OFFICE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION 1325 Lower Ferry Rd, Ewing NJ 08618
Don Wahlers, District Supervisor for Curriculum & Instruction Phone 609-538-9800 Ext. 3148 Fax 609-882-8172
S.T.E.M. K-6 [Link]
dwahlers@[Link]
Dear Parents/Guardians:
The Ewing Board of Education has endorsed the use of a Summer Mathematics Packet in order to keep
your child’s math skills honed and current through the summer break.
The attached packet includes two “bingo boards” of activities—one for July and the other for August.
This formatting will allow for families to choose activities of interest to them. The goal is to complete
four activities in a row, or the four corner boxes, on each board.
Each possible combination of four boxes on a board includes one of the following:
Family Activity: These family activities are designed to take advantage of typical everyday
activities and focus on the math involved. Suggested discussion questions are included in the
description of each family activity for your convenience. Many of these activities are the same or
nearly the same across the grade levels so that families with children of different ages may work
together. For example, during a trip to the grocery store a younger child may work on keeping
count of items in the cart while an older child tracks an estimate of the final cost of the items.
Story Problem: These story problems focus on the major content that the students have worked
on during the school year. Children may use numbers or drawings to keep track of their thinking
as they work and should be encouraged to use strategies familiar to them. Only the final answer
needs to be recorded in the bingo board box. If your child wishes to include his/her work, attach it
to the board when it is returned to school.
Game to Practice Facts and Computational Skills: The simple game directions are written in
the bingo board boxes. Game play requires a deck of cards and dice. If you are unable to obtain
these materials, please contact me via email or phone.
Free Choice Game: Students may select from a variety of options to complete this task. Options
include playing identified math games online or using the attached game boards. Options are
listed on the back of this letter.
Please work with your child to complete four tasks on the July board and four tasks on the August board.
Completed tasks should be circled. I suggest that your child do one math task a week, however, feel free
to have your child work on additional tasks, marking the extra activities with a star. Sign both boards, and
have your child return the bingo board page to his/her teacher on the first day of school.
Thank you for continuing to positively communicate that our students can be strong math thinkers by
asking them questions, having them explain their thinking and reasoning, and working together to notice
new things about mathematics. Your encouragement and support of your children’s efforts in
mathematics are vital in helping your children develop a love of math. If you have any questions
regarding problem solving strategies your child is using, please feel free to contact me.
Don Wahlers
District Supervisor for Curriculum & Instruction
STEM, K-6
Rising First Graders’ Summer Math Bingo
FREE CHOICE GAMES
Choose from these options to complete the free choice games spots on the bingo boards. Once you’ve
played the game, record the name of the game on the bingo board. Good luck!
Free Choice Online Games—Go to [Link] , click on Grade 1, and scroll to Numbers games. Select
from these games:
Numerical Order Drop Sum (keep game settings to Make 10 and negative numbers off)
Connect the Dots (any) Math Lines (choose target number 5 or 10)
Free Choice Paper Games—game boards on the next page
Math Tic-Tac-Toe
Materials: Math Tic-Tac-Toe board (attached), a deck of cards (only use A-5, A=1), two different types of
bingo chips (pennies and dimes, Cheerios and Goldfish crackers, red and blue M&Ms, etc.)
Directions: Decide which type of chip each player will be. Place the deck of cards face down on the table.
Player A flips 2 cards, adds the values, and places his/her counter on the sum. Player B takes a turn. Players
continue alternating turns. If a player makes a sum that is in a spot where his/her opponent already has a
chip, he/she steals the spot by removing the other player’s chip and replacing it with his/her own. If a
player makes a sum that is in a spot with his/her own chip, the turn is over. The first player to get three-in-
a-row wins!
Plus Ten
Materials: Plus Ten game board, deck of cards (A through 9, A=1), two different types of bingo chips
(pennies and dimes, Cheerios and Goldfish crackers, red and blue M&Ms, etc.)
Directions: The goal of this game is to capture any three boxes in a row, side-by-side, top-to-bottom, or
diagonal. Place the deck of cards face down on the table. Player A flips a card from the top of the deck, adds
ten to that number, and captures a space on the board with that value. For example, if Player A flips a 6,
he/she would add 10 to make 16, and then find and cover a 16. Players should look carefully at the board,
as there are several spots for each possible value. Player B takes a turn. Players continue alternating turns
until someone has captured three neighboring spaces on the board.
