Move and Groove with engaging activities Linda Faulk Marcella cook

Research now says that when students are moving, their brains are more actively engaged. So Let’s Get Them Moving…..

Row Relays Quick paced review using a collaborative environment. Students are placed in rows, and each person has a worksheet on their desk. They put their name on their sheet, and work problem 1. The worksheet is left on the desk. Then everyone gets up and moves back 1 seat, person at back comes to front.

Row Relays Each person checks problem 1 on the worksheet and initials it if correct, then does problem 2. This continues until every student is back in their original seat—sometimes 5 rounds, sometimes 6. They then examine their worksheet for any uninitialed problem and conference with that person.

Row Relay Sample

Matching Cards There are different types of matching cards that we use in the classroom, and they are used in all different types of ways. I have a handout explaining different ways on the google doc for you. One type of matching card is to have 2 equations that have the same solution, or two systems that have the same solution. Students need to solve their individual equation or system and then find their partner.

Matching Cards There are different types of matching cards that we use in the classroom, and they are used in all different types of ways. I have a handout explaining different ways on the google doc for you. One type of matching card is to have 2 equations that have the same solution, or two systems that have the same solution. Students need to solve their individual equation or system and then find their partner.

Matching Cards Another type is a simple problem/answer type of card. Student either alone/pairs/groups can take a set and then match them up, showing their work. Or some of the matching cards are a problem on one side and graph or number line on the other side.

Matching Card Sample

Treasure Hunts Students work in groups solving problems. The solution to that problem is the next problem they find to work on. It is magic and self checking. If a mistake is made, they need to retrace their steps and find their error.

Treasure Hunt Sample For my support classes, they may need some scafforlding before they are comfortable solving a problem. So this form of Treaqsure Hunt gives them a multiple choice, which will lead to a dead end if they don’t have the right solutions.

Treasure Hunt Sample For other students, or students who have had sufficient application and practice, they are ready to complete problems and do the treasure hunt with this version. Same rules apply, and if solutions are correct, they will lead to a dead end and students will need to back track to find their error.

Scoot Scoot cards are “task cards” where one card is placed on each desk. Students answer on their answer sheet and then “scoot” to the next seat when teacher yells out. Good review and practice. I always include some fun cards in there that gets students laughing.

Scoot Sample

ALSO FREE FOR ALL STATION TASKS

Speed Dating Can be used with matching cards or with worksheet. The first pair works on 1 assigned problem together, making sure each person is an expert. Then one row stays in their seat and the other row moves one seat. Each new pair teaches their problem to each other. Great talking activity, great for struggling learners and each person hears ways to solve math in different ways.

Travel All Around A Travel Around is an activity where students walk around and work with other students to solve a problem. In this sample, they are factoring trinomials. When they have solved the problem together, they sign each others sheet and travel to the next person. This forces students to talk to several different people instead of the “smart” kids or their “friends”. Accountability plus movement.

Dominos This is not your grandfathers’ game using dotted tiles. This uses problems and answers/graphs to help students review and practice in a fun partner or group game. Cut out the dominoes, place face down and mix up. Everyone draws an equal number of dominoes (the entire set must be used).

Dominos Person with start goes first and places it down and now whoever has the match to that domino places the next, continuing until one person is out of dominoes. I have played 5 games with Marcella and she has won each game. Either she is very good or I am very unlucky or a little of both.

Domino Sample

Mystery Madness I love a mystery and so do students. So in the interest of engaging and entertaining my students, I have “gone missing” in a story with systems, I have been “murdered” with linear equations, I have been “stalked” with proportions and I have been in a Walmart fight during Black Friday. Students solve the math to solve the story and find out what has happened to me....and once I had students write their own story—using math of course but they had to be the star.

Mystery Madness Sample

Team Competitions This is great as a warm up—or at least I envision it that way. But sometimes a class plays for minutes. Review problems are placed on a handout, each person on the team does one problem or fixes one previous answer and then passes it to the next person. They can only talk to the person in front or behind (if they are in rows) or next to (in groups or at tables).

Team Competitions When all the answers are finished, one person adds up the answers, runs to the front and rings the bell. They write the answer for the teacher who either says “Congratulations” or “Sorry” and the game continues until we have winners.

Team Comp Sample