 Compete with other teams to find objects you can cover with a target number of same size square measuring tools. To play this game you need three different size of square plates, at least 20 plates of each size, a container holding at least 50 square inch tiles, and two dice. It is helpful to play this game in a place with lots of objects to measure. Place the three stacks of different sized plates in the container of square tiles on the playing surface. Each player needs to find a partner with whom to play the game. Players play three rounds of the game. For each round a player rolls two dice. Partners choose how to combine the numbers on the dice to make a target number they will use for the round. For example, if the roll is a 1 and a 6, partners can choose a target number of 16 or 61 to play the round. The goal of the game is for partners to find objects they can cover as closely as possible with the target number of plates. Partners score points when the object they choose has a surface that is either too large or too small to cover it exactly with the target number or plates. Now let's play round one. One player rolls two dice, there are five steps. Partners determine the target number they will use for the round. Each team chooses a size square plate they want to use for the round. Partners find an object they think would use the target number of plates to cover the surface. Partners measure that object with the plates they choose. To earn points, partners must show other teams how they measured the chosen object. One thing to remember while playing the game is to line up the measuring tool with the edge of the object being measured. Also, there should be no overlap of the tools being used. Another thing to remember while playing is to line up the rest of the plates or squares being used so there are no gaps in between the tools. To earn zero points, the team must measure within one square plate of the target number. Earn one point for each extra square plate the team needs to cover the surface. If a plate is placed over the edge of the object, earn one point for each plate that goes beyond the surface of the object. Repeat the game to play a total of three rounds. Each round, a player rolls two dice so that the teams can create a new target number for the round. Partners choose a different size of plates for each new round. By the end of the game, partners must use three different sizes of plates, one size per round. The team with the lowest score after three rounds wins the game. If a team runs out of square plates as they are measuring their chosen object, what can they do to continue measuring accurately? What if a team's measuring tool is hanging over the edge of the object they are measuring? What should they do? Things to think about after playing the game are if two teams use 27 plates to measure different surfaces, team one use small plates, team two use large plates, what do you know about the surfaces? How about if two teams measure the same object, team one round they use 35 plates, team two use 140 plates? What do you know about the plates each team used? What about the tools being used? Which tool allows more accuracy when measuring the surface of an object, a smaller one or a larger one? Why do you think so? The last thing to think about after playing the game is to use small plates then square inches to measure a large plate. What do you notice? If an object measures 13 large plates, how many small plates does it measure? How do you know? If an object measures 13 large plates, how many square inches does it measure? Why does that make sense? There are several variations of amazing area that can be played. In measuring small objects, roll two dice and either add or multiply the numbers together. Use the sum or product as the target number. Follow the usual rules with this target number. Another possible variation is to choose more objects. Instead of finding a single object that has the target measurement for your chosen tool, find three objects that you think might be close to the target measurement for the tool. Play as before, adding the scores earned from measuring each of the items. A third variation is to use two tools. To play this way, you use two different tools. Find an object you think is close to the target number, one object for each tool. Use small plates to measure, then use large plates to measure and compare the object and the measuring tools. The final variation is a scavenger hunt. To play this version, pre-measure a variety of objects using each of the different plates. Each pre-measured object should be measured using each size of plate. Tell players to find an object that is one of the pre-measured sizes. Click on the instructions link on the Regional Math Science Center website to read the game rules or just re-watch this video, pausing as needed. Thanks for playing.