Secret Code 13+4

You have been chosen for a special mission! Well you and a few of your closest…. Rivals. The night you have been planning and preparing for has come. The precious Mask of Amun Re has arrived and is now on display at the Museum. You pack your trusty dice, run through some precise calculations, and off you go to break into the museum. You know you’ll have to think quickly and combine numbers (add, subtract, multiply, and divide) to deactivate the light barriers and obtain the Mask of Amun Re! Will you be named The Best Arithmetic Agent?  Will all your planning and preparation pay off? 
Set up is easy so you will be off solving problems and deactivating barriers in no time at all. 

• Place the game board in the center of the table. 
• Shuffle up the light barriers and randomly assign them to the various spaces for the light barriers. It does not matter which side is up. 
• Each player picks a secret agent and places them at the entrance to the museum. Your objective is to traverse the light barriers and obtain The Mask of Amun Re! In order to do so, you will have to deactivate 10 different barriers numbering from 1 to 20 (with the final barrier being 20) by getting to the number mathematically with your dice. 
• Whoever can recite the 7 times table the quickest goes first. They will grab the dice and roll them to begin the game. 

On your turn you are going to grab the 6 dice and roll them. Each time you can use one or more die to reach a target number that allows you to traverse the light barriers hindering your progress through the museum to obtain the Amun Re Mask. You may use a single die if the number matches the barrier, you are trying to maneuver past. For example, if the light barrier is a 5 and you roll a 5 then your agent can move forward. Congratulations! You have deactivated that light barrier! If, however, the light barrier does not match a single die, you will have to add, subtract, multiple, and/or divide to reach that target number.  After you use a die/dice to deactivate a barrier, then set them aside and re-roll the remaining dice and continue to work past as many barriers as you can. Your turn ends when either you have no dice left to roll or you are unable to reach the target number. Pass all the dice clockwise to the next player. Play continues until one Secret Agent cracks the last barrier (20) and obtains the Amun Re Mask. However, the game will continue till all players have an equal number of turns so it is possible that more than one Agent will be named the Best Arithmetic Agent(s) and will share the treasures. 
The light barriers themselves provide some variety as they come out randomly and are double sided. This will ensure you’re not exactly playing the same game twice. (Well at least not twice in a row. If you think about it, it is probable you could repeat the same numbers and pattern at some point if you play enough games. In any case, the random distribution of the tiles provides some variability to the game.) Below are three other variants that can be easily implemented into your game. 

• The guards saw movement but did not find anyone lurking around. To be safe they have changed the code for this security barrier and have gone to find coffee. Each time a number tile has been deactivated the tile is turned over. Thus, providing a slightly different challenge for the next agent to tackle. 
• One Die roll. That’s right you only have use of the numbers you rolled at the start of your turn. Try and calculate as many of the code numbers in front of you as possible. Remember you may only use each die once and there is no re-rolling allowed.  
• Did we mention other agents are out to obtain this precious treasure? Once you have obtained the Mask of Amun Re you must make your way back to the entrance before you are caught or before another agent lifts it from your backpack. Be warned though those light barriers you deactivated…. Well there was a timer that reactivates them to ensure the safety of the precious treasures.  You are going to have to make quick arithmetic work to make it out with your prize in hand. If another Agent passes you on the way to the exit, they lift the mask. The first agent to make it out the exit with the mask wins!

We love Secret Code 13+4. Not only is it fun to play but it is a true Math game at its core! It reinforces mathematical equations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. When you think about the mathematical factors involved in traversing the light barriers, you will realize the game is more than basic math. Numbers 1-9 can be obtained by using a single die. However, numbers 10 -20 will require multiple dice (factors) and will sometimes require more than just addition to meet their targets. For example, 12 can easily be obtained (6+6, 9+3, 8+4, 7+5, 2x6, 3x4), 18 is a bit harder (9+9, 9x2, 6x3), and numbers like 7, 11, 13, 17 will require some form of addition, and/or subtraction as each is a prime number and only has 1 as possible multiplication factor. The higher numbers will require not only addition and/or multiplication but will require subtraction and/or division to meet their targets. This is a great way to show how different target numbers have different mathematical equations and factors.
 
Educational Connections: 

• Math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
• Mental Math
• Number Sense
• Problem Solving
• Quick Thinking
• Decision-Making Skills
• Turn Taking 
• Good Sportsmanship 
• Probability 
• Strategic Thinking

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Each roll of the dice will present new mathematical challenges and can provide great insight as to the student’s mathematical ability. ​

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Check out our Secret Code 13+4 lesson plan for use with 3rd-5th grade math students!

Secret Code 13+4 3rd -5th Math Lesson Plan
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