Math Fact Tower Collapse and Dirty Socks: Ramblings of a Teacher with No Clean Laundry

   Happy Sunday!  This post is going to hopefully be a useful idea for your classroom; it will however, also be short and sweet because the sun is shining and it's warm outside....OK, actually the sun is starting to set, the wind is blowing a bit (in Wyoming just a bit means a slow 10-20mph), I have no laundry for any member of our household, and I need snuggle time with my baby boy.

Here is an activity that you can use for any subject.  Using the game where you stack wood pieces then try to pull them out until it collapses, (not sure of how to address copyright/etc...help please!), you can create a fun practice time. 
   I wrote division fact problems through 12 on each piece, except 4 which say "They're Mine!" and "Gotcha!" 
   Students can work individually, with partners, or as teams, trying to answer as many of the problems before the tower collapses. 
   If a student pulls a "They're Mine!" piece, they have 3 seconds a problem to answer the opposing team's,  or person of their choice's, wood pieces.  All correct they get to take, the wrong or too long to answer pieces the first team doesn't lose. (I know, awkward sentence, but seriously folks..no laundry means no socks and no..well,  you know.)
   "Gotcha" can mean game over or lose a turn-teacher choice.
   Game is over when tower falls or a "Gotcha" is pulled. 
I have used this game for math facts, vocabulary review, test prep, team building (getting to know you at the beginning of the year), DOL style practice, etc.  The sky is the limit on what you can do with that amazing collapsible game. 
Short, sweet, hopefully helpful, and probably filled with typos, but tonight is what it is...and it is time to log off.  Enjoy a WONDERFUL week at school!  I know I will!