The holidays bring so much excitement, and that excitement can spill right into the classroom. Between Christmas concerts, class parties, and winter break countdowns, it can be tough to keep our students focused on math. I’ve been there trying to review key concepts while my students have been buzzing about snow days and the holidays. That’s why I love incorporating Christmas-themed math activities that make learning feel festive instead of forced. These kinds of activities tap into the magic of the season while keeping your classroom routine intact. When math review feels like a game, your students are more likely to stay on task. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite Christmas math resources. Let’s take a look at how you can use each one to keep learning merry and bright in your classroom this season.

Why Holiday-Themed Math Resources Work

When December rolls around, our students are pulled in so many directions, such as holiday performances, family plans, and end-of-semester excitement. It’s no wonder their focus starts to fade. That’s where Christmas math activities come in handy. They help channel all that festive energy into productive learning time rather than trying to fight it.

Christmas math resources add a seasonal touch that sparks interest. When a worksheet features Christmas graphics, it no longer feels like “just another math assignment.” Your students will buy in faster and stay on task longer because it feels relevant to what’s happening in their world right now. The best part is that these activities can fit seamlessly into your regular math block without requiring you to rewrite your lesson plans.

The real benefit is that your students associate positive emotions with learning when they’re having fun. They start to see math as something creative, not just procedural. So instead of feeling distracted by the holiday buzz, your students end up eager to solve one more problem.

Color by Number Christmas Math Activities

Color by number math pages are always a classroom favorite! My Winter Holiday Mixed Math Color by Number and Winter Math Coloring by Number activities make review time feel like art time. Each one combines mixed math practice, from addition and subtraction to exponents and equations, with a coloring challenge that reveals a festive image. Your students don’t even realize how much math they’re practicing because they’re so focused on completing the design.

These activities work well as early finisher tasks, sub plans, or even as part of a December math review. They’re also great for morning work or to use as a bell ringer activity during the busy weeks leading up to break because they’re quiet, independent, and calming. Just copy the pages, add some colored pencils or crayons, and you’re ready to go. They’re especially nice for those moments when your students need structure, but you need something low-prep.

If you want them to really take their time, have your students hang their finished artwork in the hallway or around the classroom. It instantly transforms your space into a space that shows off math pride. You could even have your students solve their problems in partners and color together to promote teamwork while reinforcing key skills.

Holiday Multi-Digit Multiplication Practice

For your students who are ready to strengthen their multiplication fluency, my Holiday Multi-Digit Multiplication Color by Number activity brings rigor and creativity together. Your students will practice multiplying 2-digit, 3-digit, and even 4-digit numbers, all while working toward revealing a festive image. It’s a sneaky way to review the standard without it feeling repetitive.

This resource includes both print and digital versions, so it’s easy to use whether you’re teaching in person or online during a snow day. You will love the extra finishing touches it offers, like having your students write their names on the stockings at the end. The finished pages make the perfect bulletin board display, especially when you add a little cotton or glitter to make them pop.

You can also pair your students up to check one another’s work before they color. This gives them the chance to explain their math thinking out loud. That’s a great way to reinforce accuracy and reasoning. Plus, working with a peer makes the activity feel more like a game than an assignment, which is exactly the kind of engagement we want in December!

Coordinate Plane Christmas Graphing

If you’re looking for something hands-on that’s great for your older students, the Holiday Coordinate Plane Graphing activity is a must-try. Your students will plot ordered pairs in all four quadrants, connect their points, and slowly reveal a Christmas-themed picture. They’ll practice precision and attention to detail. Those are two skills that sometimes get lost when your students are itching for winter break.

This is one of those activities that keeps even the most restless learners quiet and focused. Once the picture begins to form, your students will get excited to see what it will turn into, so they stay motivated to finish. It’s a great way to review graphing and coordinate skills while giving your students a visual reward for their accuracy.

Afterward, let your class display their finished designs in the hall or complete a gallery walk around the room. Seeing their math work turn into art builds a sense of accomplishment. It also reminds your students that math is more than just numbers on a page. It’s also about patterns, precision, and creativity.

