Multiplicity
“The funnest Maths game I ever played!” commented William; “I like it, it’s fun”, said Ben. These are a typical comments of children playing this game.
The least favourable I met was Jordan’s, “A bit complicated – a challenge.”
Multiplicity is a game for Key Stage 2 children for learning and practising multiplication facts, especially factors. There are 52 cards in all, consisting of 46 number cards and 6 double cards. Each number card has a number from 0 – 9 in the middle which is repeated in a smaller size in the top left hand corner. Under this is a small box with a red number in it of which the factors are to be found. On the back of each card is a table square. There is one card with each pack (not for playing with!) which gives brief instructions.
Cards are put down in pairs so that the digits on the cards are the factors of the red number in the box. At the end of the game the cards still in a player’s hand are added up. The idea is to have the least score.
Despite Jordan’s remark, the children I used to try out the game, ranging from Years 3 – 6, learnt to play it quickly. The rules could be simplified, if necessary, by leaving out the doubles cards. There were only two slight problems. If players were unsure of the tables they could spend an unreasonable amount of time studying the table square on the back of each card. Also, some found the idea of ‘least score’ rather difficult to take in.
I would certainly recommend all KS 2 classes to have access to this game. As Lucy said, “It helps you learn your times tables.” More importantly, it helps to teach about factors which are much more difficult to understand than simply memorising the multiplication facts. It’s much better to have a happily played game than any text book page! The cards come in sets of six packs, all in different colours, along with an A4 spread of Teachers' Notes. Get them!
Jenny Murray – Independent Maths Consultant – Suffolk
From BEAM (now distributed by Nelson Thomas Ltd)
Six Packs:£32.50 plus VAT
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