Idea Galaxy

Adventures in Junior High and Mathematics

Math Teaching Tips

How to Use Math Mazes to Increase Student Engagement

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Why I use math mazes almost every day in my classroom

I use a math maze in my class almost every single day. But, it wasn’t always like that. I didn’t understand the value of mazes until I actually used them in my classroom. Initially, I made one maze for a colleague who thought it would be a good activity to try in class. Sure- no problem, I thought. Even though I thought mazes seemed a little strange, I would gladly help a friend out.

Then, she asked me to make another one.

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9 Activities to Practice Rational versus Irrational Numbers

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Since students were in kindergarten they’ve been taught about numbers being a certain way. Then they hit middle school, and BOOM! in walks irrational numbers. Everything was concrete, but in that moment that certainty goes by the wayside. As students start to wrap their heads around these new classes of numbers, we start simply. At first, we just want students to see two categories of numbers: rational and irrational. That’s where these nine activities come in.

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15 Math Formative Assessments Strategies That Rock

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Any great teacher or coach is constantly assessing performance and giving timely and direct feedback. Formative assessments are paramount in the math classroom. There are some assessments that are more formal than others, but you have to plan them in order to make sure they happen. Also, you shouldn’t do assessments just because you’re supposed to do them. As teachers, we use, and value, formative assessment because they inform our feedback to students and the way we’ll deliver instruction in the future.

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Math review game: Bingo

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Playing games in a math classroom isn’t all about fun and, well, games. While games are undeniably more fun than worksheets, I’ve also seen my students get so much more math practice, and answer so many more math questions, through games. One game that’s always a hit, while being simple to set up and play, is Bingo. Bingo makes math review a snap to plan and it’s a lot of fun to play.

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Review Game Strategy That Works: Knockout Games

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Whole Class Math Review Game- Knockout Game

Knockout is a whole class review game with a couple of twists. It’s a favorite in my classroom and gets all students involved, while giving me a great chance to check on their progress.

Knockout games are a great math review game. Check out this step-by-step guide and see why this game is one of my students' absolute favorites.

Here’s the gist of it: a student chooses a character or icon from the screen and a question appears. Then, all students answer questions that are projected on the board. If they get the answer right, they get the points. Three times per game there’s a bonus. The student who chose the character or icon gets to then choose a bonus. They don’t know if it will be good for them or bad for them. Students love the bonuses, and I love that in a 20-30 minute game we get some really good practice.

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