This is a place value game which can be played with a whole class.

In pairs (to develop social / speaking-listening skills) pupils draw 4 joined boxes in a horizontal line. Squared paper will help. The teacher has a standard pack of playing cards with the court cards removed. The teacher shuffles them, turns the top card and calls out the number. The pupils must choose a box to write this number in. The teacher also does this in secret. The cards are turned and called until all four boxes are filled.

Pupils and teacher then display / say their number. Pupils who get a higher number than the teacher get 5 points. Equal to the teacher gets 3 points. Lower than the teacher 1 point. The teacher gets 10 points if he / she beats all the pupils!

Note - a ten playing card is called as a zero.

This game can be adapted to higher numbers by increasing the number of boxes or a decimal point can be added to change the numbers into pounds and pence.
A further twist with 5/6 figure numbers is to offer pupils the option of switching round two of the numbers to increase their total.

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