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ActiveMath Mysteries

Rated 4.63 out of 5, based on 49 reviews
84 Followers
Oakwood, Ohio, United States
About the store
The authors and designers of this store have vast experience in creating top-notch math resources! You'll find high quality review or warm-up activities that engage and challenge students in middle school or beyond. Students will review math as they learn about inspirational people, places, and events throughout the year!
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Preview of Armistice / Veterans Day Middle School Math PDF Mixed Review & PPT SLIDES BUNDLE

Armistice / Veterans Day Middle School Math PDF Mixed Review & PPT SLIDES BUNDLE

This PDF activity and slide show for Armistice Day (Veteran's Day) connect middle school math to history. During this PDF mini lesson, students solve math clues to find the Mystery Year related to November 11th. Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key4 pages of Teacher Notes including step-by-step solutions, optional extensions, and a variety of teaching tips22 PowerPoint screens including four screens with clues plus answer screens, Ext
Preview of Nov. 11 Math & Veterans Day Puzzle: World War I Armistice | Math Slides PPT

Nov. 11 Math & Veterans Day Puzzle: World War I Armistice | Math Slides PPT

On November 11th of the Mystery Year, the armistice that ended World War I was signed. To find the year, students solve math clues involving divisibility by 11, fraction division, patterns, and exponents. This puzzle reviews 6th and 7th grade skills and is great to use for review or test prep at any time. INCLUDES22 PowerPoint screens including five screens with clues plus the introduction, answer screens, Extensions, Historical Notes, and a Quote. The GIF preview shows a low-resolution vers
Preview of Halloween - It's the Great Pumpkin | Middle School Math PDF Review & PPT BUNDLE

Halloween - It's the Great Pumpkin | Middle School Math PDF Review & PPT BUNDLE

This PDF activity and slide show for October 27th or Halloween connect math to the animated television show, "It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." During this mini lesson, students solve math clues to find the Mystery Year.Why October 27th? It was the date that the special program was first broadcast.Topics: Clues for finding the Mystery Year involve proportions, making a diagram, area of a circle, and measurement.Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-
Preview of Halloween: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown | Middle School Math Slides PPT

Halloween: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown | Middle School Math Slides PPT

This slide show for October 27th or Halloween connects math to the animated television show, "It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." During this mini lesson, students solve math clues to find the Mystery Year.Why October 27th? It was the date that the special program was first broadcast.Topics: Clues for finding the Mystery Year involve proportions, making a diagram, area of a circle, and measurement.INCLUDES18 PowerPoint screens including four screens with clues plus answer screens, Extension
Preview of Ice-Cream Cup Patent by Italo Marchiony | Middle School Math-History Slides PPT

Ice-Cream Cup Patent by Italo Marchiony | Middle School Math-History Slides PPT

This slide show involves the patent date for inventor Marchiony's ice cream cup. Middle school students solve math clues to find the Mystery Year. Why September 22nd? It was the date of the ice cream cup patent.Topics: Clues for finding the Mystery Year involve volume of a prism and cylinder, operations with decimals, and evaluating expressions. INCLUDES22 PowerPoint screens including four screens with clues plus answer screens, Extensions, and Historical Notes. The GIF preview shows a low-res
Preview of Black History ML King's Dream Speech: Middle School Math Review Slides PPT

Black History ML King's Dream Speech: Middle School Math Review Slides PPT

This slide show involves a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28th of the Mystery Year. Connect math and Black history for 6th, 7th, or 8th grade math students. Why August 28th? It was the date of the "I Have a Dream" speech.Topics: Clues for finding the Mystery Year involve equilateral triangles, basic operations with whole numbers, and number sense. INCLUDES17 PowerPoint screens including four screens with clues plus answer screens, an Extension, Historical Notes, and Quotes. The G
Preview of Black History ML King Dream Speech | Middle School Math PDF Review & PPT Slides

Black History ML King Dream Speech | Middle School Math PDF Review & PPT Slides

This PDF mini lesson and slide show for middle school involve a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. given on August 28th of the Mystery Year. Students solve clues about equilateral triangles, basic operations with whole numbers, and number sense to find the year. Connections are made to Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama.  Your BUNDLE Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key6 pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle quest
Preview of Birthday of Dolly Parton | Middle School Math Review Slide Show (PPT)

Birthday of Dolly Parton | Middle School Math Review Slide Show (PPT)

