Math Fishing Fun

Sometimes husbands can really come through and be geniuses. Such was the case for me recently when my husband and I were shopping, and he suggested buying the classic fishing game as a learning tool. How can it be a learning tool? Well, his suggestion was to stick problems on the bottom of each fish.

What I Ended Up Doing Was:

1) Sticking white stickers on the bottom and labeling each fish with a number from 1 to 21.
2) Covering the stickers with Mod Podge just to be careful.
3) Creating some numbered QR code task cards with a fishy theme on estimation. I ended up creating 24, but only 21 were used for the game.
4) Setting the cards up on a pocket chart.

How Students Played:

1) In pairs during math stations, students took turns fishing.
2) Once they caught a fish, they grabbed the task card with the number that matched the number on the bottom of their fish.

3) Students solved their problem. I had white boards available if they needed to work the problem out.
4) Their partner checked their answer by scanning the QR code with an iPod.

5) If the student was correct, they kept the fish. If the student was incorrect, they had to drop the fish back in the "pond."

6) The game ended once all fish were caught and won or once the time was up for that group.
7) The student with the most fish won.

This was a lot of fun, and I can use this game with any set of task cards I have made or purchased from other teachers, so that's pretty nifty.

Word of caution: If students aren't careful, poles will break, fish will be squashed, students will cry. My game was definitely made in China.

If you're interested in the Fish Bowl QR Code Task Cards I made, just click here for Teachers pay Teachers or here for Teachers Notebook. Here's a preview:

Husbands can really come through sometimes! :)

Tabitha Carro