Amaze your students with these 6 easy math magic tricks when they walk through the door of your classroom this new school year!

Mind, these tricks have not been created to teach your students complex math concepts, nor have they been necessarily designed as yet another way for your children to practice math their skills (although they will, they will,) and, besides, there are plenty of other worksheets available to do just that. Instead, I have posted this packet simply so you can amaze and mystify your children with the wonders and mystery of mathematics when they enter your classroom in the beginning of the school year.

Please don't throw a sheet of timed multiplication problems at them first thing. No, no, no, no, no! (You can do that 15 minutes later!) Instead, light up their eyes, make them gasp in awe and wonder, and bring a smile to each and every face with these easy and simple math tricks.

Altogether, there are six reproducible magic tricks included in this packet, as well as instructions for each:

"Ring of Magic"
"Magic Hexagons"
"The All-Seeing Eye"
"Magic Square Version #1"
"Magic Square Version #2"
"Magic Square Version #3"

Aside from the various printable worksheets included here, the only other materials you will need will be pencils, pennies (or anything to serve as a marker, such as counting chips or Post-It stickies,) and (possibly) blank sheets of paper. That's it!

Also, all of the tricks are "mind-reading" tricks. In other words, you will guess your students' original numbers, etc., by "gazing into their minds with your powerful and all-seeing psychic abilities!" (And once they witness this, mind, they will always be "on their toes" and wondering as to what other things you can also "see and read.")

In addition, the math is not that difficult at all. Although I am posting this packet for grades 3 - 6, second grade children could do them just as well with minimal practice and/or support. When I say this, please bear in mind that you could not only perform these tricks on 2nd grade children, but they, in turn, could perform these tricks on others as well.

I have used these tricks year after year with basic skills children - as well as gifted and talented children - and the results have always been uniformly positive. 1) I have the kids "hooked" from day one, 2) they feel good about math (even the ones that "hate it",) 3) once empowered (that is, once you teach them the tricks,) the kids run home to show their new-found amazing "magic abilities" to their parents, and, 4) come Back-to-School Night, you usually end up with many parents complimenting you on how interesting you have made math for their child thus far.

All of the magic tricks included in this packet have been rendered in black and white - as with most of my products - thereby producing clean, crisp reproductions on black and white copiers every time. I have also rendered the "Magic Hexagons" in color (for those of you who have unrestricted access to color printers. I, incidentally, do not, and have to rely upon black and white copiers and printers - when they are operational, that is.) I have also included two variations of the "Rabbit in the Hat" used in the "Ring of Magic" trick. Feel free to use whichever version you like.

I usually tend to spread the magic tricks out over the beginning week or two of the new school year - and, yes, oftentimes tease my children by withholding solutions for a day or two (magic is, well, so much more "magical" while it remains a mystery,) or, in the case of my gifted and talented students, challenge them to arrive at the solution or "trick" on their own. The choice in matters such as this, though, is entirely up to you.

As always, I appreciate you taking the time to preview this product - or any of my products - and hope it will prove to be of benefit to you and your children for many years to come.

For more things weird, wild, wonderful and slightly "out of the box," please visit my store, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" (formerly "The Teacher's Twilight Zone.")

Once again, thank you!

Robert Hall
2nd - 5th Grade Enrichment Teacher

Lastly, If you enjoyed this product and found it useful, please take a moment or two to leave feedback. I'd really appreciate it!


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