Here's one of the first applets
that we designed for NCTM's Illuminations website. It allows students to play
the classic game of Concentration by themselves or against a friend while they
practice numbers, geometric shapes, multiplication facts, fractions, decimals
and percents.
The activity can be played in
one of two modes depending on the level of the student - hidden (covered windows)
or visible (glass windows). This allows students to focus on the match itself
without having to also remember where the cards are located.
You can choose between two
modes (one-player or two-player) for an additional challenge. Students win
‘socks' as equivalent matches are made.
There are a total of six
levels. "Numbers 1-6," "numbers 1-10," and "geometric shapes" are ideal
for students in PreK and Kindergarten, while "multiplication facts," "fractions,"
and " fractions, decimals and percents" would be great for upper elementary
level students.
Tip: It would be helpful to play the game by
yourself a few times to become familiar with the various settings before trying
it out with your students.
Whole class instruction: View the concentration applet on your
interactive whiteboard and let your students have fun practicing their basic
number facts.
Resources: If you like this applet, you can find
more ideas on how to use it on the NCTM Illuminations
website.