Combining like terms is such an important topic in 7th and 8th grade math. As teachers it often seems so intuitive to us that terms have to be alike in order to be combined. For some reason, though, many students need a lot of repetitions to really get this concept down pat. Even though we may teach combining like terms in isolation for a day or 2, it shows up again and again, incorporated into so many other middle school math concepts we study. So, I want to make sure that my students get the practice they need, dispersed throughout the year. Here’s 12 activities I use throughout the year to get students lots of practice combining like terms.
If you think about it, students have to combine like terms when they’re doing so many other things. For example, you have to combine like terms when adjusting an equation to slope-intercept form. Also, you have to use it when you’re solving equations. This skill is so foundational. In turn we need to make sure that students really get it. The activities below make combining like terms fun. These activities work great as initial practice activities or later as cyclical review.
The list of activities:
Interactive Notebook Sorting Activity
Distributive Property and Combining Like Terms Task Cards
Jeopardy for Combining Like Terms
Combining Like Terms Knockout Game
Let’s get to know the activities
These activities vary in type and when to use them in class. You’ll find that the list contains activities for the beginning of the lesson or for review. Students can complete some of the activities on their own and other activities have to be completed with the whole class. Keep reading to read more about each of them and find some activities that are just right for your class.
Combining Like Terms Mazes
In my class we use mazes almost daily. Students walk into the room, grab their maze, and get to work. Often, I use a maze like combining like terms early in the year and then I use it again later in the year. If you wait a few months between uses, the kids don’t remember it. Within these three mazes students will see different variables and even some negative integers. If you want something that you can print and go, then these mazes are just the ticket.
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Foam Cubes
This activity from My Math Imagination requires a little prep. You will need some little foam cubes and then you write some different terms on them. Students follow some simple rules to play a game combining like terms (her blog post gives the step by step directions). When I use this idea I do a few rounds with the whole class.
You can find foam cubes perfect for this activity on Oriental Trading. They have a set of really small cubes, 1 cm, for a cheap price or if you want to splurge they have bigger ones. I didn’t have any blank cubes, but I did find some square inch tiles laying around. They worked really well being drawn from a bowl, rather than rolled. So, even if you don’t have foam cubes, maybe you have something else that you aren’t using that could work for this activity. One advantage of this activity that after you’ve made it you can use it easily as a sponge activity throughout the year.
Tic Tac Toe with Partners
Working in partners is very common in my class. I have students work with their assigned partner, randomly generated partners, and occasionally a partner of their choosing. This Combining Like Terms Tic Tac Toe Game is a great way to get students talking in partners about combining like terms. This tic tac toe board is 5 by 5 instead of 3 by 3, so students have to get 5 in a row to win. Pro tip: modelling how you want them to play the game is key. So, playing a round together (or even half of a round) with an emphasis on the language students should use goes a long way.
With their partner, each student chooses to play as either an x or o. Students take turns, but both students still simplify all expressions in the game. The students whose turn it is chooses a square. Then, both students simplify the expression by combining the like terms. If the person who’s turn it is gets it right, then they get the square. When they get it wrong and the other person has it right then they “steal” the square. This game provides some good math practice sprinkled with some fun.
Combining Like Terms Uno
In my class we work a lot in partners. I find that partner games are powerful and get students engaged. This Combining Like Terms Uno game is fun and can be easy for students to learn if they have experience with the card game UNO. Just like the other activities above, I would play this game with the whole class at least for a hand or two, so that students see what to do.
The blog post that is linked to this game has step by step instructions. This game takes about 5-15 minutes to play. I used this game for fast finishers to play while I worked with a group of struggling students.
Interactive Notebook Sorting Activity
What I love about this Interactive Notebook Sorting Activity from Math Equals Love is that shows students how to combine like terms in such a literal way. They actually cut up the expression and put the like terms together. Students can’t see how the terms like 2x and -5y are separate and that the variables go with the coefficients. You can use this activity in the interactive notebook or it can work as a stand alone activity. We put it into our notebooks, so that we can refer to it later.
