The Total Concentration deck consists of 34 cards; there are 8 sets of 4 cards with matching pictures and numbers; 1 pair with a matching picture and number. Each set of cards have different point values:
- 1 (point): on 2 different sets (of 4 matching cards)
- 2 (points): on 2 different sets (of 4 matching cards)
- 3 (points): on 2 different sets (of 4 matching cards)
- 4 (points): on 1 set (of 4 matching cards)
- 5 (points): on 1 set (of 4 marching cards)
- 10 (points): on 2 matching cards
This game is a variation of the classic game concentration, in which children try to find pairs of cards. Young children are usually very good at the spatial reasoning involved in playing this game. The variation is to assign point values to the pairs, so that children must add up their scores at the end of the game. This may be challenging to some children who are accustomed to adding up the number of cards to see who is the winner. This variation requires that they decenter to see that cards can be quantified in more than one way.
Children have the opportunity to add several numbers in their heads when they calculate their scores. Teachers have the opportunity to observe how children add numbers. For example, some children arrange their cards to form combinations that are easier to add (such as putting 3 + 2 together twice and then announcing that 5 + 5 = 10). If children cannot add numbers in their heads, teachers can provide aids, such as paper and pencil, unifix cubes, etc. to assist children in adding up their scores.
Recommended # of Players: 2 - 4
Click here to download the game.
Standards Addressed
Head Start Standards
Social and Emotional Development
Social Relationships
- Communicates with familiar adults and accepts or requests guidance.
- Cooperates with others.
- Develops friendships with peers.
- Establishes secure relationships with adults.
- Uses socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
- Resolves conflict with peers alone and/or with adult intervention as appropriate.
- Recognizes and labels other's emotions.
- Expresses empathy and sympathy to peers.
- Recognizes how actions affect others and accepts consequences of one's actions.
Self-Concept & Self-Efficacy
- Demonstrates age-appropriate independence in a range of activities, routines, and tasks.
- Demonstrates age-appropriate independence in decision making regarding activities and materials.
Self-Regulation
- Recognizes and labels emotions.
- Handles impulses and behavior with minimal direction from adults.
- Follows simple rules, routines, and directions.
Emotional & Behavioral Health
- Expresses a range of emotions appropriately, such as excitement, happiness, sadness, and fear.
- Refrains from disruptive, aggressive, angry, or defiant behaviors.
- Adapts to new environments with appropriate emotions and behaviors.
Approaches to Learning
Initiative and Curiosity
- Demonstrates flexibility, imagination, and inventiveness in approaching tasks and activities.
- Demonstrates eagerness to learn about and discuss a range of topics, ideas, and tasks.
- Asks questions and seeks new information.
Persistence & Attentiveness
- Maintains interest in a project or activity until completed.
- Resists distractions, maintains attention, and continues the task at hand through frustration or challenges.
Cooperation
- Plans, initiates, and completes learning activities with peers.
- Joins in cooperative play with others and invites others to play.
- Models or teaches peers.
- Helps, shares, and cooperates in a group.
Logic and Reasoning
Reasoning & Problem Solving
- Seeks multiple solutions to a question, task, or problem.
- Uses past knowledge to build new knowledge.
Language Development
Receptive Language
- Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
Expressive Language
- Engages in communication and conversation with others.
- Uses language to express ideas and needs.
- Engages in conversations with peers and adults
Literacy Knowledge and Skills
Print Concepts & Conventions
- Recognizes print in everyday life, such as numbers, letters, one's name, words, and familiar logos and signs.
- Understands that print conveys meaning.
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills
Number Relationships & Operations
- Uses a range of strategies, such as counting, subitizing, or matching, to compare quantity in two sets of objects and describes the comparison with terms, such as more, less, greater than, fewer, or equal to.
Geometry and Spatial Sense
- Understands directionality, order, and position of objects, such as up, down, in front, behind.
Patterns
- Sorts, classifies, and serializes (puts in a pattern) objects using attributes, such as color, shape, or size.
- Recognizes, duplicates, and extends simple patterns.
Measurement & Comparison
- Compares objects using attributes of length, weight and size (bigger, longer, taller, heavier).
Common Core Standards
Kindergarten
Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.
- K.MD.3. Classify objects into given categories; count the numbers of objects in each category and sort the categories by count.