Well Played, Grades 6-8

Linday Dacey, et.al.'s Well Played, 6-8: Building Mathematical Thinking Through Number and Algebraic Games and Puzzles (9781625310330, $25.00) offers an excellent gathering of details in its third book in a series, and shows teachers how to make games and puzzles a solid part of the classroom experience. Explanations of the math lessons in each game or puzzle delve into how the approach will help students, while variations for different learning levels and classroom accounts of the games and puzzles in action make for a top survey. From basic directions to materials needed and extending the lesson objective, this is a top pick for teachers who would inject play and learning into a math curriculum.
The Bookwatch: July 2016 Well Played: Building Mathematical Thinking Through Number and Algebraic Games and Puzzles, Grades 6-8provides middle-grades math teachers the opportunity to think deeply about the games and puzzles that they are incorporating into classroom instruction. The games and puzzles provided throughout the text are intended to deepen conceptual understanding of concepts in (1) number systems; (2) ratios and proportional relationships; (3) expression and equations; (4) statistics and probability; and (5) patterns, graphs, and functions. For each game or puzzle, the authors provide tips for the classroom to support learning and understanding rather than just game play. The appendix of the text is extensive, containing directions for each game and puzzle, templates for each activity, and answer keys.
Overall, the games and puzzles are well written, and the book does a great job of detailing the most effective way to incorporate both into instruction. The main weakness of the text is that there is no accompanying electronic file. This would be helpful when adapting games and puzzles to meet specific grade level and state standard needs.
I would recommend this book to middle-grades math teachers looking for premade games and puzzles that can be used to increase student engagement while strengthening conceptual understanding in the classroom.
Jennifer Almanza
Northside Independent School District
San Antonio, Texas
Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, November 2016, Vol. 22, Issue 4 This book presents twenty-five games or puzzles designed to address important mathematical ideas for the middle grades, such as ratios, proportional relationships,
equations, and expressions. Each game or puzzle was explored in a classroom, and descriptions contain first-hand accounts of how to use the game or puzzle in the classroom to promote discussion, build student responsibility for learning, and encourage collaborative learning. The authors guide teachers toward quick assessments of student learning by offering suggestions about how students may be communicating their thinking, using mathematical vocabulary, or creating conjectures or generalizations while playing a specific game or completing a puzzle. Moreover, each game or puzzle description contains variations, extensions, and formal exit card questions for use in the classroom. I would recommend this book to upper elementary and middle school teachers, as it is very teacher-friendly, is well-organized, and has ready-to-use resources. With a little work, teachers of all ages could adapt many of the games or puzzles to content specific to their grade level
or focus of instruction.
Amy Dwiggins,
University of Missouri–Columbia.