The Math Curse!
This book and activity are just too great not to share! I love using this fun activity as an easy prep, engaging activity on a day before a break. Many of you have probably already read or heard about the hilarious book, The Math Curse, by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. These are the same authors as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. If you haven't read Math Curse, it is definitely worth finding a copy and reading with your students. It will get them thinking, laughing, and learning about some fun math concepts!
In addition to reading the book, the last few years I have made it into a challenge for my middle schoolers. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of reading it yet, the main character falls victim to a math curse, resulting in everything turning into a math problem! The questions are engaging, wacky, and math related (well...some of them). I decided to put together a worksheet with many of the questions from the book. After reading the book with my students, I let them work individually or with a partner to answer as many of these questions correctly. I give out a small prize to the group in each class that gets the most correct! Click on the picture or link to get a free copy of the worksheet!
This is a great activity if your students just need a break from the normal routine. Like I said, I usually do this on a day just before a break each year, when a lot of the students are already checked out (or on vacation!). I hope all you math nerds enjoy! And if you're a science person...be sure to check out the Science Curse!