Digital Pixel Art for Christmas Math Practice

For a fun and tech-friendly twist, Christmas Pixel Art activities are the perfect digital option. These self-checking Google Sheets automatically reveal a hidden picture when your students enter the correct answers. With templates for reindeer, penguins, ornaments, and more, your students get instant feedback and visual rewards for solving correctly.

You can easily adapt these templates to fit whatever math topic you’re reviewing. Just insert your own questions, and assign them in Google Classroom. Then, you can watch your students’ screens come alive with festive images. It’s a great way to keep everyone focused while reviewing key concepts such as fractions, decimals, and equations.

These are especially effective during the final week before winter break when structure is needed, but energy levels are high. Your students will stay engaged because they love seeing the image build with every correct response. You can even challenge them to create their own pixel art questions to share with classmates.

Practice Adding and Subtracting Decimals

We all know that those final days before break are not for jumping into new material. The best use of time is reviewing previously taught skills. This review right before the break can be an effective way to keep your students’ skills sharp. If one of those skills has to do with decimals, then I have just what you need.

This Adding and Subtracting Decimals Christmas math activity is a great addition to your December lesson plans. Combining the engaging power of the holidays and color by number, your students will work through 20 addition and subtraction with decimals problems as they reveal the picture.

Your students will practice working with decimals to the tenths, hundredths, and thousandths positions. They will also be exposed to both traditional equations and word problems. It’s a great practice or review activity that fits the holiday season perfectly.

Additional Math Resources to Make Math Approachable

If you loved these Christmas math ideas, you’ll definitely want to check out my TPT store for even more math fun all year long! You’ll find full-length math units and engaging resources for other holidays, too.

Each resource is designed to make math meaningful, hands-on, and low-prep for you to help your students enjoy learning without the stress. Whether you need something for winter, back to school, or those tricky months in between, there’s a resource ready for you. Head over to my TPT store to explore all my math activities, task cards, and bundles that keep your students practicing with purpose while having fun all year!

Keeping Your Students Engaged with Christmas Math Activities

Engagement can dip quickly as winter break gets closer. With the right mix of hands-on and visual learning, your students can stay motivated and focused even during the busiest time of year. Christmas math resources make review feel fresh, fun, and meaningful. They give your students a sense of accomplishment and a healthy outlet for that extra seasonal energy.

Each of these activities helps you maintain your academic expectations without needing to fight for attention. They encourage independence, persistence, and accuracy while keeping math practice stress-free. When your students are laughing, coloring, or collaborating, you know they’re still learning. That’s the beauty of weaving the holidays into your math lessons. You’re creating memorable experiences that balance fun with focus.

Save for Later

If you’re ready to add a little magic to your December lesson plans, save this post for inspiration to your favorite teaching or holiday Pinterest boards. These Christmas math activities are not only engaging but also easy to prep. This makes them perfect for busy teachers who want to keep learning joyful during the holidays.

The post Engaging Christmas Math Activities Your Students Will Love appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Every time a holiday rolls around, I can feel a shift in my students’ energy levels. They get so excited about the festivities that keeping them focused on learning becomes a bit trickier. That’s why I turn to the holiday math activities I have collected throughout the years. The themed activities are the perfect way to tap into whichever holiday excitement we’re near while still keeping our students on track academically. Today, I’m sharing the color by number activities that let me channel my students’ holiday buzz into something productive. They help my students stay engaged, even when their minds are already halfway to the holiday!

Engaging Students With Holiday Math Activities

Celebrating different holidays throughout the school year can be a fun way to break up the routine and bring a little excitement into our classrooms. When it comes to deciding whether or not we should celebrate with activities like holiday math activities, there are definitely some pros and cons to consider.

On the plus side, holiday-themed activities can make learning feel more relevant and exciting. Using a Thanksgiving color by number can connect math practice to something our students are already thinking about. These kinds of activities often feel like a treat, which can be a big motivator, especially as energy levels rise and attention spans shorten. Plus, holiday math activities can help our students see learning as something that’s woven into their everyday lives, even during festive times.

