Egg Carton Random Number Generator

I have this plastic (see through) egg carton left over from chocolate Easter Eggs. I have been saving it because I knew that it had potential to be something- someday.  I also had a bunch of rubber dice that I picked up at the store a few months ago. My sons were getting crazy one day and began throwing the dice around. I quickly gathered them up before someone got hurt or the dogs decided to eat them and threw them into the empty Easter egg carton and then the light bulb went off! I had just created a Random Number Generator.

Hmmm, a Random Number Generator– you may be wondering what the heck that is! It sounds kind of cool doesn’t  it? Well, of course it is! Actually it is a fun way of creating a group of numbers that can be used in a variety of ways.

Directions

Materials:

• Gather between 2 and 6 dice
• Find a container that you can see through or with a removable top. The container should be big enough that all 6 die lay flat and you can see them clearly.
• optional: paper and pencil for computations

How to Use the Generator:

• Put the dice in the container
• Shake
• Remove the dice from the container and place them in front of you

Here are some things you can do with this “roll.”

• Biggest to Smallest: Have your child arrange the dice in order from the biggest number (4) to the smallest (1).

• Smallest to Biggest: Have your child arrange the dice in order from the smallest number (1) to the biggest (4).

• Read a Number: Have your child “read” the number. This example would be, two-thousand, four-hundred, thirty-two.

• Read a Number with Place Value: Have your child “read” the number. This example would be, two-thousand, four-hundred, thirty-two. Then have your child tell you how many ones, tens, hundreds and thousands there are in this number.

• Number Strings: Have your child add this string of numbers. The math problem for this string would be 2+4+3+1=10

• Multi-digit Addition:  Use this roll and record the numbers. Then roll again and record the second number. Use the numbers generated to create a double, triple or more digit addition problem.

• Multi-digit Subtraction: Same as above, but use the numbers for a subtraction problem.  Be sure to put the “bigger number” on top!

• Whose Number is Bigger?:  Use two Generators or take turns rolling.  Then read both numbers and determine which is bigger (or smaller). Use beans, m&ms or another counter to “reward” the roller of the bigger (or smaller number) if you like.

• Arrange a Number: Using this roll, ave your child create the biggest number (4,321) and the smallest (1,234) and then one or two in between (2,341 or 3,124)

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