12th Grade Basic Operations Activities

After reading “Making Number Talks Matter” by Cathy Humphreys and Ruth Parker, I was inspired to build on their discussions of number sense.

**** I strongly recommend the book!

The goal of these activities is to ultimately get students thinking about numbers in more ways than one. When we ask them to find the amount without using pencil and paper, we ask them to find and create patterns. When I say “without counting” I mean that look they get—where they close one eye and squint and point to the numbers as they compute from their seats. Students will start to realize symmetry, groupings, and patterns.

These pages are intended for use with a projector but could be adjusted for small group instruction. The first page is intended for the initial display. Have students mentally solve the problem silently and independently. One students have an answer they can give a signal to show they have a number in mind—how you choose the signal is up to you but a simple thumbs up in front of their chest (so as not to distract or discourage their classmates) would suffice. The second page puts the same problem in the corner but leaves room for notes. Here is where you put student responses in any organized fashion you prefer—the important part here is to make sure you are recording ONLY the answers (keep your poker face!). Once you have student responses, ask students to defend their reasoning or find errors in words while you scribe their thinking on the board. This is a great opportunity for students to see that there is more than one way to approach a problem and come out with an accurate answer. As you progress, it is easy to transfer their thinking into more generalized “rules” in math.

There are 30 Multiplication problems and 30 Division problems.

"The Answers Are..." is a great Non-Curricular Thinking Task your secondary math students can all access, no matter their skill level. Each task card gives a number bank with 10 integers and 5 target answers your students must create. Using each number in the bank only one time each, students work in random teams of three to create all 5 expressions by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. It's more challenging than you might think!

If you are implementing Building Thinking Classrooms this year, "The Answers Are..." is a great thinking task to do with your students at your Vertical Whiteboard stations during the first week of school. Once they solve one of the puzzles, they will keep coming back for more.

This lesson includes the following:

• 10 Different Task Cards using Integers
• Solutions for each Task Card
• Complete lesson instructions and pacing
• A Free Canva Template to create your own Task Cards

This activity works great as...

• a beginning of school thinking task for grades 8 and up
• a challenging activity for your 7th grade students
• an extension activity for your 6th grade students
• a way to get your students out of their seats, standing at their whiteboards, and thinking deeply about math.

Check out the preview to see the full lesson directions!

Thank you for your interest in my lessons. I hope your students enjoy them as much as mine do.

If you would like to know more about how I use Building Thinking Classrooms in my own class, check out my blog. I am also creating and refining more curricular thin slicing lessons and non-curricular thinking tasks, so follow my store or check back regularly to see what's new.

Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.

"The Answers Are..." is a great Non-Curricular Thinking Task your secondary math students can all access, no matter their skill level. Each task card gives a number bank with 10 integers and 5 target answers your students must create. Using each number in the bank only one time each, students work in random teams of three to create all 5 expressions by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. It's more challenging than you might think!

If you are implementing Building Thinking Classrooms this year, "The Answers Are..." is a great thinking task to do with your students at your Vertical Whiteboard stations during the first week of school. Once they solve one of the puzzles, they will keep coming back for more.

This lesson includes the following:

• 10 Different Task Cards using Integers
• Solutions for each Task Card
• Complete lesson instructions and pacing
• A Free Canva Template to create your own Task Cards

This activity works great as...

• a beginning of school thinking task for grades 8 and up
• a challenging activity for your 7th grade students
• an extension activity for your 6th grade students
• a way to get your students out of their seats, standing at their whiteboards, and thinking deeply about math.

Check out the preview to see the full lesson directions!

Thank you for your interest in my lessons. I hope your students enjoy them as much as mine do.

If you would like to know more about how I use Building Thinking Classrooms in my own class, check out my blog. I am also creating and refining more curricular thin slicing lessons and non-curricular thinking tasks, so follow my store or check back regularly to see what's new.

Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.

This is a set of 4 math mazes. Combining Like Terms. Distributive Property. One Step Equations. Two Step Equations. Answer keys are included. Fun activities as an alternative to worksheets.

Click to See More Resources

Here is a 10-page activity for kindergarten children. The objective is to add the number in the right colomn . This is a very good activity for learning math and logic.

WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE

• 10 pages (PDF ) - Fun winter math addition Activities

• Large 8.5'' x 11'' designs that can easily be printed on regular sized paper

• High-resolution images

• Unlimited prints

• Great for kids, boys, girls, and teens

JUST DOWNLOAD, PRINT AND GET STARTED

• This item comes as a high-resolution PDF files that you can download straight after purchasing.

• You can print as many copies as you want.

NOTE

• This is a digital item.

• No physical product or printed material will be shipped.

• No refunds as this is a digital product.

Follow me from Here .

Here is a 10-pagesactivity for kindergarten children. The objective is to add the number and Cut and paste in the right place . This is a very good activity for learning math and logic. This is a unique Valentine's Day Scissor skills Pages is a fun way to introduce the Valentine's Day Scissor skills Pages to your young learner.

WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE

• 10 pages ( PDF + PNG ) - Fun Valentine's Day math addition Activities

• Large 8.5'' x 11'' designs that can easily be printed on regular sized paper

• High-resolution images

• Unlimited prints

• Great for kids, boys, girls, and teens

JUST DOWNLOAD, PRINT AND GET STARTED

• This item comes as a high-resolution PDF+PNG files that you can download straight after purchasing.

• You can print as many copies as you want.

NOTE

• This is a digital item.

• No physical product or printed material will be shipped.

• No refunds as this is a digital product.

Follow me from Here .

Here is a 1-page activity for kindergarten children. The objective is to Count and add & subtract the number in the right colomn . This is a very good activity for learning math and logic.

Here Is amzaing Summer Resources & Games & Activities . Click Here.

WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE

• 1 page (PDF ) - Fun math Activities

• Large 8.5'' x 11'' designs that can easily be printed on regular sized paper

• High-resolution images

• Unlimited prints

• Great for kids, boys, girls, and teens

JUST DOWNLOAD, PRINT AND GET STARTED

• This item comes as a high-resolution PDF file that you can download straight after purchasing.

• You can print as many copies as you want.

NOTE

• This is a digital item.

• No physical product or printed material will be shipped.

• No refunds as this is a digital product.

Follow me from Here .

Do your students know how to properly make entries into a spreadsheet to keep track of their deposits and withdrawals? I have created an Excel and Google Sheets spreadsheet to make it easy for them. Each spreadsheet has 3 tabs - 1) showing them what I created, 2) a blank spreadsheets with headings, & 3) a black spreadsheet so they can follow the easy directions I have provided to create their own. What a great way for them to keep track of the money they receive, spend, and be able to balance their checking account!

On the main thumbnail, please download the specific directions to create their own spreadsheet. It is a learning experience in the area of financial literacy + they are gaining Excel and Google Sheets skills.

Tina Arozena

Big Easy Homeschooling Mom

Please follow me on social media:

linktr.ee/tidewindacademy