Mathcade card decks are designed to help our students develop a solid number sense at early ages. Each deck contains 55 cards (plus one instructional QR code) with five different suits representing numbers 0 – 10. Each suite illustrates a common representation or graphic composition of a number. Individual suites may be removed from the deck for younger children. The game ideas are near endless, but here are a few of our favorites.
Make 10 – Go Fish!
Go Fish is one of the most common early card games taught to children throughout the United States. In Make 10 – Go Fish students seek to complete books consisting of two cards (of any suite) with a sum of 10. After dealing 5 cards to each player, students take turns asking one other player of their choice if they have any (zeros, ones, twos, … nines, tens). If so, the player must surrender the card type (only one if they have multiples) to the asking player. The asking player audibly must then form the pair into a book and say “______ and ______ make 10.” The asking player then takes another turn. If the other player doesn’t have the card requested, they respond with “Go Fish” and the asking player then draws from a draw pile or the pond. At any time if a player runs out of cards, they must draw two and remain in the game. To see traditional Go Fish instructions here.
Solitaire
Plays just like regular Solitaire but with five suites.
Concentration
Choice two suites and lay out the 22 cards face down. Can be played making equal number or make 10 books, but choice one mode stick with it.