Internet Games for Students

Last updated 09 October 2003

Math Games
Simulation/Decision-Making Games
Word Games
Strategy Games
Other Games


Math Games

Who Wants to be a Mathonaire?

Educational: This game models the popular ABC television program, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Students answer mathematics questions from a wide variety of math topics, including fractions, decimals, percents, polygons, statistical data, and scientific notation. For example, students might be given four values in four different forms (one percentage, one decimal, one fraction, and one whole number) and asked to put them in order from least to greatest. This game goes beyond drill by asking students to recall mathematical information of varing concepts and apply that knowledge to achieve an ordering or computation of some sort.

Instructions: Choose a level of difficulty. Then, the player will be asked to answer a "fastest-finger" question." If he answers incorrectly, he has the option to try again or select a new difficulty level. If the answer is correct, the game begins. The player has three life-lines to use in his attempt: a calculator, ask the audience, and 50-50.

24

Educational: The object of the game is to create a number sentence that equals 24. This games requires students to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and most importantly, use the order of operations.

Instructions: Select one of the three levels - beginner, intermediate, or expert - from the drop-down list. To begin, click on the deck of cards to draw four cards. Now, drag the cards and the operation symbols on the right into the equation slots on the bottom of the table to create a formula with the result of 24. Click "I got a solution!" when the formula is complete, but do not think too long or else time will run out and points will be deducted. The score is displayed after each draw; a new round begins by clicking on the deck again. Each card is worth its number. The Jack is worth 11. The Queen represents 12, and the King symbolizes the number 13.

Train Race

Educational: This game requires students to place data in numerical order, compute the median or mean and range of four data sets, compare the data sets, and make a decision based on their comparisons. I think this is a great way to introduce students to statistical anaylsis.

Instructions: First, choose a difficulty level and whether to play as Pythagoras or Hypatia; then, click "Start." Click on the first train to see how many hours it took for that train to reach its last five destinations. Compute and enter the median, mean, and range, as requested, in the box provided. Do the same for the other three trains, and click "Go." Hypatia or Pythagoras will then say where he/she has to be and by what time. Based on the trains' departure times and their data summaries, decide which train the mathematician should board. Click on that train. The mathematician will board, and the train will depart. The train schedule at the right will show which time each of the four trains reached the destination. If the mathematician arrived on time, the player receives 10 points and a free printable gift.

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Simulation/Decision-Making Games

Viking Quest

Educational: This simulation game takes students back in time to Norway 793 A.D. Students will need to make survival decisions in order to build a ship, pick a crew, etc. The goal is to eventually cross the seas successfully. Not only will students have to reason through planning and business options, but they will also learn a great deal of historical information. For example, before choosing which ships they want to build, students are provided facts about the various styles and accommodations of each type of Viking ship as well as how long each took to build.

Instructions: Click on the words, "Launch Viking Quest." The introduction provides quick background information on the mission of the Vikings. Then, the player will be asked to make her first business decision: Would she like a loan to help make the trip? More decisions follow including where to build the longship, which type of ship to use, how much labor to hire, etc. The game will move the player through accordingly. Be aware that each decision affects the success of the trip; it is wise to read the information regarding each option.

Bet the Farm!

Educational: It would be impossible for students to not learn while playing this game. Students make a variety of decisions regarding the establishment, upkeep, and success of a farm. They decide everything from which crops and/or animals to raise to whether they should use fertilizers. Each decision they make is reflected in the farm's budget. In addition, each option is linked to information about that option. For example, students can read general information about soybeans and check a current report regarding soybean harvests before deciding if that is the crop they wish to grow. The game continues until the farm has weathered (good or bad) all four seasons of the year.

Instructions: Click "Begin." The player begins the game with $2 million in the bank. Click on the deck of cards to reveal the first business decision. Each option on the card is linked to information about that option. It is a good idea to research first (I did not, and as a result, my farm ended up thousands of dollars in debt after four seasons!). Continue drawing cards as prompted. The game will end after one year. At this time, the player will be presented with a financial and progress report for his farm.

Span-It

Educational: Students will need to make decisions based on the engineering information provided in the "Basic Rules" section in order to build a bridge in three different scenarios. The main educational feature of this game is calculating the budget for construction supplies.

Instructions: Click the mouse button twice to start the game. If necessary, read through the information provided in "Basic Rules" to determine which materials are best in the given situation. Change the scenerio by choosing a different level. Then, begin building by selecting materials and dragging them to the appropriate spot on the bridge. When the bridge is complete, click "Try It" to see if the bicyclist, the train, or the truck can safely cross the bridge. The game ends when the builder exhausts her budget, but it can be reset at any time.

