Back and Forth – 24
Math Concepts
Counting, Add/Subtract numbers from 1-12
Materials
Paper, 2 colors of markers, 2 dice
Players
2
Set up
Each player starts with an empty board from 0 to 24.
Start by placing red markers (the targets on any three numbers, and a black marker (the player) at 0.
Play
On a turn, use the sum of the roll of two dice and move your black marker either forward or backward that many spaces.
If you land on a red marker, remove it from the board and keep it.
Goal
First player to remove all three red markers wins.
Example move
Here is a first move using a roll of 3 + 5 = 8. If the player rolled a 7 after that, they could move from the 8 to 1 or 15.
Discussion and Tips
After playing a few rounds, discuss ideas on where the red markers should be placed.
The sum of two dice is a number from 2 to 12. The sums are not all equally likely– 2 and 12 are very unlikely, and 7 is the most likely. How can the students use that information in placing their red markers?
Variations
Free Move: If a player lands on 24 exactly, they get to roll again.
Number Line: Use a number line with tick marks if you want something simpler to draw.
