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30 Thought-Provoking Math Puzzles for Middle Schoolers

Critical thinking, trial and error, and pure logic abound.

Math puzzles feature

Tired of your tried-and-true math routine? Chances are if you’re feeling the itch to incorporate new activities into your math time, your students are as well. Mixing it up in math class can bring fresh perspectives to stale concepts or standards, and your students will enjoy stretching their brains in different ways with these middle school math puzzles. Critical thinking, trial and error, and pure logic abound in these 30 though-provoking puzzles. Get ready to reignite your middle schoolers’ excitement for math!

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Sudoku is way more than just an activity to pass the time on long-haul flights. This math puzzle is actually a fantastic problem-solving activity for middle schoolers. Kick-starting your typical math class with a Sudoku puzzle will have your students thinking critically, practicing trial and error, and looking at math in a totally different way. Plus, you can differentiate by providing Easy, Medium, and Difficult puzzles.

Learn more: Sodoku Puzzles To Print

2. 5 Pirates Puzzle

Ahoy and shiver me timbers! This logic puzzle is perfect for a small-group activity to get your middle schoolers working together to solve the conundrum of how pirates plan to share treasure among themselves. Multiple scenarios will play out in this puzzle, so scaffolding with problem-solving strategies is a must.

Learn more:  5 Pirates Puzzles/Math Is Fun

3. Fives Challenge Puzzle

problem solving activities for middle school math

This puzzle is perfect for reviewing addition, multiplication, division, and subtraction and would be a great activity to do when gearing up to teach order of operations. Students could work in pairs or small groups to riddle out each target number.

Learn more:  Fives Challenge Puzzle/Math = Love

4. Beehive Puzzle

Beehive puzzle for middle schoolers.

Perfect for a station during math rotation or for a rainy-day recess activity, this logic puzzle involves creating a beehive shape without having any squares of the same color touching each other. Students can practice trial and error as well as problem-solving.

Learn more:  Beehive Puzzle/Math = Love

5. Guess My Number

Guess My Number is just as much a riddle as it is a math puzzle. Students use their number sense to determine the number in question. As an extension activity, students can come up with their own clues and trade them with a classmate to solve.

Learn more:  Guess My Number/Education.com

6. Math Riddles

Perfect for a morning warmup, these middle school math puzzles activate all kinds of math knowledge. You can poll the class and have them show their work before clicking to reveal the correct answer. This site even has more challenging puzzles if your middle schoolers fly through the easier ones.

Learn more:  Math Riddles/Get Riddles

problem solving activities for middle school math

My seventh graders loved playing this puzzle as an early-finisher activity. Though the idea is simple (move the tiles until two of the same numbers touch), it’s actually great for recognizing exponents and also for thinking strategically.

Learn more:  2048/Prodigy

8. Magic Squares

Magic square puzzle for middle school.

Magic Squares have been around for thousands of years, and they come in all shapes and sizes. The 3×3 grid is a great size to introduce to your students and then work up to larger and more complex grids. You can even bring this puzzle off the paper and have your students write the grid out in sidewalk chalk, or write the numbers on water bottle caps to make a fun tactile activity.

Learn more:  Magic Squares/Prodigy

9. Impossible Domino Bridge

Impossible domino bridge middle school math.

Using dominoes to build a seemingly impossible bridge is a perfect activity for the first day or week of a new school year. Your students can work together in small groups and get to know one another as they attempt to construct the bridge that looks like it could turn into a game of Jenga at any moment.

Learn more:  Impossible Domino Bridge/Math = Love

10. Math Picture Puzzles

Math picture puzzles for middle school math.

Your students communicate through emojis anyway, so why not get math involved? This self-checking site allows them to work independently (on the honor system) and also choose between three levels of difficulty. Students can take this idea to the next level, create their own emojis, and arrange them in number sentences for their classmates to solve.

Learn more: Picture Puzzles/MathEasily.com

11. What Is the Weight?

Guess the weight middle school math puzzle.

Sometimes you just need a quick resource to get your students working on solving a math puzzle. This puzzle comes from an app, so you can have it downloaded on your students’ iPads or tablets. Middle schoolers will focus on determining the weights of different animals, which is good practice for estimating and working with customary/metric units of measurement.

Learn more: Brain Teasers/Mental Up

12. Colorku

Colorku puzzle puzzle cards for middle school math.

Math doesn’t always have to be just about numbers. This board game uses colors and patterns to focus on analyzing sequences, and would be great to have on hand for those rainy-day recesses as well as for inclusion in a math station. Further, Colorku can be used as a calm-down tool or even a fidget tool.

Buy it: Colorku at Amazon

13. Rubik’s Cube

Middle school student's hand holding a Rubix cube.

Rubik’s Cubes made a major comeback in popularity when I taught fifth grade. My students would happily sit together at recess to race each other to see who could solve the cube faster. Though entertaining, Rubik’s Cubes are also suited to teach students about growth mindset, spacial awareness, and 3D space.

Buy it: Rubik’s Cube at Amazon

14. SafeCracker

Safecracker puzzle for middle school math.

Though this puzzle looks like something out of an Indiana Jones quest, it’s actually a tactilely engaging tool that will delight even your most resistant math learners. The goal is to align the wheel into columns where the sum adds up to 40. You might need to get more than one of these middle school math puzzles for your classroom.

Buy it: SafeCracker at Amazon

15. “T” Brain Teaser Puzzle

3D wooden brain teaser puzzle for middle school students.

In addition to sparking structural design creativity, this boxed wooden puzzle challenges middle schoolers to engage in trial and error as they work at fitting 50+ pieces into a cube. Much of math is learning how to persevere through tricky problems or procedures, and this puzzle definitely fosters that.

Buy it: T Brain Teaser at Amazon

16. Multistep Equation Puzzle

Multistep equation puzzles for middle school students.

Solve-and-sort puzzles add flair to repeatedly solving different variations of a math problem for practice. In this free puzzle, students will need to not only solve the equations with variables on both sides, they will also need to sort the problem based on if their solution is positive or negative in order to uncover the secret word.

Get it: Solve-and-Sort Puzzle/Teachers Pay Teachers

Yohaku math puzzles for middle school students.

In this variation of a classic Sudoku puzzle, students practice critical thinking and exercise their knowledge of how the four math operations work. The best thing about these types of puzzles is that the differentiation potential is endless. Students can solve smaller puzzles with addition, or use only prime numbers in a more complex multiplication problem.

Learn more: Yohaku

18. Jigmaze

Jigmaze math puzzle for middle schoolers.

One of the Standards for Mathematical Practices is perseverance, and all teachers know that this is a tough one to instill in students, even more so if students are struggling in foundational skills. This type of puzzle can be used to strengthen perseverance as students physically arrange and rearrange pieces of a broken maze.

Learn more: Jigmaze/Math = Love

19. Flexagons

Flexagons for middle school math puzzles.

Flexagons, octaflexagons, and dodecaflexagons (say that one 10 times fast!) are a mathematical take on traditional origami. Through constructing these paper creations, your students will get exposure to geometrical terms such as faces ,  equilateral triangles , and all manner of types of 3D shapes.

Get it: Flexagons/Medium

20. Möbius Strip

Mobius strip math puzzle for middle school students.

Though the high-level mathematical equation may be well above your students’ heads (and mine too, if I’m being honest), the STEAM-centered concept of a Möbius strip can be a fun one to explore and create (no need to go into cosines and conversational belts). Middle school math puzzles for the win!

Get it for free: Make a Möbius/STEAMsational

Kakuro math puzzle for middle schoolers.

In this complex-looking puzzle, the goal is for the sum of each vertical or horizontal line to match the number given at the beginning of the row or column. This site comes with a great explanation on exactly what that means and how to achieve it. A Kakuro puzzle would be a great “learn as you go” activity for students where they really must pay close attention to the instructions to be able to understand the goal.

Learn more: Kakuro/Braingle

22. Number Searches

Number search for middle school math students.

This school district’s site has tons of grade-specific number puzzles that would be perfect for when you need to be out of the classroom and have a substitute teacher. They are ready to be printed and contain easy explanations for your students. Check out the number searches, patterns, and 3D riddles.

Learn more: Number Searches/Cranbury School District

23. Two Truths and One Lie

Two truths and one lie for middle school math.

The tried-and-true icebreaker used at many a staff meeting and the first week of school, Two Truths and One Lie can also be used to review and practice tons of mathematical concepts. These middle school math puzzles cover concepts such as negative numbers, fractions, and a ton more.

Buy it: Two Truths & One Lie Math Edition at Amazon

24. Adding Integers Puzzle

Adding integers puzzle for middle school students.

The objective of this cuttable resource is for students to solve the integer problem and match up expressions that end up having the same sum. The multiple size options are great for differentiation or to make this independent activity into a small-group collaborative activity.

Buy it: Adding Integers at Teachers Pay Teachers

25. Perfect Square Roots

Perfect square roots crossword puzzle for middle schoolers.

For upper middle school students, this square-roots puzzle helps with the recognition of perfect square roots. Rather than simply memorizing the perfect square roots, students work to identify and spell out the specific square root and ensure that it fits within the crossword. In this way, the puzzle is self-checking as well.

Buy it: Square Roots Crossword at Teachers Pay Teachers

26. Factor Tree Challenge

Factor tree challenge for middle schoolers.

Factor trees are an effective way to visually show students the factors of numbers. Trees allow a chain of multiple factors, so you can start with a large number and end up with “branches” that show all of the factors. Once your middle schoolers are familiar with this concept, have them explore this self-checking challenge (and many others as well) that will test their knowledge of abstract factors.

Learn more: Prime Challenges/Transum

27. Ludicross

Ludicross math puzzle for middle school students.

Another take on Sudoku, Ludicross is interactive in that students can drag and drop the number into position with the goal of making the sum of the numbers in both diagonals the same. Like several of the other puzzles mentioned in this list, students can take this number puzzle to the next level by creating their own and swapping with a classmate to solve.

Learn more: Ludicross/Transum

28. Interactive Mobiles

SolveMe Mobiles puzzles for middle school students.

These colorfully shaped mobiles are a unique way for students to make pattern associations. Because these puzzles are self-paced, students can begin with a simple puzzle and work their way up to complex mobiles with three or more shapes.

Try it: Mobiles/SolveMe Puzzles

29. Deleting Sheep

Deleting sheep math puzzle for middle schoolers.

This logic puzzle is a doozy! The objective is to remove only two numbers in each row with the result being that each horizontal and vertical line equals 30. Trial and error and problem-solving skills abound in this puzzle, and it will keep your middle schoolers engaged for quite some time.

Get it: Deleting Sheep/Dover Publications

30. Pips Puzzle

Pips puzzle for middle school math.

Have any spare decks of cards lying around your classroom? This inexpensive item provides a different take on a Magic Square. Students can work in small groups, and maybe you can ignite a little class competition to see which groups can complete the challenge the fastest.

Buy it: Pips Puzzle/Math = Love

Looking for more engaging math resources? Try these Magical Math Puzzles and Number Tricks To Wow Your Students .

Plus, get all the latest teaching tips and tricks when you sign up for our free newsletters .

Math time doesn't have to be the same old routine. Try these middle school math puzzles to ignite critical thinking!

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20 Best Math Puzzles to Engage and Challenge Your Students

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Written by Maria Kampen

Reviewed by Joshua Prieur, Ed.D.

Solve the hardest puzzle

Use Prodigy Math to boost engagement, offer differentiated instruction and help students enjoy math.

  • Teacher Resources

1. Math crossword puzzles

2. math problem search, 3. math riddles.

It’s time for math class, and your students are bored.

It might sound harsh, but it’s true -- less than half of 8th grade students report being engaged at school according to this Gallup survey , and engagement levels only drop as students get older.

Math puzzles are one of the best -- and oldest -- ways to encourage student engagement. Brain teasers, logic puzzles and math riddles give students challenges that encourage problem-solving and logical thinking. They can be used in classroom gamification , and to inspire students to tackle problems they might have previously seen as too difficult.

Math puzzles for kids

Math crossword puzzles

Puzzles to Print

Take a crossword, and make it math: that’s the basic concept behind this highly adaptable math challenge. Instead of words, students use numbers to complete the vertical and horizontal strips. Math crossword puzzles can be adapted to teach concepts like money, addition, or rounding numbers. Solutions can be the products of equations or numbers given by clues.

Have students practice their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills by searching for hidden math equations in a word search-style puzzle . It can be adapted to any skill you want students to practice, and promotes a solid understanding of basic math facts.

My PreCalc students love riddles... can you figure out where the other dollar went?? #MathRiddles pic.twitter.com/BclqW9nq98 — Rachel Frasier (@MsFrasierMHS) January 8, 2019

Do your students love word problems ? Try giving them some math riddles that combine critical thinking with basic math skills. Put one up on the board for students to think about before class begins, or hand them out as extra practice after they’ve finished their work.

Prodigy is an engaging, game-based platform that turns math into an adventure! While it’s not a math puzzle in the traditional sense, Prodigy uses many of the same principles to develop critical thinking skills and mathematical fluency.

Students complete standards-aligned math questions to earn coins, collect pets and go on quests. Teachers can deliver differentiated math content to each student, prep for standardized tests and easily analyze student achievement data with a free account.

See how it works below!

KenKen

KenKenKenKen

is a “grid-based numerical puzzle” that looks like a combined number cross and sudoku grid. Invented in 2004 by a famous Japanese math instructor named Tetsuya Miyamoto, it is featured daily in The New York Times and other newspapers. It challenges students to practice their basic math skills while they apply logic and critical thinking skills to the problem.

6. Pre-algebraic puzzles

Pre-algebraic puzzles use fun substitutions to get students ready to perform basic functions and encourage them to build problem-solving skills. They promote abstract reasoning and challenge students to think critically about the problems in front of them. As an added bonus, students who suffer from math anxiety might find the lack of complicated equations reassuring, and be more willing to attempt a solution.

7. Domino puzzle board

Domino puzzle board

Games 4 Gains

There are hundreds of ways to use dominoes in your math classroom, but this puzzle gives students a chance to practice addition and multiplication in a fun, hands-on way. You can have students work alone or in pairs to complete the puzzle.

2048

This online game and app challenges players to slide numbered tiles around a grid until they reach 2048. It’s super fun and not as easy as it sounds, so consider sending it home with students or assigning it after the rest of the lesson is over. It encourages students to think strategically about their next move, and it’s a great tool for learning about exponents.

