Students + Tournament = MotivationAuthor(s): Alice ClarkSource: The Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 33, No. 3 (November 1985), pp. 40-42Published by: National Council of Teachers of MathematicsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41194077 .

Accessed: 10/06/2014 06:40

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extendaccess to The Arithmetic Teacher.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 193.104.110.110 on Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:40:37 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Students + Tournament = Motivation By Alice Clark

"My students aren't interested in anything," or "the only things they're interested in are sports." These com- ments were typical remarks of teach- ers at my school. I agreed with them. I knew that if I didn't think of some- thing - and soon - I could "wrap it up" for the year.

Remembering the remarks about sports, I decided to bring sports into the classroom.

Formerly a mathematics teacher, Alice Clark is now a library media specialist. She stays active in mathematics by teaching computing classes in the media center of her library.

Pregame Warm-Ups The next day I greeted my classes with the following problem and asked if they could solve it mentally:

Take the second odd number after 15, add 2, divide by 7, multiply by 12, take one-half of it, divide by 9, multiply by 100, and add 25. What's the answer?

After five seconds I said, "Write your answer and show it to me." Almost no one got the answer, 225, but every- one was talking about the problem. When the group quieted down, I heard the following comments:

"I almost got it." "I bet I can get it this time. Give us

another." "Hey, that was fun! Let's do some

more."

Solving these mental problems soon became routine at the end of each class day. Written assignments were completed quickly so that we could get to what the students called "run- ning problems" because the parts of each problem ran on and on.

Seldom had I witnessed so much enthusiasm. Even students who had difficulty understanding written prob- lems did well on these oral problems.

This content downloaded from 193.104.110.110 on Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:40:37 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

As interest continued to grow, I asked, "How many students would like to choose teams and compete with other classes?" Almost everyone agreed to a competition.

Taking the Field The day to choose teams finally ar- rived and the action began. Each class put its mathematics wizards into the mental battle. Although silence was demanded of the audience, "playing along" with the teams was permitted.

Problems for round 1 (individual effort) were projected overhead on transparencies. Teams were given the problems on paper. When the time was called, papers were collected and given to scorekeepers. Answers couldn't be checked fast enough for the excited audience.

Problems for round 2 were oral and began with finding a pattern: "12, 7, 14, 9, 18 . . . , give the next number." The room was silent until a monitor called, "Write your answer!" Team members held up cards and the audi- ence counted the correct responses with the scorekeepers. Each person who had written "13" was given a point.

Round 3 (team effort) proved to be the most difficult phase of the tourna- ment. Each of the three students on a team had to agree on one answer. Over the public address system came the following problem:

Reduce 15/20 to the simplest terms, multiply by 4, divide by 3, add 8, take the square root of this number, add 1/2, and convert this number to an improper fraction.

The team captains who showed "7/2" were given points for their teams.

By the end of the tournament, the audience was more exhausted than the players, but everyone agreed that the tournament was lively and inter- esting.

Before the day was over, plans were being made for the next competi- tion. Losing teams were confident that another chance would render them victors. The winning team knew it would take skill and practice to stay on top.

Several years have passed since the first tournament. It is now an annual county wide event. The students who participated in the first tournament still remember it as the highlight of that school year.

Planning a Tournament A tournament of this kind can be planned for any grade level and for subjects other than mathematics. The first tournament was developed for seventh graders. I used the school's cafetorium and public address system along with transparencies and the overhead projector. The players were not distracted by the projections, but the audience could "play along" dur- ing the written rounds. Four teams were selected, and tables were placed in a semicircle on a stage. Each team was assigned a scorekeeper/judge. (I used students for scorekeeper/judges, but teachers could perform this duty during larger tournaments.)

At the end of the first round, papers were collected and given to score- keepers, who had been given answer sheets. The teams were allowed to replace one member of the playing team with the fourth member, who had not been playing. These substitu- tions were allowed at the end of each round.

The Tournament Model

Rules

1. Four students are selected by the students for each team. A playing team consists of three members and one substitute.

2. Three students compete as a team. One member of the team serves as the captain.

3. Substitutions can be made at the end of each round.

4. Pens and scorecards are given to each team member.

5. Oral problems are read only once. 6. Written problems are given to each

of the team members and displayed on a transparency for the audience.

7. Accumulated team points are shown on a transparency or chart at the end of each round.

8. Each team is assigned a scorekeep- er/judge.

9. Should any team member speak out of turn, that team is disquali- fied for the problem. Procedures for round 1 . Each play-

er is given a copy of a ten-problem test. Points are given for correct an- swers, and points are totaled for each team.

Procedures for round 2. Problems are given orally. Players are allowed to write and work the problems on paper during the first part of the round. During the second part, all calculations must be computed men- tally. Points are given for correct an- swers, and points are totaled for each team.

Procedures for round 3. Teams are given problems orally. Players are al- lowed to write and work problems on paper during the first part of the round. One answer is to be given by the captain. During the second part of the round, all calculations must be computed mentally. One answer is given by the captain. Points are to- taled for each team.

