Functions Board Game Project | Function vs. Not a Function | Domain & Range Activity

Looking for a creative, engaging way for students to demonstrate their understanding of functions? This project challenges students to design, build, and play a board game centered around identifying functions in multiple representations.

Students work collaboratively to create a board game that teaches and assesses key concepts related to functions while applying creativity, problem-solving, communication, and mathematical reasoning. The project culminates in a game showcase where students play one another's games and provide peer feedback, creating an authentic audience for their work.

This project has become a student favorite in my classroom and is an excellent alternative to a traditional test or worksheet-based assessment.

Concepts Included

✔ Function vs. Not a Function

✔ Domain and Range

✔ Continuous and Discrete Graphs

✔ Multiple Representations of Functions

✔ Mathematical Communication

What's Included?

✅ Student Project Directions

✅ Teacher Directions and Implementation Tips

✅ Detailed Grading Rubric

✅ Peer Review/Game Evaluation Form

✅ Suggestions for Original, Inspired, and Upcycled Board Games

✅ Project Requirements Checklist

Flexible Design Options

Students may:

• Create an original game from scratch
• Use a favorite board game as inspiration
• Upcycle an old board game by repainting or covering the board and creating new game components

I provide poster paper for students who want to design their own boards, while many students enjoy transforming inexpensive thrift-store or household games into entirely new mathematical experiences.

Classroom Notes

• Designed for groups of 2–3 students
• Suitable for middle school math, pre-algebra, or Algebra 1
• Great as an end-of-unit project, assessment, enrichment activity, or review
• Encourages collaboration and creativity while maintaining mathematical rigor

Why Teachers Love It

Students are highly engaged because they are creating something that their classmates will actually play. The peer-review showcase at the end of the project provides valuable feedback, promotes accountability, and makes grading significantly easier.

Whether your students are building a game from poster board or reinventing a classic board game, this project creates a memorable learning experience while reinforcing essential function concepts.

Please Note: Student example photos are not currently included but will be added in a future update.