0 A Fun Math Review Game for Your Entire Class!

Students Playing the Math Review Game

So today I tried something different and fun that I thought I would share.  The kids loved it, and it was a good way for me to informally assess if they are retaining skills and concepts that I have taught them so far in math. All you need is some type of large paper (at least one for each student).  I used 22, since this is how many students I have.  I chose to use the large, white construction paper.  It was just the right size for what I needed.  I also wrote the questions horizontally, to give the students more space to write. I allotted about 45 minutes for this activity and it worked out perfectly!

On each sheet of paper, I wrote a command that tells the student specifically what to do.  These commands were all based on skills/concepts that I have already taught in math.  Here were some of the commands that I wrote: 

• Name an object in the room that has a right angle in it
• Draw an octagon
• Draw a letter that has an acute angle and outline the angle
• Write a digital time that takes place when you are sleeping
• Solve one of the problems below (I made sure there were 22 different problems on the page.  The students could then choose which problem to complete when the paper came to them.)
• Write a subtraction problem and solve it.
• Draw something fun (no skill needed, just for fun and a little break)
• Underline the ones place in a number below (I wrote 22 different numbers)
• Draw an angle < 90 degrees.
• Draw a 90 degree angle. 
• Draw a heptagon
• Write an addition problem and solve it
• Draw a quadrilateral
• Draw a reflex angle (most of the students drew the vertex without asking, so I was super excited about that!)
• Solve a problem below (I wrote problems based on the commutative property of addition, as this is one skill my students are still having trouble with).

HOW TO PLAY:

I wrote all of the commands and problems down ahead of time.  I wrote one command on each piece of paper.  If the command was to solve a problem, I wrote 22 separate problems down on each piece of paper, one for each student.  Then, we formed a circle on the floor.  It didn't matter to me if they sat up or laid down to work, as long as they were comfortable.  Then, each student was given a piece of paper.  I gave them about 30 to 45 seconds to complete their problem, and then I said pass.  The students then passed their paper to their neighbor on the left.  I set the timer again, and they answered the problem in front of them.  

I had the students write their first name next to the problem.  I collected them, and later I was able to look and take notes on skills I may need to reteach or review again.  The students couldn't stop talking about this game and how fun it was.  The draw something fun page gave them a little break, and it was also neat to see what they came up with.  Check out the pictures below to see the students playing the game.  

Each student underlined the ones place in one of the numbers.  I wrote 22 numbers, one for each student.

This was the "Draw Something Fun" page.  When this came around to each student, they drew one small picture of anything they wanted to draw.  I had to tell the students ahead of time that they needed to write relatively small, so everyone would have room.  Some students write rather large, so I needed to address this prior to the game starting.

I wrote this because I wanted to see if the students would create any problems that required them to borrow.  More students created problems that didn't, and a few wrote problems that weren't solvable like 100-655.  I definitely need to address subtraction in all forms again and maybe use some of these as examples.  I might have the students use their expression voters to vote on whether the problem is a solvable problem, or not. 

Just another pic of my students working in the circle to solve the problems.  On the pages that I wrote 22 different problems, I made sure to include some simpler problems as well as difficult.  This gave the students a choice, and helped some of the students that are struggling still feel really successful with this activity.

I would love to hear comments from you if you decide to use this in your classroom.   I am sure it could also be adapted to use in other subject areas!  Let me know what you think!