Dice Addition

Day 1:

Tell students that we are going to work on our addition, tally, and probability skills.
Show students the tally page and explain that for this game, they will be divided into pairs. Each pair will roll their dice and add up the two numbers. They then record a tally mark for the sum of the two dice.
Before you hand out the dice, ask the following questions and make predictions:
Why isn't there a number 1 box on this table?
What number(s) do you think you'll roll most often with the dice?
What number(s) do you think you'll roll least often with the dice?
Use the white board to figure out the answers to these questions (e.g., seven will probably be the most commonly rolled sum since there are the most combinations that give you seven: 1 + 6, 2 + 5, 3 + 4, 4 + 3, 5 + 2, and 6 + 1).
Give the students the dice and allow them to keep rolling and recording until a clear pattern has emerged in the results. Discuss the results as a group. Were your predictions correct?
Additional ideas:
Talk about the geometry of the dice. How many sides? Corners? What's the name of this 3-dimensional shape? Are all of the sides the same size? If some sides were bigger, would you be more or less likely to roll those numbers?

Day 2:

Print copies of the 3-dice addition worksheet and cut it in half so each student gets one column. Explain the strategy for adding three numbers (add the first two, then add the third to the sum of the first two.) Have students write a number sentence below the dice that describes this process. Students may count the dots on the dice to check their answers, but not to find the answer initially. After they are finished, have them find someone with the same half of the worksheet as they have to check their answers.
If there's extra time, talk about which numbers you're most (and least) likely to roll with three dice.
HAVE STUDENTS WRITE THEIR NAMES ON THEIR PAPERS AND TURN THEM IN to assess understanding.