This Dolly Parton slide show can be a fun math-history connection for 6th, 7th, or 8th grade math students to use on January 19 or another day. Why January 19? It is the birthday of country music star Dolly Parton. Topics: Clues for finding the Mystery Year involve unit rate, the triangle inequality, powers of 10, and order of operations. An extension makes connections among probability, odds, and "9 to 5." INCLUDES19-page PowerPoint file including four screens with clues plus answer screens
Preview of Birthday of Dolly Parton | Middle School Math PDF Review & PPT Slides BUNDLE

Birthday of Dolly Parton | Middle School Math PDF Review & PPT Slides BUNDLE

January 19 of the Mystery Year is the birthday of country music star Dolly Parton. Clues for finding the year involve unit rate, the triangle inequality, powers of 10, and order of operations. The problems connect to the work of Dolly Parton. An extension makes connections among probability, odds, and "9 to 5." Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key6-pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle questions5 pages of Teach
Preview of Summer Math & History Bundle: 7 Middle School PDF Mini Lessons w/ Slides & Easel

Summer Math & History Bundle: 7 Middle School PDF Mini Lessons w/ Slides & Easel

These 7 activities for 6th, 7th, or 8th graders relate to fun topics for summer or any time. Math clues provide mixed review as students find digits of each Mystery Year. Present the questions using PowerPoint or Google Slides, hand out the printable activity page, or assign with Easel. Students will be engaged! NOTE: For some topics the PDF resource is separate from the PPT (but both are included). Each Mystery Year Puzzle Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-pa
Preview of Jesse Owens Track & Field Star | Middle School Math Review Activity & Slides

Jesse Owens Track & Field Star | Middle School Math Review Activity & Slides

The math clues in this Mystery Year review puzzle involve division of multi-digit numbers, solving equations, and applying divisibility rules for 3 and 5. The context is the record-setting performances of track-and-field star Jesse Owens. This engaging puzzle is great for middle school students to use at any time. Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key5 pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle questions2 pages of Tea
Preview of May Funday Puzzle: Math and Memorable Moms | Mother's Day Mixed Review

May Funday Puzzle: Math and Memorable Moms | Mother's Day Mixed Review

This middle school warm-up connects math with historical dates for these five women: Alberta King, Princess Diana, J.K. Rowling, Irena Sendler, and Anna Jarvis (founder of the Mother's Day holiday in the United States). As students find missing digits of Mystery Years, they solve problems with expressions, equations, absolute value, volume, coordinates, and percent markdown. This resource includes PPT / Google Slides with the clues, extensions, answers, quotations, and certain historical note
Preview of Hank Aaron & Baseball Records | Middle School Math Review Activity & Slides

Hank Aaron & Baseball Records | Middle School Math Review Activity & Slides

April 8 of the Mystery Year was when Aaron broke Ruth's HR record. Math clues for finding the year involve prime numbers and factors, understanding the meaning of a whole number divided by a fraction, and computing a baseball batting average. Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key6-pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle questions6 pages of Teacher Notes including step-by-step solutions, Historical Notes, a 2-page p
Preview of Women's History Month Middle School Math Puzzle: Presidential Medal of Freedom

Women's History Month Middle School Math Puzzle: Presidential Medal of Freedom

This cross-curricular warm-up connects math with quotes from these five women Presidential Medal of Freedom Awardees: Helen Keller, Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta, Joan Ganz Cooney, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Katherine Johnson. As students find the missing years, they solve equations, do measurement conversions, and find the greatest common factor (GCF). This resource includes PPT/Google Slides with historical notes about the five special women, along with quotes. And you'll be in complete co
Preview of Women's History Month Funday Puzzle: Nobel Peace Prize Laureates | Math Review

Women's History Month Funday Puzzle: Nobel Peace Prize Laureates | Math Review

This cross-curricular warm-up connects math with quotes from these five women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates: Mother Teresa, Shirin Ebadi, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Wangari Maathai, and Malala Yousafzai. As students find the missing years, they evaluate an expression for given values of the variables, convert an expanded form of a number with exponents to standard form, do measurement conversions, and set up / solve a proportion. This resource includes PPT/Google Slides with historical notes about
Preview of Environmentalist Johnny Appleseed | Middle School Mixed Review Activity & Slides

