Middle School Math Scavenger Hunt - Back to School Activity

Use this middle school math scavenger hunt as a back to school/getting to know you activity or as a skills assessment test!

How can you use this activity?

• Option 1: Use as a twist to the traditional getting to know you activity. Instead of signing papers for being left handed, or visiting another country, have students sign based on their math abilities! Students will quickly learn which peers are good at math. Also, if they get stuck, you might see magic: The students that know what they are doing HELPING the students who don’t so that everyone can complete their scavenger hunt. After the activity is complete, be sure to discuss how the students felt about the questions. Were there any questions that they couldn’t complete? What topics will we need to review this year? Go over any problems that caused misunderstandings. Use samples from the student’s work to help explain.

• Option 2: After using this as a getting to know you activity, your class list is sure to change a lot. Have each new student that comes to your class complete this worksheet as a New Student Placement Test. This will give you an idea of what level the student is at. Maybe they even need to be moved to a different class based on their results. I KNOW! Grading an extra paper for every new student that steps into your room can be time consuming. However, it is WORTH it so that you can get a better idea of what level each student is at.

• I have used something similar for ALL 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in past years as a New Student Placement Test.

• Even if you don’t want to use as a getting to know you activity, use as a placement test for your entire class! You could even trade and grade (having students check the answer written in the square) to get an idea of how many questions the class was able to answer.

Problem Type by Question Number

1. Two digit multiplication (have to carry)
2. Four digit subtraction (have to borrow)
3. Adding mixed numbers with unlike denominators
4. Dividing decimals written as long division
5. Multiplying fractions (cross cancel and/or reduce)
6. Subtracting integers
7. Solving a two step equation with integers
8. Division: ex) 104/8 = 13 (written with a division symbol)
9. Simplify using the order of operations including parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division and addition/subtraction.
10. Order from least to greatest given fractions, decimals and percentages. (The student will need to convert them all to the same form and then compare them.)

Check out some other back to school products

• All About You Questionnaire for the First Day of School!
• Building Squares: Icebreaker Puzzles
• Classroom Job Ideas and Applications EDITABLE!
• Time Capsule Worksheet EDITABLE!