First up on the board is "Brainstorming 4-Ever!" This was originally a printable activity I used as an anchor activity with my little Einsteins. This year, I decided to make the activity larger than life to "hook" and motivate my students in a new way.

Using the word "Jack-o-lantern" as inspiration, this Halloween-themed activity challenges students to think of as many different 4-syllable words as they can. Avocado, comprehension, impossible, articulate . . . the possibilities are endless, but it is delightfully difficult!

To add a level of difficulty, eliminate proper nouns. OR, make it a game! After brainstorming a list of words, students compare answers with other players. Students earn one point for each unique response that no other player has. The player with the most points wins. This can be timed or un-timed.

When students arrive to class early, finish assignments early, are in need of enrichment, or just want to be inspired, they grab a brainstorming sheet from the envelope. I've included a printable copy of the activity below in case you'd like to try it out with your kiddos. :-)


Next up, is Halloween math:



This too was a printable activity that I enlarged for a new twist. Each Halloween symbol represents a number. Students can "Guess and Check" or use algebra to reach the correct answer. There is something about a larger than life math problem that kids love! I'm not sure if it's the novelty of the presentation or the seasonal images, but they are in love. You can find the printable version of this activity (along with the answer :-) here.

And last, but not least, is 24 - an all-time student favorite.



In the game of 24, students use the four numbers given once and only once along with a combination of operations to reach 24. Students record their answer on the recording sheet below. You can find a free copy here. (It's nothing fancy, but it's one less thing to make :-)


24 is so easy to prep and offers meaningful, fun, differentiated math practice. If you'd like to learn more, you can check out my earlier post here.

Thanks for checking in! If you have any thoughts or questions, let me know; I'd love to hear from you!