Environmentalist Johnny Appleseed | Middle School Mixed Review Activity & Slides

March 18 is a day to remember folk hero Johnny Appleseed. During this review activity students find and convert probability to percent, use proportional reasoning, dimensional analysis, guess, check, and revise strategy , measurement conversions, and solve linear equations with negative numbers. Clues for the Mystery Year involve the life and work of folk hero and conservationist Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman). Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-p
Preview of Fred Morrison, Frisbee Inventor | Middle School Math Review Activity & Slides

Fred Morrison, Frisbee Inventor | Middle School Math Review Activity & Slides

February 9 of the Mystery Year is related to the inventor of the Frisbee. This cross-curricular review activity addresses skills that include area of a circle, percent increase that is greater than 100%, population density, and logical reasoning. Students solve math clues to find the digits of the year. Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key6-pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle questions4 pages of Teacher Notes
Preview of Honeybees Can Add and Subtract | Middle School Math Review | Slides & Card Sort

Honeybees Can Add and Subtract | Middle School Math Review | Slides & Card Sort

February 6 of the Mystery Year marks the date of a scientific report about bees. The math clues for finding the year involve dividing large numbers, percents, multiple-step equations, and patterns. This engaging puzzle is great for middle school students to use any time. Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key6-pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle questions4 pages of Teacher Notes including step-by-step solutions,
Preview of Ice-Cream Cup Patent by Italo Marchiony | Middle School Math Activity & Slides

Ice-Cream Cup Patent by Italo Marchiony | Middle School Math Activity & Slides

Sept. 22 of the Mystery Year was the patent date for inventor Marchiony's ice cream cup. As middle school students solve clues, they review volume of a right rectangular prism and a cylinder, operations with decimals, and making a frequency table in a real-world context. The clues help students find digits of the Mystery Year. Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key5 pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle questions
Preview of Math & History: Star-Spangled Banner | Middle School Review Activity & Slides

Math & History: Star-Spangled Banner | Middle School Review Activity & Slides

The Star-Spangler Banner was written on September 14th of the Mystery Year. As students solve math clues, they review multiplication of decimals, multiplicative comparisons, area of a rectangle, and measurement conversions. This activity is great for 6th graders and up, and there's NO PREP to display and discuss the digital slides. Your Purchase Includes Print & Digital Options:1-page printable puzzle with 1-page answer key6-pages of Easel screens showing introduction and the four puzzle questi
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About the store

Experience

The authors and designers of this store have vast experience in creating top-notch math resources! You'll find high quality review or warm-up activities that engage and challenge students in middle school or beyond. Students will review math as they learn about inspirational people, places, and events throughout the year!

Teaching style

DAVID B. SPANGLER wrote or inspired the entire series of puzzles in this store. He was active in mathematics education from 1972 until his passing in 2022. He taught at the middle school and community college levels, while continuing to teach math methods courses at the university level. In 1994, he co-founded ActiveMath Workshops for teachers. Over the years, he helped develop math programs for major publishers, authored seven math books, wrote numerous articles for math education journals, and was a frequent speaker at math conferences. David held a master's degree in education with an emphasis in mathematics from Northern Illinois University. David epitomized what good mathematics instruction looked and sounded like. His legacy will live on in the many lives his work and works impacted. His coworkers, Karen and Angie, will continue to update puzzles in this store. KAREN S. CORDELL has been a trusted math educator/coach/consultant for 35 years. Her focus is development of resources that support efficacy, access, and equity for all students. She has taught middle school and high school mathematics and has planned and delivered engaging lessons that helped all students build conceptual understanding through varied reflective learning activities. Karen has created both formative and summative assessments. Her master's degree in educational leadership is from The College of New Jersey. ANGIE SELTZER has 30+ years of experience in math curriculum writing, editing, and instructional design. She has been a supervising editor of major textbooks, assessment resources, and technology supplements. Angie has taught at the middle school level and tutored students of all ages. She has a master's degree in mathematics education from The Ohio State University. Angie has her own TpT Store with thousands of 5-star reviews on games to promote math sense! (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/K8mathsense)

Additional biographical information

STORE CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE TEAM David and Karen were co-authors of more than 130 Math History-Mystery Puzzles in this store. Angie designed the covers, previews, correlation charts, and other elements for Math History-Mystery Puzzles. READ MORE ON LINKED-IN for KarenCordell and Angie-Seltzer.