Presenting math lessons in riddle form is one way to enhance the math problem-solving skills of children, without making the lessons too technical. Make a game out of it where the first child who can think and blurt out the correct answer wins a prize. A math riddle that teaches the value of money is, "Why is a dirty diaper like a hundred dollar bill?" The answer: "Because a hundred dollar bill, like a dirty diaper, will need changing." Another example that can be used to teach basic subtraction is, "Take three oranges from five oranges, how many will you have?" This is somewhat of a trick question since the answer is "three oranges." The important thing is to keep the mood light and fun. Every answer must be explained to ensure the children get it. Riddles are effective tools to inject a little humor into each lesson.
Another trivia game that a teacher can use to stimulate students is the "whose line is it?" game. This game features the use of math associated quotes made by famous mathematicians, literary icons, philosophers and scientists. The teacher gives out several quotes for the children to research as homework. The next day, the teacher divides the children into two teams for competition. Randomly, he says a quote and the first group that can correctly identify the name of the person who said it earns a point.
The math cards challenge is a specific math game featuring two students battling against each other using a standard deck of playing cards. The students face each other and draw a card at the same time. They both place the cards they drew on the table face up. The objective of the game is to add, subtract, multiply or divide the value of the two cards. The first student who correctly shouts the answer earns a point. The game continues on until the deck of cards is exhausted. The points that each student earned are tabulated to determine the winner. For this type of game, certain cards must be given a specific value. Normally, an ace has a value of one, a Jack eleven, a Queen twelve and a King thirteen.
Math Jeopardy is a variation of the popular game show Jeopardy, where contestants are pitted against each other to answer trivia questions across several categories on a board. In this case, the game will focus on specific math categories. Categories can be math disciplines, such as addition, subtraction, division or multiplication. Other categories, such as math history and math quotes, can be added as well. Players buzz in to answer the questions. The player with the most points wins.