DIY Shoe Box Addition Machine

A shoe box
Two plastic cups (or paper cups) with the bottoms cut out
Two dice
Small balls or counters (e.g., pom-poms, beads, or plastic discs)
Tape or glue
Scissors (for cutting out the bottoms of the cups)
Markers (for labeling, optional).Preparation:

Take the shoe box and cut two holes in one side, large enough for the cups to fit through. The holes should be aligned horizontally, side by side.
Cut the bottoms out of the two plastic cups.
Decorate or label the shoe box if desired, to make it look more like a machine (e.g., “Addition Machine” label).
If using dice, ensure they are ready for the game.
Creating the Addition Machine:

Insert one plastic cup into each hole on the shoe box, ensuring that the open end of each cup is inside the box.
Secure the cups with tape or glue if needed, so they stay in place but still allow the balls or counters to flow through.
Place the shoe box on a flat surface where students can easily access it.
Playing the Activity:

Have students roll the two dice to generate two numbers.
Students will then drop the number of balls or counters corresponding to the number shown on each die into the respective cups on the machine.
As the balls or counters fall through the cups and into the box, they will be combined to visually represent the sum.
Students count the total number of balls or counters collected in the box to find the answer to the addition problem.
Students can record their addition sentence (e.g., 3 + 4 = 7) and verify their answer.
Reflection and Discussion:

After completing several problems, gather students to discuss their experiences.
Ask students how the addition machine helped them understand addition and if they found it easier to visualize the sums.
Discuss any strategies or observations they made while using the machine.
Extension (Optional):

Introduce variations, such as using different numbers of dice or larger numbers, to increase the challenge.
Incorporate subtraction by modifying the activity to include a way to subtract counters, or use the addition machine to visualize subtraction problems.