Purpose:  to practice with numbers, but also to get everyone out of their chairs and thinking on their feet

Preparation Time:  2 minutes (longer if you have to go to the bank to get

pennies!)

Materials:  three times as many pennies as you have students

Preparation: Plan on spending some time reviewing counting with a low level group.  This activity assumes a basic knowledge of addition and numbers up to 100. 

Procedure:

1. Divide the class into groups of 3-6 students.
2. Give each student three coins.  The students place both hands behind their backs and secretly put some, all or none of the coins in their right hand.
3. The students extend their closed right hands into the circle.  Each student tries to guess what the total number of coins in their group will be.  No one may guess the same number as another student in the circle.
4. On the count of three, the students open their right hands.  The coins are counted and the guess that is closest, without exceeding the total, wins.  That player is then awarded points equal to the number of coins in the circle.  Keep a record of each student’s score.  Continue playing. The first student to reach 100 wins.

Variations:

• Instead of adding the coins, multiply them.