However, there are some challenges. Not every student celebrates the same holidays. Being mindful of that is key. We want all students to feel included and comfortable in our classrooms. That’s why I often stick with more seasonally themed activities, like “winter” or “fall” rather than specific holidays, to keep things more inclusive. In the end, holiday math activities can definitely work well, as long as we’re thoughtful about how we approach them and aim to create a welcoming environment for everyone.

Interested to hear more pros and cons about celebrating the holidays with our students? Make sure to listen to our podcast episode, Celebrating Holidays in the Classroom.

Using Color by Number for Holiday Math Activities

Your students will love these holiday math activities! This bundle offers a series of engaging color by number activities that align with different holidays throughout the year. It makes math practice festive and fun while keeping it academic. It’s perfect for mixing up your routine with a seasonal twist that covers everything from fall and Thanksgiving to summer and Valentine’s Day.

Each activity is a self-checking math review that your students can work through independently. They solve math problems and find the matching answer on the coloring sheet. Then, they use the assigned color to fill in that section. With themes like New Year’s, Christmas, and St. Patrick’s Day, these activities capture your students’ holiday excitement while reinforcing essential skills like adding decimals, multiplying whole numbers, evaluating exponents, and solving one-step equations. With digital versions included for four of the resources, they’re super flexible for in-class or at home.

In this bundle, you’ll find nine unique resources for eight different holidays or seasons. They’re perfect for centers, sub days, or just a fun, low-prep day when you want to keep students learning and give them a bit of holiday cheer. Whether it’s Thanksgiving or a winter theme, these holiday math activities are a fantastic way to engage your students in seasonal math practice!

How to Incorporate These Holiday Math Color by Number Activities

There are so many creative ways to bring holiday math activities to life using color by number activities in your math class! With these ideas, you can transform color by number activities into an engaging tool in your classroom. By doing so, you can also bring a festive spin to math practice that your students will love! Here are a few fun ideas from the resource to make the most of these activities:

Partner or Small Group Work

Sometimes, working in pairs or small groups can really boost engagement. You can have students each solve the problems independently. Then, they check in with their partner or group to compare answers before they color. This setup allows them to learn from each other and work on communication skills. Plus, it’s a great way to bring in some peer collaboration!

Switch Up the Coloring Style

Why stick to plain old coloring when you can add some flair? Encourage your students to use crayons, markers, or even watercolors. Try patterns instead of solid colors. Purple stripes or green polka dots can create unique and creative masterpieces. This variation adds a twist that makes these holiday math activities even more exciting.

Create a Calming Zen Day

Coloring is known for its calming effects, so why not make a whole Zen Day out of it? Dim the lights, put on some soft music, and let your students choose a comfy spot to work. This approach allows for some math review and helps your students decompress and relax. This is especially helpful during stressful times, like before testing.

Use Digital Options

Many color by number resources come with digital versions. If you’re equipped with tech resources, let your students try out digital coloring. They solve the problems, type in their answers, and fill the sections with the right colors on a screen. It’s a fun, tech-savvy twist on traditional coloring.

Host a Coloring Contest

Add a little competition with a coloring contest! Set the rules to ensure it’s not about speed but about accuracy and creativity. Once the rules are set, have your students work individually or in teams. You can give points for correct answers and neat coloring. Whether for a small prize or just bragging rights, turning these holiday math activities into a game can motivate your students to put in their best effort.

Additional Resources

If you’re a big a fan of holiday math activities, you’ll love diving into even more ways to incorporate color by number into your classroom! These activities are packed with benefits that make them a valuable tool for math practice. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite posts that explore the ins and outs of color by number. Check out the resources below for all the details about why these activities are a must-have in any math teacher’s toolkit!

• Color by Number Magic: Transforming Math Lessons
• Rigorous Math With Color by Number Activities?
• Can Big Kids Love Color by Number Math Activities?

Get in the Holiday Spirit With These Holiday Math Activities

Holiday math activities increase student engagement and boost motivation when there are distractions going on. These color by number activities bring just the right mix of fun and learning to your classroom. They give your students a festive way to practice essential skills. Whether it’s through group work, creative coloring patterns, or even a relaxing Zen Day, there are so many ways to make these activities work for you and your students. I hope you’re feeling inspired to add some holiday-themed color by number fun to your math lessons this year. Your students will thank you for it!

Save for Later

Remember to save this post to your favorite math Pinterest board for quick access to these holiday math activities!

The post Fun & Engaging Holiday Math Activities appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

In my classroom, I love finding ways to make math more engaging. One of my favorite strategies is incorporating games and hands-on activities. Our middle schoolers may act like they’re too cool and all grown up, but at heart, they’re still kids who love to play and explore. That’s why including math games is so effective. They’re not just about having fun but also about helping students truly apply and understand the concepts we’re working on. Whether reinforcing skills or diving into something new, games bring math to life and keep my students excited about learning. Today, I’m sharing a collection of posts that have a variety of middle school math games to help your students master math concepts!

Benefits of Middle School Math Games

When it comes to middle school math games, the benefits for our students are huge. Games make math feel a lot less intimidating. Instead of facing a page full of problems, our students engage with the material in a way that feels more like play than work. I’ve noticed that when students are playing a game, they’re more willing to take risks and try out new strategies. This leads to a deeper understanding and more confidence in their abilities.

Another great benefit is how games naturally encourage teamwork and communication. These skills are just as important as the math itself. Whether they’re working in pairs or small groups, our students learn to collaborate, share ideas, and solve problems together. Let’s be real: middle schoolers love a bit of competition! That competitive edge keeps them motivated and eager to participate, turning what might have been a quiet lesson into an energetic and dynamic experience.

Including games also allows me to differentiate instruction more easily. I can choose games that cater to different levels of understanding. This ensures that each of my students is challenged appropriately. Seeing how a well-chosen game can transform a challenging math concept into something approachable and enjoyable is amazing. Plus, these games often provide immediate feedback, which helps our students recognize their mistakes and learn from them on the spot.

Middle School Math Games You Will Want in Your Classroom

Over time, I’ve put together a collection of posts that highlight different middle school math games and activities. Each one is designed to make math more engaging and accessible for your students. You may be looking to reinforce basic skills or tackle more complex concepts. These posts will inspire an idea or give you a fresh option to try in your classroom!

Middle School Math Games for the Start of the School Year

I highlight some of my favorite middle school math games in Math Games for Teachers: Activities for an Epic Start to the Year. They do wonders to help ease students into the new school year. There are Footloose games that get students moving, to classic favorites like BINGO and card games. These activities are designed to engage our students, reinforce important math concepts, and build classroom community. Whether reviewing multiplication facts or tackling algebraic equations, these games add fun and excitement to your math lessons.

Engaging Games for Middle School Students

In my post Engaging Middle School Games and Activities, I share a variety of middle school math games that keep middle schoolers excited about learning. From Truth or Dare to dice games that help practice fractions, these activities are designed to make math fun and interactive. I also talk about Footloose task cards and color-by-number activities that add a creative spin to math practice. These games and activities are perfect for boosting engagement and reinforcing important concepts in a hands-on way.

Math Games for the Holidays

In my post Fun Holiday Games for Middle School Math, I share several engaging activities perfect for keeping our students focused and challenged during the holiday season. From classics like Around the World to math-themed versions of Truth or Dare and Footloose, these games blend holiday fun with math practice. I also include creative games like the Christmas Carol Matching Game, which can be adapted to fit different holiday themes. These middle school math games are a great way to maintain a learning environment while embracing the festive spirit!

Task Card Math Games

Elementary and Middle School Task Card Review for Any Subject

In this post, I share one of my favorite review activities called Footloose. It works for any subject, especially middle school math. The activity gets students up and moving as they work on task cards placed around the room. It’s a great way to keep our students engaged while reviewing concepts before a test or as part of a math center. I also include tips to help you get the most out of Footloose. I provide some resources to make it easy to implement in your classroom.

