SIMCC Games · Teacher guide
Prime Harvest
Claim a number and your opponent takes all its factors. Plan for primes.
- Trains
- Factors · Prime numbers · Planning ahead
- Ages
- 8 and up
- In class
- Against the computer. One device each. Play the Harvester at Lower Division: the numbers 1 to 12.
A ten-minute starter
- Show about 2 minWrite 1 to 12. Claim 12: the Harvester collects its factors still on the table, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. You score 12 and it scores 16. Ask: was that a good claim?
- Play about 6 minStudents play the Harvester at Lower Division. Try to beat its total, then compare with the best possible score of 50.
- Talk about 2 minAsk what people claimed first. Show why claiming 11 first costs only 1 point.
Questions to ask the class
- What are the proper factors of 12?Listen for: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.
- Why can 11 be claimed only while 1 is on the table?Listen for: Its only smaller factor is 1. It is prime.
- What makes a good claim?Listen for: A big number with few smaller factors left: it gives a lot and costs little.
A common mistake
Claiming the biggest numbers first, such as 12, which hands over many factors.
How to help: Tap a number before claiming: the panel shows what it gives and what it hands over. Hint (H) chooses the best claim and says why.
Assign it
On the coach dashboard, choose your class under Cohorts. In Assign practice, pick Prime Harvest and the drill Prime Harvest, add a due date if you want one, then press Assign. Students find it on their Train page.
It opens against the computer: the Harvester, or a computer rival.
Wins against the computer show under By game, as each student's device reported them. Pass-and-play games do not show.