Math worksheets are an important part of any math curriculum. However, they can be overused and lead to student burnout. Prevent that from happening in your math classroom by using these seven ways to make math worksheets fun.
One-Pagers as Math Worksheets
One-Pagers are amazingly versatile and perfect for adding creativity to your math time.
They can be used for:
- Notetaking
- Quick Checks
- Assessments
- Learning Check-Ins
- Concept Mapping
- Exit Tickets
Many teachers use a blank piece of paper for One-Pagers. However, I find them so easy to make in PowerPoint that I love using ready-made templates.
Need inspiration and ideas? Check out my blog post here.
Or grab some ready-made templates? Check these templates out.
Color by Numbers or Color by Codes Math Worksheets
Partner Check Color by Numbers or Color by Codes are perfect for math! Partner Check Color by Codes are different from most Color by Codes because each student only receives one-half of the design. When they finish, they must find a partner and match their design with their partners to check their answers.
Three reasons I love Partner Check Color by Codes are:
- Students get the opportunity to practice the skill they learned.
- The coloring portion provides a chance to lower math stress levels.
- When complete, students match their design with a partner to self-check. If the designs do not match, the students can work together to find the correct answer and teach each other how to find errors and fix them in a non-judgmental and cooperative way.
Again, these are easy to make. Or grab a ready-to-go one here and get your students practicing math skills in an engaging way.
Find Someone Who Can as a Math Worksheet
Often used at the beginning of the school year, this fun “get to know you “ activity can be repurposed for a fun cooperative math activity.
Grab your old “Find Someone Who” template. Instead of asking students to Find Someone Who has 18 brothers and sisters, ask students to find someone who can solve a problem. Students circulate about the room and solve the problems on each other’s papers. This activity is so easy to differentiate by making a few different versions of the same skill.
Digital Pixel Pictures – Digital Math Worksheets
Students still love digital content, and these Digital Pixel Pictures are perfect for engaging your math students. Students solve the problems on paper and choose the correct answer. If the answer is correct, a small part of a picture is revealed. Engaging, independent, and self-correcting, what more can a teacher want?
They can be a little daunting to create, but once you get the hang of it, they are a lot of fun.
Here are a few examples of ones I have made.
Puzzles, Mazes, & Self-Correcting Math Worksheets
Who doesn’t love a good puzzle? Math puzzles and mazes are a quick and easy alternative to a worksheet. They are self-correcting and perfect for classwork and homework.
They are easy to create in PowerPoint, and once you have the template you like, you can use it repeatedly!
Here are a few mazes and self-correcting puzzles I have made for my fifth graders.
Scavenger Hunts – Active Math Worksheets
One of the best things about Scavenger Hunts is that your students will be up and moving about the classroom.
Here’s how Scavenger Hunts work. Print out the cards with the problems and hang them in any order around the classroom, hallway, or outside. Students can start at any card, so they do not have to be in a bunch around the first card. They solve the problem on that card and write their answer on an answer sheet. They then hunt for that answer on another card.
From there, they solve that problem, and so on, until they end up back at the card where they started.
Another bonus, if you don’t want students walking all over, you can print the scavenger Hunt cards smaller and use them as task cards for centers, skill practice, and fast finisher activities.
I have a FREE Halloween Scavenger Hunt! Grab it here!
Math Project-Based Learning Activities
Math Project-Based Learning Activities (or Math Performance Tasks as they are also called.) are a fun and engaging approach to practicing math skills.
Math PBL Activities allow students to solve and think critically about problems in unique ways. Many teachers like to use them at the end of the year to review and reinforce math skills for testing. Other teachers use them prior to teaching students all the math skills required to help students dig deeper into applying what they already know to solve a problem.
Math Project-Based Learning Activities can be used independently, with partners, or in small groups. However you decide to use them, they can be time-consuming to make, but once you see your students working, you will love them!
I have a few Math Performance Tasks in my TPT Store for inspiration.
