Build Powerful Math Logic With A Simple Game: Zip, Zap, Zorp!

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Are you looking for a simple, but powerful, math game that builds math logic skills? Welcome to Zip, Zap, Zorp! It originated with the fabulous AIMS Center for Math and Science Education, part of the AIMS Education Foundation. I recently resurrected it for my 4th grade Math Club. It's simple, has one quick and easy prep, has a low floor and a high ceiling, and really gets students excited about math! Most importantly, Zip, Zap, Zorp builds math logic skills.

Here's The Prep

-You can play this game in pairs. We played as a large group in order to teach everyone how to play at the same time.
-Begin with two-digit numbers with no repeating digits.
-Your only prep is to make a display like this one. Make it once, use it all year!

Poster with explanations of Zip, Zap, Zorp game clues

How To Play Zip, Zap, Zorp:

To begin, choose a secret 2-digit number. Honestly, I have to write mine down to keep track of my responses. Let's use 89 as our example here. Here's how our first round went:

Me: Guess a 2-digit number.
Andy: 45
Me: Zip. No digit is correct. (I repeated the meaning of each clue during the first round as we all learned together.)
Me: Class, let's organize our thinking and keep track of our clues. We definitely know that neither 4 nor 5 are part of my secret number because I "zipped" them.
At this point, I wrote the digits from 0-9 on the board and crossed off the 4 and 5. Some students did the same on paper.
Barbara: 60
Me: Zip. No digit is correct. We can cross off 6 and 0.
Charlie: 28
Me: Zorp. One digit is correct but is in the wrong place.
Davis: 82
Me: Zap. One digit is correct and is in the right place. We know one digit is correct, but we still don't know which one.
Ella: 81
Me: Zap. One digit is correct and in the right place. Class, did you see how Ella "tested" the digit 8? She knows both 8 and 2 might be correct. Her new number got zapped, so she knows 8 is the digit that is correct and in the right place. We can cross off 2.
Franklin: 80
Me: Zap. We still know the 8 is correct. The number is eighty-something.

Students continued to guess numbers in the 80s until they discovered 89 was my secret number.

This is one of the most engaging games we've ever played. It is designed to be played in pairs and I suggest you transition to that as soon as students feel confident with the rules. Challenge your students by allowing 3- and 4-digit numbers and repeated digits. I suggest that students get in the habit of writing down their secret number to keep track and to show their partner. Schedule some time for students to share and discuss strategies that work for them. You'll be amazed at their comments!

Would you like to access some more amazing math and science ideas? Check out what they have to offer, including free samples, at The AIMS Center for Math and Science Education.

I'd love to hear how your class builds math logic skills using Zip, Zap, Zorp!

If you'd like some more math games, head over to my Growing Grade By Grade store on TpT and check out my "Games" page. Have fun and learn math!