Confessions of a Frazzled Teacher: Mathapolooza: Making Math Enjoyable for Students

At the end of the school year, I like to shake things up a bit. By this, I mean that I want to have fun but still have a lot of educational opportunities for my students. Last week I shared having a Read-a-thon, an all day Reading Extravaganza. This week, I want to switch subjects to math. My students tend to enjoy math more than reading since it is more concrete for them. Therefore, they LOVE this day...Mathapolooza: Making Math Enjoyable for Students.

Below are just a few activities that you can do to make math exciting for this all day event!

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Beat the Teacher Timed Tests

Throughout the day I will give my students a timed test. This may seem boring until you throw in a Race the Teacher component! My students love the opportunity to beat me! While I would never not try, I will give myself certain handicaps so my students have more of a chance in beating me. For example, I may give them a 10-15 second head start or I may give myself more problems than they have.

Brain Breaks

I made some PowerPoint Brain Breaks that I complete with my students. They have multiplication questions intermixed with movements. I set them up on a timer, so I can sit back while they go through the PowerPoint. I made this free for all of you to enjoy in your classrooms. Just email me for a copy.

Outdoors Math Scoot

Have each of your students create a math question pertaining to anything you have taught throughout the school year, basic facts, area, perimeter, fractions, etc. Let them write their question on a numbered post-it note.

This is the most important part: Check to make sure their question makes sense!!!!!

Take the students outside and have them write their questions in order (hence the numbered post-it notes) on the playground or sidewalk.

Give the students a Scoot sheet (I usually search Teachers Pay Teachers for a free one) and a clipboard and have them answer the questions that the other students created.

TIP - Use giant outdoor chalk instead of classroom chalk.

Partner Math Game Review

I have created a ton of generic game boards for random use in my classroom. I add flash cards, dice, and game pieces and students have math games to play. Since I let my students change up the game boards, it's like an endless supply of games!

Other Games/Online Games

I have converted games into math games. For example, in checkers, I wrote division problems on the board. My students have to answer the questions in order to move their piece. For Don't Break the Ice, I put multiplication problems on each 'ice cube.' Hopscotch becomes a game of subtraction review with problems put on each part of the carpet. Pretty much any game can be converted into a math game with a permanent marker! Below are some recommendations of games that I have converted for math.

The Hopscotch rug is the only one that I put post-it notes or note cards with the math problems on it. For the other games, I just wrote with permanent marker.

As for online games, my favorites are:

What kinds of activities will you do for Mathapolooza: Making Math Enjoyable for Students? Whatever you decide, I know that your students will have a great time and appreciate math a whole lot more!