Free Area and Perimeter Footloose

I share a free Footloose activity that focuses on area and perimeter. It’s designed to help middle school students practice calculating the area and perimeter of rectangles, find missing sides, and compare different shapes. This activity includes 30 task cards, many with diagrams, to guide your students through the problems. I’ve also included a recording sheet and answer key for easy self-checking. Whether you use it as a whole-class activity, in small groups, or as a center, this Footloose game makes math practice engaging and effective.

Math Task Cards with a Truth or Dare Twist

I introduce a fun twist on math task cards with a Truth or Dare game. It’s a great way to make middle school math practice more engaging and interactive. I have students choose between easier “Truth” questions and more challenging “Dare” questions. Depending on the challenge of the question, points would vary, adding a layer of excitement. This game encourages self-differentiation, promotes discussion, and can be used in various ways. I use this type of math game in small groups, as a whole class, or even digitally. It’s perfect for adding a bit of fun to math practice!

Math Games for Specific Skills

Middle School Math Games for Probability

In my post, Probability Games and Activities, I explore middle school math games and activities that make this tricky concept more approachable for middle schoolers. I share how games help students see probability in action by making abstract ideas tangible and fun. From Doodle Math Wheels to Truth or Dare, these activities keep my students engaged, promote collaboration, and build confidence. I also include some of my go-to resources, like color-by-number activities and task cards, reinforcing learning while keeping things interactive and exciting.

Games to Review Fractions

In Engaging Fraction Games and Activities, I share interactive ways to help our students master fractions. From card games like Fraction War and Make One to dice games that involve converting fractions to decimals, these middle school math games make fraction practice enjoyable and effective. I also include ideas for using fraction partnering cards to keep fraction skills sharp all year long. These activities are perfect for reinforcing fraction concepts while keeping students engaged and excited about math.

Math Games for At Home Learning and Review

Middle School Math Games for Homeschoolers

In 7 Amazing Math Games for Homeschoolers, I highlight various engaging games that are perfect for both homeschool settings and traditional classrooms. From board games like Sumoku and Equate to online math activities and card games like Math War, these middle school math games are designed to make learning fun and interactive. Whether you’re homeschooling or just looking to enrich your student’s math skills, these games will help make practicing engaging without a whole lot of prep!

Middle School Math Games To Do At Home

In Math Review Games for Parents to Empower Their Learners, I share suggestions for middle school math games that parents can use at home. They can use these games to keep their kids’ math skills sharp, especially during the summer. From Footloose games to digital and card-based activities, these games make math reviews fun and engaging. The post emphasizes how these activities can prevent the summer slide, boost confidence, and build a strong math foundation for the upcoming school year.

Middle School Math Games At Your Fingertips

I hope these middle school math games inspire you to bring more fun and engagement into your math lessons. From Footloose to Truth or Dare and everything in between, these games offer a way to reinforce important concepts. By creating a game-like atmosphere, students are excited about learning. Whether you’re looking for activities to energize your classroom, challenge your students, or make review time more enjoyable, there’s a game here for every need. Get your students moving, and watch as math becomes their new favorite subject!

Save for Later

Remember to save this post to your favorite math Pinterest board for quick access to these middle school math games.

The post Round Up of Interactive Middle School Math Games appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Do you need a few engaging and easy-prep Valentine’s Day math activities?

I’ve got 9 ideas for you!

I don’t usually do holiday activities unless I can relate them to our current math topic, so many of the ideas shared here are content-specific.

A few of the ideas are also mixed math review or just plain ‘Valentine fun,’ so there are options here for everyone!

Content-Specific Valentine Math Activities

The following Valentine’s Day math activities are content-specific ideas, covering concepts like: equations; fractions; GCF & LCM; divisibility; fraction, decimal, percent conversions; proportions; and equivalent expressions.

1) This set of Valentine-themed challenge equations from Math Giraffe offers a fun approach to algebra and problem solving skill-building.

Three levels are included:

• 4 basic (easy) cards that can be used before or during middle school grades for critical thinking
• 4 medium level cards that are perfect for middle school or high school students
• 4 difficult cards that offer a challenge, even for high schoolers

Click HERE to see on TPT

Click HERE to see on TPT

2) This fun Valentine-themed fraction color by number focuses on mixed numbers and improper fractions.

With one print and one digital version, these 20 questions have students:

• Convert improper fractions (fractions greater than one) to mixed numbers
• Convert mixed numbers to improper fractions
• Compare improper fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators
• Simplify fractions to lowest terms

3) There are so many math skills to choose from in this bundle of Valentine’s math practice from The Colorado Classroom!

• GCF
• LCM
• Divisibility 
• All the fraction operations
• All the decimal operations
• 32 problems per sheet

Click HERE to see on TPT

Click HERE to see on TPT

4) This Valentine’s Day math activity addresses solving proportions.

• Students solve 15 proportions and color the heart design according to the solutions.
• This math activity includes a choice of two different sets of proportions problems. 

5) This Equivalent Expressions Valentine Math color by number has one print and one digital version.

In this activity, students answer 20 questions that ask them to:

• Factor simple expressions to find equivalent expressions
• Use the distributive property to create equivalent expressions
• Combine like terms 

Click HERE to see on TPT

6) This fraction, decimal, percent color by number has 3 print versions, including a Valentine-themed one! 

Each version has 20 questions that require students to convert from one form to another.

• Two of the print versions have the same questions and the 3rd has different (but similar) questions 
• There’s a digital version too, which students love! They use the ‘fill color’ bucket to choose the color shades to complete the pattern.

Click HERE to see on TPT

Mixed Review and Valentine Fun

The next few Valentine’s Day activities include mixed review, create your own color by number, and Valentine coloring pages.

7) The print-and-go Valentine math review is a set of mixed review math activities. These will fit perfectly into your Valentine’s Day math classes!

This no-prep Valentine’s math review includes 3 resources plus coloring sheets:

• Color by Number: 20 problems
• Maze: 15 problems
• Mystery Graphing: 60 points to plot, in all four quadrants
• 2 blank coloring sheets

Click HERE to see on TPT

Click HERE to see on TPT

8) With this Create Your Own Valentine coloring activity, you can use any math concept you want! 

This is an editable PowerPoint file that allows you to type your questions and answer choices into the editable pages.

• OR, you can handwrite them if you choose to use the non-editable pages that are also provided.

9) This Valentine’s Day coloring has 4 ‘mystery coloring’ pages that reveal Valentine words as the coloring is completed.

This one doesn’t include math content but is great for some fun coloring time:-)

Click HERE to see on TPT

Good luck with your Valentine math days! If you’re looking for other winter activities or mixed math practice, check out:

Six Quick and Easy Winter Activities for Middle School Math

Five Reasons to Use Mixed Math Practice

Free Math Resource Center here on the site. There’s at least one free Valentine-themed color by number in there!

The post 9 Quick and Easy Valentine’s Day Math Activities appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for the math teacher(s) in your life? 

The math teacher could be your child’s math teacher, a relative who’s a teacher, or your math teacher friend!

Teachers definitely have wide and varied likes, but there are a few things that lots of  teachers love. So, we’ll look at those in this blog post!

 

Math Teacher Gift Idea #1

One great gift idea for math teachers is a set of pens or pencils. Teachers can never have enough of these! As you can see in the picture above, I have a bunch! I have Bic flair pens, Sharpies (of all types), Expo markers, and more. And those pictured aren’t all the pens I have:-)

I also have a TON of colored pencils, since I love to create (and then color) lots of color by number activities.

Bic flair pens are my absolute favorite, and I know many other teachers who share this love. You can usually find these flair pens in a wide variety of colors…the more colors the better!

Math Teacher Gift Idea #2 and #3

Where do we organize all these pens and pencils? In a desk or counter organizer!

So, a nice desk organizer would also be a great gift idea, as it would help to keep the teacher’s workspace more organized and tidy.

Also popular with many teacher are plants. A small plant for the teacher’s desk or counter space is always a great idea. 

• Plants are so beneficial, and you can find some that are VERY easy to take care of, in case the teacher doesn’t have a green thumb!

