Introduction:
The Montessori Snake Game is a classic Montessori material for teaching children about numbers, number values, and arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction. The game consists of colored beads on a mat arranged in a snake-like pattern. Each bead represents a number, with the colors and placement indicating its value. The game is designed to be self-correcting so children can work independently and learn at their own pace.

In the first lesson, children are introduced to the concept of number value by counting the beads and arranging them in order. They learn to identify the colors and the patterns they make, which helps them understand the relationship between numbers. The game becomes more challenging as they progress, with children using the beads to perform addition and subtraction operations. Like so many Montessori materials, the Snake Game is a powerful tool for teaching math skills because it engages children in an interactive and tactile way. They can see and feel the numbers, which helps them develop a deeper understanding of the concepts.

Since your students love the material, they will love becoming the snake itself! The snake will try to capture students to make it grow, but any student not caught makes the snake smaller! This simple yet effective PE game will get your students moving and counting!

Materials:

• A gym with court lines
  o If you want to play this game outside, you will need a lot of rubber disc

  dots to make the lines that the "food" can traverse.

• A very long rope (tug of war rope or an extra-long jump rope)

• Lots of jerseys

  Minimum Number of Students Needed: This lesson requires an entire class to play.

  Prior Knowledge: The students have been introduced to the Snake Game material and had the first lesson. However, this game can be used to introduce or bridge into the Snake Game addition or subtraction lessons.