Engaging Math Block Ideas that Keep Students Excited About Learning

Last school year, I really focused on creating an engaging math block, one that would get my students excited about learning. Here's a look at what I am going to do again and what I am going to add next year for even more engagement.

Keep Engaging Students and Building Math Review Through Math Center Stations

I began with a set of centers in mind and started adding and creating things to make those centers a reality. I want to keep doing that. Last summer I worked on creating 5 themes for my math block and I kept running with that throughout the year. I created a few center game sets that would pair nicely with some of those themes. I want to finish off those math center games so that I have one for each theme. 

 Here's a look at the center games for my Multiplication Carnival/Circus theme.

Here's a look at one of the games for my Place Value Safari math centers theme.

Keep Engaging Students Through Math Escape Rooms

These were a hit with my class. I created 5 themed math escape rooms, one for place value, and the other four for the four basic math operations. My students kept asking for more. So, I am hoping to create even more to go with standards like area/perimeter, data, geometry, etc. These were perfect to do at the end of a unit as a review before the test. Students had built enough knowledge to be equipped to work through the challenges.

Here's a peek at a few of the activities in my Place Value Safari escape room.

These three different levels of activities are included in my Dive-iding Down Under themed escape room.

This space-themed addition escape room was a lot of fun, especially when students earned Star Bucks they could use at the Galactic Cafe'.

These were from my Fraction Math Mystery. 

Keep Engaging Students Through Fact Practice

I created a file for each multiplication fact. Inside the file are games and quizzes for students to practice the fact set they are currently learning. They could practice with a friend, or they could even do some of the games and activities independently. 

Multiplication Dots & Boxes game gets students focused on just one set of facts at a time. 

Multiplication Draw & Trace can be played with a partner, or with a one-minute timer alone.

Keep Engaging Students Through Project Based Learning in our Math Block

I purchased a PBL for math and it was highly engaging for many of my students. They wanted me to purchase additional ones, which sadly I did not do. However, I have visions of creating my own PBL units for math standards that will go directly with my math block themes. That way I can have a cohesive product line that I can use in my classroom that not only has escape rooms and math centers, but also has math PBLs as well. I hope I can get a couple of those done over the summer. 

If you are interested in spicing up your math block too, you can click the links below the pictures to be taken to those products. You could even check out my full store by clicking this link as well.