Fall Topics
Fall Math Activities
These activities were designed to introduce or reinforce important math concepts and skills using seasonal themes.
Spider Web Math uses a spider web mat to model addition problems. Students roll a die and place that many spiders on the big web. They roll the die again and place that many spiders on the small web. Next, students write the number sentence that tells how many spiders there are altogether on both webs. The file contains spider web mat, spider counters (optional), directions and recording sheet for this activity. Place the spider web mat in a sheet protector and use dry erase markers for a reusable classroom activity. Place the materials in a math center for additional student practice.
- Leaf Mat Math uses a leaf mat to model addition problems. Students roll a die and place that many counters on the big leaf. They roll the die again and place that many counters on the small leaf. Next, students write the number sentence that tells how many counters there are altogether on both leaves. The file contains leaf mat, directions and recording sheet for this activity. Place the leaf mat in a sheet protector and use dry erase markers for a reusable classroom activity. Place the materials in a math center for additional student practice.
- Symmetric Pumpkin Challenge asks students to draw the other side of the pumpkin to create a symmetric jack-o-lantern face. [contributed by Rose Hummer, Caruso School, Keansburg, NJ]
Spider Games
Each of these games capitalize on students' fascination with spiders at Halloween time. The games develop mathematical concepts using a seasonal theme.
- Spider Game - 1 develops student understanding of the probability of the outcomes of tossing a single die. This game is a twist on Pig in that tossing a 6 means the spider takes all of the counters you have been able to remove from the board. The file contains the gameboard, directions and a student recording sheet.
- Spider Game - 2 develops student understanding of the probability of the outcomes of tossing two dice. Students toss two dice, calculate the difference of the two dice and remove a counter from that spider web. But beware, if the difference is 0, the spider takes the counters the student has already removed and the student earns no points for the round. This game is a twist on Pig and student understanding of probability helps them develop effective strategies for winning the most points. The file contains the gameboard, directions, a student recording sheet and a handout that requires students to chart the different ways of tossing a difference of 0, 1, 2, etc..
- Spider Web Map Coloring Games require students to use map coloring rules to capture the most points in these web coloring games. The games encourage students to apply discrete math map coloring skills and develop winning strategies. The file contains two different versions of the game, directions for each and a recording sheet.
Bat Math
Bats are a common theme at Halloween. Use these resources to capitalize on student interest in bats and develop student understanding of common mathematical patterns.
- Pascal's Bats challenges students to identify and use the patterns in Pascal's Triangle to complete the unfinished row and to add the next row to the pattern.
- See Math-Literature Connections: Seasonal Literature for a series of bat books by Kathi Appelt that introduce math patterns in humorous settings.
Fall Glyphs
Each of these glyphs capture data about students in a visual mode. Students should analyze the class data by creating tally charts, Venn diagrams, bar graphs, etc. and writing about what they learned from looking at the glyphs of their classmates.
- Jack-o-Lantern Glyph can be simply colored on the handout, using the legend, or students may cut construction paper shapes to create jack-o-lanterns. The file also contains a sample jack-o-lantern and asks students to interpret the legend and write what they know about the person, based on the sample glyph provided.
Fall Coordinate Graphing Activities
These activities require students to use coordinate pairs to correctly color in the squares of the grid to create a fall picture.
- Jack-o-Lantern
- Mad Monster?
- Play Grab the Candy Game which requires students to toss two dice, form an ordered pair, and remove a candy from that space, if possible. The game can be played with counters or with real candy for a holiday treat. The file contains the gameboard, directions, candy counters and a recording sheet.
- 10x10 coordinate grid template for use in graphing activities
- 15x15 coordinate grid template for use in graphing activities
Fall Problem Solving
These open-ended assessments require students to apply mathematical concepts and skills to solve problems and explain their thinking using words, pictures and numbers.
- Grade 2 Halloween Word Problems were written by Tammie Holcombe and Karen Zeigler, second grade teachers at Port Monmouth Road School in Keansburg, NJ.
- Annual Fall Parade challenges students to identify the pattern formed by triangular numbers.
- Fall Fraction Words requires students to use fraction skills and the clues to figure out the fall words. Students are challenged to create their own fraction words.
- Fall Scavenger Hunt challenges students to use a grid to identify the leaf with the largest area.
- Insects and Spiders gives students the number of animals and legs and challenges them to figure out how many insects and how many spiders were in the scientist's lab.
- Pascal's Bats encourages students to analyze the patterns in Pascal's triangle.
- Pumpkin Picking is a pattern problem that can be solved using a picture or an input/output table. [contributed by Shannon Collier, Joseph C. Caruso School, Keansburg, NJ]
- Trick or Treat requires students to create a table of values and identify the pattern or rule to solve the problem.
- Turkeys and Cows gives students the number of heads and legs and challenges them to figure out how many turkeys and how many cows were in Farmer Brown's barnyard.
Additional Seasonal Math Activities
These math activities are organized by seasons. Elementary teachers often incorporate seasonal activities as craft projects. Many of these seasonal craft projects can be mathematical as well with a little forethought. Browse the activities for projects to add that reinforce mathematical concepts and skills through seasonal and holiday themes.
- Fall into Math for fall and Halloween math activities [Fall 2005]
- Winter Math Activities for winter and holiday math activities [Winter 2005]
- February Math Activities for Valentine's Day and Winter Olympics activities [February 2006]
- See all Mathwire Seasonal Math Activities