Starter activities or math icebreakers are so important in my lessons. I think I may enjoy them as much, if not more, than the students! I believe they are a really effective way of engaging and motivating students from the beginning, creating a positive mindset, building community and the opportunity to revisit prior learning.

Below you’ll find some of the quick icebreaker or warm up activities I use, tried and tested by my math students. I’d love to hear if you have any more to add to this list. I’m always looking to learn and hear from fellow math teachers!

Number Scramble

One of my go-to activities for math starters is the number scramble. Write one or more multi-digit numbers on the board and have students race to see who can create the largest or smallest number using only those digits. This also works with decimals and fractions.

Math Dice War

Students pair up and each rolls the dice two times. They must then multiply the numbers and the person with the higher number gets a point. Set a time limit and the student with the most points at the end wins.

Odd One Out

I usually write three numbers, fractions, decimals, or geometry on the board. Students discuss the three items in pairs and are then asked to choose an odd one out. I like to explain that there are no wrong choices, but there must be a reason why they have chosen their odd one out.

Scene Math

I place three objects on a table and ask students in pairs or independently to write a math word problem using the objects. This is a great activity for a holiday theme, for example, Halloween.

Mystery Reveal Picture

If you haven’t used boom cards before, I highly recommend them! I love using mystery reveal activities as a whole class starter where students reveal a piece of the picture at a time after answering a correct math question. You can find my boom card activities HERE.

What can you tell me about this number?

Write a number on your interactive whiteboard. Encourage students to think about the number by asking them to come up with multiple things they can tell you about it.

tic tac toe games

Create a tic tac toe board with math problems and have students play against each other to win. Why not try the free decimals tic tac toe games I have to download by clicking on the image below?

Grade my work

I put a list of 5 to 10 questions on the interactive whiteboard and ask the students to find the given number of incorrect answers. I also like to ask the student to explain what they think I did wrong.

Find your partner

I create an equal number of number sentences and matching answers as individual flashcards. Students work together to find the person who matches their question or answer card. This works really well with rounding, converting measures or percentages and PEMDAS. I also use math vocabulary words and definitions as an alternative. You can create your own flashcards quickly using the free flashcard builder at senteacher.

True or False

This is a movement game. Choose one side of the room for true and the other for false. Students are given a mental math question with an answer and must decide whether it is true or false and walk to the side of the room they think is correct. Anyone who has chosen incorrectly is eliminated from the game. I usually set a timer or limit on questions asked eg 10.

Target Number

Write a target number on the board and have students work in pairs to roll a set of dice to try and reach that number using addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. The first student to reach the target number wins.

and finally my class favourite:

Don’t Get a Six!

This is a fun game that helps students review concepts while keeping the competitive spirit alive in the classroom. To play, create a list of questions and divide the class into teams. Each correct answer earns 10 points. The teacher rolls a die after each answer, and if a 6 is rolled, that team’s score goes back to zero.

I hope these upper elementary math starters have given you some ideas to use in your classroom. The beginning of a math lesson is crucial for setting the tone and engaging your students.

If you’re looking for more resources to support your math teaching, be sure to visit my store. There, you’ll find a wide range of products and materials to help you create engaging and effective math lessons.

Thank you for reading, and happy teaching!