Comments on: Turn Worksheets into Easy Math Activities

By: @nielsons_newsstand

@nielsons_newsstand — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 13:21:13 +0000

I just organized a “Turkey Tic-Tac-Toe” for our regular text book practice page. It was STELLAR. The students were soooo engaged and they were just doing their normal math. I made sure that ALL students were showing their work before I would allow them to place a pilgrim hat or pie on their space. It was a great way to go into our Thanksgiving Break! Thank you!

P.s. Here is the link to my quickly-made Turkey board, if anyone is interested! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1tfxUKig4wOy1NRB4wXdJcnqeXiRqgTqIngP1C8QzkgI/edit?usp=sharing

By: Janine

Janine — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 12:24:31 +0000

I love these ideas! Does anyone have ways to do something like these with social studies or science?

By: B. Bryant

B. Bryant — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 04:31:27 +0000

In reply to Brittany Brown. I’m also going to try this in my class! Thank you ????

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 21:24:14 +0000

I use something similar to the graffiti example. An idea from another teacher (shout out to E. Willard) Write a problem on their desk with dry erase markers. Then let the students solve their problem. I can see their answers as I walk around, if it is correct I give them a baby wipe to clean their desk. (Double duty)

By: Tyne Brack

Tyne Brack — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 17:39:26 +0000

In reply to Francis. This sounds so fun!

By: Tyne Brack

Tyne Brack — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 17:30:38 +0000

In reply to Stacie. That is brilliant! I'm going to try this when I return from the summer! Thanks for sharing!

By: Tyne Brack

Tyne Brack — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 17:20:53 +0000

In reply to Brittany Brown. I love this! In fact, I am going to try this in my classroom. Thank you for sharing!

By: Brittany Brown

Brittany Brown — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 21:44:56 +0000

My students love the puzzle activity we do. I normally do groups of about 4. Each person has a role: reader, runner, writer (everyone writes but this person makes sure everyone is writing), on task person, and puzzle maker if there are 5 people. I have the worksheet printed off in a different color for each group so we can keep the pieces together easier. I cut up the page into pieces so each problem is on its own. The runner, (or person getting new questions and puzzle pieces) comes and gets a problem and takes it back for them to work together. Once everyone has an answer, the runner brings it back to me and if they get it correct, they get a new problem and a puzzle piece. The objective is the finish the puzzle. They love this!

By: Stacie

Stacie — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 03:58:23 +0000

Great ideas! I like to do musical chairs math. I play music and the students walk around the room and find a chair to work in. Key is they can only do 2 math problems in one seat. Then they have to jump up to find the next empty seat. They love it and they’re just doing their regular WB for the day!

By: Francis

Francis — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 18:49:53 +0000

Noelle,
A couple other things I’ve done in my classroom to make a worksheet into an activity are to have post a problem(s) and have student copy the problem onto a piece of paper. When they are finished they either make a snowball (by crumpling the paper) or can make a paper airplane and stand up. Once everyone is done they then get to throw the snowball/paper airplane. Then they retrieve a paper to check the problem a peer did.

By: jennifer stockard

jennifer stockard — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 15:08:38 +0000

Great idea’s …really like the graffiti and tic tac toe…I keep my students arranged in groups, but this allows a little more movement…Thanks

By: Noelle Pickering

Noelle Pickering — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 11:08:06 +0000

In reply to Nancy. Thanks, Nancy!

By: Noelle Pickering

Noelle Pickering — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 11:07:54 +0000

In reply to Jennifer. I love these ideas! Anything to mix it up and provide some competition!

By: Noelle Pickering

Noelle Pickering — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 11:06:54 +0000

In reply to Courtney. Thanks, Courtney!

By: Courtney

Courtney — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 21:48:41 +0000

These ideas are great. I can use them with my basic level high school students. 🙂

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 05:40:55 +0000

I use Atari flashback. I assign a problem to the teams. If both teams get it right they play each other. If only one team has it right they play me (Maze Craze was one of my favorites growing up in the students can’t beat me!)

Similarly, instead of Atari, sometimes I use tanagrams. Teams that get a problem correct get 20 seconds to work on completing the tanagram picture their team selected from my poster.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 01:19:38 +0000

What great ideas! I love the speed date idea, a great way for struggling students to get peer tutoring as well!

By: The Ardent Teacher

The Ardent Teacher — Sat, 27 May 2017 05:40:04 +0000

I absolutely love these ideas! I taught middle school for 8 years and now I am teaching high school. I know my middle schoolers would have loved these and I have a feeling my high schoolers will as well 🙂 These will work perfectly for preparing for finals!

One fun review game I play is called “pass code”. It’s similar to heads up (the Ellen Degenerous game). I have a kid stand in front of my whiteboard in the front of the room and I write a vocabulary word or concept over of his/her head. Their classmates then raise their hands to give them a one word clue (one word clues work best and really makes them think). The guesser at the front of the room calls on students until they feel prepared to give a guess. I don’t limit how many times they can guess (although after a few I tend offer a full sentence clue). The last person to give a one word clue is the next person to go up and guess. If they don’t feel comfortable, they can have someone go up in their place. Finally, to make it even easier on me, I will sometimes let the last guesser pick the word for the next guesser. So, I only have to get the game started and then it keeps going on its own.

Have game-playing!