Shut the Box
Math Concepts
Addition- single digit, Number bonds
Materials
Paper, pencil
Players
2
Set up
Each player writes the numbers from 1 to 9 in a row on a piece of paper.
Play
To start a turn, a player finds the sum of the roll of two dice. Using only numbers that have yet to be crossed out, the player crosses out a group of one or more numbers that add up to that sum. If this can’t be done, nothing changes. A player may decide before a roll to use just one die instead of two.
Goal
The first player to get all their numbers crossed out wins.
Discussion and Tips
There are a lot of choices for numbers to cross out. When there is a choice, which numbers are best to cross out? Do you cross out one large number or several smaller numbers?
Variations
Use a larger range of numbers, such as going to 10 or even 12.
Another variation is to give each player a single turn. The turn continues with new rolls until the first time the player is stuck. At the end, the player’s score is the sum of the numbers not crossed out. The player with the lowest score wins.