Teaching Integer Addition & Multiplication Tables Using Corn-hole

Corn-hole has become all the craze for parties. I can think of a dozen different ways they could be used to teach math lessons. I will share two of these ideas below.

Using Corn-hole to Teach Multiplication Tables

This activity would be great for the whole class but I truly think it would be a wonderful tool for helping those students who are behind to catch-up. If I was still in the public schools, I would single out the students who still struggle with their multiplication tables and find time during activity period, study hall, etc for them to play this game.

Essentially, you will have two different colored bean-bags. Both colored bean-bags will be labeled 0 through 12 (this can be done with a black marker). The student will be given both sets of bean bags. They will choose two bags from both colors and toss them.

Rules of Play

1) If they make both colors in they will multiply them and add this number to their score

2) If they make one color but not the other, they multiply them but do not add them to their score

3) If they miss both of them, they multiply them and subtract the number from their score.

Examples Of Three Tosses:

Toss 1: Blue Bag 2, Red Bag 5

-I make both: I record my answer and my score is 10

Toss 2:Blue Bag 6, Red Bag 1

-I make one, but not the other: I record my answer but my score is still 10

Toss 3:Blue Bag 4, Red Bag 2

-I miss both: I record my answer and subtract 8 from my score (new score is 2)

Score Sheet:

A score sheet could be something simple like

Red Bag #_____ Blue Bag #_____

_____x _____ = _______

Circle One: Made Both Missed One Missed Both

Score______

Using Corn-hole to Teach Integer Addition & Subtraction

The setup is the same as above, two different colored bean-bags. Both colored bean-bags will be labeled 0 through 12 (this can be done with a black marker). The student will be given both sets of bean bags. They will choose two bags from both colors and toss them.

Only now the blue color represents positive integers and the red bags represent negative integers.

After the toss, students will record the sum of the positive and negatives.

Examples Of Three Tosses:

Toss 1: Blue Bag 2, Red Bag 5

-I make both: I record my answer as positive 2 combined with negative 5 (2-5 = -3) and record my answer as a positive score. My score is 3

Toss 2:Blue Bag 6, Red Bag 1

-I make one, but not the other: I record my answer as positive 6 combined with negative 1 (6-1 = 5) but nothing is added to my score. My score is still 3

Toss 3:Blue Bag 4, Red Bag 2

-I miss both: I record my answer as positive 4 combined with negative 2 (4-2 = 2) and subtract this from my total score. My score is now 1.