Make-a-Ten Puzzle
Materials: puzzle board (attached), a pencil
Directions are included on the top of the puzzle board.
Math Tic-Tac-Toe
2 3 4
5 6 7
8 9 10
Plus Ten
11 14 17 13 18 12
18 15 14 19 16 18
16 17 11 18 12 14
12 13 19 16 17 15
15 11 16 12 19 13
14 19 13 15 11 17
Make-a-Ten Puzzle
Find and circle the pairs of addends that make ten. The pairs of numbers must be
touching side-by-side, top-to-bottom, or diagonal. Two examples have been done for
you. (Examples: 5 + 5 = 10, so the two 5s are circled. 1 + 9 = 10, so the 1 and 9 are
circled.) Every number in the grid has a match!
1 2 8 5 6 7 3 1 4 2
5 9 7 4 5 0 10 9 8 6
5 3 10 0 4 3 8 5 0 1
8 1 3 5 6 2 7 10 5 9
2 9 5 7 6 9 6 2 8 0
5 0 10 4 5 5 1 4 5 10
9 5 2 7 1 3 7 5 3 7
3 1 8 9 3 4 6 10 4 9
7 5 7 3 8 10 5 0 1 6
4 6 5 2 0 5 6 4 8 2
Rising First Graders’ Summer Math Bingo
Select and complete four activities in a row (or the four corners) on your bingo board for the month of July. Circle each
box as you complete it. Draw a star on any extra activities you complete just for fun.
Student Name: Parent/Guardian
Signature:
Family Activity: Find Tens Card Game:*
Place 8 cards face up in a row. Work
Count Around the Family together to find pairs that are “ten
Shells Problem:
Pick a number between 0 and buddies”. Put those pairs to the Free Choice Game: Shawn had 5 shells. He
50. Take turns counting around side. When no more pairs can be Select and play a game from wants to collect 10 shells.
the family, counting forward by found, lay down another 8 cards, the list. Which game did How many more shells does
1 each time. (For example, covering any unused cards from the
previous set. As you use the new you play? he need to complete his
Grandma picks the number 27.
Brother says 28, sister says 29, cards, you uncover cards from the collection?
old set that may now have a match. __________________
Grandma says 30, etc.) Keep
Keep working until you have made
going until someone reaches ____________________
all the matches you can. Count the
100. The person to say 100 wins! number of pairs!
Crayons Problem: Family Activity: Grab Bag First to 10 Game:*
Put a collection of small objects in Place the deck of cards face down.
Rina had 5 crayons. She Player A draws a card and places it
Free Choice Game: a bag (Cheerios, pennies, Legos,
wanted to give some to her etc.). Take turns grabbing a face up on the table. Player B draws
Select and play a game from sister and some to her handful of the items. Have your
a card, places it next to Player A’s
the list. Which game did card, and adds the value to Player
brother. Show two ways she child count how many items each
A’s card. Players continue taking
you play? could do this. family member grabbed. Discuss: turns, adding on to the previous
Did my grab have more or less sum until a player makes 10 or more
items than your grab? Extension: and collects the cards. Continue
__________________ ___________________
If the objects are different (like playing, alternating which player
different color Legos), have your starts each round, until all the cards
___________________ child sort the collection; discuss. have been used. Most cards wins!
Pretty Stones Problem: Double Compare Game:* Family Activity:
Amy arranged some stones Split a deck of cards between two Simon Says Relative Positions
Free Choice Game: players. Each player flips over 2 Play a game of Simon Says with
she found on her hike into a cards and adds the values. The your child, but change the
pattern. How many stones Select and play a game from players compare their sums. The directions slightly. Instead of
did she collect? the list. Which game did player with the higher sum saying, “Simon says do this…” use
you play? collects all the cards in that round relative position words (like
in a winnings pile. Continue above, below, beside, in front of,
playing until all cards have been behind, and next to) in the
__________________ used. The player with more cards directions. (Ex: Simon says stand
in his/her winnings pile wins the next to the tree. Simon says put
____________________ game! the toy beside the book.)
Hamburgers Game:* Family Activity:
Deal out 2 cards to each player. Eating Cookies Problem:
How do you use math?
