Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Facts Fluency and Problem Solving With Ken Ken

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

2, 3, 4

Overview

Ken Ken is a fun and engaging way for students to practice fluency with math facts as well as develop deductive reasoning skills.  This activity presents the game rules to the students and shows them how to choose the correct size and difficulty level to meet their needs.

 

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

    Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 2

    MA19.2.2

    Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies such as counting on, making ten, decomposing a number leading to ten, using the relationship between addition and subtraction, and creating equivalent but easier or known sums.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:MA19.2.2

    Vocabulary

    • Fluently

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • how to use mental strategies to add and subtract within 20.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • use addition and subtraction strategies efficiently.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • fluency involves a mixture of "just knowing" answers, knowing answers from patterns, and knowing answers from the use of strategies. The word fluently is used in the standards to mean accurately, efficiently, and flexibly.
    Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 3

    MA19.3.4

    Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:MA19.3.4

    Vocabulary

    • Unknown
    • Multiplication
    • Division
    • Divisor
    • Dividend
    • Equation
    • Product

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • how to use the meaning of multiplication and division and the relationship between the two operations to determine an unknown number in a given equation.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Relate three whole numbers to determine the unknown factor in a multiplication equation.
    • Relate three whole numbers to determine the unknown whole number in a division equation.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • the unknown number in a multiplication or division equation is the number that makes the equation true.
    Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 3

    MA19.3.7

    Use strategies based on properties and patterns of multiplication to demonstrate fluency with multiplication and division within 100.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:MA19.3.7

    Vocabulary

    • Fluently
    • Properties of operations
    • Product
    • Digit
    • Divisor
    • Dividend
    • Inverse operation
    • Derived fact

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • Strategies for finding products and quotients.
    • How to use multiplication facts in terms of a missing factor to learn division facts.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Use strategies based on properties of operations and patterns of multiplication to find products and quotients.
    • Use efficient multiplication and division strategies based on the numbers in the problems. -Use multiplication facts in terms of a missing factor to learn division facts.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • they can use the meaning of the numbers in multiplication and division situations to determine strategies to become fluent with multiplication and division facts.
    Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 4

    MA19.4.4

    For whole numbers in the range 1 to 100, find all factor pairs, identifying a number as a multiple of each of its factors.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:MA19.4.4

    Vocabulary

    • Multiple
    • Factor
    • Prime
    • Composite
    • Whole number
    • Factor pair

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • Factor pairs include two numbers that when multiplied result in a particular product.
    • Multiples are the result of multiplying two whole numbers.
    • How to identify a prime or composite number.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Find all factor pairs of a given number.
    • Identify a number as a multiple of each of its factors.
    • Determine whether a number is prime or composite.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • A whole number is a multiple of each of its factors.
    • Numbers can be classified as prime, composite, or neither, based on their properties and characteristics.

    Phase

    After/Explain/Elaborate
    Learning Objectives

    Learning Objectives

    Students will demonstrate fluency with addition, subtraction, multiplication and/or division facts (depending on grade/ability level) to recognize various combinations to get a particular sum, difference, product, and/or quotient to solve a grid-type puzzle.

    Activity Details

    Get the students thinking by asking them how many different ways they can get the number "6" by adding or subtracting (or multiplying or dividing) single digit numbers.

    Project the KenKen game "How to Play" page for the class to view as a whole group and then demonstrate with an example. 

    KenKen simple tutorial  (for lower level students)

    Expert KenKen tutorial  (for more advanced students) 

    Students will then go to the website, choose a game to match their level, and work through puzzles at their own pace.

      

    Assessment Strategies

    Assessment Strategies

    Students will show the teacher their "congratulations" screen when they complete a puzzle.

    The teacher can also give students a printed puzzle to solve as an assessment.  

    Background and Preparation

    Background / Preparation

    Students will need access to computers/devices with Internet access.

    Teacher should be familiar with the How to Play page.

    Teacher can subscribe to the free KenKen Classroom Program to received free weekly printable puzzles of varying difficulty.

    Digital Tools / Resources

    ALSDE LOGO