Round 1, Individual Effort

Parti Directions to players. "When I tell

you to start, turn over the paper in front of you. Work as quickly and as accurately as you can. After three minutes, I will say 'stop.' If you are writing an answer, you may finish it, but do not begin another problem. Are there any questions? Then start."

Sample problems

1. 789 + 267 + 82 =

2. 80700 -26498

3. 674 X304

4. 63)7267 5. 0.263

xQ.346

November 1985 41

This content downloaded from 193.104.110.110 on Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:40:37 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Part 2

Directions to players. "When I tell you to start, turn over the paper in front of you. Work as quickly and as accurately as you can. After three minutes, I will say 'stop.' If you are writing an answer, you may finish it, but do not begin another problem. Are there any questions? Then start."

Sample problems

1. Goodilla weighs 988 kilograms. King Strong weighs 907 kilograms. How much heavier is Goodilla than King Strong?

2. Round off 73 850 to the nearest thousand.

3. Jim gave a clerk a $20 bill for a purchase of $12.85. How much change should he receive?

4. Sue has spelling test scores of 85, 72, 84, and 91. What is her average spelling score?

5. It is 5:00 a.m. in New York City. What time is it in Los Angeles, California?

Round 2, Individual Effort

Parti

Directions to players. "I will read five problems aloud. At the end of each problem you have five seconds in which to write your answer. You may write and work the problem on paper. At the end of the five seconds I will say 'answer.' Please raise your answer cards at that time. Are there any questions?"

Sample problems

1. Give the next number in the pat- tern: 12, 7, 14, 9, 18.

2. In a social studies fair, the follow- ing people were involved: four for judging, six for staging, eight for registration, four for dismantling, and 186 for entering projects. How many people were involved in the fair?

3. It was 5:00 p.m. when Jim left the airport in Day tona Beach, Florida. His plane was in the air for 5 hours

in the same time zone. What time was it when Jim landed?

4. If you can buy jaw breakers at four for ten cents, how many jaw break- ers can you buy for one dollar?

5. 0.26 + 0.4 + 0.6 + 2 = ?

Part 2

Directions to players. "I will read five problems orally. You may not write anything down. The problems must be worked mentally. At the end of each problem, you will have five seconds in which to write your answer only. At the end of five seconds, I will say 'answer.' Please raise your cards at that time. Are there any ques- tions?"

Sample problems

1. 6 x 9 + 6 -s- 6 + 15 -î- 5 = ? 2. Take the second odd number after

15, add 2, divide by 7, take one- half of the answer, divide by 3, multiply by 100, and add 25. What is your answer?

3. Double 12, subtract 4, triple the answer, add one dozen, add 8, and add 20. What is your answer?

4. Six dollars plus two one-half dol- lars, take away three quarters, add three dimes, and take away one nickel. What is your answer?

5. Take the square root of 144, add 8, multiply by 5, multiply by 5 again, divide by 100, and add 5. What is your answer?

Round 3, Team Effort

Parti

Directions to players. "I will read five problems orally. You may write and discuss the problem among mem- bers of your team. At the end of each problem, you will have ten seconds for your captain to write one answer on a card. At the end often seconds, I will say 'answer.' Captains, please raise your cards at that time. Are there any questions?"

Sample problems

1. Reduce 15/20 to the simplest terms, multiply by 4, divide by 3, add 8, take the square root of this

number, add 1/2, convert this number to an improper fraction.

2. Take 10 percent of 50, divide by 5, add 11, subtract 4, multiply by 9, and add 28; what is 20 percent of your answer?

3. Sue works at a nursery and earns $2 per hour. She works six hours on Monday, seven hours on Tues- day, Wednesday, and Thursday, and five hours on Friday. How much money does she make in one week?

4. George shopped for groceries. He bought a dozen cold drinks at six for one dollar, cookies for 59 cents, bread for 64 cents, and butter for 49 cents a pound. How much did the groceries cost?

5. To two yards, add one foot, add ten inches, divide by 2, and round your answer to the nearest foot.

Part 2

Directions to players. "I will read five problems orally. You may discuss each problem among the members of your team, but you may not write anything on paper. The problems must be worked mentally and orally. At the end of ten seconds, I will say 'answer.' Captains, you will be given five seconds in which to write one answer. At the end of five seconds, raise your cards. Are there any ques- tions?"

Sample problems

1. This is a pattern problem. Given 5, 10, 9, 14, 13, what is the next number?

2. What is 7 squared, plus 1, multi- plied by 2, minus 50, plus 25, multi- plied by 4?

3. Find the least common multiple of 4 and 6, add 13, divide by 5, divide by 1/5, multiply by 4, divide by 2, add 25, and subtract 15.

4. A plane served 118 passengers three meals. Half of all these meals were served with coffee. How many cups of coffee were served?

5. Alice is buying some books for $139. She pays $5 a week for them. How many weeks will it take for her to pay for the books? m

42 Arithmetic Teacher

This content downloaded from 193.104.110.110 on Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:40:37 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions