There is always a point during math notes when you can feel some of your students start to shut down. A few students are still trying to copy the first example, while you have already moved on to the second problem. Some are staring at a crowded notebook page, trying to figure out where to write. Others have become so focused on copying every single word correctly that they missed the actual math instruction happening right in front of them. For many of our special education students, the challenge is not just learning the math concept itself. It is managing all the executive functioning tasks that come along with math instruction at the same time.

That is one reason why these math wheels can be such a helpful support in the classroom. Instead of overwhelming your students with disconnected notes and long pages of examples, math wheels organize information into smaller, manageable sections. The structure feels clear, predictable, and much less intimidating for your students who need extra support. What I love most is that math wheels do not lower the rigor of the lesson. They simply make the learning more accessible. Your students are still working through important math concepts. They are just doing so with visual support, guided organization, and scaffolded notes that help them stay focused and successful.

Why Structure Matters for Special Education Students

Many of our special education students struggle with cognitive overload during math instruction. They may be trying to process verbal directions, organize materials, remember vocabulary, copy notes, and solve problems all at the same time. Even our students who understand the math concept can become overwhelmed by the amount of information happening during a lesson.

That is why consistent structure matters so much. When your students already understand how the organizer works, they can spend less energy figuring out where to put information and more energy actually learning the skill. The predictable layout reduces stress and helps your students focus on the content.

Math wheels also naturally support that consistency. Each section has a clear purpose, and the visual organization helps your students break the lesson into smaller pieces. Instead of seeing an entire page full of notes, your students see one section or step at a time. That can make a huge difference for your students who become overwhelmed easily.

Math Wheels Naturally Support IEP Accommodations

One of the best parts about using math wheels with your special education students is how naturally they align with common IEP accommodations. Many of your students benefit from guided notes, chunked instruction, reduced copying demands, visual supports, repeated examples, and scaffolded practice. Math wheels already include many of those supports built directly into the resource.

The different versions are especially helpful because they allow you to differentiate without completely changing the lesson. Some of your students may use the open-note version and write everything independently. Others may need the fill-in version to help control spacing and reduce writing fatigue. Some of your students may benefit from the pre-filled notes version so they can focus entirely on understanding the math rather than keeping up with copying.

This flexibility makes it easier to support a wide range of learners within the same classroom. Your students can all participate in the same lesson while still receiving the level of support they individually need.

Reducing Note-Taking Anxiety During Math Lessons

Note-taking anxiety is something I do not think we talk about enough, especially for special education students. Some of your students become so worried about writing neatly, copying correctly, or keeping up with the pace of instruction that they stop engaging with the actual math.

Math wheels help remove some of that pressure. The guided format already provides the structure your students need, so they are not staring at a blank notebook page, wondering where to begin. This means that your students can focus on listening, participating, and connecting ideas instead of scrambling to organize their notes.

The visual layout also helps your students know exactly where to find information later. This becomes important during independent work, homework, small group instruction, or review days. Your students can return to the wheel and quickly locate vocabulary, examples, models, and reminders without flipping through multiple notebook pages. That sense of organization can build confidence for your students who often feel lost during math instruction.

Supporting Executive Functioning Skills in Math

Executive functioning skills play a huge role in math success. Your students need to organize information, manage materials, follow steps, remember procedures, and transition between tasks. Many of our special education students need explicit support in these areas.

Math wheels provide a visual roadmap that helps your students stay organized throughout the lesson. Each section clearly shows where information belongs and how the different parts connect together. Your students can visually track their learning instead of trying to hold everything in working memory.

The smaller sections also help your students keep their attention. Instead of completing one long page of notes, they work through shorter chunks of information, one section at a time. That pacing often feels much more manageable for your students who struggle with focus or attention.

The coloring and doodling opportunities can also help increase engagement. For some of your students, adding color coding, visuals, and creative elements helps the learning stick. It turns note-taking into something more interactive and less overwhelming.

Using the Metric Conversions Math Wheel with Special Education Students

My Metric Conversions Math Wheel is a great example of how visual structure can support your struggling learners. Metric conversions can easily become confusing because your students are trying to remember prefixes, unit relationships, and how many places to move when converting.

This math wheel breaks those ideas into smaller sections that your students can process more easily. Each metric prefix has its own space, along with visual reminders and guided notes. Your students can clearly see how the units connect together instead of memorizing disconnected rules. For your special education students, having a reference tool they can return to during independent practice can reduce frustration and increase confidence.

Using the Probability Math Wheel to Organize Abstract Concepts

Probability is another topic that can feel abstract for many of our students. Terms like theoretical probability, experimental probability, sample space, and outcomes can quickly become overwhelming when students are trying to keep track of new vocabulary and procedures at the same time.

The Probability Math Wheel helps organize those ideas into manageable sections with visuals and examples connected directly to the vocabulary. Instead of scattering notes across several pages, your students keep everything in one organized place. The wheel also gives your students repeated visual exposure to important concepts. That repetition can be extremely helpful for your special education students who benefit from seeing information presented multiple ways.

One thing I especially like is that the examples around the outside of the wheel create additional guided practice opportunities. Your students are not just copying notes. They are actively interacting with the skill throughout the activity.

Using the Fraction Concepts Math Wheel for Visual Learning

Fractions are one of those math concepts where visuals matter so much. Many of our students can memorize numerator and denominator vocabulary without truly understanding what fractions represent. That is why the Intro to Fractions Math Wheel works so well for your special education students.

The wheel combines definitions, fraction models, visual examples, color coding, and guided practice all in one place. Your students can physically see fractions represented while connecting the models to the vocabulary and numbers. I also made sure the wheel reinforces important foundational ideas like equal parts and unit fractions. Those concepts are often where our struggling learners need the most support.

Why You’ll Love Using Math Wheels With Your Learners

I could see a huge difference when I started using math wheels. My students stayed focused longer, participated more during notes, and felt less overwhelmed by the math. Instead of staring at a full page of scattered notes, they had a clear graphic organizer with visuals, examples, and information broken into manageable sections.

The engaging format made a big difference, too. I used math wheels for topics like inequalities, combining like terms, and integer operations. My students genuinely enjoyed working on them. The coloring, visuals, and organization helped keep them engaged while still reinforcing the math skills we were practicing.

What stood out most to me was how much more successful my students felt during lessons. The succinct information, scaffolded layout, and guided examples gave them support without making the work feel intimidating. My students were still being challenged academically, but they had the structure they needed to access the learning more confidently.

I also loved that the wheels became ongoing reference tools for my students. During independent practice or review days, they could look back at their math wheels instead of waiting for help every few minutes. That extra independence can be such a confidence booster for all of our students, especially for our special education students.

Helping Our Special Education Students Feel More Successful in Math

Many of our special education students walk into math class already feeling anxious or defeated. They may have experienced repeated frustration with note-taking, organization, or multi-step problems in the past. Small instructional shifts that reduce overwhelm can completely change how our students experience math.

Math wheels help create those small shifts. They provide visual structure, scaffolded support, organized notes, and guided practice in a format that feels approachable for students. They also give our students something they can continue using long after the lesson ends. Whether students are reviewing for a test, working independently, or participating in intervention groups, the math wheel becomes a helpful reference tool they can rely on. Most importantly, math wheels help our students feel capable. When our students can follow the lesson, stay organized, and successfully complete the math work, their confidence starts to grow alongside their understanding.

Explore More Math Wheels and Math Resources

If you are looking for more ways to support your special education students during math instruction, be sure to explore my full collection of math wheels and other math resources in my TPT store. You will find resources covering a wide variety of math skills, including fractions, probability, metric conversions, inequalities, combining like terms, integers, and more.

Most of these resources include scaffolded note options, guided practice, visuals, and engaging formats that help make math more accessible for your struggling learners. Grab review activities, task cards, color by number activities, math games, and additional supports that work well for intervention, small groups, and whole class instruction. Having consistent structures across multiple math topics can make a huge difference for your students who thrive on predictability and visual organization.

Supporting Your Special Education Students With Confidence and Structure

Supporting your special education students in math does not always require completely reinventing your instruction. Sometimes the biggest impact comes from giving your students better tools for organizing and processing information. Math wheels help reduce overwhelm, support executive functioning, lower note-taking anxiety, and create a visual structure that helps your students stay engaged throughout the lesson. They give your students access points into the learning while still maintaining high expectations and meaningful math instruction. When your students feel supported instead of overwhelmed, they are much more likely to participate, persist, and build confidence in their math abilities.

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The post Using Math Wheels to Support Special Education Students appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Throughout my years of teaching, especially in math, I’ve seen my share of students struggling. We want our students to be challenged but within reason. Sometimes this struggle is based on understanding the math concepts, but other times it is something completely different. It’s that “other times” that we’re going to talk about today. Specifically, how do poor executive function skills affect math performance? We’ll explore how these skills play a crucial role in mastering math and how tools like math wheels can come to the rescue!

What Are Executive Function Skills?

Think of executive function skills as the behind-the-scenes champions that help us navigate the complexities of daily life. At their core, executive function skills encompass a range of abilities that enable us to plan, organize, focus attention, regulate emotions, and tackle tasks with purpose and intentionality. Let’s take a closer look at the different components a bit more:

1. Planning and Organization: Have you ever mapped out your day, made to-do lists, and set goals? That’s your planning and organization skills at work! These skills help you break tasks into manageable steps, prioritize your time, and set yourself up for success.
2. Focus and Attention: Ah, the ability to concentrate amidst distractions. That’s a true superpower in this digital age with devices, apps, and TV screens! Focus and attention skills allow you to stay on task, filter out irrelevant information, and maintain concentration even when faced with tempting diversions (like that adorable cat video on YouTube).
3. Self-Regulation: Self-regulation skills help you manage your emotions, impulses, and behavior, allowing you to stay cool, calm, and collected in the face of challenges. It’s about hitting that pause button before reacting and making thoughtful, informed decisions.
4. Problem-Solving and Flexibility: Life’s full of curveballs, but with problem-solving and flexibility skills, you’re ready to conquer them! These skills enable you to adapt to new situations, think outside the box, and come up with solutions to overcome obstacles.

