HAMSTER GRID: Negative Numbers

GAME INFO

What is the objective of the game?

The game Hamster Grid consists of helping a hamster navigate through a grid, climbing up and down ladders, by correctly solving math operations with integers (positive and negative numbers). To keep playing, you must select the correct option among 4 choices before the timer runs out and avoid losing your 5 lives while scoring as many correct answers as possible.

Recommended age and educational level

This game is recommended for ages 11 and up, suitable for Middle School students. It is tailored for learners who already have prior knowledge of basic arithmetic and need to master the rules of signs when calculating with negative numbers. It serves as an excellent tool for independent student practice, teachers in the classroom, or parents at home looking for engaging math reinforcement. It is also well-suited for adults who want to sharpen their mental math skills.

How to play: single-player or multiplayer

The game is designed for single-player mode locally. However, it can easily be adapted into a collaborative group activity by taking turns per life or having players work together to solve the problem before selecting the answer on screen.

What do you learn with this game? Skills and learning outcomes

Operations with integers: Targeted practice of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with positive and negative integers.
Sign rules mastery: Reinforcement of sign conventions during integer multiplication and division.
Mental math agility: Enhancement of logical processing speed and quick decision-making under time constraints.
Differentiated learning: Scalable difficulty across 3 levels (easy, medium, and hard) to match different learning stages.

Tips to get the most out of this game

Start on the easy level to build confidence with addition and subtraction, then transition to the hard level to master sign rules in multiplication and division. For an unplugged offline activity, draw the grid on paper and use dice marked with positive and negative numbers; students can move along the grid by calculating operations in a notebook and tracking their overall accuracy percentage.