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© Jodie Champagne,  published in Mathematics Magazine, October 2004

 

 

2 Players

2 Dice (preferably different colors)

1 +/- cube

1 score card

Player 1 Player 2

1.  1000

1.  1000
2.  2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
9. 9.
10. 10.

Objective:

To get more points than your opponent.

Directions:

Both players begin with 1000 points.  Player one rolls both dice.  (3) (5)  He/she must decide if he wants to go with 3 to the 5th power or 5 to the 3rd power.   Both students use a calculator (for calculator practice) to solve 3 to the 5th power by pressing 3 ^ 5 = and then solve 5 ^ 3 = for 5 cubed.  If the student is a risk taker, he/she may go with the higher value, if he/she is conservative, he/she may go with the lower value.  Once the student decides on a value, he/she rolls the +/- cube.  He/she must add or subtract the value he/she chose from 1000 on his/her score card.  Player two also records player one's score.  Ex:  He/she chooses 3 to the 5th power because it is 243 and is higher than 5^3 which is 125.  Player one rolls a "--" so he/she must subtract 3 to the 5th from 1000, but in EXPONENTIAL form.  (see score card below.)

 

Player 1 Player 2

1.  1000 - 35 = 757

1.  1000
2.  757 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
9. 9.
10. 10.

Player one's round 2 will begin with this total.

Player two's turn.  Follow same steps as player one and add or subtract from 1000.  The new total is what he/she starts with in round 2.

The player with the most points at the end of round 10 wins.  

Students may encounter negatives so they should know how to operate with integers mentally for reasonable answers and should know how to use the negative button on a calculator instead of the subtraction button.

Students should

 

 

Prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase (the splitting of a cell's nucleus) can be visually represented by students in a fun and tasty activity called "Edible Mitosis"

After investigating the life cycle of a cell, student comprehension can be assessed through "Edible Mitosis."  Students are grouped in threes and are challenged to bring candy that can visually represent the parts of a cell while undergoing mitosis (cellular division.)  The teacher may ask parents to bake small, toaster oven sized cakes or the teacher may provide these on this day of fun. 

    Each group receives one cell with cytoplasm (cake with icing) and is challenged to show what prophase looks like on their edible canvas .  Students often bring gummy octopi for chromosomes, round chocolate candy for centromeres, licorice strands for spindle fibers, and many other creative candy look-alikes for their project.  Once the students represent prophase, one student is randomly chosen from the group to identify all cell parts and explain what is taking place in this particular phase.  Once the students have received their points for their representation and explanation, they may clear their canvas and begin demonstrating metaphase and so on. 

    Students should be cautious in their explanations.  Calling the cytoplasm icing or calling the centrioles breath mints is grounds for point reduction.  Another student is randomly selected to explain each phase so each student is responsible for knowing all phases and parts.  This random selection helps the students receive a group grade of cooperation since they must determine that each student knows his/her information.

    Once the students receive all of their points, they may eat their project!