While some students have these executive function skills, others may need extra support and guidance to strengthen them. That’s where we, as educators, come in! When we are aware of these struggles with executive function skills in our students, we can incorporate strategies to develop these skills instead of assuming they’re just trying to avoid work.

Executive Function Skills in Math

Let’s chat about the connection between executive function skills and math class. Math class is more than just crunching numbers and memorizing formulas. It’s a playground, or a battlefield depending on how you look at it, for executive function skills. I still remember learning long division as a student, and a problem taking up the whole page. I almost reached the end, only to discover a mistake four steps before. Math steps build on one another, so if there’s a mistake along the way, students have to start over, just like I did.

This is where executive function skills come in very handy. Let’s take another look at the four main ones, this time with a focus on math and how weak executive function skills can impact math performance!

Planning and Organization

Our students who need help with executive function skills may find it challenging to plan and organize their approach to math tasks. They might need help breaking down complex problems into manageable steps or mapping out a strategy for solving them. As a result, they may feel overwhelmed and need help figuring out where to start, leading to lower performance in math.

Focus and Attention

Math can be a bit of a brain workout. With strong focus and attention skills, your students can tackle the trickiest of math concepts. Whether deciphering word problems or working through a challenging proof, the ability to concentrate and block out distractions is key. They might need help staying on task, following along with lessons, or completing assignments without getting sidetracked. This can result in careless errors, incomplete work, and lower math performance.

Self-Regulation

Math can be a source of frustration and anxiety for many students, but those with weak executive function skills may have trouble regulating their emotions and impulses during challenging tasks. They might become easily frustrated when faced with difficult problems. This could lead to avoidance or giving up early on in the learning process. This lack of perseverance can hinder their ability to master math concepts, resulting in lower performance.

I feel for my students who have math anxiety, especially when they find they made a mistake after doing so much work. We talk a lot in my classroom about what to do in those situations and how it’s okay to make mistakes. We look at ways to manage frustration, bounce back from setbacks, and persevere.

Problem-Solving and Flexibility

Math is all about problem-solving, but students with weak executive function skills may need help to apply effective problem-solving strategies. They might need help identifying relevant information, formulating a plan of action, or evaluating their solutions for accuracy. As a result, they may make more errors, take longer to complete tasks, and achieve lower scores on math assessments.

By honing these skills, your students are on their way to mastering math and all areas of life. With a little practice and perseverance, they will become stronger math whizzes in no time!

How to Help Students Who Lack Executive Function Skills

Alright, fellow educators, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and dive into the nitty-gritty of supporting students who may be struggling with executive function skills. I’ve got a toolbox full of tried-and-true strategies to help us empower our students to succeed. Here are some direct examples of what we can do:

Provide Clear Instructions and Expectations

One of the best ways to support students with executive function challenges is to provide clear, step-by-step instructions for tasks and assignments. Break down complex tasks into manageable chunks and clearly outline the expectations for each step. For example, when assigning a math project, provide a detailed rubric outlining the requirements, deadlines, and grading criteria. When I am writing out directions for a project, I make sure to write them as steps so my students can check them off as they go.

Model and Scaffold Problem-Solving Strategies

You can help your students develop problem-solving skills by modeling the process step-by-step. Break down sample problems into smaller, more manageable steps and guide them through each stage of the problem-solving process. I encourage them to verbalize their thought process, use vocabulary, and explain their reasoning aloud. For instance, when solving a challenging math problem, demonstrate how to identify key information, formulate a plan, and check for errors.

Use Visual Supports and Organizational Tools

Visual supports and organizational tools can be invaluable for our students struggling with executive function skills. Provide visual aids, such as graphic organizers, flowcharts, and diagrams, to help students visualize concepts and organize information. Additionally, encourage the use of tools like planners, checklists, and digital apps to help students manage their time, prioritize tasks, and stay organized.

Offer Flexibility and Supportive Feedback

Recognize that students with executive function challenges may need additional support and flexibility to succeed. Be flexible with deadlines and allow students extra time to complete assignments when needed. Provide supportive feedback that focuses on effort, progress, and growth rather than solely on outcomes. Celebrate small victories and acknowledge students’ perseverance in the face of challenges.

Teach Self-Regulation and Coping Strategies

You can also help students develop self-regulation skills by teaching them coping strategies for managing stress, frustration, and anxiety. Teach relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises and mindfulness practices, to help students calm their minds and bodies during challenging tasks. There are so many options for meditation or mindfulness practice that are only a few minutes, so no worries about taking away instruction time. A big must is to always encourage positive self-talk and self-reflection to help them build confidence in their abilities.

