Translate Algebraic to Verbal - I Have Who Has Class Activity

I Have Who Has is a long time student favorite. Use this class activity over and over for students to practice translating algebraic expressions to verbal expressions.

Implementation:

1. Make a copy of the cards and cut apart. You will only need one set to reuse for all of your classes. Use color paper and laminate if possible. (I had a set of I Have Who Has cards that were not laminated, used them for several years, and they held up well.) Keep an uncut copy for you to use as a key.

2. Have students number 1 - 32 on a piece of paper.

3. Mix up the cards and pass them out, one to each student. There are 32 cards so if you have fewer than 32 students then give some students two cards.

4. Any student can start with their WHO HAS. (If some students have 2 cards, start with one of them.) The student that has the algebraic expression for the WHO HAS statement speaks up and says I HAVE ____ WHO HAS_____. (reading their card) They should read their WHO HAS twice. All students will record the answer on their paper whether they have the card or not, trying to beat the person who has the card. Continue in this manner until you return to the starting card and they will then get to say their I HAVE.

5. You can repeat this activity by mixing up the cards before handing them out again. You can even repeat the activity over several days.

This activity corresponds to the Common Core 5th grade math standard:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.OA.A.2
Write simple expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them. For example, express the calculation "add 8 and 7, then multiply by 2" as 2 × (8 + 7).

There are 32 cards and detailed directions for you, the teacher. Students will each have a card and listen to the "Who Has" statement. If their card matches they will say "I Have" and read the matching statement along with their "Who Has" statement. This can be used as a class filler and can be used multiple times in the same day or on different days. The cards use limited numbers so students are matching the cards by mathematical terms such as product, sum, more than, increased by, etc. instead of by the numbers used. Examples of expressions used are : twice the sum of a number and 6 which matches to 2(n + 6) and 10 less than the product of a number and 6 which matches to 6n - 10.