ZQUALS ADVANCED - Printable Game - Addition, Multiplication, Division & Strategy

ZQUALS (pronounced zee kwals, kinda like equals with a z)

How many ways can you ZQUALS?

Watch

How to play ZQUALS Basic game here: https://youtu.be/8OgH1RktqUA

How to play ZQUALS Advanced game here: https://youtu.be/idClvAU2HWQ

ZQUALS is a math card game that reinforces number sense, math addition facts, multiplication, and division during game play. Combine cards in your hand to add up to or ZQUALS to the number on a space. Fill as many numbered spaces as you can. Yell “ZQUALS, ZQUALS, ZQUALS” as fast you can to avoid attacks. Add the number on the spaces you fill to your score. Game ends after everyone has had one turn to fill the last space. Highest score wins.

Watch out! If you don’t yell “ZQUALS, ZQUALS, ZQUALS” fast enough, you could get attacked. Your points could get cut, or worse, they could get stolen with the dreaded Mine! card. Defend yourself with a Hero Zero card, or weep and note the change in your score!

It’s quick to learn, quick to play, and gameplay is different every time!

Why it’s different:

Kids get busy scoring points, unaware that they’re learning simple addition, multiplication, division, and strategy! The more you play, the more you learn.

Shhh! Don’t tell the kids that.

This Advanced ZQUALS game focuses on MENTAL MATH ADDITION, MULTIPLICATION, AND DIVISION concepts and is aligned with Common Core standards in the Operations and Algebraic Thinking domain.

• Reinforce math fluency with a game. 
• REINFORCE Number Sense.
• De-emphasize the rote memorization of math facts.
• Allow your students to test and learn their math facts and number sense while playing the game ZQUALS. 
• Students learn math facts while playing a game.
• Encourage powerful mathematics learners who use numbers with fluency
• Use manipulatives to enhance students’ understanding of mathematical concepts.
• Speed is not important. You can take as much time as you want to decide what you want to do on your turn.
• Help kids visualize Math. Help them think deeply and creatively.

Keep your students engaged and excited about math this year! Because students get excited about the competition from earning points, they tend to take more risks—and, in turn, learn from their mistakes. Allow students to make in-the-moment decisions that let them quickly see the impact of their choices in a low-risk setting and then try (and try again) if they falter — these are skills that are valuable as they go through life. “Gamification of learning” leverages game design features and mechanics to deliver math curriculum in a playful way.

Teachers, adjust the difficulty of this ZQUALS game to your students by adjusting how many game board spaces to set out. You can stretch your students' skills by making this a quick game to play as a recap before teaching other math concepts. You can print multiple copies for your class to make kids play in small groups of four or you can have kids team up and play in teams of 2 so they can collaborate and come up with math facts together.

This game is highly adaptable to your teaching style. Here are some fun prize ideas you could implement in your classroom: a prized Hero Zero card (included in printable), stickers, pens, homework passes, lunch time with a friend, lunch time with teacher. For added fun, you could team up with another teacher and both of you could encourage a math battle between classrooms and fuel the class team spirit while everybody works together to win points against another class!

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More about the game:

I created this math game to supplement my child's learning at home. Initially, I created it just to help my daughter master mental math addition facts. Early in 2022 while I was quarantining at home with her I realized I could modify my simple math game and make it more fun while exploring the concepts of subtraction, division, multiplication, and strategy. I've tested my game ZQUALS (pronounced zee-kwals) with kids and adults and it's a hit. I'm proud to share it with you here on TpT. I hope it brings some joy to your classroom.

Grade Levels:

3rd - 6th, Homeschool

Subjects:

Math, Numbers, Mental Math

Teaching and Game Play Duration: 45 minutes

Standards:

CCSS 3.OA.A.1, CCSS 3.OA.A.2, CCSS 3.OA.B.6, CCSS 3.OA.C.7, CCSS 4.OA.B.4, CCSS 4.NBT.B.4

CCSS 3.OA.A.1

Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a total number of objects can be expressed as 5 × 7.

CCSS 3.OA.A.2

Interpret whole-number quotients of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 56 ÷ 8 as the number of objects in each share when 56 objects are partitioned equally into 8 shares, or as a number of shares when 56 objects are partitioned into equal shares of 8 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a number of shares or a number of groups can be expressed as 56 ÷ 8.

CCSS 3.OA.B.6

Understand division as an unknown-factor problem. For example, find 32 ÷ 8 by finding the number that makes 32 when multiplied by 8.

CCSS 3.OA.C.7

Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing that 8 × 5 = 40, one knows 40 ÷ 5 = 8) or properties of operations. By the end of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers.

CCSS 4.OA.B.4

Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1-100. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1-100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1-100 is prime or composite.

CCSS 4.NBT.B.4

Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.