what does the game have to do with math?
it is an opportunity for kids (and adults) to make connections between addition and subtraction. the grid is one way to represent a number line. * it is an opportunity to use patterning and sequential thinking skills (beginning with “once I get three in a row, then I’ll focus on two in a row). you can have fun without winning or losing…just playing, challenging yourself and your opponent …adding to the enjoyment of playing.
I think Tic Tac Toe has absolutely nothing to do with math. except for counting and tallying, and maybe some small probability lessons when you play against a computer, or if you have kids that sit there and plan 12 moves ahead.if Tic Tac Toe can be classified as a math game. It also aims to see if tic tac toe has any value in today’s curriculum (aside from being a good way for parents and their kids to pass the time).
Tic Tac Toe is part of a math unit I will be teaching soon. The students in this class are struggling readers and writers, which really limits what they can do. They are not ready for more abstract thinking problems yet. However, they need an opportunity to use their reasoning skills as well as their reading skills in order to be prepared for the MCAS.
The kids need to learn about what tic tac toe is before they can begin thinking about it mathematically. They don’t know anything about it except that their parents used to play and that they are familiar with the rules of the game.
I have some information on handouts about Tic Tac Toe, but I also think student-driven questioning is important for their learning. The students will ask “why do we need this? why do we care?” because that distracts them from their own thoughts and feelings. The responses to these questions will lead the students to come up with some ideas on which they can base their discussions.