Materials for the class

6 sheets of paper A3

Paper fishes – 20 for each team

Numbered paper fishes – from 1 to 20

Music – by teacher’s choice

3 markers

Cd player or teacher’s smartphone

Layout of the classroom

Three pairs of desks are needed in the classroom. The rest of the desks and all chairs are put aside.

Phase 1

The teacher divides the class into 3 groups – the Dolphins, the Whales and the Gold fishes. The teacher writes the names of the teams on the board. He/she puts on the board 20 fishes for each team. The teacher says that in the “ocean” of each team are swimming 20 fishes. Each team has to protect the fishes from the sharks. To do that, the students have to solve math problems correctly.

 Phase 2

Each team receives 20 paper fishes, numbered from 1 to 20. The teams have to make and solve math problems with addition and subtraction to 20. Each team has his “safe place” in the room. A marker and 2 sheets of paper/one for addition and one for subtraction/ are placed there. The teacher has written in advance the names of the teams and the sings „+“and „-“. The captain of each team writes down the problems.

Phase 3

The game begins with the addition.

Music sounds in the room and the kids are dancing. The teacher stops the music and says “Attention! Sharks!” Everybody must ask “How many?” and the teacher for example responds “15!”

The pupils from each team go to their “safe place”. The captain of the team writes down the number 15 on the first sheet. With the numbered fishes the pupils have to solve math problems, which in total are 15. They order them on the sheet and the captain writes the „+“. /15+0; 14+1; 13+2; 12+3; 11+4; 10+5 /

If a team didn’t make it for the given time or did a mistake, that means that the sharks have eaten some fishes. Their amount depends on the unwritten and wrong math problems. The teacher takes out of the team’s board the same amount of fishes.

Phase 4

The game continues with subtraction.

Music sounds in the room and the kids are dancing. The teacher stops the music and says “Attention! Sharks!” Everybody must ask “How many?” and the teacher for example responds “6!”

This time the pupils have to solve math problems with the numbered fishes and the total should be 6.

20-14; 19-13; 18-12; 17-11; 16-10; 10-4; 9-3; 8-2; 7-1; 6-0/

The team, which has the most fishes on the board, wins the game.