Simple but Challenging Activity for the First Day of Math Class
The first day of math class is an exciting time! Getting to know the new students, giving them an opportunity to get to know each other…a new beginning together:-)
For several years now, I have used this pentomino activity on the first day of math class. I’ve written a few posts about it (on my old blog), because each year I find more benefits to using the activity.
It’s a seemingly simple activity, and when I first explain it, students think it’ll be a piece of cake. BUT, they find it to be quite challenging. And I find it to be an excellent way for students to start working cooperatively on the very first day of the school year!
How This Math Activity Works
It takes the groups quite a while (and some never finish if I don’t give some hints), which is great, because they are really thinking, talking to each other, sharing ideas, speaking their thought processes, working together, and being persistent.
In the years that I’ve been doing this, I have yet to find a student who wasn’t engaged. This is the type of activity that allows all students to persevere, regardless of their background knowledge in math. All students can manipulate the pentomino pieces and offer suggestions; and while some students are strong in certain areas of math, others are stronger spatially; this introduction activity allows them all to have success.
What Teachers Learn/Observe During This First Day of Math
Class Activity
It gives me the opportunity to observe my new students and start learning about them immediately on the first day of class. I learn things like:
- How they approach tasks
- How they interact with others
- Who will try to take charge
- Who will sit back and watch/listen
It’s a fantastic learning time for me!
Pentomino Math Activity Materials
So the pentominoes would fit into these frames, I had to make the pentominoes smaller. So, now I have 3 different sizes of pentominoes (once I cut them out and laminate them!)
Having the different sizes and different frames allows me to give groups slightly different tasks, if I choose, or will give the groups who finish a new configuration to figure out.
If you’d like to try using these pentominoes, click the link below the Pentomino Exploration image.
