One of the struggles in teaching a math class is that skills need to be practiced over and over (and over and over!) to gain mastery understanding. But, students aren’t always up for it, are they? Jimmy assures you he is a master at factoring trinomials after doing ten problems. Maura is a master at solving equations after one day of practice! Riiiiiiight. It can be hard to keep students engaged if you are practicing the same skill for a few days. Today I would like to introduce you to a fun, no-prep way to jazz up your practice. Your students will love it and it’s easy to grade…bonus! My suggestion is to try a Fact Finder worksheet.
Fact Finders are fun, 11-question worksheets where students solve math problems to complete facts about a famous place or landmark. For example, students can solve inequalities and learn 11 fun facts about Venice, Italy. It never ceases to amaze me how much more willing students are to complete math work when there is something else to be found out instead of just “doing math for math’s sake”.
Another reason I like Fact Finders so much is how easy they are to grade or do a quick check for understanding. Personally, I find it so much easier to remember that the church towers in Venice used to act as lighthouses than it is to remember that the answer to #5 is 7.2. Looking for the right “fact answers” makes it very easy to either grade the worksheet or know how a student is doing as you are walking around the room. I love activities that make checking for understanding easy peasy. Try a Fact Finder today and help your students stay engaged as they practice their skills!
You can find all my Fact Finders HERE. I am always adding topics, so check back often. Also, if you are looking for a specific topic, leave it in the comments below and I will get it created!