The Mathematics of Yahtzee
In strategizing how to record your score you will need to use number recognition, prediction and statistics. In calculating your score you will need to use addition and multiplication would be helpful. To determine how many more points you will need to win you will need subtraction and often you will need to do these calculations quickly in your head.
Yahtzee is one of those unique games that can be played by people of all ages. A four or five year old can roll the dice and count up the numbers on the dice while a college math major can work out complicated statistics and probability. But maybe the best age to use Yahtzee is for children working on pre-algebra, the age that need to polish their command of the number facts. Yahtzee is a fun way to practice those facts in a creative, hands-on way that can involve the whole family.
Playing Yahtzee with my Dad
Yahtzee: A Mathematical Dice Game
Yahtzee
Since 1956 players have been rolling classic dice combinations like Full House, Large Straight and Five of a Kind - that's Yahtzee! The unique combination of luck and strategy makes every game an exciting challenge. Can you rack up bonus points by scoring an extra Yahtzee' It's classic shake-and-score action that keeps the fun rolling!
Amazon Price: $9.97 (as of 11/16/2009) 
So What's so Great About Yahtzee?
Yahtzee is a fun game for the whole family. It is a simple game that teaches math from pre-school number recognition through statics and probability and is an ideal way to engage pre-algebra students and homeschoolers in learning their math facts.
Yahtzee Helps Teach Mathematics
Advantages of playing Yahtzee include:
Dad and girl playing yahtzee
1. Once you know how to play the game, all you need are 5 dice and a pencil.
2. Yahtzee is easy to carry when traveling.
3. Yahtzee is fun for the whole family.
4. Children may not realize that they are practicing their math facts.
5. Yahtzee is inexpensive.
6. Yahtzee is easy to learn and to teach to others.
7. It is a game that can be played competitively or cooperatively.
Yahtzee is more than just rolling dice.
Yahtzee is more than just rolling dice. Yahtzee can be an integral part of your pre-algebra math lesson. Roll the dice and practice your math facts.
yahtz boing
60th Birthday Party
Zero Punctuation Imp
fly-by
poole in a crowd
yahtzee rip
Game Time (272 / 365...
60th Birthday Party
60th Birthday Party
treasure!
Your turn: Like this game or loathe it?
What do you think of the idea of replacing math textbooks with games like Yahtzee?
Having homeschooled by oldest until 7th grade, I found that Yahtzee was a great way to practice the number facts. When she started 7th grade she was already beginning Algebra II. Yahtzee was one of the materials we used to prepare her for algebra.
Could Yahtzee replace pre-algebra textbooks?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, Yahtzee and a few more games like this are all that's needed.
Vacation-In-My-Head says:
I absolutely love Yahtzee. I don't see why more games aren't used to help teach, I am sure they would remember more if they are having fun while learning.
Posted August 27, 2009
Jimmie says:
Oh! I had no idea that Yahtzee was so math-involved. I'm pulling it out again today! I love this game!
Posted April 01, 2009
No, Learning number facts should be dry, dull and boring.
P.S. If you liked this game, you might also like these...
Playing Cards and Dice
Wall Tapestry
De Villeneuve,...
Buy at AllPosters.com
Here are some of the other math materials that I used to help my daughter prepare for Algebra I
SET Game
The object of the game is to identify "sets" of three cards. Each card is unique in its four features; color - red, green or purple, symbol - diamond, squiggle or oval, shading - solid, striped or open, and number - 1, 2 or 3.
A "set" consists of three cards on which each feature is either the same on all of the cards, or different on all of the cards.
Look Who's Twittering about Using Yahtzee to Teach Math
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- chiptalk
- yahtzee math: in case you're curious. if you roll two of a number on the first roll and go for a yahtzee, yo.. http://bit.ly/4ekcFB
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Yahtzee Chatter
Tell us about your experiences playing Yahtzee.
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Reply
- Vacation-In-My-Head Vacation-In-My-Head Aug 27, 2009 @ 10:12 pm | in reply to Vacation-In-My-Head
- I don't know where my head was when I made this comment, but the right link to the page that you are featured on is this one:
Growing Up With Board Games
I'm sorry about that :-)
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Reply
- Vacation-In-My-Head Vacation-In-My-Head Aug 27, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
- I am with Jimmie on this one! Great job, I love using games to help teach my daughter. It is fun for everyone! I am featuring this one on Growing Up With Board Games
- Reply
About the Author of this Yahtzee Lens:
Find out what I'm up to when I'm not learning math playing yahtzee:
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Evelyn Saenz: Lensography of a Teacher
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My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that learning should be integrated and no skills should be taught in isolation. I believe that each topic s...