Kakuro

Math in English

Kakuro , also called “Cross Sums,” is another mathematical crossword puzzle. Players must use the numbers one through nine to reach “clues” on the outside of the row. Decrease the size of the grid to make it easier for younger players, or keep it as is for students who need a challenge. Students can combine addition and critical thinking and develop multiple skills with one fun challenge.

10. Magic square

Magic square

Magic squares have been around for thousands of years, and were introduced to Western civilization by translated Arabic texts during the Renaissance. While magic squares can be a variety of sizes, the three by three grid is the smallest possible version and is the most accessible for young students.

This is also a great math puzzle to try if your students are tactile learners. Using recycled bottle caps, label each with a number from one to nine. Have your students arrange them in a three by three square so that the sum of any three caps in a line (horizontally, vertically and diagonally) equals 15.

11. Perimeter magic triangle

This activity uses the same materials and concept as the magic square, but asks students to arrange the numbers one to six in a triangle where all three sides equal the same number. There are a few different solutions to this puzzle, so encourage students to see how many they can find.

Sudoku is an excellent after-lesson activity that encourages logical thinking and problem solving. You’ve probably already played this classic puzzle, and it’s a great choice for your students. Sudoku puzzles appear in newspapers around the world every day, and there are hundreds of online resources that generate puzzles based on difficulty.

13. Flexagon

There’s a pretty good chance that by now, fidget spinners have infiltrated your classroom. If you want to counter that invasion, consider challenging your students to create flexagons. Flexagons are paper-folded objects that can be transformed into different shapes through pinching and folding, and will keep wandering fingers busy and focused on the wonders of geometry.

14. Turn the fish

Turn the fish

This puzzle seems simple, but it just might stump your students. After setting up sticks in the required order, challenge them to make the fish swim in the other direction -- by moving just three matchsticks.

15. Join the dots

Join the dots

Cool Math 4 Kids

This puzzle challenges students to connect all the dots in a three by three grid using only four straight lines. While it may sound easy, chances are that it will take your class a while to come up with the solution. (Hint: it requires some “out of the box” thinking.)

16. Brain teasers

While they don’t always deal directly with math skills, brain teasers can be important tools in the development of a child’s critical thinking skills. Incorporate brain teasers into a classroom discussion, or use them as math journal prompts and challenge students to explain their thinking.

Bonus: For a discussion on probability introduce an older class to the Monty Hall Problem, one of the most controversial math logic problems of all time.

17. Tower of Hanoi

This interactive logic puzzle was invented by a French mathematician named Edouard Lucas in 1883. It even comes with an origin story: According to legend, there is a temple with three posts and 64 golden disks.

Priests move these disks in accordance with the rules of the game, in order to fulfill a prophecy that claims the world will end with the last move of the puzzle. But not to worry -- it’s going to take the priests about 585 billion years to finish, so you’ll be able to fit in the rest of your math class.

Starting with three disks stacked on top of each other, students must move all of the disks from the first to the third pole without stacking a larger disk on top of a smaller one. Older students can even learn about the functions behind the solution: the minimum number of moves can be expressed by the equation 2n-1, where n is the number of disks.

18. Tangram

Tangram

Tangram puzzles -- which originated in China and were brought to Europe during the early 19th century through trade routes -- use seven flat, geometric shapes to make silhouettes. While Tangrams are usually made out of wood, you can make sets for your class out of colored construction paper or felt.

Tangrams are an excellent tool for learners who enjoy being able to manipulate their work, and there are thousands of published problems to keep your students busy.

Str8ts

Similar to Sudoku, Str8ts challenges players to use their logic skills to place numbers in blank squares. The numbers might be consecutive, but can appear in any order. For example, a row could be filled with 5, 7, 4, 6 and 8 . This puzzle is better suited to older students, and can be used as a before-class or after-lesson activity to reinforce essential logic skills.

20. Mobius band

Is it magic? Is it geometry? Your students will be so amazed they might have a hard time figuring it out. Have them model the problem with strips of paper and see for themselves how it works in real life. With older students, use mobius bands to talk about geometry and surface area.

Why use math puzzles to teach?

Math puzzles encourage critical thinking.

Critical thinking and logic skills are important for all careers, not just STEM-related ones. Puzzles challenge students to understand structure and apply logical thinking skills to new problems.

A study from the Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education found that puzzles “develop logical thinking, combinatorial abilities, strengthen the capacity of abstract thinking and operating with spatial images, instill critical thinking and develop mathematical memory.”

All these skills allow young students to build a foundation of skills they’ll draw on for the rest of their lives, no matter what kind of post-secondary route they pursue.

They help build math fluency

Math games can help students build a basic understanding of essential math concepts, and as another study shows, can also help them retain concepts longer .

In the study, early elementary students gradually moved from using the “counting” part of their brains to complete math problems to the “remembering” part that adults use, suggesting math puzzles and repeated problems can help build the essential skill of math fluency .

Many of the math puzzles above allow students to practice essential addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills, while advanced or modified problems can be used to introduce pre-algebraic concepts and advanced logic skills.

Math puzzles connect to existing curricula

No matter what curriculum you’re using, there’s a good chance it emphasizes problem-solving, critique and abstract thinking. This is especially true of Common Core math and similar curricula.

problem solving activities for middle school math

How Math Skills Impact Student Development

Math puzzles allow students to develop foundational skills in a number of key areas, and can influence how students approach math practically and abstractly. You can also tie them into strategies like active learning and differentiated instruction.

Instead of just teaching facts and formulas, math puzzles allow you to connect directly with core standards in the curriculum. You can also use them to provide a valuable starting point for measuring how well students are developing their critical thinking and abstract reasoning skills.

Tips for using math puzzles in the classroom

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sarah Werstuik (@teach.plan.love)

Now that you’ve got some great math puzzles, it might be tricky to figure out how to best incorporate them into your classroom. Here are some suggestions for making the most of your lesson time:

Make sure the puzzles are the right level for your class

If the problems are too easy, students will get bored and disengage from the lesson. However, if the problems are too difficult to solve, there’s a good chance they’ll get frustrated and give up early.

There’s a time and a place

While fun math puzzles are a great way to engage your students in developing critical thinking skills, they’re not a tool for teaching important math concepts. Instead, use them to reinforce the concepts they’ve already learned.

Kitty Rutherford , a Mathematics Consultant in North Carolina, emphasizes that math puzzles and games shouldn’t be based solely on mental math skills , but on “conceptual understanding” that builds fluency over time. Math puzzles help build the essential balance between thinking and remembering.

Give them space to figure it out

Rachel Keen , from the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia, conducted a study about problem-solving skills in preschoolers. She found that “playful, exploratory learning leads to more creative and flexible use of materials than does explicit training from an adult.”

Give your students space to struggle with a problem and apply their own solutions before jumping in to help them. If the problem is grade-appropriate and solvable, students will learn more from applying their own reasoning to it than just watching you solve it for them.

Model puzzles for your students

Use problems like the mobius strip to awe and amaze your students before drawing them into a larger discussion about the mathematical concept that it represents. If possible, make math puzzles physical using recycled craft supplies or modular tools.

Afterward, have a class discussion or put up math journal prompts. What methods did your students try? What tools did they use? What worked and what didn’t? Having students explicitly state how they got to their solution (or even where they got stuck) challenges them to examine their process and draw conclusions from their experience.

Final thoughts on math puzzles

Be aware that it might take a while to get all your students on board -- they could be hesitant about approaching unfamiliar problems or stuck in the unenthusiasm that math class often brings. Consider creating a weekly leaderboard in your classroom for the students that complete the most puzzles, or work through a few as a class before sending students off on their own.

Instead of yawns and bored stares , get ready to see eager participants and thoughtful concentration. Whether you choose to use them as an after-class bonus, a first day of school activity or as part of a targeted lesson plan, math puzzles will delight your students while also allowing them to develop critical skills that they’ll use for the rest of their lives.

What are you waiting for? Get puzzling!

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55 Math Activities For Middle School: Algebra, Fractions, Exponents, and More!

June 3, 2022 //  by  Katie Trethewy

Looking for some fun middle school activities to incorporate in your math lessons? Trying to come up with fun ideas that fit your curriculum? Here are 20 great activities and project ideas! There are three main themes to the activities listed below: real life, food (perfect for those hungry pre-teens!), and creativity. The instructions for all activities can be easily modified for students in Grade 6, Grade 7, and Grade 8. If your child is home-schooled, or you are just looking for additional home learning tasks, then these activities are perfect for you! All of the materials can easily be found in your home.

So, grab a cup of tea, sit back, relax and read on…

1. M & Maths

Use M&Ms to teach math! Provide students with a pile of M&Ms to count and convert into fractions, decimals, and percentages. You can also extend this activity by getting the students to graph their findings.

  • Materials needed: M&Ms
  • Topic: Fractions, decimals, percentages, and graphs

Learn more: Our Journey Westward

2. What is the best buy?

In this project, your students will become experts at identifying the best deal. Working through a range of scenarios, students will get plenty of practice in calculating unit rates.

  • Materials needed: Printed worksheets
  • Topic: Unit rates

Learn more: What is the best buy?

3. Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi (A Math Adventure) by Cindy Neuschwander 

Teach your students about the circumference of circles by reading this math book and using oranges or paper plates to turn circles into rectangles!

  • Materials needed: Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter book, paper plates or oranges
  • Topic: Circumference

Learn more: Almost Unschoolers

4. Candy Bar Volume

Do your students love candy? Entice them with this sweet activity. Students will practice calculating and comparing the volume of real candy bars. Challenge them to use this activity to work out which candy bar they should choose the next time they are told “You can choose one candy bar only!”

  • Materials needed: A range of different sized candy bars
  • Topic: Volume

Learn more: Classroom Magic

5. Measuring the Volume of a Solid

In this activity, students will be calculating the volume of different solids. The blog article suggests using rocks, but you can use any random objects you can find – a box, your iPad, or even the TV remote!

  • Materials needed: Any solid objects

Learn more: Susan Evans

6. Popcorn Math

Teach students the basics of measuring and the skill of estimation by making popcorn together – and enjoy eating it together afterward!

  • Materials needed: Paper, popcorn kernelsTopic: Capacity, measurement, collecting data, and making comparisons

7. Measuring Volume of Boxes and Spheres

Students can go on a treasure hunt around the classroom or your home, looking for objects that are box or sphere-shaped. Once the students have collected a range of objects, let them calculate and compare the volumes.

  • Materials needed: Boxes or sphere-shaped objects

Learn more: The Homeschool Scientist

8. Oreo Stacking

Calling all Oreo fans! Challenge students to stack Oreos as high as they can in this activity to learn about data collection and averages. Just make sure students stack more than they eat!

  • Materials needed: Paper, Oreos
  • Topic: Data collection

Learn more: Teaching in Room 6

9. How much does a pumpkin cost?

This activity consists of a series of three lessons. Students will be given an imaginary amount of money that they must use to buy the largest pumpkin possible. A great opportunity for students to apply their calculation skills to a real-life scenario.

  • Materials: A range of different-sized pumpkins
  • Topic: Algebra, weight, cost

Learn more: Math Geek Mama

10. Percentage Scavenger Hunt

Print off the clues and place them around your school or home and send your students off on a percentage scavenger hunt. Students will be so actively engaged that they will forget it’s a math lesson!

  • Materials: Scavenger hunt clues, paper, pencils, clipboards (if available)
  • Topic: Percentages

Learn more: Pinterest

11. Ratio and Baking

Give students the chance to apply their understanding of ratio to a real-life situation – scaling up a baking recipe. If you really want to go the extra mile, why not try out the recipe for real and make some delicious cookies!

  • Material: Recipe worksheet, ingredients (optional)
  • Topic: Ratio

12. Paper Airplane Graphs

Children can learn how to graph distance each time they fly their paper airplanes. This activity requires little preparation, but it is a great way to engage your students.

  • Materials needed: Paper
  • Topic: Measurement, record keeping, graphing, averages

13. A Trip to the Moon

Let students prepare for a trip to the moon by using ratios to calculate their ‘space’ weight. A great activity to practice math skills while learning about fascinating science concepts.

  • Materials: Printed worksheets
  • Topic: Graphs, equivalent ratios

Learn more: A Trip to the Moon

14. Rotational Symmetry

Students can use this interactive game to explore how objects behave when they are rotated around a centralized point.

  • Materials needed: Access to a computer or device
  • Topic: Rotational symmetry

Learn more: PBS Learning Media

15. Frank Stella Protractor Artwork

Students can analyze Frank Stella’s artwork made with a protractor and attempt to design and draw their very own version. A great opportunity for students to enhance their maths and art skills.

  • Materials: Pencil, protractor, ruler, Frank Stella’s Protractor Series
  • Topic: Using a protractor

Learn more: Art is What I Teach

16. The Kings Chessboard: The Power of Doubling

Students can learn the power of doubling through this story. After reading, encourage your students to think about how they could use the power of doubling to get more pocket money!

  • Materials needed: The King’s Chessboard book
  • Topic: Doubling

17. Scale a Comic

Let your students apply their creativity in this activity. Students will design and produce their very own comic before learning learn how to scale it up or down to fit a frame.

  • Topic: Scaling

Learn more: Scale a Comic Activity

18. Tessellation Project

Learn different techniques to create amazing tessellation artwork using rotation, reflection, and translation.

  • Materials: Paper, pen, scissors
  • Topic: Rotation, reflection, translation

Learn more: Geometry Coach

19. Pythagoras Using Lego

Fed up of always drawing triangles to learn about Pythagoras? Then, check out this activity - students will use Lego pieces to prove Pythagoras theorem! Now, that sounds more fun!

  • Materials: Lego
  • Topic: Pythagoras theorem

20. Geometric Snowman

If Christmas is approaching, then be sure to check out this activity. By folding a snowman, students will learn about geometry and have a new decoration for the Christmas tree!

  • Materials: Snowman template, scissors

Learn more: Mini Eco

21. Integer Dots

This activity only takes 2-3 minutes to teach and then students can practice adding and subtracting integers hands on. It is a great way to visually teach students the rules for integers.

  • Materials: counters or craft puffs in two different colors
  • Topic: Integers

Learn more: Math in the Middle

22. Escape Room Review

A fun activity is a great idea for math review! The escape room will have students working cooperatively on solving problems!

  • Materials: glue stick, scissors, a ruler, manila folders, a metal paper fastener/brad, and a mirror
  • Topic: A review of 6th grade concepts

Learn more: Beyond the Worksheet

23. Card Sort

This activity is appropriate for the 7th or 8th grade math class. Students are given different word problems with card sets. They need to find the correlating cards for finding the points, slope, and graph to write the linear equation.

