Math Giraffe

Exponents (a basic introduction) "doodle notes" - When students color or doodle in math class, it activates both hemispheres of the brain at the same time. There are proven benefits of this cross-lateral brain activity: - new learning - relaxation (less math anxiety) - visual connections - better memory & retention of the content! Students fill in the sheet, answer the questions, and color, doodle or embellish. Then, they can use it as a study guide later on. Content includes: - base and ex

Adding and subtracting decimals is fun when students pretend they're dining out at a restaurant! This activity allows students to make dinner selections from a menu for Safari Restaurant. Then they answer questions based on real-life scenarios using decimal addition and subtraction with the prices. Teachers can make this a quick activity, or can even use tablecloths and decorate the room to create a fun experience for students simulating dining out. Try more great Math Giraffe resources: M

This discovery activity guides students to graph pairs of lines and observe patterns in equations of parallel and perpendicular lines. They notice that parallel lines have the same slope and perpendicular lines have slopes that are opposite reciprocals. If you like the inquiry-based style, try these other discovery activities: Inquiry Activities RELATED RESOURCES: For more practice on the same concept, try: Task Cards: Slopes of Parallel and Perpendicular Lines Parallel, Perpendicular, or Nei

Doodle Note Templates can be used for any topic, subject, or lesson. This set includes 5 different free pages with simple, basic layouts for sketch notes, doodle notes, or other visual note-taking strategies. No prep required - Just print your selected layout, distribute, and let students build their own visual notes! When students color or doodle in math class, it activates both hemispheres of the brain at the same time. There are proven benefits of this cross-lateral brain activity: - new l

Two versions are included - Version 1 (Worksheet) - Students determine whether each statement is "always true," "sometimes true," or "never true." They color each one accordingly and end up with a design that can be checked quickly for accuracy (but cannot be easily predicted by students). Version 2 (Sorting Activity) - Students can work alone or in pairs or small groups. Students sort the statement cards into the correct category on the sorting mat ("always true," "sometimes true," or "never

Build Algebra Skills & Logical Reasoning! This set of challenge equations offers a fun approach to building algebra and problem solving skills. You can also use these when teaching substitution or the transitive property. This reasoning even builds up skills needed for Geometry proofs! Three levels are included: - 4 basic (easy) cards that can be used before or during middle school grades for critical thinking - 4 medium level cards that are perfect for middle school or high school students

This set of challenge equations offers a fun approach to algebra and problem solving skill-building. You can also use these when teaching substitution or the transitive property. Two levels are included: - 4 basic (easy) cards that can be used as early as 4th grade - 4 challenging cards that can be used in middle or high school Try one as a warm-up each day, or use the full set in one day to celebrate Halloween! Enjoy! Check out the Thanksgiving set here: Thanksgiving EquationsYour students m

It's a doodle note page ABOUT using doodling and coloring in class! Doodling has been proven to activate the brain's pathways just enough to keep it from daydreaming, without distracting from the learning at hand!  The doodle note strategy integrates both hemispheres of the student brain and helps maximize focus, learning, and retention of the lesson material, and this is the perfect way to introduce it! When students color or doodle in class, it activates both hemispheres of the brain at the

This activity is a worksheet-style set of practice problems but also makes a nice winter decoration for your classroom. Simply cut around the circle when students have completed the questions and you have a high-shool style decoration! Topics included in the questions on this sheet: - Writing congruency statements - Using Triangle Sum Theorem - Identifying corresponding parts of triangles - Using base angles of isosceles triangles - Setting up and solving linear equations to find missing angle

Math Team Building Puzzle Challenge Integrated Lesson (Optional) This team-building lesson focuses on skills that students need throughout math class (and throughout life!) when problem solving and working collaboratively. While working on a seemingly impossible puzzle, students learn to persevere, and are ultimately guided to reach out to another nearby group to get the pieces they need that are still missing. It turns out that the challenge can only be completed by combining two teams’ car

This booklet from the Tools for Teaching Teens team is packed with ideas and resources to kick off your school year! Try these games, activities, and classroom management tips. Enjoy! -From Brigid, Ellie, Brittany, Andrea, & Leah

Students can convert any notebook page into a doodle note! Just print on full page sticker paper. Students can cut, peel, and stick! No sticker paper? No problem - Just print on regular paper, and they can use glue sticks! Then, they’re free to color, sketch, and add fancy lettering, embellishments, and doodles to create their visual notes as they learn. This strategy increases learning, focus, and memory of the lesson content. Blending graphics and text through visual note-taking helps

This free set of coordinate plane templates can be printed on sticker labels to make interactive notes easy! Just print the graph templates and graphic organizers (a few options are included) on sticker paper or labels, and your students can place them right into their notebook wherever they need a coordinate plane or graph grid. These are so helpful during graphing units, and make interactive notebooks much quicker and easier. This is a great alternative to your old coordinate plane stamp and

This game is great practice for classifying polynomials. Students play in small groups. After drawing a card with a polynomial, the student chooses whether to cross off the classification for number of terms or for degree (they must identify both to decide which is a better strategy). Four spaces marked off in a row results in a win! Two pages of cards have no "like terms" but the terms are not all in standard form. An additional page of more challenging cards has like terms that are not yet

This is a great study guide or graphic organizer for students being introduced to integers for the first time. The infographic contains main ideas about integers, absolute value, and opposites. These infographics are intended to be printed two-per-page. You can cut each one out individually and use as a bookmark or study guide. You can also 3-hole punch as a half sheet for student binders. Take a look at my other math infographics here: InfographicsTry the entire bundle for discounted re

Enjoy this free treat for your math class. HOW TO USE: - Print your choice of desk doodle – 1 for each desk/table space. (A few options are included for different courses / grade levels.) - Laminate or wrap in page protectors that are dry-erase marker friendly! - Stick onto desks or tables. Any student who uses the seat throughout the day can use it to sketch or doodle along with problems or to keep the brain focused. (Doodling offers brain benefits and helps students focus and remember!) - Wa

This is an activity that I love to use on the first day of school, but it can also be inserted anywhere throughout your school year. It's perfect for an end of the year lesson. It would also work well in a gifted program or math club. Students learn about the Mayan Number System and use cards with the Mayan number symbols to assemble two-digit and three digit numbers in base 20. Get your classes thinking critically about place value, zero, number systems, and different bases! This lesson ca

This is a set of ideas for your math classroom including organization for make-up work, setting up your gradebook, and ideas for notebook grades and test corrections. Great for first-year middle and high school math teachers! Check out these inquiry-based activities: Slope-Intercept Form Inquiry Activity Adding Integers Inquiry Activity Exterior Angles Inquiry Activity Check out other middle school resources: Pi Day Stations Lesson Pack: Classifying Triangles and Triangle Sum Theorem Check o

(*It's also great if you need something to show your admin!) This free presentation and double-sided handout shares the research on WHY we use visual note-taking to help students focus and retain information. This info is designed (by request) for you to share with administrators or parents! Choose to use the condensed printable version, the full powerpoint, or both to answer the big question: "Why are you telling my kid to doodle in class?!?!?" The pack will help you show the amazing benef

Use this template to create an activity sheet that will get your students thinking critically. Write statements about your topic of choice. Students will determine whether each statement is "always true," "sometimes true," or "never true" and color each circle accordingly. These activities really get students thinking more deeply about the content. Feel free to write up tough statements to really challenge them! * Not for commercial use * I have some puzzles already created for math to