What's the Answer?

Skill: Balance, Catch, Hop, Run, Skip, Throw
Time Required: 30
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the play area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Equipment: 101 tennis balls or beanbags, with a number from 0-100 written or placed on each (or use bottle caps or another smaller object)
2-4 deck of cards (take out the Jacks, Queens and Kings)
Pylons or rope for starting line (optional)
Objective:
For participants to bring back the tennis ball with the correct, or one of the correct answers to the mathematical equation that was drawn from the deck of cards, while doing the appropriate movement.
Other Skills:
Coordination
Set up:
Place the tennis balls or beanbags with the numbers written on each, face down on one half of the gym or scattered throughout an area outdoors.
Divide the participants into 2-4 teams. Try to have about 4-6 on each team.
Have a starting line for all participants and teams to stand on.
At the starting line, place 2 separate piles of cards on the ground or on a chair, take out the Jacks, Queens, and Kings. There could be multiple decks of cards in each pile.
Step by Step:
1. Two participants from each team will be standing at the starting line and near the deck of cards.
2. The leader or a participant will draw a card from the first deck, and place it face down.
3. The number and suit on the card are important, so make sure all participants can see the card.
4. The suit on the card represents how the participants from each team have to move when they go to the tennis balls.
5. Diamond = Run
6. Club = Skip
7. Spade = Hop
8. Heart = Walk backwards.
9. The number on the card represents the first number in the math equation.
10. The leader or a participant flips over the top card from the second pile of cards.
11. The suit and number are both important on this card as well.
12. The number represents the second number in the math equation, and the suit represents the type of equation.
13. Diamond = Addition
14. Club = Subtraction (If the bigger number is the second card drawn, then use that number as the first number in the equation so that there are no negative answers)
15. Spade = Multiplication
16. Heart = Any equation (participants can search for the solution to adding, subtracting or multiplying the two numbers)
17. Once these two cards are drawn, the two participants from each team will run, skip, hop or walk backwards to the tennis balls and try to find the number that is the solution to the equation.
18. Another team member will be standing at the starting point, and when a participant finds the tennis ball with the correct number, they will throw that ball to their team member on the starting point.
19. The leader will let them know if they are correct if not. If they are correct, that round is over and that team scores a point. If they are not, the participant has to run and put the tennis ball back before the team can start searching again.
20. For example: If a 5 of spades was drawn from the first pile, and a 6 of clubs was drawn from the second, then participants would have to hop to the tennis balls and find the tennis ball with "1" written on it, because clubs represents subtraction and 6-5=1.
21. Another example: If 7 of clubs was drawn from the first pile, and a 3 of hearts was drawn from the second pile, then participants would have to skip to the tennis balls and find the one with 4, 10 or 21 written on it.
Variations:
Take out the importance of the second suit, and always have it be addition or always have it be subtraction.
Only have ace to 5 in the decks of cards.
The leader will say what math equation to use.
Only have one participant from each team going at once.
Don't use a deck of cards at all, the leader will write out or announce the equation and how they have to move.

Adaptations (Blindness/Visual Impairment):
Have another participant assist those who are blind or visually impaired as a guide, and by informing them of the number and suit of the cards.

Adaptations (Mobility Impairment):
Incorporate movement patterns that correspond with the strengths of participants with a mobility limitation.

Adaptations (Cognitive/Learning Impairment):
As this is a complex activity, provide encouragement and additional assistance to participants with a cognitive limitation as it is needed.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.