Integer: Tic-Tac-Toe Four In A Row!

Conchita A. Little             Terrell School
                               5410 South State Street
                               Chicago IL 60609
                               (312) 535-1490

Objective:

    To use a phenomenological approach to the introduction of
    integers using a coordinate plane and ordered pairs.

Materials needed:

    Chalkboard, color chalk, coordinate grid (drawn on the chalkboard),
    numberline, and a large visual thermometer.  Maps are optional.

Strategy:

    Discuss integers as a subset of the real numbers, including zero (0),
     positive (+) and negative (-) whole numbers.
    Ask students to tell other real world uses for integers besides the
     thermometer.
    Introduce a numberline; allow students to count in a positive, then in a 
     negative direction starting at the origin zero (0).
    Discuss with students the meaning of integers.
    Locate a few integers on the numberline.
    Emphasize positive and negative numbers.
    Place a coordinate grid on the chalkboard.
    Explain the coordinate plane, using the numberline as a basis.
    Locate points on the coordinate plane first moving horizontally, then   
     moving vertically.
    Tell students the points found on the coordinates are called 
     ordered pairs.                   
    Use the game of tic-tac-toe four in a row to give students practice
     in locating coordinates using integers.

Conclusion:

    Teams were chosen to play tic-tac-toe four in a row on the coordinate 
    plane.  Each team used a strategy to get four coordinates in a row either
    horizontally, vertically or diagonally.  Team members located the ordered 
    pairs successfully to win the game.  The use of quadrants II, III and IV 
    was encouraged.

References:

    Heimer, Ralph T., Trueblood, Cecil R.  Strategies for Teaching Children
    Mathematics.  Addison Wesley Publishing Co., Reading, MA., 1977, pages
    349-359.