24® Game Classroom Activities

Activity—Basic (no cards needed)

Have students choose two numbers and write them on the board. Ask the class to give the sum, difference, product and/or quotient depending on which operations the class is practicing.

Example: Students choose the numbers 2 and 8.

Sum: 2 + 8 = 10
Difference: 8 – 2 = 6
Product: 2 x 8 = 16
Quotient: 8 ÷ 2 = 4

Try other examples, so students are comfortable looking at two numbers and computing the possibilities. Not all combinations will have a whole-number quotient. After the class has worked on a few examples, have each student write two numbers on a piece of paper. The range of numbers students can choose will vary according to the their ability level. Students then trade papers with a neighbor, calculate the possible combinations and share answers with their partner.

Activity—Intermediate (no cards needed)

Write a number on the board and choose a target number. Example: Write the number 4 on the board and choose 7 as the target number. Ask students, What can we do to this 4 to make it a 7? Students will answer, Add 3. Write the number sentence.

4 + 3 = 7

Encourage students to think of other combinations using different operations to create a 7 using a 4. For example, 11 – 4 = 7 or 28 ÷ 4 = 7

Activity—Advanced (no cards needed)

Have students choose three numbers, 1 through 10, and write the numbers on the board. Work as a class, in groups or in pairs. Have students combine the numbers in as many different ways as they can, using the operations they have learned. (This activity is a good precursor to editions that require students to combine three numbers.)