prisoners Game: who will free their prisoners first? Students use subtraction facts to find the difference of two dice.   Directions plus both the 6-sided dice and 12-sided dice gameboards are included so teachers can target subtraction practice while helping students develop an intuitive appreciation of probability.
- Download the Release the Prisoners Game Recording Sheet
- Download the Free the Animals Game: who will free their animals first?   Students toss two dice, calculate the difference and free an animal from that number cage.   Younger students will enjoy this animal version of Release the Prisoners game and learn subtraction facts as well.   Both the 6-sided dice game mat and the 12-sided dice game mat are included with directions.
- Download the Free the Animals Game Recording Sheet, designed so that students can track how many animals each player places in his/her cages and who wins.   Hopefully, students learn something about probability as well as practicing subtraction facts.
- Play the Everyday Math Landmark Shark Game online: Students practice mean, median, mode and range as they try to get the most points from the five cards they've drawn.   Everyday Mathematics has a demo game online.   Be sure to have the sound on so that students hear the directions and the voice prompts as they play the first game.   Teachers who have used the game report that students really "get it" and conquer the meaning of these terms in an effort to win the most points.