Launch and Match Counting

Over Thanksgiving break, I wrote quite a few DonorsChoose projects.  People must have been in the giving holiday spirit, because I managed to get 3 projects funded!  One of these projects was for math materials for one of my lower math groups.  We are working on basic counting and number identification.  This Launch and Match game from Lakeshore was perfect!   If this is too easy for your kids, they have a whole line of similar games focusing on different math and reading skills.

This game comes with 2-levels of game cards (one focusing on numbers 1-10 and the other focusing on 11-20).    Each card is 2-sided as well with ten frames or pictures of items.

We had the kids start the game by counting and writing (with dry-erase) markers their numbers.  This made it easier once the game started for them to determine whether or not they had a match.

You push the button on the launcher and it shoots out a disc with a number on it.  We had the kids say "I have it," or raise their hand (for non-verbal students), to indicate they had the number.  

The kids put the disc on their board.  The winner is the first one to fill their board.  

I love incorporating games into academic times.  First of all, they are a nice change of pace and give kids the opportunity to work on generalizing skills.  Also, our kids need to be taught social skills just as directly as we teach academics.  Games give great opportunities to work on turn taking, talking to peers, winning/losing, etc.