  • Topic: Slope and linear equations
  • Materials: glue stick and colored paper

Learn more: Kelly McCown

24. GCF Game

A simple game that has students solve the find the greatest common factor (GCF) to decipher a hidden message! A fun way to practice finding the GCF.

  • Topic: greatest common factor
  • Materials: 3 different colored pens, scissors, glue

Learn more: Math in Demand

25. Mental Math Game

Use this game to flex those mental math skills using integers with different operations. It can be adapted to work on just one operation or all and needs very limited materials and prep.

  • Topics: Operations with integers
  • Materials: dice

26. Sorting Activity

Effective math review for order of operations, this activity has students solve expressions and sort them into different answer groups.

  • Topics: Order of Operations
  • Materials: colors paper, scissors, glue

Learn more: My Math Resources

27. Secret Picture

Students will simplify radicals to discover color codes. They will then use the different colors to create a mystery image.

  • Topic: Radicals
  • Materials: colored pencils

Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers

29. Percentage Change Worksheet

This worksheet uses real-life instances to find the increase and decrease in the percent of change.

  • Topic: Real-World Percent Change
  • Materials: Percent Change

Learn more: Percent Change, Lesson 1

30. Scaffolded Equations

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The activity has leveled math equations that can be used in different ways - for homework that needs to be leveled to challenge students.

  • Topic: 2 steps Equations
  • Materials: none

Learn more: Pret Homework

31. Kahoot!

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A fun game to play to keep students engaged is Kahoot! This pre-made Kahoot focuses on finding the surface area of three-dimensional shapes.

  • Topic: Surface Area
  • Materials: computers or phones

Learn more: Kahoot!

32. Area Foldable

If you need to cover key math concepts, interactive notebooks are great! This activity for an interactive notebook covers how to find the areas of a triangle.

  • Topic: Area of a Triangle
  • Materials: scissors, glue, colored paper

Learn more: Caffeine Queen Teacher

33. Dance, Dance!

Get math students up and out of their seats when teaching transversals. Students will move, using tape on the floor as their guide, to dance along with the directions for a transversal.

  • Topic: Transversals
  • Materials: colored tape, speakers

Learn more: Tiffany Mosier

34. 31-derful Game

A simple game to use on the first day or for early finishers. Students need to create rows and columns that are all equal to 31 with any 25 cards they choose.

  • Topic: patterns and addition
  • Materials: decks of cards

Learn more: Everybody is a Genius

35. Pi Day Stations

Students will rotate around 6 different stations doing different activities, like pi reading and applying pi in a formula.

  • Materials: colored papers, circular objects, rulers

Learn more: Math Giraffe

36. Fibonacci Art Circles

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Students will learn about the sequence and how it is found in nature. Then they will create their own sequence using a compass and colored paper.

  • Topic: Fibonacci sequence and using a compass
  • Materials: ruler, compass, scissors, glue stick, pencil, colored paper

Learn more: What Do We Do All Day

37. Barbie Bungee

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This activity is a hands-on bungee jumping simulation. For each "jump", they will measure how far the doll went, add the data to their table, and adjust rubber bands. They will continue until they have enough data and then use it to create plots.

Learn more: Illuminations

38.  Lego Man World Cup Ratio

Students will use the ratio of their Lego man to determine and draw a proportionally sized soccer field with chalk on the playground or outdoor area.

  • Topic: ratios
  • Materials: chalk, measuring instruments

Learn more: Maths Pig

39. Grudgeball

Grudgeball is a fun, but low prep way, to review concepts with students at the end of a unit. Students are in groups and asked math questions, if they answer correctly, they get to take so many Xs off the board and shoot the ball. If they make the basket, they can give Xs to other groups. Whoever gets rid of their Xs first, wins.

  • Materials: dollar store basketball hoop

Learn more: Engaging Them All

40. Quadratic Tic Tac Toe

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Students will practice solving and factoring quadratic equations while they play a game of tic tac toe in pairs. The worksheet includes two game boards.

  • Topic: quadratic equations

Learn more: Doc Player

41. Inequalities Memory Game

Students will have to use their memory to match up pairs of inequality cards. Cards include expressions, number lines, and different operations.

  • Topic: inequalities
  • Materials: printed cards

Learn more: Middle School Math Man

42. Dice Probability Experiment

Students will use critical thinking skills, hypotheses, and finding probability in this fun experiment.

  • Topic: probability
  • Materials: 20 sided dice, dry erase board, markers (paper/pencil)

Learn more; STEAMsational

43. Distributive Puzzle

Students will use the distributive property to solve expressions and match up the pieces to build a puzzle.

  • Topic: distributive property
  • Materials: print out

44. Fractions Centers

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These centers cover numerous topics on fractions - comparing, modeling, using fractions with operations, and more.

  • Topic: Fractions
  • Materials: dice, printouts

Learn more: Jennifer Findley

45. Math Art

Students use a 100s grid to create artwork using math. They will color code the works determining the fraction, decimal, and percent for each color.

  • Topic: fractions, decimals, percents
  • Materials: colors and printout

Learn more: Linden STEAM Academy Project-Based Learning

46. Exponent Battle

Students will be dealt a base card and an exponent card. Whoever had the highest product wins that round.

  • Topic: exponents and multiplication
  • Materials: playing cards

Learn more: Learn with Math Games

47.  Surface Area of Right Prisms

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Students will use a 3D paper shape to analyze the surface and solve to find the area of the specific shape.

  • Topic: surface area
  • Materials: paper, scissors, task cards

Learn more: I'm Kendall Hunt

48. Human Box Plot

This is a scaffolded activity where students will use real-life data to examine box and whisker plots and learn about data sets.

  • Topic: Box and whisker plots
  • Materials: 2 yardsticks and rope or masking tape

Learn more: ETeams

49. Measurement Conversions Game

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If you need a simple game in math class, try this conversions game. It is great for reviewing measurement conversion and there is not much prep involved.

  • Topic: metric and customary system
  • Materials: printout, game pieces

Learn more: The Imagination Teacher

50. Pixel Math

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Create digital art using Google by solving math problems.

  • Topic: multiplying fractions
  • Materials: computer

Learn more: Teach with Tina

51. Word Problems Activity

Students will use modeling, number lines, and the standard algorithm to help them solve word problems involving the division of fractions.

  • Topic: dividing fractions
  • Materials: markers, print out

Learn more: You've Got This Math

52. Two Truths and a Lie

This is a fun math activity for any topic!  Students need to create their own problems - 2 being correctly solved and 1 incorrect. Then they need to explain why. A great exit ticket or switch with other students to see if they can find the lie.

Learn more: Math Equals Love

53. Geometric Reflections

Students will create different reflections of a polygon. As they create it, they will have a visual representation of a reflection to analyze.

  • Topic: reflections
  • Materials: hole punch, graph paper, pencil

Learn more: Scaffolded Math and Science

54. Digital Task Cards

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Students will solve binomials using Google Forms. The digital content is editable, so you can modify the activity as needed for your class.

  • Topic: multiplying binomials

Learn more: Lindsay Bowden

55. Angle Coloring Page

A simple way to teach angles and can be used as a visual memory aid for students who need a refresher. The color-coding helps students remember what type of angle has which measurement.

  • Topic: angles
  • Materials: colors, paper, print out

Learn more: Scaffolded Math

Final Thoughts

The maths activities above have all been chosen to help to improve your students’ engagement and progress in math. Not only will these activities instill more fun in your lessons, but they require limited preparation time to make your life easier too! The hands-on element of the activities will help your students to learn math without even realizing it – and you’ll probably be forever remembered as their best maths teacher!

Free Resources for Any Middle School Math Concept

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MATHCOUNTS provides many free problem sets, videos, lesson plans and activities that can complement in-person and online learning. We've categorized some of the best resources for several middle school math topics:

  • Arithmetic Skills
  • Introduction to Counting
  • Basic Number Sense
  • Exploring Equations
  • Properties of Right Triangles
  • Multiple Approaches to Problems
  • Using Similar Figures
  • Area and Perimeter
  • Sequences, Series and Patterns (Part 1)
  • Sequences, Series and Patterns (Part 2)
  • Probability

Use these resources to help you plan your next online learning session!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Faster Arithmetic Models

Practice plan.

Using the commutative, associative and distributive properties, Mathletes will arrange arithmetic problems in a different order that allows them to be solved more readily.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Order of Operations and Defining New Rules

After refreshing Mathletes on the order of operations, the video will then focus on how to solve problems where an unfamiliar symbol is defined to be a new type of operations that follows given rules.

problem solving activities for middle school math

The Multiplication Game

National math club game.

In The Multiplication Game players take turns chosing factors to obtain a product on the game board. The first player to four squares in a row wins. The game can be used to practice multiplication tables and factor pairs as well as to discuss prime and composite numbers.

problem solving activities for middle school math

In a heads up style game, students use inverse operations to guess the card on their forehead. They may or may not realize they are doing algebra! Register for the free National Math Club to access this game and dozens of others!

problem solving activities for middle school math

A-maze-ing Fractions

National math club exploration.

Operations with fractions are often hard for students to conceptualize. With this exploration's dry erase maze boards and four basic arithmetic operations, Mathletes can begin to uncover the secrets of fractions by finding a path that results in the least value or the greatest value. Register for the free National Math Club to access this activity and dozens of others!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Counting Bee

Help students improve their basic arithmetic skills by competing in a club counting bee. Given a starting number and counting number, see how far students can count in 15 seconds! Register for the free National Math Club to access this game and dozens of others!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Counting Shapes in a Complex Figure

This plan will help Mathletes to develop a strategic approach to counting the occurrences of a certain shape in a more complex figure made of multiple intersecting lines.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Counting Paths Along a Grid

Explore combinatorics by looking at a common type of MATHCOUNTS counting problem – counting paths between two points. End with an extension that connects counting paths to another type of combinatoric problem.

problem solving activities for middle school math

The Fundamental Counting Principle

This plan will introduce students to The Fundamental Counting Principle – a faster method to determining the total number of possible outcomes of an event without listing them all out!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Counting Possibilities

Mathcounts mini.

This video focuses on using diagrams and organized lists to ensure that each possible outcome is counted once, and only once.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Constructive Counting

Moving beyond the fundamental counting principle, students will be introduced to the difference between combinations and permutations, and presented with multiple methods for solving these types of problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Counting & Combinatorics Stretch

Problem set.

Two sets of ten practice problems from the 2002-2003 and 2015-2016 MATHCOUNTS School Handbook that cover basic counting including some number sense, shapes and paths.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Divisibility Rules

Students will apply divisibility rules of various integers to simplify computation, better understand number composition and aid in problem solving. In the extension, Mathletes can prove why each of these rules work!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Least Common Multiple

Calculating the least common multiple is something many students are asked to do, but in this plan they will use their understanding of the least common multiple to stretch themselves to solve more complex problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Marble Challenge

In the Marble Challenge students will take turns removing marbles with the goal of not taking the last marble. This game encourages students to notice patterns in the numbers and can even be used to introduce modular arithmetic. Register for the free National Math Club to access this game and dozens of others!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Using increasingly popular KenKen® puzzles, Mathletes will use teamwork, number sense and logic skills to solve challenges. Register for the free National Math Club to access this activity and dozens of others!

Strategic Guessing Using Divisibility Rules

Often in MATHCOUNTS you find yourself with a unique problem you don't already have a prescribed method for solving. This mini gives examples of such problems that can be solved with a little logic, number sense and understanding of divisibility rules.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Number Sense Stretches

Problem sets.

In these number sense stretches, there are three problem sets (10 problems each) from old MATHCOUNTS School Handbooks that covers number sense topics such as factoring and divisibility. These are great additional practice in after trying the Practice Plans and MATHCOUNTS Minis.

problem solving activities for middle school math

You Don't Have to Solve for x!

Often the immediate reaction when Mathletes see an algebraic equation is to solve for the unknown but depending on what you are looking for it might be easier to manipulate the equation without solving it.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Mathemagicians

This exploration is a great way to practice translating word problems into algebraic equations and to develop understanding of the concept of inverse operations. Mathletes will be amazed at first by what appears to be magic, but they will come to understand that the tricks can be explained using algebra. Mathletes can come up with their own magic examples to impress their friends and families and become true mathemagicians! Register for the free National Math Club to access this activity and dozens of others!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Function Battleship

This exploration lets Mathletes manipulate functions in order to explore and better understand translating, stretching, compressing and other transformations of functions. Through the Desmos platform, with the added twist of similarity to the board game Battleship, Mathletes can graph functions and see the effects of changing coefficients and exponents and adding and subtracting integers. Register for the free National Math Club to access this activity and dozens of others!

In a heads up style game, students use inverse operations to guess the card on their forehead. They may or may not realize they are doing algebra! Register for the free National Math Club to access this game and dozens of others!

problem solving activities for middle school math

Algebraic Equations from Word Problems

These problems and video focus on translanting the information in word problems into representative algebraic equations.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Seeing Symmetry in Systems of Equations

When dealing with systems of equations, if you are able to recognize symmetry between the equations, you can simplify the steps to a solution. This Mini will look at some problems and demonstrate how to find and use the symmetry to your advantage.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Special Right Triangles

Mathletes will become familiar with properties of 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangles. In this plan, the relationships between the sides of these two special right triangles will be derived. Then, Mathletes will apply these to solve for unknown lengths in geometric figures.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Right Triangles

From special right triangles to Pythagorean Triples, this video shows how to use properties of right triangles to solve problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

This exploration gives Mathletes a brief introduction of the Pythagorean Theorem, then guides them through what we call Proofigami. This fun exploration will feel a lot like origami, but will provide Mathletes with a better understanding of the Pythagorean Theorem and gives club leaders a visual and tactile tool that makes explaining this proof easier. Register for the free National Math Club to access this activity and dozens of others!

problem solving activities for middle school math

30-60-90 Right Triangles

This MATHCOUNTS Mini will look at ways to use known ratios of 30-60-90 triangles to help solve more complex geometric problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Right Triangles Stretch

Practice solving problems by using the Pythagorean Theorem, recognizing Pythagorean triples and applying properties of special right triangles.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Trapezoids and Triangles

This video explores how we can decompose a figure into trapezoids and triangles to determine its area. The problems associated with this mini will help students determine when and how to apply their right triangle knowledge to solve more complex geometry problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

More Than One Way to Solve a Problem

This video demonstrates multiple problem-solving strategies and emphasizes the importance of solving problems in more than one way to verify that you've solved a problem correctly.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Even More Than One Way to Solve a Problem

This video reinforces the concept of solving a problem multiple ways to validate your answer.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Fun Problem-Solving Techniques

National math club problem set.

