I am always looking for novel ways to engage my students, and I love when I can do it in a simple, inexpensive way. During a recent trip to Dollar Tree, I stumbled upon sets of brightly colored ice cube trays, and I immediately knew what I’d make. Game boards! I numbered colored dots 1-7, and then I placed each dot inside of an ice cube basin. I used four different colors for two different colored trays for a four-player game. For what I’m calling “Version 1”, kids can play by moving ONE craft pompom from 1-7 as they answer questions correctly. The first person to get to 7 wins! In this case, I paired the game up with my Hink Pink: Critical Thinking Task Cards, but this is so versatile and adaptable, so really, the sky is the limit!
This is how it looks with two players, and this is what I am calling “Version 2”. In this approach, each student has seven craft pompoms that they must use to fill up their side of the tray. Whoever fills their side first wins. It doesn’t get much easier than this, especially for task cards.
Ultimately, I ended up spending two dollars on four ice cube trays. I already had the craft poms and stickers. Because it’s been such a hit with my students already, I am already considering another trip to Dollar Tree for a few more trays. Since they nest inside of each other so nicely, it’s a space-efficient way to spice up your independent work or centers. How would you use this tool?! Share with your peers below. Happy Teaching!
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