Teacher Resource Page for Mathematics

Making Easy BINGO Games

Please direct questions to Donna Roberts

Directions:

ANY worksheet with 24 (or 25) problems

can easily become a BINGO game.
  • Hand out a generic BINGO card.  A sample is shown below.
  • Ask students to number the card in any random fashion (of their choosing) from 1 to 24 (assuming a "Free Space").  The students are making their
    own cards.
  • Pass out your "regular" worksheet (on ANY topic).
  • As the "BINGO caller", you need to pick a number from 1 to 24.  You may do this by rolling a die (game stores have multi-sided die), using a spinner, picking numbers from a bag, …
  • When you announce the number, students solve that problem on the worksheet and place their answer on the BINGO card in the box containing the number of the question.
  • BINGO is achieved in the normal manner  –  horizontally, diagonally, and vertically (or 4 corners if you wish).
  • Students raise their hands if they have BINGO.  You check the answers to see if the student has won.
  • When a student wins, EVERYONE continues playing on the SAME card, including the winning student (he/she could win again).
  • I usually play until 5 or 6 students win.  That usually covers approximately 70-85% of the worksheet.  You may wish to play until all problems are complete.
  • I collect student work at the end of the game.  You may wish to assign any remaining problems for homework.

 

Suggestions:

  • If there is a particular problem on the worksheet that you want the students to solve, you may "throw" the die in the direction of that number.    : )  
    Do not do this often.
  • Even though I offer the winners some form of a "prize", prizes are not a mandatory aspect of this activity.  I have used candy from the school candy machine, "free" homework cards, exemption from an assignment or short quiz, holiday pencils, trinkets (whatever I can get my hands on) or a simple posting of the BINGO winners on the classroom wall.  Candy seems to be the most popular prize.    : )
  • If you think the students will have trouble solving the problems, you can offer hints while the students are working, or you can have students work in pairs (but each student should maintain his/her own card).
  • This is a "fun" activity that is a wonderful motivator.  I have used it with classes ranging from "general" math to AP Calculus and it is always successful.

 

Sample Bingo Card: (the card is any traditional Bingo style card)

B   I  N  G  O

 

 

 

        
 

 

 

        
 

 

 

        
 

 

 

        
 

 

 

        

 

Links to Worksheet for BINGO:

  Signed Numbers

  Algebraic Representations