Use these pages for keeping record of your students input and output function machines. I have the students make function machines out of cartons and then make 15 cards to go in them. They have to decide what the input will be, what the function will be, and what the output will be based on the function (or the rule). The second page is for them to use when they trade and answer another students function machine questions.

I used small note cards for the actual cards they put into the function machine. Then the students made the cards, wrote their answers on the first page, then traded with partner. Then they took their partners cards and put them into their function machine and determined what the rules were for each card and what the input and output would be. Sometimes students put input and output and the students have to find the rule, other times they put input and rule or output and rule to make it more challenging.

My students loved this activity! It helps make an abstract concept of functions and input output tables more concrete.

You can differentiate by grade level by using different operations. We used add, subtract, multiply, and divide but you can simplify or challenge your students based on their current level.