Fraction War

Purpose: To reinforce estimation and comparison of fractions in game format

Materials: A deck of playing cards (remove all face cards)

Grouping: Work in pairs

Directions:

1.  Shuffle the cards and deal them evenly, face down to each player.  Players choose a goal for a game from those listed below.

        a. Form a proper fraction by placing the card with the smaller number in the numerator.  Player with the smaller fraction is the winner.

        b. Form a proper fraction by placing the card with the smaller number in the numerator.  Player with the larger fraction is the winner.

        c. Form a proper fraction by placing the card with the smaller number in the numerator.  Player with the fraction whose value is closest to 1/2 is the winner.

       d. Form a fraction by placing the card with the larger number in the numerator.  Player with the larger fraction is the winner.

        e. Place the first card in the numerator, the second in the denominator.  Player with the fraction whose value is closest to 2 is the winner.

        f. Each player decides where to place each card.  Player with the fraction whose value is closes to 1 is the winner.

2.  Each player turns up two cards from his or her pile and follows the directions for the chosen game to form a fraction on the Fractions Game Board.  The ace represents 1.

3.  The winner of each round collects the four cards and places them face up at the bottom of his or her pile of cards.  If the fractions formed are equivalent, each player turns over two additional cards and forms a new fraction.  The winner of the round gets all eight cards.

4.  When the players have played all the face-down cards, the player with the most face-up cards is the winner of the game.  Reshuffle the cards and choose a different game.