Math Games for 4th Graders

Teaching Math through Games

Very often, traditional methods of learning math fail to show the practical application of a mathematical concept in one's real life. This is especially true for primary school kids who are extremely curious about everything. Lately, pedagogy has shifted focus on more active forms of learning such as math games and activities, which are often an enactment of a real life situation. There are a few advantages of this shift to math games:

1. Engage the learner - Children these days have a lower attention span. Therefore, games have become a popular classroom tool, because they are a fun way to motivate and push the learner on the right path, without really making them feel like they are taking on a daunting theoretical task.

2. Encourage Creativity - While many appreciate the age old pattern of standardized curriculums and regular evaluations as the way to ensure progress of a learner, it is now believed that such a restrictive pattern of study does not allow for the creative instinct of an individual to surface. Math games allow us not only to live the real life situation but also make us more competitive and think out of the box.

Introduction to Grade 4 Math

In Grade 4, the focus is on three critical areas:

1. Gaining understanding and fluency with multi-digit multiplication, and gaining an understanding of division problems involving multi-digit dividends: The kids are introduced to place value to 1,000,000, they develop an understanding of the relative sizes of digits at each place. They compute products of multi-digit whole numbers by applying their understanding of place value, models for multiplication like arrays, area models and equal-sized groups and properties of operations, particularly the distributive property. They are able to choose appropriate methods to solve problems depending on the context and the numbers.

The kids use their understanding of place value, division models and properties of operations as they develop skills to find quotients involving multi-digit dividends. They also understand the relationship between multiplication and division and use this understanding to appropriately apply methods to estimate or mentally solve division problems.

2. Extending fractions understanding and decimal notations: The kids extend their understanding of fraction equivalence and apply it to identify and generate equivalent fractions. They develop skills to compare fractions with different numerator and different denominators. They learn addition and subtraction of mixed numbers with like denominators. They also extend their previous understanding of multiplication. They are also introduced to decimal notation for fractions. 

3. Developing an understanding of analyzing and classifying geometric figures: The kids describe, analyze and classify two-dimensional shapes according to the properties of lines and angles. They compare two-dimensional shapes on the basis of their properties, such as perpendicular sides, parallel sides, symmetry, and particular angle measures. The kids also develop skills to identify line-symmetric figures.

Overview of Topics for Grade 4

Operations and Algebraic Thinking:

• Multiplication & Division: The kids further develop their understanding of multiplication and interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison statement. For example, the kids interpret 24 = 6 × 4 as 24 is 6 times as many as 4 and 4 times as many as 6. They use multiplication comparison to solve word problems involving multiplication and division by using the symbol for the unknown number in the equation. They understand the difference between addition and multiplicative comparison.

• Factors & Multiples: The kids extend their understanding of multiplicative comparison to understand the concepts of factors and multiples. They are able to find factor pairs of the whole number in the range 1 – 100. For example, (2, 16), (4,8) are factor pairs of 32. The kids also develop skills to identify if a given whole number is a multiple of a given one-digit number. For example, 8 is a multiple of 1, 2, and 4. They are also able to differentiate between prime and composite numbers. For examples, the numbers with exactly two factors; 1 and itself, are prime numbers. The numbers with more than two factors are composite numbers. 1 is neither prime nor composite number.

• Analyze Patterns: The kids broaden their skills to generate patterns of shapes or numbers that follow a given rule. They are also able to recognize apparent features of the patterns that are not obvious in the pattern. For example, the starting number being 1, given the rule add 5, will generate a sequence of numbers that alternate between even and odd numbers. The kids are able to informally explain the alternating pattern of even and odd numbers.

Number & Operations in Base Ten:

• Generalize place value understanding: The kids recognize that a digit in one place represents ten times of what it represents in the place to its right. For example, the value of the digit 8 in the number 880 is 80 whereas the value of the digit 8 is 800. The kids are also able to read and write multi-digit whole numbers using number names and base-ten numerals. They compare numbers based on place values, using >, =, and < symbols. The kids also use place value understanding to round whole numbers to any place. 

  

• Apply arithmetic properties of operations: The kids are able to fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers. They use properties of operations and place value strategies to multiply up to four digits by one digit whole number or two two-digit numbers. The kids also learn to divide up to four digit numbers by one digit using properties of operations and place value strategies.

Number & Operations – Fractions:

• Fraction Equivalence and ordering:  The kids extend their understanding of fraction equivalence and use this understanding to identify and generate equivalent fractions. They apply their understanding of fraction equivalence to compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominator. This is done by making either the denominators or the numerators common for both the fractions. The kids comprehend that comparisons are possible only when the fractions refer to the same whole.

• Build fractions from unit fractions: The kids understand that a fraction a/b where a > 1 can be written as a sum of fractions 1/b. This enables them to perform addition and subtraction of fractions. They apply the skill of decomposition of whole numbers learned in the previous grades to fractions and decompose a fraction in more than one way. For example, 4/5 = 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5 or 2 3/6 = 1 + 1 + 1/6 + 1/6 + 1/6.

They apply their understanding of multiplication and multiply a fraction by a whole number. They relate decomposition of addition with the decomposition of multiplication and understand that a fraction a/b is a multiple of fraction 1/b. For example, 3/8 = 3 × (1/8). The kids are able to solve word problems involving addition, subtraction, and multiplication of fractions.

• Understand decimal representation for fractions: The kids’ knowledge of fraction equivalence enables them to understand decimal representation for fractions with denominator 10 or 100. For example, 3/10 = 0.3 and 32/100 = 0.32. They also develop skills to locate decimal fractions on number line diagram. They also learn to compare two decimals to hundredths. 

Measurement & Data: 

• Conversion of measurements: The kids understand the relative sizes of measurement units within a single system of measurement. For example, 1 km > 1 m > 1 cm etc. They solve word problems involving lengths, volumes, masses of objects, money, and intervals of time using the four operations. They also develop skills to represent measurement quantities using number line diagrams. They also learn the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles.

• Represent and Interpret Data: The kids learn to plot line plots with measurement units in fractions. They perform addition and subtraction of line fractions to solve problems.

• Geometric Measurement: The kids recognize angles as geometric shapes. They learn to measure angles in degrees using a protractor. They solve addition and subtraction problems to find unknown angles in a diagram.

Geometry:

• Line and Angles: The kids recognize rays, lines, line segments, angles and parallel and perpendicular lines. They classify two-dimensional figures on the basis of angle measurement and presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines. They are also able to identify line symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry.

SplashLearn: Making Teaching and Learning Math Fun

Technology has invaded all spheres of life, including how education is imparted to young learners. Using the interactive activities and fun games on phones, desktops and tablet devices, SplashLearn guarantees a unique step-by-step Math learning for kids.  

Step 1: The child begins by taking a Placement Test to determine the concepts they already know.

Step 2: Follow a curriculum developed by experts at SplashLearn that helps the learner smoothly transition from topic to topic.

Step 3: As and when the child performs well, SplashLearn increases the level of difficulty such that even the brightest feel challenged and develop a capacity to solve high order thinking questions and therefore excel both in school evaluations and at Math competitions.