There is no question that students (and teachers) get giddy over the Holidays at the end of the year. It is jammed pack with celebrations such as Halloween, Fall Festivals, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Winter Break and New Years. Mind you, that all of these are within three short months! That is why it is so important to acknowledge the excitement and in turn, draw the chaos into a controllable way with Fall and Winter Inspired Activities!
Fall Themed Activities:
These are all perfect for a 5th to 6th Grade Math Classroom!
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| Fraction Task Cards with QR Codes |
First, is my Fractions Set of Fall Themed Activities! The Task Cards include QR Codes that can be easily scanned for a self-checking answer key. I L-O-V-E using technology in my class and I know you would too if you had the right type of easily accessibly tech for your students to use! Most if not all, upper elementary to middle school students have used QR Codes before! Therefore, the instructional know-how is already done! Just in case, I have included in the step by step process a few free apps for Windows and iPhones that can be downloaded prior to beginning. After downloading, the game is on! I like using these in a center and since I only do 20-25 minutes of center activities I know not all questions will be solved. However, I do provide students with a workspace document to show all their steps which makes assessing them a breeze. I can really look at their work and figure out where they are struggling. The QR Codes makes the self-reflection portion super easy for them and gives them less anxiety when approaching a more difficult word problem. This set includes 16 color or black/white Word Problem Task Cards to solve. Each has a Halloween touch including dressing up, candy, witch potions and so much more! Your students really will get a kick out of some of the funny themes that I created!
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| Cooking with Fractions: Color by Solution |
Next, allow your students a chance to explore in the kitchen with Fall recipes without the mess! There are 7 Word Problems all about recipes, cooking, baking and much more. Students will practice using all four functions with fractions (not always a crowd favorite) and coloring a whimsy Fall Inspired page which is great for quick checks! This product also includes a self-reflection component and two follow-up questions. My students love coloring, even my older students! It brings back their fond childhood memories and creativeness that can be lost in a structured math classroom.
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| Crack the Code: Adding & Subtracting Mixed Numbers |
The third (for now!) is one of my favorite types of worksheet based activities! Crack the Codes! In this product, students will solve 15 Mixed Number problems using addition or subtraction (again hitting home the idea of finding common denominators!). After the solution is found, students will take the referenced image and use the Crack the Code Key to decipher into a letter. I take this a step further by using a cryptic message. In this case, students finally decode a Fall Inspired Quote by Oscar Wilde.
I have received some really positive feedback from customers who loved these activities. Some of the comments include:
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Ally P. said, “This was so fun. I did this with my intervention group last week and they loved it. When they couldn’t find their answer they knew they had to redo the problem or simplify. It made it so easy for me to go around and do quick checks on what each of the students were struggling with!”
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Anonymous said, “a great resource!”
These three activities would fit perfect in your classroom. Some ideas to get your creative juices following include NO PREP Centers (especially when you are gearing up for time away from the classroom), Holiday Break Packets (material for students to focus on while away from school), Homework, Small Groups and Strategic Pairings! The options really are open to your imagination but full enjoyment will be had!
Stay tuned because I will be reflecting on my Winter Themed Activities next! I am just wrapping up a few loose ends and recovery from a very blessed Thanksgiving of which I hosted 24 people including family and friends!
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