Math Wheels Can Help Students With Executive Function Skills

My math wheels are the perfect tool to help your students who may be struggling with their executive function skills. They are note-taking graphic organizers that break down your targeted math skill into simpler terms and steps. Remember how those bite-size chunks of instruction can help students with poor executive function skills? Well, that is exactly what Math Wheels do! And. . . they have proven an effective tool for all students. Explore Math Wheels Note-Taking Strategy to learn more about the benefits of math wheels!

Math wheels provide a structured framework for organizing information. With sections neatly divided and practice problems arranged in a pattern, your students can better manage complex math concepts and stay on track. Plus, they aren’t writing paragraphs of notes. They are writing short phrases or filling in the blanks and applying the step or direction immediately with examples.

The interactive nature of math wheels helps capture your students’ attention and keep them engaged. By incorporating elements like doodling and coloring, math wheels promote sustained focus and concentration. A win-win for mastering math skills.

As students tackle practice problems and apply key concepts, they engage in strategic planning and problem-solving. This approach helps develop critical thinking skills and enhances students’ ability to conquer math challenges with confidence. They also practice using a tool to assist them by using their notes.

Math wheels also encourage students to monitor their progress, identify areas of difficulty, and adjust their strategies. When I use math wheels, they help my students see where a sticky spot could be for them. This helps them self-advocate, leading our class discussions and practice problems. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by all the steps of a problem at once, they are able to focus on taking it one step at a time. They get to see how each step builds on the previous one to find the answer!

If you are looking for a tool to help your students become more successful in math class, take a look at Math Wheels. You can find math wheels for a variety of math skills and grade levels in my TPT store.

Continue to Build Students’ Executive Function Skills

As educators, it’s our mission to support our students in developing the executive function skills they need to succeed in math and beyond. By recognizing the importance of these skills and implementing strategies and tools like math wheels, we can help our students overcome obstacles and reach their full potential.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about mastering math concepts. We have a responsibility to equip our students with the skills they need to navigate the challenges of learning with confidence and resilience. Together, let’s continue to build a supportive and empowering learning environment where every student can thrive!

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The post How To Tell If Executive Function Skills Impact Math Performance appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Some days, it feels like I’m on a perpetual sprint, racing from one thing to another. I have music playlists, and I sing to my heart’s content. On the other hand, sometimes I want more to fuel my brain as I drive around or go on walks. That’s when I stumbled upon the vibrant universe of teaching podcasts. From there, I started adding them like crazy. I learned so many tips and tricks I used in my classroom. As I immersed myself in these podcasts, the hosts started feeling like old pals, understanding the highs and lows of my classroom journey. One day, a lightbulb moment hit me. Why not pay it forward to the teaching community with my own teaching podcast?

I envisioned sharing my own insights, tips, and strategies. Then I thought, why go solo when I could team up with a teaching pal? That’s when Brittany from Colorado Classroom and I joined forces to create The Teaching Toolbox Podcast. Today, we’re sharing our podcast, its mission, and the valuable insights we have to empower you and your students!

What is a Teaching Podcast?

You may be new to the world of podcasting, especially teaching podcasts. So, what exactly is a teacher podcast? A teacher podcast is an audio series created to talk about anything related to education. Educators, new and experienced, or education enthusiasts host these podcasts to chat about best practices, innovative classroom strategies, the ups and downs of teaching, how to make more income, and other avenues in the education world.

At its core, a teacher podcast makes the listener feel like they are in the room with the hosts. The material being talked about is shared in a conversational format. This allows the hosts the opportunity to share personal experiences, lead interviews with fellow educators, and explore perspectives within the education world. This conversational style allows for valuable insights while creating a sense of community. Educators are then united in a collective journey of shared victories and challenges.

Teacher podcasts offer convenient and flexible educational enrichment. These podcasts can fit into the rhythms of educators’ lives, whether during commutes, workouts, or relaxation time. Plus, they serve as an ongoing source of professional development. This helps educators to stay on top of the latest while not being bogged down by fancy jargon.

Most importantly, beyond their informational role, teacher podcasts grow a supportive and collaborative educational community. Through shared stories, challenges, and victories, hosts and listeners come together to connect, learn, and draw inspiration. Finding space in this environment contributes to the collective growth of the education community.

Meet The Hosts of Our Teaching Podcast

Brittany – The Colorado Classroom

My good friend Brittany brings 17 years of teaching experience to the table. Her time has also been split between the charm of elementary school and the hustle of middle school. Although she’s worn many subject hats, history and math hold a special place in her pedagogical heart.

Brittany says, “Since 2013, I’ve been crafting teacher curricula, finding immense joy in supporting educators’ growth. Come visit me at The Colorado Classroom! I have a collection of resources geared toward upper elementary and middle school social studies. I love any opportunity to bring the past back to life with my young historians! Beyond the classroom, I’m a devoted wife to my high school sweetheart and a proud mom of two.”

“In my educational journey, which began in ’98, I’ve developed a fondness for hands-on teaching, celebrating students in all ways, and problem-solving. I’m looking forward to you joining us as we navigate the realm of growth, inspiration, and an enhanced teaching experience.”