Being able to take multiple different approaches to solve problems is an invaluable skill. In this problem set, students will look at four techniques - creating a model, acting out a situation, drawing a picture and making a list.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Three Tic-Tac-Toes

Chances are students are familiar with tic-tac-toe, but these rule variants on the traditional version will challenge students to rethink their strategy. Use this game to talk about symmetry, logic and proof writing.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Draw a Picture

This video explores how to solve problems by drawing a picture to organize the given information.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Make a Sketch

This video demonstrates how making a sketch of a given scenario can be a useful strategy when solving problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Recognizing Squares and Solving a Simpler Problem

This video focuses on recognizing squares and using them to solve a simpler problem.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Using the Difference of Squares to Solve Problems

This video explores how to use the difference of squares to solve problems and why this method works.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Systems of Equations Stretch

Apply the difference of squares formula in order to solve problems involving systems of equations.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Difference of Squares

An important formula to know, the difference of squares identity is derived geometrically in the video for this problem set. Mathletes will then try to recognize the difference of squares structure in various expressions and use the identity to find the value.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Perfect Squares/Using a Simpler Case to Solve a Problem

This video demonstrates how to use perfect squares to find a simpler case to help solve a problem. 

problem solving activities for middle school math

This video demonstrates how to solve problems using the difference of squares.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Similar Triangles and Proportional Reasoning

This video shows how to identify and use similar triangles to solve geometry problems

problem solving activities for middle school math

Using Similarity to Solve Geometry Problems

This video explores how to apply properties of similar triangles in solving problems about two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures. 

problem solving activities for middle school math

Similarity and Proportional Reasoning Stretches

Practice with the concept of similarity by answering questions about similar figures, and see how similarity relates to proportional reasoning and geometric transformations.

problem solving activities for middle school math

This video demonstrates how to use similarity and proportional reasoning to solve difficult geometry problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Similarity and Proportional Reasoning

Sometimes it is necessary to create the similar triangles you'll need in order to solve a problem. This video shows how to look at and build on given diagrams to create similar figures.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Similar Triangles

This video explores how to use parallel lines and angles to identify similar triangles and solve problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Fence Me In

After rolling dice to determine the size, in part, of a rectangle, players then use perimeter and area formulas to determine dimensions. The goal is to try to fill up the board first.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Areas of Irregular Convex Polygons

This video demonstrates two strategies for how to find the area of an irregular convex polygon.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Geometry Stretches

Find the areas and perimeters of various figures, and see how area and perimeter measurements can be used to solve other types of geometry problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Area of Irregular Polygons Reboot

This video demonstrates how to find the area of an irregular polygon by dividing the figure into smaller regions for which the area is more easily determined.

problem solving activities for middle school math

This video explores how we can decompose a figure into trapezoids and triangles to determine its area.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Problem of the Week

Practice calculating area and perimeter measurements using the image of a shamrock.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Number Sense: Looking for Patterns

This video focuses on techniques for solving problems by looking for patterns that emerge among the digits in large numbers.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Patterns All Around

Recognizing patterns in objects in order to express them mathematically is an important skill for students to learn. In this game students will attempt to recognize visual and numeric patterns in a group of cards.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Sequences, Series and Patterns

This video shows how to find patterns in both visual and numerical sequences and how to use patterns to identify an unknown value in a sequence.

problem solving activities for middle school math

More Sequences, Series and Patterns

This video demonstrates how to find a pattern in a sequence or series, and prove that it works, to solve problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Representing Patterns Numerically

In this practice plan, Mathletes will recognize visual patterns and practice defining them numerically in order to find the number of elements in the pattern after a large number of repetitions.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Patterns Stretches

Practice with patterns through problems about visual and numerical sequences and series, the digits of large numbers and other real-world and math topics.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences

This video explores how to solve problems about arithmetic and geometric sequences.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Relationships Between Arithmetic Sequences, Mean and Median

This video demonstrates how to use mean and median in solving problems about arithmetic sequences.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Arithmetic Sequences

This video focuses on techniques for solving problems involving arithmetic sequences, including finding the nth term.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Sequences Stretches

Practice with standard arithmetic and geometric sequences and series, as well as with other special types of sequences and series, like the Fibonacci sequence.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Patterns, Sequences and Series

This video shows a few techniques for solving problems using patterns in sequences and series.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Sequences and Central Tendency

This video demonstrates how the relationship between measures of central tendency and sequences can be used to solve problems.

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EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR THE YEAR >>> ALL ACCESS

Maneuvering the Middle

Student-Centered Math Lessons

Math Problem Solving Strategies

problem solving activities for middle school math

How many times have you been teaching a concept that students are feeling confident in, only for them to completely shut down when faced with a word problem?  For me, the answer is too many to count.  Word problems require problem solving strategies. And more than anything, word problems require decoding, eliminating extra information, and opportunities for students to solve for something that the question is not asking for .  There are so many places for students to make errors! Let’s talk about some problem solving strategies that can help guide and encourage students!

Problem solving strategies are a must teach skill. Today I analyze strategies that I have tried and introduce the strategy I plan to use this school year. | maneuveringthemiddle.com

1. C.U.B.E.S.

C.U.B.E.S stands for circle the important numbers, underline the question, box the words that are keywords, eliminate extra information, and solve by showing work.  

  • Why I like it: Gives students a very specific ‘what to do.’
  • Why I don’t like it: With all of the annotating of the problem, I’m not sure that students are actually reading the problem.  None of the steps emphasize reading the problem but maybe that is a given.

problem solving activities for middle school math

2. R.U.N.S.

R.U.N.S. stands for read the problem, underline the question, name the problem type, and write a strategy sentence. 

  • Why I like it: Students are forced to think about what type of problem it is (factoring, division, etc) and then come up with a plan to solve it using a strategy sentence.  This is a great strategy to teach when you are tackling various types of problems.
  • Why I don’t like it: Though I love the opportunity for students to write in math, writing a strategy statement for every problem can eat up a lot of time.

problem solving activities for middle school math

3. U.P.S. CHECK

U.P.S. Check stands for understand, plan, solve, and check.

  • Why I like it: I love that there is a check step in this problem solving strategy.  Students having to defend the reasonableness of their answer is essential for students’ number sense.
  • Why I don’t like it: It can be a little vague and doesn’t give concrete ‘what to dos.’ Checking that students completed the ‘understand’ step can be hard to see.

Problem solving strategies are a must teach skill. Today I analyze strategies that I have tried and introduce the strategy I plan to use this school year.  | maneuveringthemiddle.com

4. Maneuvering the Middle Strategy AKA K.N.O.W.S.

Here is the strategy that I adopted a few years ago.  It doesn’t have a name yet nor an acronym, (so can it even be considered a strategy…?)

UPDATE: IT DOES HAVE A NAME! Thanks to our lovely readers, Wendi and Natalie!

  • Know: This will help students find the important information.
  • Need to Know: This will force students to reread the question and write down what they are trying to solve for.
  • Organize:   I think this would be a great place for teachers to emphasize drawing a model or picture.
  • Work: Students show their calculations here.
  • Solution: This is where students will ask themselves if the answer is reasonable and whether it answered the question.

Problem solving strategies are a must teach skill. Today I analyze strategies that I have tried and introduce the strategy I plan to use this school year. | maneuveringthemiddle.com

Ideas for Promoting Showing Your Work

  • White boards are a helpful resource that make (extra) writing engaging!
  • Celebrating when students show their work. Create a bulletin board that says ***I showed my work*** with student exemplars.
  • Take a picture that shows your expectation for how work should look and post it on the board like Marissa did here.

Show Work Digitally

Many teachers are facing how to have students show their work or their problem solving strategy when tasked with submitting work online. Platforms like Kami make this possible. Go Formative has a feature where students can use their mouse to “draw” their work. 

If you want to spend your energy teaching student problem solving instead of writing and finding math problems, look no further than our All Access membership . Click the button to learn more. 

problem solving activities for middle school math

Students who plan succeed at a higher rate than students who do not plan.   Do you have a go to problem solving strategy that you teach your students? 

Problem solving strategies are a must teach skill. Today I analyze strategies that I have tried and introduce the strategy I plan to use this school year. | maneuveringthemiddle.com

Editor’s Note: Maneuvering the Middle has been publishing blog posts for nearly 8 years! This post was originally published in September of 2017. It has been revamped for relevancy and accuracy.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Problem Solving Posters (Represent It! Bulletin Board)

Check out these related products from my shop.

6th Grade Project: Rational Numbers

Reader Interactions

18 comments.

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October 4, 2017 at 7:55 pm

As a reading specialist, I love your strategy. It’s flexible, “portable” for any problem, and DOES get kids to read and understand the problem by 1) summarizing what they know and 2) asking a question for what they don’t yet know — two key comprehension strategies! How about: “Make a Plan for the Problem”? That’s the core of your rationale for using it, and I bet you’re already saying this all the time in class. Kids will get it even more because it’s a statement, not an acronym to remember. This is coming to my reading class tomorrow with word problems — thank you!

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October 4, 2017 at 8:59 pm

Hi Nora! I have never thought about this as a reading strategy, genius! Please let me know how it goes. I would love to hear more!

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December 15, 2017 at 7:57 am

Hi! I am a middle school teacher in New York state and my district is “gung ho” on CUBES. I completely agree with you that kids are not really reading the problem when using CUBES and only circling and boxing stuff then “doing something” with it without regard for whether or not they are doing the right thing (just a shot in the dark!). I have adopted what I call a “no fear word problems” procedure because several of my students told me they are scared of word problems and I thought, “let’s take the scary out of it then by figuring out how to dissect it and attack it! Our class strategy is nearly identical to your strategy:

1. Pre-Read the problem (do so at your normal reading speed just so you basically know what it says) 2. Active Read: Make a short list of: DK (what I Definitely Know), TK (what I Think I Know and should do), and WK (what I Want to Know– what is the question?) 3. Draw and Solve 4. State the answer in a complete sentence.

This procedure keep kids for “surfacely” reading and just trying something that doesn’t make sense with the context and implications of the word problem. I adapted some of it from Harvey Silver strategies (from Strategic Teacher) and incorporated the “Read-Draw-Write” component of the Eureka Math program. One thing that Harvey Silver says is, “Unlike other problems in math, word problems combine quantitative problem solving with inferential reading, and this combination can bring out the impulsive side in students.” (The Strategic Teacher, page 90, Silver, et al.; 2007). I found that CUBES perpetuates the impulsive side of middle school students, especially when the math seems particularly difficult. Math word problems are packed full of words and every word means something to about the intent and the mathematics in the problem, especially in middle school and high school. Reading has to be done both at the literal and inferential levels to actually correctly determine what needs to be done and execute the proper mathematics. So far this method is going really well with my students and they are experiencing higher levels of confidence and greater success in solving.

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October 5, 2017 at 6:27 am

Hi! Another teacher and I came up with a strategy we call RUBY a few years ago. We modeled this very closely after close reading strategies that are language arts department was using, but tailored it to math. R-Read the problem (I tell kids to do this without a pencil in hand otherwise they are tempted to start underlining and circling before they read) U-Underline key words and circle important numbers B-Box the questions (I always have student’s box their answer so we figured this was a way for them to relate the question and answer) Y-You ask yourself: Did you answer the question? Does your answer make sense (mathematically)

I have anchor charts that we have made for classrooms and interactive notebooks if you would like them let me me know….

October 5, 2017 at 9:46 am

Great idea! Thanks so much for sharing with our readers!

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October 8, 2017 at 6:51 pm

LOVE this idea! Will definitely use it this year! Thank you!

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December 18, 2019 at 7:48 am

I would love an anchor chart for RUBY

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October 15, 2017 at 11:05 am

I will definitely use this concept in my Pre-Algebra classes this year; I especially like the graphic organizer to help students organize their thought process in solving the problems too.

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April 20, 2018 at 7:36 am

I love the process you’ve come up with, and think it definitely balances the benefits of simplicity and thoroughness. At the risk of sounding nitpicky, I want to point out that the examples you provide are all ‘processes’ rather than strategies. For the most part, they are all based on the Polya’s, the Hungarian mathematician, 4-step approach to problem solving (Understand/Plan/Solve/Reflect). It’s a process because it defines the steps we take to approach any word problem without getting into the specific mathematical ‘strategy’ we will use to solve it. Step 2 of the process is where they choose the best strategy (guess and check, draw a picture, make a table, etc) for the given problem. We should start by teaching the strategies one at a time by choosing problems that fit that strategy. Eventually, once they have added multiple strategies to their toolkit, we can present them with problems and let them choose the right strategy.

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June 22, 2018 at 12:19 pm

That’s brilliant! Thank you for sharing!

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May 31, 2018 at 12:15 pm

Mrs. Brack is setting up her second Christmas tree. Her tree consists of 30% red and 70% gold ornaments. If there are 40 red ornaments, then how many ornaments are on the tree? What is the answer to this question?

June 22, 2018 at 10:46 am

Whoops! I guess the answer would not result in a whole number (133.333…) Thanks for catching that error.

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July 28, 2018 at 6:53 pm

I used to teach elementary math and now I run my own learning center, and we teach a lot of middle school math. The strategy you outlined sounds a little like the strategy I use, called KFCS (like the fast-food restaurant). K stands for “What do I know,” F stands for “What do I need to Find,” C stands for “Come up with a plan” [which includes 2 parts: the operation (+, -, x, and /) and the problem-solving strategy], and lastly, the S stands for “solve the problem” (which includes all the work that is involved in solving the problem and the answer statement). I find the same struggles with being consistent with modeling clearly all of the parts of the strategy as well, but I’ve found that the more the student practices the strategy, the more intrinsic it becomes for them; of course, it takes a lot more for those students who struggle with understanding word problems. I did create a worksheet to make it easier for the students to follow the steps as well. If you’d like a copy, please let me know, and I will be glad to send it.

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February 3, 2019 at 3:56 pm

This is a supportive and encouraging site. Several of the comments and post are spot on! Especially, the “What I like/don’t like” comparisons.

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March 7, 2019 at 6:59 am

Have you named your unnamed strategy yet? I’ve been using this strategy for years. I think you should call it K.N.O.W.S. K – Know N – Need OW – (Organise) Plan and Work S – Solution

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September 2, 2019 at 11:18 am

Going off of your idea, Natalie, how about the following?

