Games for Educators

Math Concepts

Counting, adding, number bonds

Materials

Deck of playing cards

Players

2+

Set up

Set a target sum that your students are comfortable with, remove cards at or above that target from the Number Card deck. Use Number Card decks if you have them. If there are more than two players and you have restricted the numbers significantly, you may need to use several decks. Deal 5 cards to each player and put the remaining cards in a common draw pile.

Play

Players take turns “fishing” for a card whose number will sum to the target sum with a card they already have. For example, a player might ask another player, “Do you have a 4?” If that player has a 4, it is handed over and the original player gets another turn. However, if that player does not have any 4’s, then the player says “Go Fish!” and a card is drawn from the draw pile. If the drawn card matches with a card they have, the player may have another turn; otherwise, the turn is over and play continues to the left.

When a player has a pair of cards that sum to the target sum, those cards are placed in a “book” in front of them. The game is over after all the cards have been put into books.

Goal

The player with the most books wins.