Ellie – Cognitive Cardio Math

I’m Ellie, a dedicated wife, proud mom, delighted grandma, and devoted “mom” to two fur babies. My life has revolved around the school bell, accumulating almost three decades of educational experience. During this time, I’ve worn various hats. I’ve taught all subjects in 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades and dove into Math, ELA, and Science in 6th-grade middle school.

Since 2012, I’ve been crafting valuable resources for teachers and I also immersed myself in the eLearning industry. I’d love for you to come visit me at Cognitive Cardio Math. I have a whole library of resources to help make math more approachable for your learners. As an active educator over the last 30 years, my journey has been anchored in teaching math (among other subjects) across 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Math isn’t just a subject for me, but a true passion.

I embody the mindset of being a life-long learner, always seeking solutions and embracing the role of a teacher-coach. I look forward to you joining us on our podcast as we explore ways for continuous growth as educators!

Our Podcast’s Mission for You, the Listeners

We have created The Teaching Toolbox Podcast as a go-to sanctuary for any educators in search of strategies and inspiration. Our hopes were to create a space where teachers could immerse themselves in relatable, relevant, and approachable information. From the knowledge we’ve gathered through our time as educators to bringing on knowledgeable teacher guests to share invaluable tips and strategies, we are guaranteeing to elevate your classroom journey.

From the art of lesson planning to the intricacies of classroom management, this podcast is your compass for navigating the challenges of teaching. We’ve been where you’ve are. Together, we offer you a cumulative teaching experience of over 50 years. Each teaching podcast episode brings a blend of knowledge, expertise, and real-life insights, with some current research added here and there. With each episode, you’ll be able to walk back into your classroom ready to apply the strategy, advice, or new mindset!

Topics of Teaching Podcast Episodes

We completely understand how valuable your time is as an educator! When we choose to give an activity our attention, we are making it a priority. With that in mind, we set out to create episodes that give you valuable information relevant to today’s classroom. Let’s be honest: how many times have we sat in a PD wondering when the last time the presenter set foot in a classroom? Many more times than we’d like, I’m sure. Brittany and I cover recent topics that give you actionable tips, strategies, and ideas to immediately take back to your classroom.

The amazing news is that we already have a slew of episodes for you to explore and start being inspired by! We have chatted about “Establishing a Positive Classroom Culture” and “Scaffolding Learning in the Classroom.” We’ve delved into practical strategies with episodes like “3 Games for the Classroom You Can Take and Play Today” and explore the ins and outs of “Behavior and Discipline in the Classroom.” From navigating the challenges of substitutes to insights on “Celebrating Holidays in the Classroom,” each episode unfolds with actionable advice.

Brittany and I share valuable tips on grading efficiency in “How to Grade Efficiently with 10 Tips and Tricks” and master the art of “Navigating Parent-Teacher Conferences in Middle School.” The podcast further dives into study skills, effective transitions, utilizing color, and implementing a classroom economy. We even address issues like burnout and depression while teaching. With featured experts, including Danna Rodebush on “Math Fact Fluency” and survival strategies for “Evaluation Season,” The Teaching Toolbox Podcast equips you with various tools to thrive in every aspect of your teaching journey.

Where to Find The Teacher Toolbox Podcast

We hope you take some time to join us anywhere you can listen to podcasts. Some of the major platforms to listen to The Teacher Toolbox Podcast are Apple Podcasts and Spotify. By exploring our pod link, you’ll see all the podcast platforms and a directory of all of our episodes.

You can also visit our podcast’s website, The Teaching Toolbox Podcast. Here, you can read about us and learn more about each episode. The show notes give you a summary of the episode, any resources we used or recommended, and how to connect with us online.

Brittany and I want this experience to be more than just us talking to each other and you all on the outside listening in. We want to ensure we cover topics and invite guests you’re eager to learn about and from. If you would like to share something on a future episode, from questions to insights to ideas, please feel free to visit our Contribute page. To invite a guest for a future episode, visit our Recommend A Guest page on our website. You’ll fill out a questionnaire that gives us some background information about the recommended guest speaker and how to reach out to them. If you ever want to contact us, head to the Contact page on our website. You’ll be able to email us with your message!

Join our Teaching Podcast Family

Our teaching podcast is a living space where we, as educators, come together, learn, and find inspiration. Our listeners and ourselves feel seen and heard. Each episode, spanning a wide range of topics, imparts valuable information while, at the same time, fostering a sense of community. It truly feels like we share victories and work through challenges to weave connections. On top of all that, we are living out our promises of being lifelong learners and continuously growing for the benefit of our kiddos.

As you join us, I hope you feel empowered and refreshed to take what you learn to your classrooms. Brittany and I are excited to move along this journey with you! We hope you find this space beneficial to your career and classroom life. Never hesitate to contact us, contribute to our podcast, or send suggestions. We are committed to creating a collaborative community space! Thank you for being part of our podcast family!