K now N eed to find out O rganize (a plan – may involve a picture, a graphic organizer…) W ork S ee if you’re right (does it make sense, is the math done correctly…)

I love the K & N steps…so much more tangible than just “Read” or even “Understand,” as I’ve been seeing is most common in the processes I’ve been researching. I like separating the “Work” and “See” steps. I feel like just “Solve” May lead to forgetting the checking step.

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March 16, 2020 at 4:44 pm

I’m doing this one. Love it. Thank you!!

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September 17, 2019 at 7:14 am

Hi, I wanted to tell you how amazing and kind you are to share with all of us. I especially like your word problem graphic organizer that you created yourself! I am adopting it this week. We have a meeting with all administrators to discuss algebra. I am going to share with all the people at the meeting.

I had filled out the paperwork for the number line. Is it supposed to go to my email address? Thank you again. I am going to read everything you ahve given to us. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

problem solving activities for middle school math

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5 Engaging Middle School Math Activities

problem solving activities for middle school math

These five engaging middle school math activities are adaptable to most any topic! Students will be moving around and talking about math. Go ahead, and read on!

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1. Scavenger Hunt

I LOVE scavenger hunts! They are super versatile and they get kiddos moving around the room.

Here’s what to do:

  • Gather fifteen pieces of paper and number them 1-15 for fifteen stations.
  • Choose fifteen review problems based on what your students learned last year.
  • Write the first problem on the “#1” station, and then write the answer in bold on another piece of paper (say, the “#4” station).
  • Write the next problem on the same #4 piece of paper and write the answer elsewhere.
  • Continue until all papers have been used.
  • Hang them in order around your room.

Lastly, split your class into pairs and assign them each to a first station. Partners will complete problems and “hunt” for the next question by finding where their answer is around the room!

Below is an example from a scavenger hunt activity I created on writing numbers in scientific notation.

example of a math classroom scavenger hunt activity for writing numbers in scientific notation

SCAVENGER HUNT TIPS: – I usually create enough stations so that I can split students into pairs, although you can have more to a group – You may want to consider timed stations so that students do not get crowded at any one station

Resources you may like :

button to view the converting terminating and repeating decimals into fractions scavenger hunt activity

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2. Partner Match

I’ve found that students REALLY get into this one. Students will work in partners to complete DIFFERENT PROBLEMS that have the SAME ANSWER. I love this one because it is self-checking! If students arrive at a different answer, they must work with one another to find and correct the mistake. Depending on the content, 10-15 pairs of questions is usually enough.

Below is an example of one I made for solving two-step equations.

example of a partner match activity for solving two step equations in the math classroom

Here is one to let your inner geek out. I like to find the cheesiest math riddles for these! First, you will want one problem for every letter in the answer. So, if the riddle is “What did the triangle say to the circle?” and the answer is “You’re so pointless”, you will need 16 problems. The answer to each problem will correspond to a letter. Students will work in groups to figure this one out!

Below is an example pulled from a lesson I created on checking solutions of equations. The top paper is the student’s recording sheet. The bottom shows an example of one of the stations.

problem solving activities for middle school math

RIDDLE TIPS: – If they are harder problems, such as word problems, you can create this so that each problem corresponds with one word in the answer

button to view the identifying proportional relationships from functions riddle activity for middle school

4. Gallery Walk

Out of the five activities mentioned, this one involves the least amount of prep . Honestly, if you have a good math worksheet, you can cut it up and use it for this one.

Here’s How It Works:

  • Hang 10-15 math problems around the room.
  • Split students into groups of 2-3 to walk around your room completing them (just as if they were walking around looking at works of art!).
  • Set a timer for 2-3 minutes so students know when to rotate!

Below is an example from a gallery walk activity I created on the properties of exponents.

example of a properties of exponents activity in the math classroom

5. Escape Room

My new favorite activity is definitely an escape room! Students will find and solve a variety of “clues” to help them “escape” the room. Out of the activities listed here, this one has the most prep . Here are steps to help you out:

  • Determine the content of your escape room.
  • Come up with a storyline. Why do students need to “escape”? (check out this introductory video for my two-step equations escape room)
  • Create a set of “clues” that will lead to an “ultimate challenge.” This challenge will be the one they need to solve in order to escape.
  • Create the “ultimate challenge.” This can be fun! It can be based off of the clues that were found or a completely different riddle. For the escape room I recently created, I made a dance the kids had to learn and perform for the teacher!

All of this said, the possibilities for escape rooms are virtually endless. If you try to make your own, START SIMPLE! It is easy to get drawn into a super complex puzzle, but it doesn’t have to be complex to engage your students!

Below is an outline of how I set up my escape room for a lesson on solving real-world problems using two-step equations .

example of an escape room activity  to help students practice solving real world problems using two step equations

There are so many engaging middle school math activities out there, but these are five of my favorite!

What other math activities are popular in your classroom? Post in the comments below!

engaging activities for the middle school math classroom

2 thoughts on “5 Engaging Middle School Math Activities”

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Thank you for sharing this! I am planning to do math workshop this year and need to make activities for my. centers (grade 7). I’m not terribly tech savvy, nor do I want my students doing a lot of work on their devices throughout the day. I am familiar with many of these, and I try to find them free on TpT because I’m paying out of my pocket.

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You’re welcome! I hope your 7th graders enjoy them.

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First Week Problem Solving Tasks

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Herbel-Eisenmenn, B. & Breyfogle, M. (2005). Questioning our patterns of questioning. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 10(9), 484-489.

Stephan, M. (2014). Establishing standards for mathematical practice. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 19(9), 532-538.

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problem solving activities for middle school math

problem solving activities for middle school math

Small Group Math Activities

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small group math activities

Discover small group math activities that promote student engagement and foster a love for math. This blog post explores 10 activities, including math games, hands-on manipulatives, real-world investigations, technology tools, problem solving activities, and more to help you transform your math stations into a dynamic learning environment.

I have a secret confession to make. 

Teaching reading has never been my cup of tea. 

Don’t get me wrong, I adore immersing my students in captivating books and opening their minds to new worlds. 

But when it comes to reading workshop, let’s just say it didn’t exactly light a fire in my soul. 

The never-ending cycle of reading from the textbook series and completing author’s purpose, inference, and comprehension worksheets felt mundane and, dare I say it, a bit dull. #yawn 🥱 

Despite my best efforts, I struggled to make it truly exciting. 

So, when the opportunity to introduce math workshop came knocking, I must admit, I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy.

It’s All About Engagement

Math stations are a powerful tool for promoting student engagement and deepening our students’ mathematical understanding. 

By incorporating engaging activities into your math station rotations, you can create a dynamic learning environment that sparks excitement and curiosity in your students. 

In this blog post, we will explore 10 engaging small group math activities that will captivate your students and inspire them to develop a love for math.

10 Small Group Math Activities for Any Math Station Rotation

This is an example of 5 small group math activities.

Activity 1: Math Games Galore

Math games are a fantastic way to make learning fun and interactive. These small group math activities provide opportunities for students to practice math skills while communicating mathematically with their peers. Here are a few examples of card and dice games that can be incorporated into your math station rotations:

  • War Games: This classic math game requires only a deck of cards. Partners each turn over a card and use their math skills to compare the numbers, such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals, or even simple expressions. The player with the higher value wins the round. Players continue playing until no cards are remaining. 
  • Cover-Up Games: This simple board game requires two dice. In turn, each student rolls the dice and completes the problem associated with the dice sum. Then, they cover the solution with a marker in a grid trying to get four in a row, column, or diagonal. 
  • Traditional Board Games: Pair a set of task cards with a traditional board game to create this math station activity. After correctly answering a question, students can roll a die or toss a coin to move along the path.

Activity 2: Hands-On Manipulatives

Hands-on manipulatives bring abstract math concepts to life, making them more concrete and tangible. These activities provide students with a visual and kinesthetic experience, enhancing their understanding of mathematical concepts. Consider incorporating the following manipulative-based activities into your math stations:

  • Pattern Block Puzzles: Provide students with pattern blocks and challenge them to create different shapes and designs, exploring concepts like symmetry, fractions, and geometry.
  • Base Ten Blocks: Use base ten blocks to reinforce place value concepts. Students can build and represent numbers and explore operations with whole numbers and decimals.
  • Data Analysis with Spinners: Use spinners with different sections labeled with numbers or categories. Students spin the spinner multiple times, record the results, and represent the data they collected by creating a frequency table, bar graph, or dot plot.

Want to use math manipulatives but need more resources? Try virtual manipulatives !

Activity 3: Puzzle Power

Puzzles are not only engaging but also promote critical thinking and problem solving skills. They challenge students to think creatively and persevere through complex tasks. Here are a few puzzle-based activities to include in your math stations:

  • Number Crossword: Create a crossword puzzle where students respond to math-related clues and fill in the corresponding numbers in the grid.
  • Logic Grids: Challenge students with logic puzzles that require them to use deductive reasoning and critical thinking skills to solve.
  • Sudoku: Provide students with Sudoku puzzles focusing on numbers, shapes, or mathematical operations, encouraging them to apply logical reasoning to complete the puzzles.

Activity 4: Real-World Math Investigations

Real-world math investigations allow students to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills to authentic situations. These activities promote problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to connect math and the real world. Consider the following examples for your math station rotations:

  • Recipe Conversions: Provide students with recipes that need to be converted to serve a different number of people. Students must adjust ingredient quantities using proportional reasoning and fractions.
  • Budgeting and Shopping: Give students a budget and a list of items with prices, such as a local grocery ad or restaurant menu. They must plan a shopping trip, choose items based on their budget, and calculate the total cost.
  • Measurement Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of objects in the classroom or nearby hallway students need to measure using various units of measurement. Students will use rulers, measuring tapes, or scales to gather the data and record their measurements.

This is an example of Boom Cards.

Activity 5: Technology Tools

Incorporating technology into math stations can engage students and provide interactive learning experiences. Consider utilizing the following online resources and educational apps:

  • Online Math Games and Activities: Websites such as IXL Learning, Prodigy, and Math Playground provide opportunities to gamify the learning experience. Students can earn points and virtual rewards while building math skills. 
  • Digital Activities: Activities designed for Google Classroom and Seesaw provide engaging opportunities for students to use digital tools to review math concepts and skills .
  • Digital Task Cards: Take task cards to the next level with digital task cards . Task cards created for use at Boom Learning or even with Google Forms can increase student engagement while students practice essential math skills.

Activity 6: Ready-Made Math Activities

In addition to creating your small group math activities, incorporating ready-made resources can provide a valuable and time-saving option for engaging your students. These pre-made activities offer an interactive and hands-on way to reinforce math skills and concepts. 

  • Electronic Flashcard Games: Electronic flashcard games provide an exciting and interactive way for students to practice and reinforce math facts. These games often offer various difficulty levels and customizable options to cater to students’ needs. Math Whiz and Math Shark are two of my favorites!
  • VersaTiles: VersaTiles is a hands-on, puzzle-inspired activity with an interactive workbook system designed to reinforce math skills. Students use a unique answer case and answer tiles to complete activities and self-check their answers. It’s a favorite of my elementary and middle school students alike!
  • Marcy Cook Tiling Tasks: Marcy Cook Tiling Tasks are critical thinking activities that require students to use a set of tiles labeled 0-9 to complete math puzzles. These tasks promote problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and mathematical thinking. Students arrange the tiles to fill in the blanks and create equations and solutions that satisfy the given conditions. 

Activity 7: Math Task Cards

Math task cards offer various practice opportunities and allow students to work independently. They are also easy to make and readily available on teacher marketplaces across the web. Here are some examples of task card activities: 

  • Showdown: Partners select one card and complete it individually. Then, students “showdown” and share their responses using math talk and supporting each other as necessary. 
  • Math Game: Pair a set of task cards with a game board to gamify the learning experience! Students place their game markers at the start line. To move down the path, students must correctly respond to a task card, toss a die (or flip a coin), and move the number of spaces indicated on the die or based on the side of the coin visible after the coin toss (heads = 2 spaces, tails = one space).
  • Cover Up: To create a Cover Up game, program a 4 x 4 grid with the solutions to a set of task cards. Then, when students respond correctly, they can cover the answer with a board marker, such as centimeter cubes, color tiles, Bingo chips, or beans. The goal is to get four markers in a row, column, or diagonal. Note: This activity works best with multiple-choice questions, true or false questions, or questions with numerical answers.  

This is an example of how math picture books can be used to create small group math activities.

Activity 8: Math Picture Books

Integrating math and literature activities enhances students’ mathematical understanding and develops their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Consider incorporating the following math and literacy activities into your math stations:

  • Math Investigations: Use the storyline in a book to practice a skill. For example, use the Pigs Will Be Pigs book by Amy Axelrod to practice adding and subtracting decimals as the pigs find money hidden around their home and then spend it at a restaurant. 
  • Story-based Problems: Use the book as a springboard to reinforce a specific skill. Either re-create scenarios from the book or create new problems based on the problems the characters faced in the story such as comparing the amounts in two different groups after reading Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream by Cindy Neuschwander.
  • Famous Mathematicians Book Study: Create a set of questions to help students learn more about famous mathematicians, such as Katherine Johnson , and provide students with access to a physical or digital biography to read and use to respond to the questions.

This is an example of a calculator challenge.

Activity 9: Calculator Challenges

Incorporating calculator challenges into your math stations can allow upper elementary students to deepen their understanding of math concepts while developing their computational skills. Calculator activities engage students in hands-on exploration, problem-solving, and critical thinking while building their technology proficiency skillset. 

These activities encourage students to use calculators to investigate, solve problems, and make connections. Consider incorporating the following calculator challenges into your math stations:

  • The Broken Calculator Challenge: In this challenge, students are shown an image of a calculator with only three or four working buttons. Students then determine how to use the remaining keys on the broken calculator to create specific values, such as using +, x, 2, and 3 to achieve a value of 8.
  • Calculator Corrections: This task requires students to determine how to correct a calculator mistake without clearing the calculator. Using the calculator, students determine how to fix a mistake, check the answer, and make adjustments as necessary. After completing the task, students can justify the changes they made. For example, Brandi wanted to enter the number 4265 into her calculator. By mistake, she typed 4165. Without clearing her calculator, how can she fix her mistake? 
  • Target Number: For this task, students represent place value in numbers, determine what number to add or subtract to reach the target number, and use the calculator to check their process. For example, students are given the following directions: Start with 7,254. Find a number to subtract that will result in a 0 in the hundreds column.

This is an example of a tiling task.

