Beep
Math Concepts
Various
Materials
None
Players
Whole class, preferably at least 3 people
Set up
Get your whole class into one big circle.
Play
One student starts the counting at 1. The numbers are then counted in order going in one direction around the circle. At each turn, a student either says their number or the word “Beep.” Use a different word if there is one your students particularly enjoy. The “Beep” is said whenever a number satisfies the rule being used for the round.
For example, the rule might be to say “Beep” whenever your number has a 2 in it. In this case, you should hear:
1, Beep, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, Beep, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, Beep, Beep, Beep, and so on.
If a student says “Beep” when they shouldn’t, or they don’t say it when they should, they are out for this round.
Goal:
Be the last player still playing.
Variations
Other Rules: Although using multiples and digits are the standard ways to play this game, you can use any rules you want. Some possible rules that can be used individually or combined are:
- Numbers that are a multiple of some number
- Numbers that contain a specific digit
- Odd or even numbers
- Numbers that are a specific amount over a multiple, such as 2 more than multiples of 4
- Prime numbers
- Numbers that are a product of two primes (6, 10, 14, 15, 21, 22, 26, …)
- Numbers that are squares (1, 4, 9, 16, …)
- Numbers that are triangular numbers (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, …)
- Numbers that are Fibonacci numbers (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, …)
TwoSounds: Once your students become familiar with this activity, you can add challenges by combining theuse of two (or more!) rules and sounds. For example, Beep for multiples of 3 and Honk for multiples of 5 (for 15 you would Beep and Honk).
Non-Competitive: This can be played as an elimination game, or you can just have lots of fun with the Beeps, Honks, and other silly sounds and not penalize the mistakes.