Addition & Subtraction Wars: Manic Monday @ Classroom Freebies

Today I'm linking up with Classroom Freebies for their Manic Monday Linky. 

Do remember playing the card game war? I use to play all the time with my Poppop. I thought an addition and subtraction version would be great practice for my 2nd graders to help them meet that Common Core Standard of adding and subtracting within 20 mentally. If you teach Kindergarten or 1st you could easily adapt this game to meet your corresponding standard of adding and subtracting within 5 (for Kindergarten) and within 10 (for first grade) by removing the appropriate number cards from the game. 

Here are a couple of pics of my kiddos playing Addition Wars.

The idea is pretty simple. Students flip over 2 cards & place them on the Card 1 & Card 2 spots. The partner with the highest sum gets to keep everyone's cards, just like in "War."

 With Subtraction I included a little reminder next to the card spot that the larger number card needs to go on the blue spot & the smaller number goes on the yellow spot. The partner with the lowest difference gets to keep everyone's cards.

If all players have the same sum or difference then I usually have my kiddos just keep their own cards. 

To help avoid confusion, I created a spot for the playing cards & make sure to remind my kiddos that they are to lay number side down, if not than they are fishing around in their pile for the highest cards. Then I created a spot for the cards that they win, either by having the highest sum or the lowest difference. When their playing card pile is empty, then they move their winning cards over to the playing cards pile. Remind them to give them a little shuffle before putting them into play.

When I made this game I didn't have any playing cards on hand, so I created my own cards, but that also allowed me to include numbers up to 20. For addition I only have my kids use numbers 0-10, then for subtractions I have them use all 0-20 cards. But use the cards as you see fit for your class. I make 4 copies of the cards, just like a deck of cards would have.

I also have my kiddos write down the number sentence that their 2 cards, plus the sum or difference would make, as well as their partners number sentence. Then they have to circle the highest sum/lowest difference. This is how I keep them accountable for their fact practice.

Here is an old copy of my record sheet. Yours is horizontal, but there are two sheets so it can be double sided, if they need more spaces.

Of course this little of mine forgot to circle the largest sum.

I really hope you find this game useful in your classroom & that your kiddos enjoy it as much as mine do.

Grab your Addition & Subtraction Wars Freebie here!!! or by clicking on the game board or record sheet pics.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!