Prime Factor Relay (Middle School)

 

Author: Toby Abrahamsen, Seneca Ridge Middle School, Virginia

 

Subject: Math

 

Objective: Prime Factorization

 

Materials and Preparation: Chalkboard and chalk for each team.

 

Student Grouping: 3 or 4 groups of 4 students

 

The Play:

 

1. Have students line up behind a player number 1 (P#1).

2. The teacher will announce a number, and P#1 will go to the board, write the number, and draw 2 lines for the next person.

3. P#1 will then return to his/her team, give the chalk to the next person in line, P#2.

4. P#2 will go to the board and write down 2 factors of the original number and pass the chalk to P#3.

5. P#3 lists the factors of the numbers P#2 has written - this continues until the prime factorization has been found.

6. When a player writes a prime number, they must circle it.

7. Once all prime numbers have been circled, the prime factorization must be written on the board.

 

Scoring: The first team to write the prime factorization of the original number wins a point.

 

Further Play:

 

• If a student doesn't know what the next step is, they can pass to the next player in line.

• If students yell out the answer to a teammate, a time penalty can be given for the next round

 

Diagram / Example: