I think it’s safe to say BOTH teachers and students could benefit from a slow and simple transition back into the classroom after winter break. I mean just going from being able to use the restroom anytime we want for two whole weeks back to having to train our bladders for a once a day bathroom break warrants an easy after winter break transition for teachers!
So, let’s ease back into the daily grind with this fun after winter break activity! Alright, keep reading.
These Task Card Activities are Perfect for After Winter Break (and through the winter months)
[There’s also a digital version – more on that later]
I love this around the room math scavenger hunt activity and it’s the perfect way to engage kids, especially right after winter break. It’ll definitely bring lots of engagement {and giggles} into your classroom!
Just print the task cards in color or black and white, then post them around your classroom for students to solve. Or, you can simply pull up the digital version on your Smartboard or projector and complete the problems as a class during a whole group lesson – I like to bring students to the carpet with their whiteboard and dry erase marker.
How Does this Work?
So, here’s how this works. As students solve the standards-aligned math problems, each answer will lead them to filling in the blanks to reveal the mystery silly sentence – kind of like a Mad-Lib story. As they answer each question, they will match the word at the top of the task card to the correct answer on the silly sentence sheet. This process will begin to reveal the silly story. Once they’ve answered all 12 problems, a silly winter themed sentence will be revealed!
Get Students Up and Moving to Solve the Math Problems
I love to hang task cards all around my classroom – bookshelves, my easel, bulletin boards, wall, along the counters, etc. You can post them anywhere and everywhere in your classroom! Students just enjoy the opportunity to move around the room. I have my students carry a clipboard with them as they travel from card to card.
Use the Digital Version for Whole Group Lessons or Use it for Virtual Learning
Simply pull up the google slides activity on your smartboard or projector, have your students sit at their seats or on the carpet with a whiteboard and marker, and solve the problems together.
Get ready to giggle and have fun with each other as you review comparing 3 digit numbers!
If you’re teaching virtually, this is perfect for adding some giggles and fun to your whole group virtual lessons or simply assign this activity in Google Classroom.
My Favorite Part about this Activity is that it’s Self-Checking
One of the BEST parts of this resource is that your students will be able to self check their work during math stations! The format and nature of this activity makes it a self-checking resource, so if students don’t see their answer on the sheet, they know that they need to re-work the problem. As a teacher, that’s something that’s very important to me, because it allows me to focus 100% on my small group. It gives me that peace of mind that my other students are getting that immediate feedback during their independent work.
Benefits of these Silly Sentence Math Task Card Activities
As teachers, we know the task cards are a simple way to add instant engagement during your math rotations. Getting students up and moving around the classroom has been a complete game changer and has helped tremendously with my classroom management and overall student engagement. Plus, task cards with a twist of winter themed silliness like these bring even MORE engagement and happiness in the classroom.
These winter themed math task cards will also:
- spice up your math block with a unique math activity that your students have never completed before
- add some silliness fun to your math block (we could all use some fun!)
- add some giggles to your classroom
- get your students up and moving around the room while staying on task (my favorite type of math station, plus students always enjoy walking around the room to solve math problems)
- allow them to get that immediate feedback {since it’s a self-checking activity} while you’re working with other students
Give it a Try – Your Students Will Love it!
If you’ve ever thought about ways or activities you can incorporate in your classroom to keep your students engaged during the entirety of your math block…give this activity a try! I can guarantee your students will not want to stop solving the problems… because they’ll absolutely HAVE to know what the silly sentence is!
Click on your grade level below if you’d like to use these silly sentence task cards in your classroom!
Sending good vibes and encouragement your way,
Nesli