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Remember to save this post to your favorite Pinterest board for when you are looking for the next beneficial teaching podcast!

The post Teaching Podcast To Inspire and Empower Educators appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

The post Making Math Homework Work! appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Fall Activities Found!
Middle school students still like those fun seasonal activities:-)

Many years ago (I have no idea how many) I used a graph paper coloring activity with my middle-schoolers. I don’t remember where the idea came from, and I had even forgotten that I ever used it!
However, I was looking through an old “November” file to find some ideas for a fun activity for a sub day, and found the tracers and examples in my file.

When I found it, I DID remember that the kids REALLY enjoy this activity. My 6th grade students had fun creating the pictures and deciding what colors to include. (My sample pumpkin below only uses orange, green and brown, but students could use ANY colors they want.)

So, I gathered materials (graph paper, tracers, colored pencils, thin black markers, construction paper) and left them for the sub, with the directions below.

Fall Pictures with Graph Paper

Instructions:

1. Students take one piece of graph paper (I use the tiny squares, but younger students could use larger ones).
2. Place the tracer under the graph paper and trace the outline and details of the shape.
3. Color the squares with different shades, alternating light and dark (colored pencils work much better than markers), or different colors.
4. When finished, outline in black, and go over the detail lines in a darker color.
5. Cut out and glue onto construction paper.

This is a great way to create attractive pictures any time and is an engaging activity for fast finishers, a center activity or just a fun day.

I was just so excited to find it again that I thought I’d share:-) 

You can select the button below to download the tracers.

Download the Tracers

Free Cross Number Puzzle
I also left academic activities for the sub:

• The FREE math cross number puzzle pictured here
• Fall math color by number 
• Fall Footloose math task cards
  
• Fall Multi-Digit Multiplication Color by Number

The color by number and Footloose task cards are both mixed math practice and great to use for review any time. (I used them in 6th grade math.)

Additional Fall Resource for Middle School

If you also teach language arts, I have a great Parts of Speech color by answer for you!

In this activity, students decide on the parts of speech of words, based on the context of the sentences they’re in. 

• Then they color according to the part of speech they chose as their answer.

I hope you can use some of these fall activities!

There are also a few new (2025) Halloween math activities below, in case you’d like to include some coloring fun with Halloween math practice. 

• Each resource includes a question page, color by number page, and coloring page with no numbers, just for fun.
• Each resource also includes a Halloween logic puzzle!

The post Engaging Fall Activities for Middle School appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Having the perfectly-run, efficient and effective math class….that’s been my goal, year after year. Somehow, in middle school, it has consistently tried to evade me!

In other posts, I’ve shared  that I taught elementary math for years, and always had an hour for math class. That hour gave me the time I wanted to have good warm-ups every day (sometimes taking up half the class with one particular problem that led to additional discussion/extension!); the hour gave me the time to go over homework the way I wanted to. And it still gave me time for a new lesson and practice.

The post Making the Most of Your 40-Minute Math Class appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Making Math Stations Work in 40-Minute Class Periods

I taught elementary school for 12 years and I loved my math centers (or math stations, as you might call them)! They were great. They provided my students with focused practice time for the skills we had learned.  When I moved to middle school I wanted that same thing for my students.  But I found myself asking “Can I have math centers in middle school?” Keep reading to find out how I made it happen.

Math class was always an hour, and we had five computers in the classroom, so having a computer center was always an option.

Then I moved to middle school. Math class was 44 minutes (minus time for switching classes…..so more like 40 minutes). How could I fit more than two math station rotations in a 40-minute period?? 

I longed for block scheduling (our district has never had it)…that would make it so much easier to complete math center rotations!

For the first year or two of middle school, I kind of gave up on the idea of math centers…the activities I wanted students to complete took longer than 20 minutes. So, the class period would be enough time to finish two math station rotations, IF students started the second they walked in the door and then had no time to clean up/organize at the end of class.

But eventually I needed to get my math centers back, so I experimented with a few different set-ups. After a little trial and error I landed on a structure that works and makes math centers in middle school work.

Math Center Structure

I willingly admit that I have not found a perfect solution….40 minutes is just too short a time-period for math class!

However, I’ve figured out what works for me, and maybe it can work for you too, if you also have short math classes.  It might not be perfect but there are so many benefits to having math centers in middle school math classes.  So here’s the solution I use.

My math centers are:

• One center per day
• 30 minutes a day
• For 3-4 days, depending on the topic

Assigning Math Center Groups and Tasks

There are many ways to group students and assign tasks, but these are the grouping/activity options I normally stick to:
1) When we only do three days, I create six groups and prepare two sets of materials for some tasks.

• Students will all complete three tasks over the course of the three days, but they might not all complete the same three…it depends on the topic, their needs, and my goals.
• The image below has two different examples of how I might assign the tasks.

2) When we do four days, I create four to six groups (if my class size is the usual 27-30).

• If I have only four groups, I usually assign them each a different task and then rotate through those tasks over the four days.
• If I have five or six groups, then I’ll have two groups complete the same task on the same day, similar to the three-day example.