Activity 10: Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

Problem-solving and critical thinking are essential life skills for students to develop. Engage your students in meaningful and challenging math experiences by incorporating problem solving and critical thinking activities into your small group math activities. Click here for a list of problem solving activities ; that encourage students to think critically, analyze situations, and apply their mathematical knowledge to real-world scenarios.

A Shift in Thinking

While I never found a way to make reading workshop exciting, math workshop was my students’ favorite part of the day. 

Integrating various small group math activities into the rotation was the key to keeping students engaged in learning and wanting more. 

If you’re new to math stations, the best way to get started is to choose 1-2 new activities to implement. Consider adding another activity after students are comfortable with the previous activities and staying engaged with minimal support.

Adding new small group math activities gradually will help maintain order during the rotation and save your sanity! If you’d like more tips and tools for managing math stations, download the Math Station Management Toolbox using the form at the bottom of this post. 

Math station rotation boards are an excellent organizational tool for implementing the small group math activities above. This visual display helps students understand the structure of the math station rotation and enhances their independence and accountability. 

The small group math activities shared above can be assigned to specific stations on the rotation board. Then, teachers can use the math station rotation board to effectively monitor student progress as they rotate through various math stations. 

Experiment with these small group math activities and adapt them to meet the needs and interests of your students, ensuring math station time is an exciting and transformative experience for all.

What are your favorite small group math activities? Respond in the comments below. 

problem solving activities for middle school math

Shametria Routt Banks

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Engaging & Rich Math Tasks to Reach Every Student

Looking for deep and meaningful ways to challenge your students? Think rich tasks are only for your advanced students? Think again!

All students learn more and retain more when they are given opportunities to engage with meaningful math problems through inquiry. All students benefit from being pushed just beyond their capabilities and engage in a little productive struggle.

What Does Teaching Through Problem Solving Look Like?

Typically in a math classroom, the structure and routine looks like this: the teacher gives examples and works out math problems. The class then works together on some additional examples through guided practice. Finally, students are given a set of problems to try on their own. They’re finally ready for independent work!

What’s the problem with this method?

For one, to be perfectly honest, it’s boring. Watching the teacher work out problem after problem is tedious and just not fun .

And I know you might be thinking, “Ok, but not everything can be fun. Cleaning the bathroom is not fun, but it still has to be done.”

And I hear you! Certainly, there are times when we just have to suck it up and do the hard work, even if it’s not all fun and games.

But if we want kids excited and engaged in the learning process, we have to actually give them a chance to engage in the learning process. 

So what does this look like? Take that earlier example of a day in the typical math classroom and turn it on it’s head.

Meaning rather than moving from I do to we do and then finally you do , you start with you do . This means you start the lesson by giving students a rich math task that is just a little beyond their comfort zone.

Ready to dive right in? Check out my complete online training course on teaching through problem solving & inquiry:

>>> Problem Solved: How to Teach Math Through Problem Solving & Inquiry

What constitutes a rich math task.

Though this might sound complicated or like you’ll have to completely re-invent the wheel, it’s definitely not! It simply means you start by challenging kids with a problem that has not yet been explicitly taught . (Notice I said not yet taught. Please know that direct teacher instruction is still important and still has it’s place. I just believe it should come later in your lesson).

This could be as simple as a word problem from the next section of your fraction unit.

It could be a visual math task or puzzle.

It could be a more involved, ongoing project that allows kids to use and apply what they know and build on it over time.

It could simply be a question that forces your kids to think, such as “Which is greater, 2/4 or 3/8?”

For more ideas about what makes a math task rich, consider these questions:

  • Is it new content that is related to something my students already know?
  • Is it a low-floor, high-ceiling task that every single student can engage with?
  • Can the problem be solved in multiple ways , using multiple strategies ?
  • Is it, or does it allow for visualization using pictures and models?
  • Does it relate to students interests or everyday life in some way?

Please note that any given task is not going to check off every single one of these boxes. These questions are simply meant to guide you as you think about and prepare math lessons using meaningful, rich math tasks for your students.

What if a Math Task is Total Flop?

What do you do when you have a problem that you’re excited about and you present it to your students only to find that it doesn’t engage them at all, or it’s completely beyond their abilities?

First, don’t stress! Not every task is going to be a winner or be the perfect fit for where your kids are mathematically.

Instead, consider why it did not go well:

  • Was the math just a little too far beyond what your students were ready for? If so, adjust the task to include simpler numbers or try again with a little more guidance from you as the teacher.
  • Was the topic of the task of no interest to them? Maybe you picked a work problem that you thought would relate to their lives, but it just didn’t. Try asking them what their interests are to see if you can tweak the problem to relate to something they are excited about!
  • Was it too closed, with only one solution and method? Try opening it up by removing some of the parameters. This will turn it into a problem with multiple possible solutions. Or consider a task that covers the same math skill, but can be solved using multiple methods or visual tools. This will allow students more room to explore and think through the task.

Ready to Engage Your Students with Rich Math Tasks? Try These!

Below you will find an ever-growing list of meaningful and engaging tasks to help your students make sense of math. Click on any of the graphics to learn more about the task or activity and grab your FREE download!

problem solving activities for middle school math

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Join 165,000+ parents and teachers who learn new tips and strategies, as well as receive engaging resources to make math fun. Plus, receive my guide, "5 Games You Can Play Today to Make Math Fun," as my free gift to get you started!

10 Math Problem Solving Activities for Middle School

Published on june 26, 2017 at 7:25 am by ethan jacobs in lists , news.

Looking for some math problem-solving activities for middle school ? Good, you’re at the right page then.

Right before children enter Middle School (around the age of 11 or 12), they enter a critical developmental stage known as Piaget’s fourth and final stage of cognitive development.  It’s at this stage that children demonstrate marked growth in a number of areas, ranging from making hypotheses and inferences to thinking abstractly and using advanced reasoning skills.  In line with this crucial phase of a child’s development, Middle School Math curricula are designed to stretch the bounds of adolescent thinking while also helping them to establish new skills and sound mathematical habits.

One way that educators try to ensure this is through common core standards that can be applied to Middle School-aged students.  These standards seek to achieve eight distinct objectives, which help foster the developmental transition addressed by Piaget.  The objectives:

  • Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them;
  • Reason abstractly and quantitatively;
  • Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others;
  • Model with mathematics;
  • Use appropriate tools strategically;
  • Attend to precision;
  • Look for and make use of structure;
  • Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

allow for a lot of leeways as well as creativity in the way that problems are both presented to and solved by students.

10 Math Problem Solving Activities for Middle School

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The first objective, for example, emphasizes a student’s ability to not simply apply an algorithm to a problem, but more pointedly, make a decision and implement it.  This process can draw out drastically different reactions in different students.  For some, the prospect of being creative and innovative in thinking of ways to solve brain-bending problems is exciting, and often even addicting.  On the other hand, getting past the roadblocks that come along with solving a tough problem can be frustrating and, at times, discouraging for students.  It is in these moments that establishing math skills that promote perseverance are most critical.

A quick and easy way of avoiding that anticipated frustration that students might encounter in the face of challenging math problems is equipping them with an arsenal of tools and approaches through which they can tackle such problems.  

If, for example, you told me that I was a bird with a short, stubby beak that had to find a way to drink water from a glass that was only half-full with only a pile of stones at hand, I might get frustrated pretty quickly upon realizing that my beak did not reach far enough down to allow me to drink.  I might peck a few times in vain but would remain parched.  

With the right set of dynamic problem-solving skills at my disposal, however, I might think of the problem in a different light, and realize that by dropping enough stones into the glass, I could make the water level rise enough that my beak could easily extract all the water I desired.

Applying these kinds of problem-solving skills to questions that are appropriate for Middle School students can fortify grit, the quality of not giving up easily, and help students to solve problems they may face in their own lives.

Taking all of this into consideration, there are a few basic skills and approaches that students can use to help them crack just about any age-appropriate problem that you, the teacher, throw at them.  In the interest of time, we’ll introduce just four here, though plenty of others can certainly be applied where appropriate. The most common methods for solving problems that students may encounter are:

  • Guess and Check;
  • Draw a picture;
  • Work Backward; and
  • Use an Equation with a variable.

The first method on our list of math problem-solving activities for middle school is fairly self-explanatory. In a sense, it involves a bit of reverse-engineering, as the student starts with a proposed solution and works his or her way back to the beginning of the problem to see if that solution is effective.  

Drawing a picture may be more effective for visual learners, as it enables students to lay eyes on the problem and conceive of a solution in ways that they may not have otherwise.

Working backward is like a more scientific version of guessing and checking.  Students can use the information provided to step backward one piece at a time, like Guy Pearce in Memento, until they reach the solution that is in accordance with all of the details provided in the problem.

Finally, an equation that uses a variable can be effective when information is missing, or when an approach unlike the first three is required.

Again–these approaches are mere suggestions that students can apply to solving problems that they may encounter.  Ultimately, a healthy combination of different tactics can serve a student well in handling any problem thrown their way.  Skills such as these, though tough to develop at first, can go a long way toward helping US students stand up to their peers around the world in global math benchmarks , while also making day-to-day problems that they face easier to solve.  

Without further ado, here are ten math problem-solving activities for middle school students that can help them develop a number of crucial skills.  If you find these interesting, you may also like our article on the Best Problem Solving Activities For Middle School . Beyond just math, there are other areas where problem-solving can be extremely useful for that age group.  And now, the problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Slideshow List XFinance Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development Work Backward Math Problem Solution Method Guess and Check Math Problem Solution Method Missing Mangoes math problem solving activity Drawing a picture math problem solution method math problem-solving activities for middle school 10 Math Problem Solving Activities for Middle School 10 Best Problem Solving Activities For Middle School Use an Equation with a variable math problem solution method Common Core Educational Standards for Middle School Students Full HD Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Wild Dog Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Supersize Me Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Domino Effect Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Family Matters Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Mystery Weight Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Show Me the Money Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Cookie Decorations Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Castaways and Coconuts Math Problem solving activity for middle school students Show more... Show less

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Math Activities for Middle School Enrichment: Critical Thinking at a Critical Age

Gifted Free Activities for Middle School Students

May 1, 2018, by The Critical Thinking Co. Staff

Good Mathematical Habits for Young Adolescents

Mathematics content is best learned in a way that fosters good habits of mathematical thinking. The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics ( www.corestandards.org ) supplement their K-12 standards for content with eight standards for mathematical practice:

  • Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
  • Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
  • Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
  • Model with mathematics.
  • Use appropriate tools strategically.
  • Attend to precision.
  • Look for and make use of structure.
  • Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. These mathematical practices, and how they relate to content, mean very different things depending upon student age.

Middle School as a Critical Transition Period

The middle school years mark a critical transition in a child’s cognitive development – how a child thinks and learns. Generally at age 11 or 12 children enter the fourth and final stage in Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development , called the formal operational stage. During this time children show significant growth in their ability to think abstractly, use advanced reasoning skills, make hypotheses and inferences, and draw logical conclusions. Ideally, the middle school years provide educators with new opportunities to foster good thinking habits and mathematical practices.

The Balance Between Mathematical Content and Practice

Students begin middle school exposed to mathematics as a very broad subject covering a wide array of topics: 2D geometry, probability, percentages, number theory, logic, patterns, statistics, graphing, number operations, proportions, elementary algebra, 3D geometry, and so on. They finish middle school and begin high school usually embarking on year-long studies of content-intensive mathematical subject areas: a year of Algebra 1, then a year of Geometry, then a year of Algebra 2, and so on. Though young adolescents begin middle school ready to think with more power, creativity, and independence, the accompanying increase in content expectations means that a balance between mathematical content and practice can be difficult to achieve. Developing good thinking and learning habits requires investment of time and patience, and well-intended educators can be drawn away from quality mathematical practices when the drive to learn content becomes too formidable.

Committing to Critical Thinking at the Middle School Level

Content can be learned in ways that ask young adolescents to harness and develop their new cognitive abilities. For example, a traditional 2D geometry question might ask:

Calculate the perimeter and area of a rectangle with a 15-inch length and a 9-inch width.

This question can be answered by performing a routine calculation using formulas for the perimeter and area of a rectangle. Similar content can be studied with a question that asks for critical thinking:

For what whole number values of length and width will the rectangle have an area of 60 square yards and a perimeter of 38 yards?

This second question (from Mathematical Reasoning™ Middle School Supplement ) requires students to develop a strategy to construct a solution. Indeed, a common approach involves making a mental or physical list of pairs of whole numbers that multiply to 60 and then searching for the pair of numbers that add up to 19 (since a rectangle’s perimeter is twice the sum of the length and width). The correct answer is a length of 15 inches and a width of 4 inches (assigning the larger number to length). Note the depth and value of a critical thinking opportunity: the solution strategy connects 2D geometry with the number theory technique of factoring and is a precursor to a more sophisticated factoring procedure used in Algebra 1. The second question requires greater time investment than the first question, but is worth the extra time if one is committed to young adolescents learning content in a way that fully engages their reasoning skills.

Fostering Perseverance

The first Common Core mathematical practice standard emphasizes the need to have students make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. The most important ingredient in Polya’s classic four-step problem solving strategy is the act of making decisions, as opposed to simply applying an algorithm that has been instructed. Young adolescent reaction to problem solving and decision making can be decidedly mixed. On the one hand, playing an active role in the solution process – figuring something out and being creative – can be fun, exciting, sometimes even addicting for young minds that are ready to be engaged. However, overcoming obstacles and persevering with a task that requires multiple steps and authentic reasoning can also sometimes be discouraging for early adolescent brains just learning how to tap into their emerging powers. The frustration level can depend on the difficulty level of the problem-solving situation, and a common, safe path is to keep decision making and creative expectations down to a minimum. However, if mathematics education in the United States is to reach a higher standard against a worldwide benchmark , children must be encouraged to persevere with critical thinking and decision making, to embrace both the excitement and occasional frustration of authentic reasoning and creativity.

Enrichment Activities to Stimulate Critical Thinking

The Critical Thinking Co.™ specializes in activities that stimulate use of reasoning skills and creativity when learning content. These enrichment activities challenge students to make decisions and construct solutions – to play an active role when learning content. Variety is favored over repetition, although care is taken to have common themes emphasized and connections reinforced. Presentation is often graphic intensive, resulting in visual appeal to young eyes. Real-world applications are easily identifiable. Problem-solving is supported with clear, comprehensive solutions and explanations. An example is provided with the activity sets Dimension Detective and Linear Patterns and accompanying solution pages from Mathematical Reasoning™ Middle School Supplement . In Dimension Detective students deduce missing dimensions for a variety of geometric shapes by using proportional reasoning, number theory ideas, and connections between 2D and 3D shapes. In Linear Patterns students determine number patterns and geometric patterns, and then deduce algebraic expressions to describe these patterns (a precursor to creating algebraic equations to describe linear graphs). Each activity set is accompanied by needed math facts, strategy tips, and comprehensive solutions that teachers and parents can use to help support student investigations. These sorts of enrichment activities provide middle school students with an opportunity to explore mathematical content, create or reinforce ideas, make connections, and use abstract reasoning. Young adolescents have emerging cognitive powers to accompany their rapid physical growth, and math enrichment can provide middle school students with appealing opportunities to use their maturing reasoning skills.