We do one together as a class and I have students share their thoughts as we work through it. Then I have them work with partners, but each students is responsible for completing their own work. This gives students the opportunity to talk about what they are doing, but they have to do the thinking and make decisions about how to complete each example.
Like Term Invaders
Who doesn’t love a throw back to the game Space Invaders? This Like Term Invaders game from XP Math gives students an interactive way to realize that only x’s can combine with x’s. Also, they get to see a variety of variables and combinations. I love games like this because they reinforce a concept and the kids don’t even realize they’re learning. Another idea is for you, as the teacher, to play with them. My students LOVE to challenge the teacher. Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with them.
Combining Like Terms and Distributive Property Task Cards
I don’t know where I would be without task cards. They are so versatile. During most units I have students complete task cards with a partner. Also, I always put the answers on the back of the cards. This gives students the opportunity to fix their own mistakes. Some teachers worry about making answer choices so easily available, but I find that the more immediate the feedback, the bigger the impact.
This particular set of task cards has some cards for combining like terms, distributive property, and factoring expressions. They give students a lot of different looks at these skills.
Combining Like Terms Jeopardy
This Combining Like Terms Jeopardy game is free and it has a lot of practice problems for kids. When we play Jeopardy I have the students work individually. I find that you need every student to do every problem. If you don’t have them each do the problem, then Jeopardy can be a big waster of time where students don’t actually do much math. I like the variety of questions on this jeopardy game. This game won’t take too long and it’s a game that you might want to have in your back pocket. Occasionally, you have a few minutes and need a sponge activity. Well, this one serves perfectly for that type of activity.
Combining Like Terms Knockout Game
A few years ago I created a game in PowerPoint to use with my classes. I decided to call it Knockout. In this game, students choose a Pac-Man ghost and then they’re shown the question. Later I learned that students really got knocked out when they choose the questions that had not just points but “bonuses”. Some of the bonuses give them extra points while others are actually bad and they lose points. Surprisingly my students love losing points. They think it’s very funny. They really get into the game and are engaged. Each student answers all of the questions. I have them write their answers on their whiteboards, but they could also have use a paper follow along guide to show their work.
The Combining Like Terms Knockout Game includes simple expressions. If your students are at a basic level, this game will work for them. It could also serve as a review for more advanced students. Also, because this topic isn’t very complex, this activity won’t take that long. You can finish it with 15 minutes.
Combining Like Terms Doodle Notes
If you’re not familiar with Doodle Notes you can read about them here. They gives students a different way of looking at combining like terms. I like to use this particular set of doodle notes from Math Giraffe on the 3rd or 5th day of working with combining like terms. The magic of this type of notes can be found in letting the students write what they know. You don’t want to just make it another set of notes that students copy. Let students show you what they know about variables and what makes terms like or not.
Combining Like Terms Kahoot
Maybe you’re looking for a whole class game that captures the data. Kahoot keeps track of how each individual does and how the whole class does on each question. It works well as a formative assessment at the end of class.
This Combining Like Terms Kahoot game has 10 questions and they’re pretty simple. Also, there are a wide variety of Kahoo games about combining like terms that teachers have created. If this particular game doesn’t meet your needs, you can always search and you will find a lot of possible Kahoot games for this topic.
Mini Paper Chain Activity
Paper chains are a lot of fun. This Combining Like Terms Paper Chain game is short and can be finished in 10 to 15 minutes. What I really like about it is that students have to put the expressions and answers in order first. It really shows you if they get it or not really quickly. With this chain you could print each student’s copy on a different color of paper and then have them connect them. Hang up the chain in the classroom or around the outside of the door. It doesn’t take a lot of time and students feel proud of their work.
You can download this paper chain activity for FREE, along with 4 other games and activities for middle school math, by clicking here:
Grab the FREE Combining Like Terms Paper Chain Activity
Try one thing…
Whether you’re looking for practice, extra practice, homework, bell ringers, closure or review activities there’s something from this list that you can take to your classroom. You can incorporate them with the whole class, partner work, or independent practice. When it comes to combining like terms, it seems like students can never have enough practice. They will need to be awesome at this skill for years to come. Let them see it in a variety of ways and reinforce it throughout the year.
Thanks for reading! Until next time.
