Fifth Grade Math Adding & Subtraction Activities
Fifth-graders are learning to solve addition and subtraction equations that involve three- to five-digit numbers. Students need a lot of practice to become proficient in solving these problems. The most practical way for a teacher to motivate her students to practice addition and subtraction equations is by providing them with exciting and fun activities and games.
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War With a Twist
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This is a version of the classical card game called War. The teacher will create a set of 24 cards with the numbers that she wishes. A fifth-grade teacher will make sure the cards contain large numbers with three digits and higher. Pairs of students will split the deck in half and take their cards. Each player will take two cards out of his pile and place them next to one another. The player will add the numbers on the two cards together and come up with a sum. The two players will compare the sums and whichever player has the higher sum wins the round and gets to take his cards and the other player's cards. The player with the whole deck wins the game. If the two players have the same sum, a "war" takes place. Each player needs to take out four cards and place three of them -- numbers facing down -- on the table, with the fourth card facing up. The two players will compare each other's fourth card to see who has a larger number. The one with the larger number wins the round and gets to take all the cards from the war.
Around the World
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Students can play this game to practice addition and subtraction. One student begins at the first desk on one side of the room and challenges the student at the desk to a math problem. The teacher provides the equation and whichever student figures out the correct answer first wins and gets to play against the student at the next desk. The objective of the game is for the player to win his way back to his desk that he originally started from.
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Math Hangman
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This game can be played as a class or in pairs. The teacher will decide on a word and students need to guess what the word is to win the game. The teacher will make spaces to represent the number of letters in the word. To win a chance to guess a letter in the word, the student will need to correctly solve an addition or subtraction problem. After he solves the math equation, he can guess a letter. If his guess is correct, the teacher will write the letter on the correct space on the board. Each time a student answers an incorrectly, the teacher will draw a limb of a stick figure man on a gallows. The purpose of the game is to figure out the word before the stick figure man is complete.
Math Baseball
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Fifth-graders will enjoy practicing addition and subtraction with this game. In math baseball, students are split into pairs; one student is designated "batter" and the other student is the "pitcher." The "pitcher" sends an addition or subtraction equation for the "batter" to solve. When the "batter" figures out the correct answer to the problem, it is considered a hit. If his answer is incorrect, it's considered an out. Three outs and then the "batter" switches places with the "pitcher." The students can verify the answers on a calculator.
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References
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