Classroom Math Activities for Fifth to Seventh Grades
Although many students say that math is their least favorite subject because of its difficulty, teachers can use creative ways for students to learn the material. Because children enjoy playing games, incorporating these game activities into your 5th, 6th and 7th grade classrooms are effective ways to keep them motivated and on task. These games work with other grade levels as well, and do not require you to purchase new supplies.
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Sample 5th Grade Math Activities
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Help develop children's logical and critical thinking skills by playing the "Card Pick Up" game. To play the game, use a regular deck of cards, remove one suit of cards, ace through jack only. Spread the cards, in order, on a table. Ace should be on one end, jack on the other. Have players remove one or two cards each time, until the last card is gone. Whoever gets the last card wins. In order to take that last card, students have to think about strategy and the probability of getting the card.
Help students learn percentages by playing the "Percent Flash" game. Give each student a deck of cards and pencil and paper. Choose a percent, say 50%, and flip over the first card in a shuffled deck. The first student to properly calculate the percent of the numbered card wins that card. The students with the most cards wins the game.
Sample 6th Grade Math Activities
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Sixth graders learning about integers and symmetry will enjoy playing the "Multiplying Integers Flash" game. Distribute a deck of cards evenly between two students. Red cards are negative, while black cards are positive. Have the students each turn over a card simultaneously. The student that properly multiplies the product of the two cards, along with identifying the correct sign, wins the cards for that round. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
To learn symmetry, have students draw the other half of pictures containing faces. You'll need a close up of a magazine photo, white drawing paper, a ruler, scissors, glue or tape, and a pencil. Students should measure and draw a line down the middle of the whole photo. Cut along the line to split the picture. Glue or tape the picture to drawing paper, making sure that students leave enough space to draw the other half. Before students draw, have them observe the face and use the ruler to mark where each facial feature should be drawn. Have them draw the faces with these measurements in place.
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Sample 7th Grade Math Activities
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Help students learn algebraic equations and variables by playing the "Tic-Tac-Toe Equations & Inequalities" game. Print out the Equations and Inequalities game boards (see Resources). Give each student a game board and pencil. Have one student play Xs and one student play Os, taking turns to solve problems within each box. If they answer correctly, they mark the "X" or "O" over that box and receive 100 points. Students get an additional 100 points for a row of three Xs or Os. Repeat until all the boxes are played. The student with the most boxes wins.
Building Viewpoint Activity For Each Grade Level
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The "Building Viewpoint" activity can be completed in either the fifth, sixth or seventh grades. The purpose of this activity is to help students interpret shapes in two and three dimensions. The activity enhances their geometry and spatial perception skills and helps them connect math to the physical world. Each student needs cubes, a marker and grid paper. Have them build a structure with six cubes.Cubes cannot overlap, but must share whole surfaces. Have students draw three different silhouettes on the grid paper: a top view, frontal view and side view. After they complete the drawings, ask them several analytical questions. For example, ask them how to build a structure so that each silhouette is identical, or whether they could reconstruct the structures if they were not labeled. Additionally, ask them what makes each silhouette different.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit old math game image by peter Hires Images from Fotolia.com