Players arrange their cards face At the summer camp picnic Free Choice Game:
up in front of them with the Talk with the adults in your
Elsa ate 8 chocolate chip Select and play a game from
smaller number on the left and family. Discuss: How do you
cookies. Anna ate 3. How the list. Which game did
larger on the right. Deal 1 more use math in your everyday
card to each player. Anyone that many more did Elsa eat you play?
life? (at home, at work,
has been dealt a card that falls than Anna?
shopping, budgeting, etc.)
between their numbers wins a __________________
What math tools do you
point for that round. First to 5 ____________________
points wins! use?
*For these card games, only use A – 9 (A=1). “Ten buddies” are number pairs that sum to 10 (1 and 9, 2 and 8, etc.).
Rising First Graders’ Summer Math Bingo
Select and complete four activities in a row (or the four corners) on your bingo board for the month of August. Circle
each box as you complete it. Draw a star on any extra activities you complete just for fun.
Student Name: Parent/Guardian
Signature:
Family Activity: Over/Under 7 Game:*
Grocery Store Math Decide which player will be
Take a trip to the grocery store Bunnies Problem:
“over 7” and which will be Free Choice Game:
together. As you add items to “under 7”. Both players roll a die Three bunnies sat on the
Select and play a game from
the cart, have your child at the same time. If the sum is grass. Two bunnies came to
the list. Which game did
discuss attributes of the item larger than 7, the “over 7” join them. How many
player scores a point. If the sum
you play?
(length, weight, etc.). Compare bunnies sat on the grass?
the items. (Ex: The celery is is less than 7, “under 7” wins the
longer than the carrots. Which point. If the sum is exactly 7, __________________
__________________
is heavier, the can of soup or both players win a point. The
the bread?) first player to 10 points wins!
Family Activity: Lucky 6 Game:*
Cooking Together Each player writes the numbers 1
through 6 in a column on a slip of
Free Choice Game: Bye Bye Birdies Problem: Work together to prepare a
paper. Player A rolls one die and
Select and play a game from Ten birds were in a tree. favorite recipe. Read the places an X next to that number on
the list. Which game did recipe with your child and her list. Player B takes a turn. If a
Four flew away. How many
measure out the ingredients number is rolled more than once,
you play? birds were still in the tree? place another X next to the number
together. Discuss the steps and
sequencing as you make the each time. The game stops when
__________________ ____________________ food. (Ex: What step do we
either player has written an X next
to each number on his/her list. The
need to do first? What should player with the most Xs next to 6
we do next? Etc.) wins the game.
Ten Buddy Wipe Out Game:*
Ice Cream Problem: Each player writes the numbers 4
through 9 in a column on a slip of Family Activity:
There were five scoops of Free Choice Game:
paper. Player A rolls a die and Board Game
ice cream in Matt’s Belly Select and play a game from finds that digit’s “ten buddy” and Play a board game together,
Buster sundae. He could the list. Which game did marks an X next to that number
such as Monopoly, Yahtzee,
only eat 3 scoops. How you play? on the list. (Ex: Player A rolls a 3,
knows that 3+7=10, and marks an Parcheesi, Trouble, Pay Day,
many scoops were left?
X next to the 7 on her list.) Player Sorry!, Checkers, etc.
__________________ B takes a turn. The first player to
_________________ “wipe out” a number on his/her
list with three Xs wins!
Roll & Subtract Game:* Family Activity:
Players take turns rolling 2 dice Merry-Go-Round Problem:
Number Hunt
and finding the difference in their At the fair, Tamir went on
Take a walk around the Free Choice Game:
digits. The player with the largest the merry-go-round 9
difference wins a point for thehouse, the neighborhood, Select and play a game from
times. Jake went on 2 times.
or a place you are visiting.
round. (Ex: Dad rolls a 3 and 5, the list. Which game did
How many more times did
Have your child write the
and subtracts: 5 – 3 = 2. Child rolls you play?
a 4 and a 1 and subtracts: 4 – 1 = Tamir go than Jake?
numbers 1 through 20 on a
3. Child has a larger difference and
slip of paper and circle each
wins the point for that round.) The
__________________
number that he/she finds
first player to 5 points wins the ___________________
game! during the number hunt.
*Use regular dice or cards Ace (1) through 6. “Ten buddies” are number pairs that sum to 10 (1 and 9, 2 and 8, etc.).