Educational Service District 123

Wanda Parks’s third grade class at Columbia Elementary in Burbank was a beehive of activity. In the room are five tables filled with kid’s playing cards, and a volunteer at each table. It was a Wednesday at 1p.m.; a cherished day and time for one month each year. For the past 5 years, and usually in February, Parks has recruited dedicated volunteers to teach third graders cribbage one day each week.

 

For players who play cribbage, it is the game of 15s and 31s. Arlene Shade has volunteered for the past three years.No images

“That is my son-in-law and my grandson, Luke,” Shade said as she pointed to a table diagonal from hers’.

“I play cribbage every morning with my husband,” Shade said. “If my son comes over, I get to play two games.”

“We started Luke when he was young. My mother taught me and I taught my kids,” Shade said.

“In our family, we played for chores. The loser would have to shovel the snow or do the dishes,” she said.

Volunteers are what make this lesson so successful. Stan Case is another volunteer at Columbia Elementary.

“They are doing well learning their addition facts,” Case said.

“Twenty six and five make what?” Case asked the children at his group.

Three of the kids in the group shout “31!”

“Math is fun,” explains a little red-haired girl with oval glasses. “I am good at math,” she said, and continues to count aloud.

The volunteers take time to make sure each child can count the points in his/her hand. “Seven and eight make what?” asked Case.

The red head says, “Fifteen!” She looked up and covered her mouth with her hand, “Oops, it’s not my turn,” she said.

“See, I am good at math,” she said, smiling through her hand and flashing a toothy grin.

“My cribbage is a work of art,” said a brown haired little boy with a fourteen point hand.

Others turn their heads immediately. A fourteen point hand is a big deal in cribbage. Some hands do not have any points, so moving the peg fourteen spots is huge. The first one around the cribbage board wins.

“Moving the peg is the best part of the game,” said a group of three girls who were playing without much help.

“Katie counts the best, so we let her count our cards. She makes it easier,” two of the girls in the group explain.

They were counting and playing like they had played together for years, un-phased by outside observation. Mrs. Parks finally suggested that Katie not count everyone’s cards. These girls had a system down. One girl counted points, one added them up, and one moved the colorful pegs around the cribbage board.

These kids are not just learning to play cribbage – they are learning and applying math skills. Adding and subtracting without a paper and pencil. It is a room full of giddiness, giggling and encouragement. One would have thought it was an indoor recess.

Mrs. Parks is teaching her third graders a valuable lesson that will help them for the rest of their lives. They are learning their addition and subtraction facts through the card game cribbage. It would be no surprise if one day, these children taught cribbage to their kids, just as Arlene Shade did.