Cartesian Coordinates Mat

Sizes

GIANT: 92 inches x 92 inches, 233 cm x 233 cm
SCHOOL: 60 inches x 60 inches, 152 cm x 152 cm
HOME: 36 inches x 36 inches, 91 cm x 91 cm

Reading Coordinate Planes
Determining Quadrants
Finding Coordinates and Quadrant
Creating Rectangles with a Coordinate Grid
Transforming On a Coordinate Plane
Graphing Patterns
Finding Distance

Students can get accustomed to plotting numbers on this large number line, and demonstrate their understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division using number lines. The number plane or Cartesian plane is like two number lines that cross at zero; one of them is horizontal and the other is vertical. This Cartesian coordinate mat will make plotting points a lot more visual and fun.

Here is one of the games played at schools.

Grade Levels: 4-8

Game activities included:

Battleship
Materials needed:
Checkers or game markers in two colors
4 squares to identify the battleship
Whiteboard and marker to identify the ship's coordinates

I Have . . . Who Has?
Materials needed:
Post-it notes with letters (one for each letter of the alphabet)
Activity cards with statements
I have T, Who has (3,6) Note: H is on the coordinates (3,6)
I have H, Who has (9,0) Note: E is on the coordinates (9,0)
I have E, Who has (6,2) etc.

Four in a Row!
Materials needed:
Checkers/game markers in two colors
Deck of cards with face cards removed
Quadrant 1 on a cartesian grid

Countdown!
Materials needed:
Quadrant 1 on grid
Assorted letters on the grid. These letters are used to create words.
Numbered cards: 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, Oh no! (optional)
Extension: you can use all 4 quadrants

Shopping Cart
Materials needed:
Pictures of food from a grocery store. They should be approximately the size of a small post-it note.
Spinner divided into 5 sections (free turn, happy face, happy face, happy face, sad face)
If students spin a sad face it means that they forgot their money at home and all of their groceries must be put back on the grid.
Quadrant 1 on the grid. This can be increased to include 2 or all 4 quadrants, as appropriate.
Timer

Move It!
Materials needed:
One spinner with four sections (right foot, left foot, right hand, left hand)
One set of coordinates on index cards e.g.,( 2, 4), (-4,5), (-6,-4)
Two judges/experts to ensure that coordinates are plotted correctly

Get Rich!
Materials needed:
One set of coordinates on index cards e.g.,( 2, 4), (-4,5), (-6,-4). Create cards for the quadrants you want to use.
Assorted play money
Game markers in two colours or shapes
Timer

Unite
Materials needed:
Giant Cartesian Coordinates grid
Deck of cards
Game markers in two colors
Chart with legend to explain the value of the cards
Black cards = positive number
Red cards = negative number
Clubs = quadrant 1
Spades = quadrant 2
Diamonds = quadrant 3
Hearts = quadrant 4

Cartesian Toss
Materials needed:
Two large dice
markers (objects to mark points on the mat)