Integer war is a card game used by many teachers to review integer concepts. In the game, the black cards are positive integers and the red cards are negative integers. The face cards are removed, counted as 10 each or counted as 10, 12 and 13. The age of the students helps determine which version a teacher chooses. Divide students into pairs and give each pair a deck of cards. Each student takes the top card off the deck and flips it over to show the number. The student with the highest number wins. For example, if one student has a red seven and the other has a red two, the student with the negative two wins the round and takes the cards.
In the addition version of the integer war game, the students quickly add the integers in their heads when the cards are placed down on the table. The first student to call out the correct answer wins the cards. As an extra exercise when the play is done, have each student add the cards together and see what his final points are.
This game can be played with one student or two students. Create a number line ranging from -20 to 20. For advanced students, have them create their own number line as part of the game. Each student has a stack of cards and a button or marker placed at zero on the number line. Use the same system of red being negative numbers and black being positive. As the student flips over a card, he moves the marker up or down the number line the appropriate number of spaces. To make it competitive, the winner is the one who is one the highest number or the lowest number when the cards run out.
For an ordering game using playing cards, give each student a deck of cards. Have them deal out five cards to themselves. At the sound of a bell or buzzer, he can flip over all five cards and try to order them quickly, using red as negative and black as positive. For this game, remove face cards or give them each a different value, such as 11, 12 and 13. To create a competition, have students raise their hands when they finish and award a point or prize to the first correct winner.