Just One More! An Addition Game for Kindergarten

This kindergarten math game is a great way to introduce students to adding. It can also be used in small groups to reteach or review with those who are struggling.

• Book, One Guinea Pig is Not Enough by Kate Duke
• One More game boards, one for every four children
• A game board made into an overhead transparency
• Overhead projector
• About 40 counters to use as markers on the game board (10 of 4 different colors), for each group of four children
• One six-sided die or dot cube, for each group of 4 children
• Other math manipulatives to be used for counting, about 8 per child

This math lesson plan for kindergarten requires multiple game boards.

For the game boards, make a grid of squares with four rows of six on a sheet of colored paper or card stock, then randomly put one number in each square. Use only the numbers 2 through 7. Write One More at the top and laminate the game boards.

This math lesson plan for kindergarten assumes students know their numbers to 10 and be able to count objects to ten.

Gather the class for a read aloud and read the book One Guinea Pig is Not Enough by Kate Duke. This cute book starts off with one lonely guinea pig looking for a friend and as new guinea pigs join her one at a time, students will learn about the concept of addition. Each illustration includes large numbers and the illustrations introduce the plus and equal signs. As you read, let the students tell how many guinea pigs there will be each time you add one more.

1. After you read and discuss the book, call a few students up to the front and make your own addition problems for adding one more: "Three students are playing on the playground when one more joins them. Now how many are there?" Let the students act out several problems. When they seem to be getting the hang of it, tell them they are going to be playing a game called One More.
2. Show them the game board on an overhead transparency and explain how to play the game. Each group of four will have one board and one die. Each student in a group needs about ten counters of one color to use. Snap cubes or colored disks work well. On your turn roll the die and add one to the number that you get and then cover up that number on the board. So if you roll a six, you'll cover up a 7. The winner is the person who covers four numbers in a row first. Play a practice game on the overhead projector with the class to model the game. Divide the class into groups of four and let them play the game.
3. Some of your students will be able to add one in their heads or by counting up using the dots on die. Others will need a more concrete method to add so provide some counters for those who will need them.

Observe the students as they play. Which ones can count in their heads? Which need counters to add one?

• Make new game boards for adding other numbers. Try playing Two More or Five More.
• Turn the game into a math center.
• Use dice for another kindergarten math game about addition. Have the students roll two dice and take two different colors of snap cubes for each number rolled. Then have students make two towers of the numbers rolled and put them together -- students can then compare their towers each time to see whose is taller.