In middle school it seems like we do a lot of equations. Students learn to solve one step, two step and multi-step equations. The cool thing about doing all of these types of equations is that they build on each other. Once students get going, two-step equations can become a rote skill that students know how to do almost without thinking. They can get to a point where they solve equations pretty automatically. In order for them to get to that level, they need a lot of practice over time. So, I love to practice solving two-step equations throughout the year. I plan in review during sponge time, fast finisher time, and on those days when students (and teachers) need something fun. The activities in this post are perfect whether students are just learning how to solve two-step equations, or if they’re honing their skills throughout the year. [Read more…] about 12 Activities that Make Practicing Two-Step Equations Pop
11 Fun Activities to Practice Two-Way Relative Frequency Tables
Teaching students about two-way tables in 8th grade is an interesting task. Students obviously have a background in this topic and then they need to take their knowledge to another level. I feel like in situations like this we have to make sure that all students have their background built up. One kid might get the basic idea while others are lost.
We start at a pretty basic level and then work our way up to relative frequencies shown in fractions, decimals, and percents. Most of our bell work during this unit is about converting from fractions to percents. In this post I’ll share 11 activities that range from building students’ background to applying their knowledge by creating and analyzing their own two way tables. [Read more…] about 11 Fun Activities to Practice Two-Way Relative Frequency Tables
11 Triangle Inequality Theorem Activities That Rock
The triangle inequality theorem is not one of the most glamorous topics in middle school math. It seems to get swept under the rug and no one talks a lot about it. Like most geometry concepts, this topic has a proof that can be learned through discovery. It’s pretty cool when students realize that they can actually figure out if 3 given lines will make a triangle. I love teaching this concept to 7th graders, and I like that it’s not super complicated. Most of my students can get this idea pretty quickly and they enjoy it. I’m excited to share with you 11 activities that will help students get, and remember, the triangle inequality theorem. [Read more…] about 11 Triangle Inequality Theorem Activities That Rock
8 Slope Intercept Word Problems Activities that Rock
It feels like the biggest emphasis in 8th grade math is slope and y-intercept. This topic is found all over the standards and goes from basic to complicated. In the end, we don’t just want students to know a whole bunch of stuff about linear expressions. We want them to be able to apply what they’ve learned about slope and y-intercept. We want students to interpret situations, make predictions, and solve problems. [Read more…] about 8 Slope Intercept Word Problems Activities that Rock
8 Activities to Make Graphing Lines Awesome
When you teach pre-algebra or algebra there are some skills that students just need to be good at. Graphing lines falls into this category. Some students really struggle to see the connection between the equation and the line on the graph. I find that they need to keep seeing this many times and in different ways. Also, it helps a lot if they talk about what’s happening. Sometimes as math teachers we don’t have students explain things enough and we assume that they understand because they get some problems right. So, I’ve put together this collection of activities that will get students lots of fun practice with graphing lines. [Read more…] about 8 Activities to Make Graphing Lines Awesome
