Zero! Absolute value card game

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Amie Chicko

I found this activity on I Speak Math.

http://ispeakmath.org/2012/10/02/zero-game-for-integer-operations-and-absolute-value/

 Zero! Absolute value card game


Common Core Standard

6.NS.7 Understand the concept of absolute value of integers. 

Objective

Getting the total absolute value score closest to Zero!

Supplies

Deck of cards (no jokers)

Zero! Game worksheet print on

 https://www.scribd.com/doc/108641654/Zero-Hit-Me-Game


Directions

Put students into groups of 3 or 4.

How to Play:

  1. Red cards are negative, black are positive. Jacks – 11, Queens – 12, Kings -13 Aces 1 or 14 (depending what you need).
  2. Deal each player 2 cards.  One facing up and a hidden one facing down.
  3. Each player adds up their cards to see if they are close to zero.  They can say “Hit Me” and get another card.  They can get up to FOUR cards but must use all of their cards in their final total.  They can also HOLD at two cards.
  4. Once everyone is finished being “Hit” all cards are turned over.  Each player writes all of their cards down and then adds up their total in the total box.  The person with the smallest total wins the hand and gets to be the dealer!
  5. Each player finds the absolute value of their total in the absolute value column.
  6. When time is up, each player adds up the absolute value column.  The person closest to zero wins the game!

7. Have a group winner and a class winner!

Variations

  • If your students don’t know absolute value yet, you can just leave the last column blank.  Just add up the sum of the Totals column to determine the game winner.

  • I used to let them do multiplication and division but it gets very complicated.  They have more fun (and get to practice combining integers more) by just doing addition.

  • You could also use a + , – dice and have the dealer roll it each round to see if everyone at the table should do addition or subtraction of negative numbers (to make it more difficult).

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