Fast Finishers During Math Centers

My math students are not ability-grouped, so they finish activities at various times.

• I decided that I have to be ok with some students/groups finishing early and others not finishing (or finishing during a free, non-math period).
• Doing one math center a day, for about 30 minutes allows for some flexibility here.

If group members finish early, they can do the following:

1) Finish another center activity, if they had something unfinished.  

2) Complete a math color by number from our “finished early” resource bin.

3) Answer the math trivia cards – a set that isn’t one of the center activities. (click here to grab this free resource!)

4) Use the pentominoes that we use on the first day of math class – there are always students who want to complete this challenge!

5) Use a technology source for additional math practice, if extra computers are available.

Before Using Math Centers in Middle School

Just like when I was in an elementary classroom, before we start using math centers in middle school, I make sure students have a complete understanding of expected behavior AND of the activities they’ll be completing.

• We complete the different activities together with different concepts at the beginning of the year, and then I use those activities in the centers, using some of the same ones each time.

Six Activities for Math Centers in Middle School

The math center activities I typically use are:

1) Footloose task cards:
Students are up and around the room for this, so I typically assign only one or two groups per day. (I’ve added a bunch of Google Slides versions of these for more options:-) Read more about Footloose activities here.

2) Math Truth or Dare Game
(with paper and pencil):
This version is a group game, so I only assign one group per day, for less “noise” in the room. They have to talk, and they definitely have fun with this one! 

OR Google Truth or Dare:
I created digital versions of these math games. This allows two different groups to complete the same activity, but one group can use whatever technology we have available.

• This version could be played by group members independently or in teams.
• Learn more about Truth or Dare math games here.

I have these on a website now too = more options!

3) Color by Number:
This is a quiet activity that provides some self-checking practice. Students can also check answers with their group members if they’d like.

• (Students often don’t finish the coloring during the center time, so I have them complete all the problems first and then color….they can come back to the coloring if they finish an activity early on another day.)

• I’ve added digital versions of these….great for students who are absent and easy to use the activity with two different center groups.

4) Math Doodle Wheels:
I use this as a teacher-guided center sometimes, but I can also use the wheels as an independent center for review – students can copy the notes and complete the practice on their own.

• Coloring is similar to color by number – that part is last and they can return to it later.

• These math wheels get added to students’ binders to keep for the year, so they can finish coloring any time they finish something early.
• Learn more about this note-taking method in this post.

5) Problem Solving: 
I make this a collaborative center (I love when students have math conversations!), but it could also be independent work. 

6) Math Trivia Cards:
This is a fun activity to practice more general knowledge, with less calculation involved.

• Students can just quiz each other and share correct answers, or they can record their answers to be checked later. 
• There are three sets: Numbers and Operations, Geometry, and Algebraic Concepts (link to download them is below.)

As you can see, some of the center rotations require students to work together, while others allow them to work independently.

• I like to have this mix, so students can share ideas and solving methods but also have time to work with the concepts and skills on their own. 
• I also like to compare the work they did alone with the work they completed with others:-)

What to Do With Finished Math Center Work

When students complete a center assignment, I have them put that assignment into a specific tray in my classroom.

• I go through the trays at the end of each day and use my checklist to record who has handed in their work.
• I do grade all of the math center activities….sometimes it takes me quite a while!!

Activity Sets for Math Centers in Middle School

I have sets of 4-5 math center activities for each of the topics below, so these are the ones I use/have used. However, I don’t use all of them every year…because, time! 

I pick and choose based on student needs, time of year, etc. 

To check out the center activities, click the images below.

(I have 2-3 activities for many other topics, but won’t bundle those until I have 4-5.)

Have fun with your math centers in middle school!  They can change the look and feel of your classroom AND change how your students feel about math.

Access the Math Trivia Cards

The post Math Centers in Middle School appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Process for Exploring Surface Area

• While some groups are able to write a formula that reflects a correct understanding of the concept (though not written correctly “variable-wise”), others often remain stumped.
• Even though they are stumped about writing a formula, the “stumped groups” are usually able to explain to me HOW they found their surface area.
• Most of them explain that they found the area of the front and multiplied by 2 because the back is the same; they found the area of the top and multiplied by 2 because the bottom was the same, and the same idea for the sides; then they added those three sums together.
• Other groups find the area of all six surfaces and add them all.
• Some groups will find the area of the 3 different sides, add them and then multiply by 2. 

Based on our conversations, I know when they have found a correct way to find the surface area (or can then guide them if they are off track – the conversations are so important!). When it comes to writing a formula, some groups get very close, but have to be guided toward naming the length, width, and height with different variables.

Fast Finishers

Wrapping Up and Moving to Surface Area Notes

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Teaching Box-and-Whisker Plots in 6th Grade Math

Box-and-whisker plots are a brand new concept for my 6th-grade math students, and when 6th graders are first introduced to them, they seem a little scary. 

However, with some structured directions, students catch on very quickly.

