The Boat and the Shark

Purpose: To practice adding and subtracting negative and positive numbers.

Object of the Game:  You are swimming in the ocean.  On one side of you there is a shark, and on the other side there is a boat.  The person who reaches the boat first is saved; the person who swims into the shark is eaten.

Materials Needed:

• Operation Die: Indicates which way to face
  • B: Face the boat (addition)
  • S: Face the shark (subtraction)
• Integer Chip: Indicates which direction to move
  • White: Move forward (positive)
  • Red: Move backwards (negative)
• Number Die: Indicates how many spaces to move
• Numberline Record Sheet (See Attachment Below)
• Optional: Objects to use as place markers (ie. counting bean, candy, penny)

How to Play:  Each player takes a turn and starts at zero.  On a turn, a player rolls the operation die to indicate which way to face.  The player then flips the integer chip to indicate which direction to move.  The player then rolls the number die to indicate the number of spaces to move.  Wherever the player ends up, is where he or she will start on his or her next turn.  Each player must keep a record of every turn.

Example: Player rolls the dice and flips the integer chip resulting in: B, Red, and 3.  The player begins at zero, faces the boat, and moves backwards 3 spaces.  The player ends up at -3.  The record of this move would be 0 + (-3) = -3, indicating the player would begin at (-3).  If his or her next turn resulted in: B, White, and 2 then he or she would start at (-3), face the boat, and move forward 2 spaces ending on (-1).  The record would look like (-3) + 2 = (-1).

*Graphic from the website: http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/CIgW/shark.htm