Free Printable Math Worksheets for Grades 6-9

  • Dimension Detective (Number Theory)
  • Linear Patterns
  • Geometry & Introduction to Trigonometry
  • Uncovering All the Angles
  • Algebraic Cryptograms
  • The Finest Pyramid

Visit our product pages to find hundreds more free printable activities.

Award-Winning Math Books for Middle School Students

Here's what some of our customers have said regarding the use of The Critical Thinking Co.™ math products for middle school enrichment.

" Mathematical Reasoning presents math in a way that makes it not only simple to learn, but also practical to apply to everyday circumstance (obviously making math more meaningful to him)." - Katherine, Mississippi

"My son hated math. I saw your curriculum and gave it a try. Wow, what a great fit for my son! Your Mathematical Reasoning curriculum gave him a way to learn math that made sense to him. Thank you!" - Amy, Ontario, Canada

"Critical Thinking has uniquely captured the method of teaching students not only how to think logically, but to apply logic to the process of learning in every subject area. [M]any companies have begun to jump on the bandwagon and produce materials that use the critical thinking label, but the contents are the same old drill and practice, and our students know the difference right away. - Peggy, educator, Tucson, AZ

"For 12 years, I've recommended your company to my teacher-training students. Your materials are exceptionally valuable to teachers. Critical Thinking not only produces quality materials, but your fine company is unusually responsive to needs and questions of the individual teacher as well as of the big school districts." - Dr. Leonard Martin, Teacher Education Program, University of Denver

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Math Wheels for Note-taking?

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10 Innovative Ways to Use Middle School Math Task Card Activities

Math task card activities are a great resource to use in your middle school classroom with these helpful tips and fun ideas to get your students excited about practicing key math skills.

Looking for some fresh, fun, and engaging activities to use in your math classroom? How about some ideas that don’t require hours of prepping? If the idea of low prep, amazing math activities has you nodding yes – then keep reading. This post is for you! Today we are diving into the world of math task card activities and how you can use them in your classroom.

These cards teach math, but they also turn the whole experience into a social affair. Imagine tackling those tricky math concepts together, sharing a few “aha” moments, and doing it all in a less intimidating way.

We’ll explore why they’re awesome for leveling the math playing field in middle school. Hopefully, this will make learning math enjoyable for our kids and less stressful for us!

Awesome Benefits of Math Task Cards

Imagine walking into your next math class prepared with these math task card activities that hold the key to turning math stress into math success. Here’s the lowdown on why they’re basically the superheroes of the classroom.

With so many awesome benefits of math task card activities like these you are going to want to use them each and every day.

First off, math task cards are extremely versatile, as we will see. From an individual assignment to a whole class game – task cards can be used in so many different ways.

Did you know that having task cards on hand can save you lots of time {and brain power}? Task cards can save you time planning and prepping your classroom activities. Ever tried to come up with an impromptu example problem only to have your brain just cease to function? That doesn’t happen with task cards. It’s like having your own skill-specific problem bank right at your fingertips.

While we’re at it, go ahead and say goodbye to math-induced cold sweats! Task cards create a laid-back, approachable atmosphere. They help make the trickiest concepts seem less intimidating. They present problems in bite-sized pieces, making it easier for the lightbulb to flicker on. Plus, they are customizable! You get to pick and choose what concepts you want your students to tackle.

Using Footloose Math Task Card Activities in Your Classroom

Math task card activities like this footloose game give a fun game like feel to your math practice.

Through my years of teaching middle school math, I have created math task cards and added fun twists to them! One version I have made is called Footloose, where I had my students get up out of their seats and move around the room, solving math problems!

In a nutshell, you’ve got 30 numbered task cards, each with a unique question. I scatter the cards around the room. Sometimes, they’re taped up, sometimes they’re chilling on the chalkboard ledge. The magic unfolds as students embark on a quest to find answers, jotting down their work on the grid or a separate piece of paper. Working one card at a time, the room turns into an organized hub of focus and effort.

To learn more about Footloose math task cards, make sure to read Elementary and Middle School Task Card Review Activity for Any Subject Footloose . There just might be a free game you can download in that post!

Truth or Dare Math Task Cards

Then, I decided to flip the script on middle school math by combining Truth or Dare with math task cards! I use the thrill of this classic game in the world of equations and numbers. Each set has 30 problems and a mix of Truth and Dare cards.

Truth cards throw in True or False questions, while Dare cards up the ante, demanding more calculation or explanation for those coveted extra points. The suspense is real because they won’t know the point value until they pick a card!

problem solving activities for middle school math

How does the math Truth or Dare unfold? Students, grouped and prepared with sets of Truth and Dare cards, dive into solving problems, earning points along the way.

Discussions spark, answers are debated, and points are tallied. It transforms regular math practice into a lively and engaging experience, adding a touch of fun with the unexpected twist of Truth or Dare in the math realm.

You can even use these digitally! Head over to my blog post, Math Task Cards with a Twist – Print and Digital Truth or Dare , to learn more about how to bring Truth or Dare math task cards into your classroom! While you are there don’t forget to download the free Truth or Dare game.

10 More Uses for Math Task Cards

Just in case you thought these task cards were only good for games of Footloose and Truth or Dare – that is not the case. This next section will highlight just how versatile these cards are. You will be amazed at how many creative ways you can use task cards in the classroom to keep your math practice fresh and engaging.

1. Math Scavenger Hunt

Have you ever thought of unleashing a math scavenger hunt with your middle schoolers? All you have to do is hide math task cards around the room and send students off to find them. Each card holds a challenge or a problem to solve. You can get as creative with this as you want! They can simply search the room for the hidden cards, or you can create clues that direct them as they complete each card.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Now, why should you give this activity a shot? These task cards spark collaboration, ignite critical thinking, and hone those problem-solving skills. It’s students working together to conquer math challenges. It’s more than a lesson. Who wouldn’t want to be a math detective for a day?

So, grab those task cards, scatter them strategically, and let the math scavenger hunt begin!

2. Math Task Card Activities: Relay Races

Let’s kick it up a notch and infuse some adrenaline into your classroom. It’s time for math relay races! Imagine students geared up in their relay race stance, eyes on the prize, and math task cards strategically scattered across different stations. Remember, it’s not just about running but also about solving. Each team member grabs a card and solves the math challenge correctly. Then, like passing the baton in a relay race, hands it off to their teammate to signal to them to grab the next card to solve.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Why should you dive into this relay madness? Well, beyond the burst of energy it injects into your class, it’s a powerhouse of learning. Think teamwork, quick thinking, and friendly competition all wrapped up in a math-filled relay package. It’s about strategizing as a team, passing on the baton (or, in this case, the task card) seamlessly, and racing to be the first team to conquer all the cards.

3. Gamifying Math Task Card Activities

Let’s turn up the heat on your next math review with a dash of gamification! Choose your favorite board game or whole class game and exchange the game cards with task cards. You can also turn your favorite sporting events into class games using task cards as questions. Students will love that they get to play games in class and they won’t realize just how much they are learning.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Break down the monotony of traditional reviews and transform your classroom into an arena of friendly competition. Give your students a taste of victory and the thrill of earning points for their problem-solving skills.

To add an extra layer of excitement, consider offering small incentives for the group with the highest total points. Whether it’s a coveted “Math Wizard” certificate, a fun classroom privilege, or a round of applause, these incentives can ignite the competitive spirit and make the math review an unforgettable experience.

With gamification, you’re creating an immersive and thrilling adventure where every correct answer brings them one step closer to victory.

4. Task Card Tic-Tac-Toe

Add a dash of strategy to the classic Tic-Tac-Toe by switching out X and O for solutions! Students will receive the familiar tic-tac-toe grid, but they won’t be using the typical Xs and Os. In this task card activity, your students will write down the solutions to math problems from the task cards.

Tic Tac Toe as a partner math game

Before beginning their first round, each partner chooses a color to help remember who wrote which solution on the game board. Once the colors are chosen, they will receive a stack of math task cards that align with the focused math skill. From there, the competition begins! They take turns drawing a task card and solving the problem on the task card. Once the solution has been discovered, the student who solved it chooses where to write the solution on the Tic-Tac-Toe board. Ultimately, the partners play until one of them has written three of their solutions in a row of three across, up and down, or diagonally.

They can play as many rounds as time allows. You can even extend this activity by having them explain their thinking on how they solved their problem to their partner.

Have a class that thrives on competition? Play tic-tac-toe as a relay game . Instead of the fast-paced running relay, teams will have to solve an equation together and get it checked before earning the right to move their X or O.

To make smaller teams have multiple games going at one time all using the same problems. Position yourself in the middle of the classroom with each of the teams around you. You will orally give a problem or project it on the board. When a team solves the problem they will get your check before sending a team member to their game board to play. In the picture below you can see how to set up for a whole class game using 8 teams and 4 tic-tac-toe boards. This same idea could be easily adjusted to fit the number of teams you need based on your number of students.

This diagram shows how you can set up a whole class game of tic tac toe using 8 teams.

5. Interactive Math Journals

Pull out those notebooks with a touch of interactivity! In this math task card activity, students will use task cards and dive into the world of creativity and learning. For each card, your kiddos will solve the problem and turn their math journals into a vibrant canvas. They get to illustrate the problem, pen down the solution, and even sprinkle in a personal reflection on the concept.

problem solving activities for middle school math

So, why should you dive into the world of interactive math journals? Well, it’s not your run-of-the-mill note-taking. This activity goes beyond the routine by making learning a hands-on, artistic experience. Students jot down solutions, and they craft a visual representation of math concepts from the task cards. Each page tells a story of problem-solving, creativity, and a dash of self-reflection. It’s not just a one-time activity. These journals become a treasure trove of knowledge, a go-to resource for future reference.

6. Bring BINGO into these Math Task Card Activities

Calling all BINGO enthusiasts! Imagine your students with bingo cards spread out in front of them. Instead of the usual numbers, we’re dealing with a deck of math problems. It’s not about shouting numbers but about solving equations. The challenge? As solutions are called out, students scan their cards, marking off the corresponding problems.

problem solving activities for middle school math

You can even do the reverse! A problem from a task card is projected onto the board, and the students are given a certain amount of time to solve the problem and see if the solution is on the card.

So, why should you roll the dice with Task Card Bingo? Well, it’s like your grandma’s highly anticipated Bingo night, but more high-intensity! Students aren’t just waiting for numbers to be called. They’re actively engaging with math problems, scanning their cards like detectives on the hunt. It’s a dynamic blend of problem-solving, chance, and the thrill of shouting “Bingo!” when their card is complete. This activity adds a layer of excitement to math practice, turning it into a game of chance and strategy.

7. Math Task Card Gallery Walk

Get your students up and moving with a task card gallery walk.

Get ready to turn your classroom into a vibrant gallery for a math task card gallery walk! Adorn your walls with task cards like pieces of math art. Your students stroll through, not with paintbrushes or the eyes of art critics but armed with pencils and the problem-solving skills of a mathematician. As they navigate the gallery, they’re solving problems and engaging in a dynamic discussion of solutions.

Why should you host a Math Task Card Gallery Walk? Well, it’s not your typical classroom setup – it makes something mundane interactive! Students aren’t confined to desks. They explore, discuss, and absorb math concepts in a dynamic environment. It’s a peer-to-peer learning extravaganza where each task card becomes a chance to work with different problem-solving strategies. The room buzzes with energy as students solve problems and dive into conversations, exchanging ideas and broadening their perspectives.

8. Task Card Entry and Exit Tickets

Let’s chat about an easy way to kick off and wrap up your class with task card entry and exit tickets! At the start of each class, toss up a couple of task cards on the board – consider them your golden tickets. As your students stroll in, their minds are immediately in gear, getting them pumped and ready for the upcoming lesson.

problem solving activities for middle school math

The math magic doesn’t end there. When it’s time to bid farewell to the lesson, math task cards can be used as exit tickets! Throw out a question or problem related to the day’s topic. Watch as your students tackle it before making their grand exit. It’s the final showdown with the day’s key concepts. Plus, it helps you check for understanding and see how well the mathematical seeds were planted in their brains.

This is not just about filling time but about creating a structured and focused math haven. By weaving task cards into your entry and exit routines, you’re ensuring that every minute is a math minute. It’s a consistent practice that keeps those mathematical gears turning, guaranteeing a steady climb up the skills ladder throughout the school year.

9. Math Game Show Using Task Cards

We all know and love TV game shows! Imagine your classroom transforming into a buzzing game show set, and each day’s lesson is an interactive adventure waiting to unfold. Task cards, decked out as game categories, take center stage, setting the scene for a math showdown like no other. My students love it when I turn math class into a game show of practice and review.

problem solving activities for middle school math

Here’s the scoop. Use your math task cards to create a customizable game board by putting them on a wall or board in your room. One side will have the problem face-down. On the side facing up will be different point values (100, 200, 300, 400,), creating an atmosphere of excitement and competition. Split your students into teams and watch as they eagerly choose task cards within their chosen category, solve problems, and rack up points for their team.

Using task cards in this manner is all about practicing and reviewing math concepts. It’s also about injecting competition and excitement into the learning mix. It fosters teamwork, critical thinking, and strategic decision-making as students navigate through the challenges. Keep your middle schoolers on their toes with occasional bonus rounds or surprises to keep the energy high.

10. Create Your Own Math Task Cards

Flip the table and allow your students to apply what they are learning and create their own task cards! The key is that they must also provide a card with the solution. This activity is about solving problems and becoming the creator of math challenges. Students dive deep into their understanding of concepts to create questions that test knowledge and spark curiosity.

problem solving activities for middle school math

But. . . they’re not just crafting cards for themselves. Take it a step further and use the student-created task cards in your next lesson. Whether you use them for a game, gallery walk, or as a check for understanding – your students will love seeing their creations as the main activity.