As with all math concepts, there are different approaches to teaching this one. 

See Box and Whisker Plot Resources

What has worked in my classes is this: 

I break the creation of the box-and-whisker plot into 5 steps, in order to plot the 5 points needed to create the box and whiskers:

1) Order the data set from least to greatest.

2) Identify the smallest and largest values; place those points on the number line (above the number line).

3) Identify the median and place that point on the number line.

• Students need to understand and remember that if there’s an even number of numbers in the data set, the median will be the mean of the two middle numbers. Even though they’ve found median in the past, many students tend to need this reminder.

4) Find the first and third quartiles and place those points on the number line.

This step can be tricky for students…I’ve found it to be the step that most often throws off their box.

• Here’s what I’ve noticed: when there’s an odd number of numbers in the data set, it’s a little easier for students – the median is not included in the upper and lower halves of the data, so they have no trouble with circling the halves on either side of the median and then finding the median of each half, as in figure 1.

• When the data set has an even number of numbers, students need to remember that the median is between numbers and that exactly half of the numbers are in the upper half of the data and half are in the lower, as shown in figure 2.

The common mistake students make is to assume that since the two middle numbers (in this case 6 and 7) were used to find the median, they aren’t part of the upper and lower halves. 

This throws off their 1st and 3rd quartiles. I’ve found it’s important to spend extra time on the different scenarios possible in this step. I’ve also found that drawing that middle line to represent the median is a very helpful visual.

5) Draw the box and whiskers:
a) Draw a box, with the (vertical) end lines going through the points of the first and third quartiles.
b) Draw a vertical line through the median.
c) Draw lines from the box to the least and greatest values.

Box-and-Whisker Plot Fold It Up

I created this notes/fold-it-up a couple years ago, to help guide my students as they began creating box-and-whisker plots on their own. 

There are two versions: a blank one for students and a completed one for me:-) 

(If students miss the instruction due to absence, I give them a copy of my completed version when they return.)

Using the blank version, I walk the students through their creation of the box-and-whisker plot. And when we’re done, they have the notes for their independent work.

The only folding part of this fold-it-up is the section at the very bottom that has the definitions of the vocabulary. 

Students will need to cut the vertical lines along the bottom, fold them up, and then write the vocabulary words on the outside of the flaps

• quartiles
• first quartile
• third quartile
• variation
• interquartile range

Download the Fold it Up Here

Box-and-Whisker Plots Notes and Practice

I recently created a box-and-whisker math wheel. 

It has the same steps outlined above, just in a different format, which is a little more colorful and fun! Both of these resources are great for interactive notebooks!

See the Wheel on TPT

Box and Whisker Plot Practice

If you need some additional, engaging practice for box-and-whisker plots, check out this color by number activity!

The problems in this activity require students to identify:

• First quartile
• Median
• Third quartile
• Interquartile range

Check out the color by number

• Range
• Minimum
• Maximum
• Number that would be in each quartile, based on a number of students surveyed
• Data in terms of percent (25%, 50%, 75%)

Box-and-Whisker Plots Lesson ~ Reading and Creating

If you’d like a full lesson, which includes the fold-it-up and additional guided and independent pages plus exit tickets, check out the lesson using the button below.

See the Full Lesson Here

Interested in more Fold It Ups? Check out these blog posts:

• Integers Fold it Up Freebie
• Fraction, Decimal, Percent Fold it Up for Middle School Math
• Using the Ladder Method in Middle School Math, for GCF, LCM, Factoring

The post Teaching Box-and-Whisker Plots appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Why Ping Pong?

Ping Pong and Math Facts

• When the score is 5-0, 4-1, or 3-2, serving switches.
• To switch servers at 10 points, players need to know that the score would be: 10-0, 9-1, 8-2, 7-3, 6-4, or 5-5.
• When serving switches at a total of 15 points, the score possibilities are: 15-0, 14-1, 13-2, 12-3, 11-4, 10-5, 9-6, 8-7.
• At 20 points, the score would be: 20-0, 19-1, 18-2, 17-3, 16-4, 15-5, 14-6, 13-7, 12-8, 11-9, 10-10.

Engaging Kids with Games

• Math Games for Teachers: Activities for an Epic Start to the Year
• Engaging Fraction Games and Activities
• 7 Amazing Homeschool Math Games
• Math Review Games for Parents to Empower Their Learners
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The post Practice Math Facts with Ping Pong! appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

2. Patience

3. Engaging Teaching Style

4. Adaptability

5. Social Awareness And Empathy

The post Five Must Have Skills for Middle School Teachers appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Lots of teachers use beach balls for fun math in middle school and elementary classrooms, but I haven’t used them in such a long time that I thought I’d share my excitement about finally getting some new ones!

I often used beach balls for basic math fact practice when I taught 4th and 5th grades in the elementary school

Our math classes aren’t that long, but I figure I can squeeze in 5 minutes of extra math review at the end of class once or twice a week. We can toss the beach balls around for some quick math practice:-)

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