ArithmeTic – Level 1
Difficulty: Easy
Age: 7-9, Grades 2–4
Players: 2–5
Time: About 5 minutes per round
Scoring: Yes
Style: Build the best hand
Objective
Build the highest-scoring 5-card hand by collecting at least 3 cards that match in one property. Individual cards within the collection are also allowed to have more than one property in common, but it is the single matching property that matters.
Single Groups
A Single group contains 3–5 cards that all share the same one property:
- the same number,
- the same shape, or
- the same colour.
You want:
- high-number cards in your matching group, and
- low-number cards left over, because leftover cards count against your score.
More matching cards do not always mean more points. Do the math and decide which group gives you your best score!
Setup
Choose a dealer. Deal 5 cards to each player.
Place the remaining deck face-down in the centre of the table. Turn the top card face-up beside it to start a discard pile.
How to Play
The player to the left of the dealer starts (rotate who deals on subsequent rounds). Play continues around the table clockwise.
On your turn:
- Pick up either the top face-up card from the discard pile or the top card of the face-down deck.
- You now have 6 cards. Decide which 5 you want to keep.
- Discard 1 card face-up onto the discard pile.
As the game continues, try to build the highest-scoring hand you can.
Ending the Round
When you think your hand may be good enough to win, knock twice on the table instead of picking up a card.
Every other player gets one final turn to pick up and discard.
Then everyone reveals their cards and calculates their score.
Making a Scoring Group
Choose the largest or highest-scoring group of cards that all share the same property.
For example:
- the same number,
- the same shape, or
- the same colour.
A scoring group can contain 3, 4, or 5 cards.
Any cards that are not part of your chosen group are leftover cards and count against your score.
Scoring
Add the numbers on the cards in your scoring group.
Then:
Subtract the numbers on your leftover cards.
Example
Suppose 4 of your cards are orange and have the numbers:
5 + 4 + 4 + 3 = 16
Your remaining card has the number 5.
So:
16 − 5 = 11 points
Your score for the round is 11.
If you cannot make a matching group of at least 3 cards, all 5 cards count against you.
Think Before You Score!
The biggest group is not always the best group.
For example, you might be able to score:
- 5 cards of one colour, or
- 3 cards showing the number 5.
Which is worth more?
Add the cards that score, subtract the cards that do not, and choose the option that gives you the highest total.
Winning the Game
Each student records their own score after every round.
Students can also check a neighbour’s arithmetic for accuracy.
Before starting, decide how many rounds you will play—for example, 5 rounds.
Add your scores from all the rounds together.
The player with the highest total score wins.
ArithmeTic – Level 2
Difficulty: Easy
Age: 9-11, Grades 4-6
Players: 2–5
Time: About 5 minutes per round
Scoring: Yes
Style: Build the best hand
Level 2 uses the same setup and play as Level 1, but now you can score either a Single group or a more valuable Tic group.
Single Groups
A Single group contains 3–5 cards that all share the same one property:
- the same number,
- the same shape, or
- the same colour.
Score a Single group exactly as in ArithmeTic Level 1:
Add the numbers in your Single group, then subtract the numbers on your leftover cards.
Tic Pairs and Tic Groups
A Tic pair is any two cards that share the same two properties. A Tic group contains 3–5 cards that all share the same two properties.
For example:
- same number + same shape,
- same number + same colour, or
- same shape + same colour.
Tics are worth double.
Scoring a Tic Pair or Tic Group
- Add the numbers on all the cards in your Tic group.
- Double that total.
- Subtract the numbers on any leftover cards.
Example
Your 3-card Tic contains cards numbered:
5 + 4 + 3 = 12
Double the Tic score:
12 × 2 = 24
Your two leftover cards have the numbers 4 and 2:
4 + 2 = 6
So your final score is:
24 − 6 = 18 points
Choosing Your Best Hand
You may have several possible ways to score the same five cards.
For example, perhaps you can make:
- a 5-card Single group, or
- a 3-card Tic group.
Don’t assume the larger group is better!
Calculate both possibilities and choose the one worth the most points.
This is where the strategy—and the mental math—comes in.