Why should you dive into this create your own task cards adventure? Well, it’s not just about reinforcing concepts. It’s about fostering creativity in the math realm. This activity flips the script, turning passive learners into active architects of math challenges. And. . . there is a different level of thinking and analysis that goes into writing a problem than solving one.

Unleash the Math Magic with These Math Task Card Activities!

What did I tell you? These math task cards make it so easy for you to add lots of creativity and variety to your classroom math activities. Whether you’re utilizing my Footloose task cards in their original form, using them as a check for understanding, or infusing a bit of friendly competition through gamification, the goal remains the same. Engaging students in math practice doesn’t have to be hard or boring.

Ready to Get Started?

You can find a variety of task cards in the Cognitive Cardio Store on TPT . You will find skills and topics you can use all year long. Let’s take a peek at a couple of sets.

Evaluating & Translating Algebraic Expressions Math Task Cards & Extra Practice

Algebraic expressions math task card activities like these are a no prep option to keep students excited about practicing key math skills.

I created 30 Footloose task cards that will make practicing algebraic expressions a breeze.

In my Evaluating & Translating Algebraic Expressions resource students will be translating algebraic expressions into phrases, turning phrases into algebraic expressions, and even evaluating expressions. In this set, the expressions stick to the basics with the four operations, and there’s a dash of exponents for that extra challenge.

This resource also has a couple of extra practice pages.

Absolute Value Footloose Math Task Cards

With the Absolute Value Footloose math task cards , we’re about to turn absolute value into an engaging time!

Use absolute value footloose math task cards like these in your math task card activities for 30 practice problems your students will love.

In this set, you also get 30 absolute value problems. Students solve each problem and write their answers into the corresponding boxes on their Footloose grids.

Your students will be identifying absolute values, comparing and ordering them with integers, and even applying absolute values to real-life situations.

These are just two examples of the many task card resources you can find. Head over to the Cognitive Cardio Store on TPT to see them all.

Save for Later

Remember to save this post to your favorite math Pinterest board to use when you need ideas for math task card activities!

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problem solving activities for middle school math

20 Problem-Solving Activities for Middle School Students

  • Middle School Education

problem solving activities for middle school math

Introduction:

As students progress through middle school, it becomes increasingly important to develop their problem-solving skills. By engaging in problem-solving activities, students can enhance their critical thinking abilities, foster creativity, and become better prepared for the challenges they may face both in and out of the classroom. Here are 20 problem-solving activities that are perfect for middle school students.

1. Brainstorming Sessions: Encourage students to share their ideas on a particular topic or issue, fostering a collaborative environment that promotes creative problem solving.

2. Riddles: Challenge students with riddles that require critical thinking and lateral thinking skills to determine the answers.

3. Sudoku: Introduce sudoku puzzles as a fun and challenging math-based activity.

4. Chess Club: Encourage students to participate in chess clubs or tournaments to practice strategic thinking.

5. Escape Rooms: Plan an age-appropriate escape room activity to develop teamwork and problem-solving skills among the students.

6. Role-Playing Exercises: Use role-playing scenarios to allow students to think critically about real-life situations and practice problem-solving strategies.

7. Science Experiments: Design science experiments that require students to troubleshoot problems and test possible solutions.

8. Word Problems: Incorporate word problems in math lessons, encouraging students to use logic and math skills to solve them.

9. Puzzle Stations: Set up different puzzle stations around the classroom where students can work on spatial reasoning, logic puzzles, and other brain teasers during free time.

10. Debates: Organize debates on controversial topics, allowing students to present and argue their views while developing their critical thinking and persuasion skills.

11. Engineering Challenges: Provide engineering-based challenges such as bridge building or packaging design activities that require teamwork and creative problem solving.

12. Storytelling Workshops: Host a storytelling workshop where students collaborate to create stories from a given prompt and gradually face more complex narrative challenges.

13. Coding Clubs: Support students in learning coding basics and encourage them to develop problem-solving skills through coding projects.

14. Treasure Hunts: Create treasure hunts with clues that require problem solving, reasoning, and collaboration among the students.

15. Cooperative Games: Facilitate games that promote cooperation and communication, such as “human knot” or “cross the lava.”

16. Geocaching: Introduce geocaching as a fun activity where students use GPS devices to locate hidden objects and work as a team to solve puzzle-like tasks.

17. Exploratory Research Projects: Assign open-ended research projects that require students to investigate topics of interest and solve problems or answer questions through their research efforts.

18. Mock Trials: Set up mock trials in which students participate as lawyers, witnesses, or jury members, allowing them to analyze cases and think through legal problem-solving strategies.

19. Creative Writing Prompts: Share creative writing prompts requiring students to think critically about characters’ actions and decisions within fictional scenarios.

20. Invention Convention: Host an invention convention where students present their unique solutions to everyday problems, fostering creativity and innovative thinking.

Conclusion:

Problem-solving activities are essential for middle school students as they help in cultivating valuable life skills necessary to tackle real-world challenges. These 20 activities provide diverse and engaging opportunities for students to develop key problem-solving skills while fostering creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. Teachers and educators can easily adapt these activities to suit the individual needs of their middle school classrooms.

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3.14 Fun and Engaging Pi Day Activities

Suzanne Rogers March 12, 2024 Blog , Engage Better , Innovate Better , Lesson Plan Better

problem solving activities for middle school math

  • Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14).
  • It provides a great chance to engage students with tailored activities for different grade levels.
  • Elementary school activities include Pi Day Storytime, creating a pi chain for memorization, and exploring circle art inspired by Russian artist Kandinsky.
  • Middle school activities involve a Pi Day Scavenger Hunt and a Pi Memorization Contest.
  • High school students can participate in a Pi Day Octa Pi Fight and a Pi Day Challenge using GeoGebra to replicate Archimedes’ approximation process for pi.

Ready for fun and engaging Pi Day Activities? You can celebrate Pi Day and create a lasting memory for your students! Pi Day, observed on March 14th (3/14), is a fantastic opportunity to engage students in the fascinating world of mathematics, specifically the mathematical constant pi (π). Whether you’re teaching elementary, middle, or high school, there are plenty of exciting activities to make Pi Day memorable for your students.

Let’s dive into some creative and educational Pi Day activities tailored for each grade level.

Elementary School

  • Pi Day Storytime: Begin the day by reading a children’s book about Pi, like Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi or others from this beautiful series by Cindy Neuschwander . This helps introduce the concept of pi in a fun and accessible way.
  • Pi Chain: Have students create a paper chain where each link represents a digit of pi. As they make the chain, they can recite the digits they’re adding, reinforcing memory and number recognition skills.
  • Use Circle Art to introduce children to the Russian artist Kandinsky. Get creative with art projects centered around circles. Students can create Pi Day-themed artwork using paint, markers, or colored paper. They can even create a pi skyline using graph paper!

Middle School

  • Pi Day Scavenger Hunt: Hide various pi-related clues around the classroom or school. Students work in teams to solve math problems related to pi and find the next clue. The first team to solve all the clues wins a prize.
  • Pi Memorization Contest: Challenge students to memorize as many digits of Pi as possible. Matt McLeod writes that incorporating multiple senses like creating a pi chain while learning may be beneficial. Encourage friendly competition and offer rewards for those who can recite the most digits accurately.

problem solving activities for middle school math

High School

  • Octa Pi Fight: Okta, the octopus, hangs out near different coordinates on a unit circle, and students must choose an angle and distance to fire a pie at Okta. This activity is designed to help students practice their fluency with radian and degree measures of unique angles on the unit circle. It also introduces the concept of polar coordinates. In honor of Pi Day, students can play Okta’s Pi Fight in radian mode.
  • Improving Approximations for Pi with GeoGebra: GeoGebra can be used to create dynamic figures to duplicate Archimedes’ process of approximating and illustrate how the accuracy can be improved.

No matter the grade level, Pi Day offers endless opportunities to provide math fun and engaging for students. By incorporating these activities into your curriculum, you can inspire a love for mathematics that lasts a lifetime. So, gear up, get creative, and let the Pi Day celebrations begin!

About Suzanne Rogers

Suzanne M. Rogers is an accomplished, passionate, technology-inspired educator, experienced conference presenter, and yoga enthusiast. She is the Assistant Director of Public Relations at LISA Academy Public Charter Schools. In addition to her 20 years of work in education, Suzanne also serves on the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Educator Advisory Board, the UCA Executive Advisory Board, the UCA MAT Program Advisory Board, and the SAU ERZ Advisory.

Suzanne’s passion for education and her community is evident in her involvement in these organizations, where she works tirelessly to support students and educators. As an #ArmyMom and former #AFbrat, Suzanne brings a unique perspective to her work, understanding firsthand the sacrifices made by military families. Suzanne exemplifies dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence.

problem solving activities for middle school math

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6 Ways to Improve Students’ Math Literacy

Middle and high school math teachers can use these ideas to build students’ reading comprehension and reasoning skills using real tasks like budgeting.

Student working on math problems on a whiteboard

While a lot has changed in math instruction over the years, the idea that students need to be math literate has been constant. Being math literate means much more than calculations. Life events such as buying a home, paying taxes, or even estimating how much you’ll spend on groceries require modeling and reasoning skills.

State and district tests often include problems that are real-world based, and that means that students will need to use reading comprehension, along with math skills, in order to show proficiency. This can be particularly difficult for students with learning disabilities, those who have had interrupted schooling, and/or emergent multilingual learners. It’s imperative that math teachers develop a tool kit to help students decipher the math moves needed for such problems.

Through my dissertation research and my many years of teaching mathematics with great math teachers, I have found simple ways to help students become more math literate. Here are some practical ideas on how teachers can help students become math literate, from the perspective of Algebra 1 teachers from various backgrounds.

6 Ways to Help Students Gain Math Literacy

1. Use sentence frames. Sentence frames are a simple way to help students of all backgrounds learn how to state their answers and ask any questions they have about a word problem. Teachers can post sentence frames on a board or even on students’ desks for easy access. Here are some examples:

  • “I agree with this answer because ____.”
  • “I believe the answer is ____ because ____.”
  • “I showed my work by ____.”
  • “One strategy that may be helpful is ____ because ____.”

2. Bring back the highlighter. Many Algebra 1 teachers agree that the highlighter is a great way to help emphasize learning in mathematics. The highlighter gives students control of the parts of the problem that they find important. A good suggestion is to demonstrate the use of highlighting key words and have highlighters available for every task and assessment. It also helps students see the patterns in math problems.

3. Speak “algebra.” Students in all math classes need to be speaking math in their classes. It’s important to use the appropriate vocabulary words that pertain to the lesson. This is particularly important as students see formal math language in textbooks and standardized tests. Yes, breaking down the vocabulary for comprehension is a great tactic, but bringing it back to the standard math vocabulary is how we make connections.

4. Use word walls. The word wall was an important part of many math classrooms a few decades ago. They made sure that students saw math words that related to a particular topic being taught. For example, when introducing a polynomial unit, teachers would often put words such as monomial , trinomial , and polynomial on the word wall.

Many Algebra 1 teachers feel that having the visual is most important as students learn about new topics. Students need visual reminders. One suggestion was for students to “own” the word wall by passing out the words in advance and having them hang up each word as it was introduced throughout the unit. Students can make the words artsy and creative in an effort to personalize the resource.

5. Provide foldables or graphic organizers. The use of foldables in the math classroom is a game changer for many students, especially in the post-pandemic era. These low-tech student- or teacher-made “books” constructed out of folded paper provide learners with a handy place to write down the main concepts introduced in a unit. Students have been so used to math technology that there is a need to bring them back to tactile methods.

Providing a foldable to sum up or even begin a unit is a cost-effective method and allows students to use paper and scissors in a creative way to refer to math vocabulary and common word problems. You can find lots of free ideas for foldables online , and there are sites that sell them as well. Some of the designs are very creative and bring a bit of visual art into your math classroom.

6. Have students write relevant word problems. Every time there’s a new curriculum or textbook, word problems get a refresher to connect with the current generation, but there’s no reason why students can’t make up their own. Allow them to write their own word problems, using the context you’re teaching. Not only will students own their own learning, but also they will be able to use critical thinking skills to combine math, vocabulary, and everyday life to further their understanding.

Making the math classroom become a laboratory of reading and math enables students to become owners of the learning process. Students can be math literate, which will allow teachers to facilitate learning processes with all types of word problems, and consequently improve math scores and prepare students for the world of infusing mathematics into their everyday lives.

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Moon Mappers: A ‘Pi in the Sky’ Math Challenge

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Pi in the Sky 10

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Model a Solar Eclipse

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WAVE Louisville

JCPS’ Noe Middle School wins 2024 Governor’s Cup championship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The winner has been announced for the 2024 Governor’s Cup for middle schools.

Noe Middle School located on West Lee Street in Old Louisville made Jefferson County Public Schools proud by capturing the overall title for the first time, according to a release.

The finals of the statewide academic competition were held in Louisville from March 8-11 with more than 15,000 middle school students competing in the multiple rounds of the competition. Students and teams are scored in three main categories: Quick Recall, Written Assessment and Future Problem Solving.

“I am so proud of our students,” Noe Middle School principal Jennifer Cave. “Winning this competition for the first time is an honor for our school. The students worked hard, displayed great sportsmanship and represented Noe and JCPS well.”

Noe Middle School’s Quick Recall team finished in first place for the first time. Team members include: Amelia Albers, Henry Braden,  Meredith Calhoun, Neha Chakkaran, Kevin Decker-Monsour, Maylin Kidwell, Tyler Martin, Sylvia Mason, Patrick Morrison, David Noles, Hunter Sauer, Ryleigh Sitgraves, Prisha Soni, Eli Wright, and Sydney Yowell.  The team is coached by Richard VerWiebe.

Noe Middle School students were successful in the content assessments as well:

Helen Bai - 5th in Mathematics

Henry Braden - 8th in Social Studies

Caitlin Casey - 9th in Composition

Sylvia Mason - 2nd in Composition

David Noles - 2nd in Language Arts and 2nd in Arts & Humanities

David Noles also won Individual Quick Recall and finished 2nd on the General Knowledge Exam. Maylin Kidwell finished 5th on the General Knowledge Exam. Noles’ and Kidwell’s placements in these individual events were not included in the team scoring for State Governor’s Cup points.

The Governor’s Cup is considered the preeminent academic competition for Kentucky schools. Click here for more information.

Source: Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS)

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  29. JCPS' Noe Middle School wins 2024 Governor's Cup championship

    Students and teams are scored in three main categories: Quick Recall, Written Assessment and Future Problem Solving. "I am so proud of our students," Noe Middle School principal Jennifer Cave.

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