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Word Games

Standing Goose, Leaping Turtle: Chinese Phrases - Real or Not

Educational: This game exposes students to "little c" Chinese culture. In addition, students must think about English words in a literal and a logical sense.

Instructions: Click "OK, I'm ready" and begin. An English word or phrase and its equivalent Chinese expression will appear. Click "Real" to agree with the translation or "Not" to disagree. The correct answer and the option to continue will pop up. The game ends when the player decides not to continue.

Text Twist

Educational: This game is basically practice with anagrams. It is quite challenging, requiring quick thinking, sounding-out, and vocabulary recollection.

Instructions: Click on the box for Text Twist. Then, click on the rules button. Downloading and registering options appear on this same screen, but neither is necessary to play. Click "Click to Start." Six scrambled letters appear in circles. Click on the circles to create words. Create as many words in two minutes using only those six letters as possible. If the player forms the six-letter word, she qualifies for the next round.

SpeedWord

Educational: This is a drill game that requires students to quickly spell out homonyms. This site is designed for ESL students, but I think it would be equally beneficial for all early elementary students. The game provides great practice with recognizing homonyms. I think the more practice students have with homonyms, the less they rely on "Commonly Misused Words" lists in later grades.

Instructions: Players will be shown ten words at the rate of one word every ten seconds. The task is to use the letter tiles to spell out the homonym for the shown word as quickly as possible. The game will end after all 10 words are used or when time runs out. A score appears at the conclusion of the game along with the option to play again.

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Games of Strategy

CRACK the CODE

Educational: This game requires students to develop a plan of action and a strategy for accomplishing a problem. I could almost list this game in the Math Games section because good reasoning and problem solving require good strategies. The more students play this game, the more they will begin to think in terms of strategic development.

Instructions: This game is an interactive version of the board game Mastermind. The object of the game is to correctly guess the color and order of the pegs in the computer's code in as few guesses as possible. Select a color for each of the four peg spots, and click on "Submit Guess." The guess will appear on the computer's side of the screen and will include how many pegs were guessed exactly, how many were the right color but in the wrong spot, and how many pegs were completely incorrect. Continue making guesses until the code has been cracked.

IQ Marble Game

Educational: This, too, is a game of strategy. The idea of the game is similar to that of the Tower of Hanoi. In the classroom, a teacher could challenge students with further investigations; for example, students could be asked to figure out the least number of necessary moves to win the game.

Instructions: There are fourteen marbles on a triangle with a base of five marbles. One spot on the triangle does not have a marble in it. Fill this spot by jumping (as in Chinese checkers). The "jumped" marble disappears. Continue jumping marbles until it is impossible to jump any of the remaining marbles. The goal is to have only one marble left in the triangle. A counter keeps a running total of the number of marbles on the triangle and the number of moves.

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Other Games

Rebus Puzzles

Educational: These puzzles are great for bellwork or for filling the last few minutes of class. The puzzles will jump start students' minds at the beginning of class and will keep them engaged at the end of class. One of my junior high English teachers used these puzzles for extra credit. They can also help students recognize and become familiar with clichés. All of this, plus, they are really fun!

Instructions: Look at the puzzles and try to decipher their meanings. Then, click on the button for the answers. The answers along with the next four puzzles appear on the next page.

Simon

Educational: This game is intended just for fun, but I can see some uses for it in the classroom. The game could be used as a filler for students who finish assignments early, for example. An additional benefit of this game is it requires the player to pay attention, a task some students may need practice doing.

Instructions: The game will give a sequence of colors for the player to repeat back to it. Each time the player successfully repeats the sequence, a new color will be added to the end of the previous sequence. The longer the sequence, the faster the sequence is given and the less time the player has to repeat it.

Human Bones Matching Game

Educational: Students can review the scientific names of bones in the human body. This game would be a great supplement to an anatomy lesson, or the teacher could even slip it in with a Halloween activity.

Instructions: Match the scientific word and the common word for the bones of the human body. Click in the box for the scientific word then click the box with its matching common word. If the match is correct, the boxes will change colors.

La geografía de España

Educational: Students learn Spanish words and various geographical facts about Spain. This game could serve as an introduction or a review for a unit on Spain.

Instructions: Match the Spanish word with its English equivalent or match the geographical feature with its location. Select pairs by clicking on the boxes containing the matches. The game ends when all the matches have been made. A new game clears the board and places new terms in the boxes.

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J. Paquette
jopaquet@nmu.edu