7 Creative Ways to Test Prep for Math

Math Test Practice

The tests are coming! The tests are coming!



We all anticipate state standardized math tests and look for practice tests in math.

They come once a year and our kids end up exhausted. Material is crammed and teachers are stressed.

This year, make math test prep easy and FUN! The students won't even realize that they are working!







1. 4TH GRADE MATH TEST PRACTICE TASK CARDS

Play games with these task cards. Have your students go on a math scavenger hunt around the classroom. Play SCOOT! There are so many ways to use task cards to make learning fun.

2. 4TH GRADE MATH TEST PRACTICE

This 4th grade math test printable is a great way to test prep before your state standardized tests. Students can work with partners or you can use these questions to play a fun game with your class. Another awesome idea is to have students get up and move around the classroom and select a corner labeled with A, B, C, or D for the multiple-choice items. This 4th grade math test with answer key is a sure way to make learning fun!

3. FIND SOMEONE WHO GAME

This Find Someone Who Game is a FUN way to get kids up and moving around, all while reviewing math topics from the year. Students walk around the room and initial squares after they solve other students' math problems on their worksheet. This a fun math review game for 4th grade.

4. MATH JEOPARDY

EVERYBODY loves Jeopardy. Pair math with Jeopardy and you have an amazing combo! JeopardyLabs.com is my favorite Jeopardy website, mainly because you can keep track of each group's points and the questions are ready to go!

5. GALLERY WALK ACTIVITIES

Jennifer Findley has the best math test prep idea with this post! Students walk around the room, while answering questions that are posted around the room. LOVE IT! Check it out! This gallery walk is sure to get kids excited about math test practice.

6. ALLOW STUDENTS TO WRITE ON CHALK OUTSIDE

This is such a cute and CREATIVE idea! Have students work in math groups and take a math test prep worksheet outside. They can write their answers on the pavement and you can check their answers together. GENIUS!

7. PLAY THE STINKY FEET TEST PREP GAME

So, this game sounds super fun. Get your students into heterogeneous math groups and let the fun begin. You will need math practice questions to ask them. If they get a question correct, they have to select a post-it that has positive and negative points written on the back of them. I HAVE to try this game this year for sure!

What math test prep games do you recommend? Comment below!

13 Ways to Use Task Cards

How to Use Task Cards

Task Cards have been around FOREVER. They are a way to get kids MOVING and enthused about learning. There are so many ways to use them in your classroom too! Forget the traditional way of just cutting them out and leaving them in a bin as "busy work". These babies have TRUE POTENTIAL! Here are some awesome ways to use task cards in your classroom:

1. Play a game of SCOOT: Scoot is so fun! Here is how I play it: Place one card on each desk face down. Provide each student with his or her own recording sheet. Each student stands behind a desk. Set a timer. This will depend on the type of problem on each task card. Say "Begin" and the kids answer the question on their desk and record it in the numbered box that corresponds with the number on their task card. After the timer is up, say "SCOOT"! Then the students move to the next desk and you keep playing until all students have answered all of the questions. If you don't have enough task cards for every student, you can have a "break" desk for students to take a break or you can make up your own "bonus" question that they can answer on the back of the recording sheet. So fun!

2. Math Centers: Leave the set or 10 task cards in a math center. Provide students with a qr code or an answer key to check their work.

3. Early Finishers: As students finish work, they can choose a card and take it to their desk. You could assign a set for each week or every two weeks. They can turn in their recording sheet on the due date.

4. Small Group Work: Use the task cards for small group work to review material and make it more fun. You could have the students use dry erase boards to race each other.

5. Have a Scavenger Hunt: Hide the task cards around the room. Have students work in groups or with partners to answer the questions. The first team finished wins!

6. Leave Some for the Substitute Teacher: Leave some cards for a sub. They could always use time-fillers.

7. Homework: Assign four cards a night instead of cutting them out. Copy the sheet of four cards and send them home.

8. Put Them on a Ring: Print them out and put them all on a ring. Use them for centers or enrichment.

9. Class Warm Up: Project one task card while students are entering your classroom. Have them answer the question on the space that corresponds with that task card. Collect them at the end of the month or chapter/unit.

10. Test Prep: Use the task cards to prep for state standardized tests or chapter tests.

11. Spiral Review: After you finish teaching the topic on the task cards, use the task cards to review that material and mix them up with other topics.

12. Bell Ringer Activity: As students are coming in each morning, place one on each desk or project one on the board.

13. Formative Assessment: Every so often project a task card and have your students write the answer on their white boards and hold them up.

There you have it! 13 ways to use task cards in your classroom. How do you use task cards in your classroom? Which one do you want to try TOMORROW?