In this activity, students play a dice game where they create sums using 2 or 3 dice, while exploring patterns and different number sentences through the flips and turns of the dice. This game promotes number flexibility, pattern recognition, and strategic thinking. The game is available in versions for grades K-12+, with the task adapted for different grade levels. Every version emphasizes number flexibility and encourages students to explore patterns and make conjectures. In addition, the grades 6-8 version features activities on 3D nets and probability—important middle school topics, but also suitable for students in grade 6 and up. You can find the versions by grade level below.
Grades K-1: Keep + Change (View Slides, Make a Copy of Slides)
Students practice adding two numbers while noticing patterns. The activity emphasizes spatial and numerical understanding by using dice to explore dot patterns and build mental representations.
Grades 1-2: Keep + Flip + Turn (View Slides, Make a Copy of Slides)
This activity introduces students to creating sums with three addends by rolling dice and following the rules of Keep, Flip, Turn. It focuses on number flexibility and understanding sums from 3 to 18.
Grades 1-5: Keep + Flip + Turn (View Slides, Make a Copy of Slides)
Students practice making sums of seven with two addends and sums of ten with three. They explore patterns and different number sentences through the flips and turns of a 3-D cube.
Grades 6-8: Keep + Flip + Turn (View Slides, Make a Copy of Slides)
Students explore a sum game with three dice and can extend their learning to topics like 3D nets and probability.
Grades 9-12: Keep + Flip + Turn (View Slides, Make a Copy of Slides)
Students aim to make 10 using three dice under specific constraints. Once familiar with the game, they engage in open-ended exploration by posing and answering generalization questions.