Math Teacher Gift Idea #4 and #5

Another great gift idea for math teachers is a gift card to a local bookstore or coffee shop. Teachers are always looking for new books to use in their classrooms, and a gift card would allow them to choose something that’s perfect.

A coffee shop gift card would be appreciated as well, since teachers often start the day with their coffee and then need to refuel with caffeine during the day!

Math Teacher Gift Idea #6

Along with the coffee idea is the idea of an awesome mug to drink it from! 

BUT, for the math teacher, go for a ‘math-themed’ mug, like those pictured here:-)

The black mug says “MATH: It’s all fun and games until someone divides by zero.”

The white mug says “You are gonna love math after you meet me. I’m warning you.”

Math Teacher Gift Idea #7

Many math teachers LOVE math-themed t-shirts! 

The fraction t-shirt pictured here is my favorite. I get SO many positive comments when I wear this one. It says, “There is a fine line between numerator and denominator. Only a fraction will understand.”

I also have a t-shirt that says, “I’m a math teacher. Of course I have problems.”

There are so many awesome math t-shirts out there…I’m sure you can find the perfect one for the math teacher you have in mind.

Math Teacher Gift Idea #8

Finally, a heartfelt gift that any math teacher would love is a handwritten note expressing your thanks for all their hard work.

Teachers pour so much of themselves into their jobs, and a simple note letting them know that their efforts are appreciated can go a long way. 

I still have all the parent notes given to me over the course of my 24 years in the classroom.

I hope one of these ideas will work for the math teacher in you life:-)

The post Gift Ideas for Math Teachers appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.

You’ve only got a week or so with your middle school math students before the winter break begins….and schedule changes mean you’ll miss a couple classes during that time. You’ve finished the current topic, and there’s not enough time to fit in another unit. And. . . you know that sometimes kids have trouble staying on-task at this time of year, as they are looking forward to break! So what should you do? Try one or more of these winter activities for middle school math.  They are perfect for reviewing skills and the kids will have fun at the same time.

I’ve got a few quick ideas for you…including a couple of free ones.

Easy-Prep Winter Activities for Middle School

Puzzles and word challenge activities are always favorite winter activities for middle school!

1) This free winter word creation activity combines math and language arts.

• Students find other words within “Winter Holidays” and then find the value of each word, using the assigned letter values.

2) Logic puzzles are always excellent to get the mind moving and the free puzzle (pictured above) is no exception!

• • This one is a winter-themed logic puzzle and would also be great for your winter math centers or stations.
  • Students need to figure out people’s favorite winter activity and food/drink.
  • This is also an engaging math activity for your fast finishers or to have on hand for a sub day!

3) Looking for more of a Christmas math theme? Your students will get a kick out of finding the price of all the items in the 12 Days of Christmas!

Winter Color by Number Activities for Middle School Math

4) Holiday or winter-themed color by numbers offer a great opportunity to combine art and math, especially at a time of year when students may tend to be a little less focused.

Click to see Holiday Color by Numbers

The color by number activity pictured above focuses on review for 5th and 6th grades (and it has print and digital options. It covers skills like: 

• Subtracting 4-digit numbers
• Adding decimals
• Multiplying whole numbers
• Multiplying decimal numbers
• Dividing whole numbers
• Evaluating exponents
• Solving word problems
• and more!

There are several other color by number activities in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop that have a holiday/winter/ new year theme.

Some focus on specific topics (like the long division one pictured) and some are mixed review.

Coordinate Plane Graphing & Winter Task Cards

5) Holiday time is a great time to practice coordinate plane graphing!

This is such an important skill that students need over the course of MANY grade levels.

This activity requires students to:

• • graph points in all 4 quadrants
  • follow instructions to connect the points
  • color as instructed to get the coloring pattern

6) Footloose task cards are a fantastic way to keep students practicing while moving.

These winter-themed task cards are mixed review, intended for grades 4-6. The skills include:

• decimal multiplication and division
• division with single and two-digit divisors
• addition and subtraction of large numbers and money
• and more!

The post Six Quick and Easy Winter Activities for Middle School Math appeared first on Cognitive Cardio Math.