Description
How it works
Both bears start in the middle, on 5. The die is labelled −0, +0, −1, +1, −2, +2, so every roll could push a bear either way. The first player to escape the line — by reaching 0 or 10 — wins. Because direction changes roll to roll, children cannot settle into one operation. They have to read the sign and decide which way to move, which is far harder and far more useful than a page of problems that are all addition.
What you’ll need
- The printable Racing Bears game board
- Two plastic bears or counters, one per player
- A blank die labelled −0, +0, −1, +1, −2, +2
Skills practiced
Switching flexibly between addition and subtraction, interpreting positive and negative movement, and the ±0, ±1 and ±2 facts.
Grade level
Kindergarten through 2nd grade, best once Games 2 and 3 feel comfortable.
Instant PDF download. Game instructions and printable boards adapted from the ideas in Math Fact Fluency by Jennifer Bay-Williams and Gina Kling (ASCD / NCTM, 2019).
