Lesson 17 Paper Clip Games

    • Let’s create a game about locating and comparing fractions on the number line.

Warm-up Notice and Wonder: Lots of Paper Clips

What do you notice? What do you wonder?

Image of paper clips on a number line strip. 

Activity 1 Paper Clip Tossing Game

Let’s prepare a game board and figure out how to toss paper clips and record the results! 

  1. Make your game board:

    • Tape the paper strip to your workspace. Place the tape at these benchmarks: 0, , 1, , and 2 .

    • Label the benchmark fractions 0, , 1, , and 2 on the paper strip.

  2. Play the game:

    • Take turns tossing the paper clips onto the game board.

    • Label the fraction where each paper clip lands.

Be prepared to share your strategies for tossing the paper clips and for finding out the fractions for their locations.

Activity 2 A New Game with New Rules

Invent your own game.

  1. Make a list with the rules of your game.

  2. Play your game, paying close attention to the rules.

  3. Revise and clarify your game rules, if necessary.

Activity 3 Field Test

Let’s try out these games!

  1. Before playing the game, exchange your game rules with another team. Carefully read the rules. Take turns asking clarifying questions, if you have any.

  2. Play each other’s games.

  3. After playing the game, give feedback to each other about the rules.

    • What is one thing you liked about the other team’s game?

    • What is one thing you might change?