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55 Math Activities For Middle School: Algebra, Fractions, Exponents, and More!

math activities for middle school

June 3, 2022 //  by Katie Trethewy

Looking for some fun middle school activities to incorporate in your math lessons? Trying to come up with fun ideas that fit your curriculum? Here are 20 great activities and project ideas! There are three main themes to the activities listed below: real life, food (perfect for those hungry pre-teens!), and creativity. The instructions for all activities can be easily modified for students in Grade 6, Grade 7, and Grade 8. If your child is home-schooled, or you are just looking for additional home learning tasks, then these activities are perfect for you! All of the materials can easily be found in your home.

So, grab a cup of tea, sit back, relax and read on…

1. M & Maths

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Use M&Ms to teach math! Provide students with a pile of M&Ms to count and convert into fractions, decimals, and percentages. You can also extend this activity by getting the students to graph their findings.

  • Materials needed: M&Ms
  • Topic: Fractions, decimals, percentages, and graphs

Learn more: Our Journey Westward

2. What is the best buy?

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In this project, your students will become experts at identifying the best deal. Working through a range of scenarios, students will get plenty of practice in calculating unit rates.

  • Materials needed: Printed worksheets
  • Topic: Unit rates

Learn more: What is the best buy?

3. Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi (A Math Adventure) by Cindy Neuschwander 

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Teach your students about the circumference of circles by reading this math book and using oranges or paper plates to turn circles into rectangles!

  • Materials needed: Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter book, paper plates or oranges
  • Topic: Circumference

Learn more: Almost Unschoolers

4. Candy Bar Volume

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Do your students love candy? Entice them with this sweet activity. Students will practice calculating and comparing the volume of real candy bars. Challenge them to use this activity to work out which candy bar they should choose the next time they are told “You can choose one candy bar only!”

  • Materials needed: A range of different sized candy bars
  • Topic: Volume

Learn more: Classroom Magic

5. Measuring the Volume of a Solid

In this activity, students will be calculating the volume of different solids. The blog article suggests using rocks, but you can use any random objects you can find – a box, your iPad, or even the TV remote!

  • Materials needed: Any solid objects
  • Topic: Volume

Learn more: Susan Evans

6. Popcorn Math

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Teach students the basics of measuring and the skill of estimation by making popcorn together – and enjoy eating it together afterward!

  • Materials needed: Paper, popcorn kernelsTopic: Capacity, measurement, collecting data, and making comparisons

Learn more: Our Journey Westward

7. Measuring Volume of Boxes and Spheres

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Students can go on a treasure hunt around the classroom or your home, looking for objects that are box or sphere-shaped. Once the students have collected a range of objects, let them calculate and compare the volumes.

  • Materials needed: Boxes or sphere-shaped objects
  • Topic: Volume

Learn more: The Homeschool Scientist

8. Oreo Stacking

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Calling all Oreo fans! Challenge students to stack Oreos as high as they can in this activity to learn about data collection and averages. Just make sure students stack more than they eat!

  • Materials needed: Paper, Oreos
  • Topic: Data collection

Learn more: Teaching in Room 6

9. How much does a pumpkin cost?

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This activity consists of a series of three lessons. Students will be given an imaginary amount of money that they must use to buy the largest pumpkin possible. A great opportunity for students to apply their calculation skills to a real-life scenario.

  • Materials: A range of different-sized pumpkins
  • Topic: Algebra, weight, cost

Learn more: Math Geek Mama

10. Percentage Scavenger Hunt

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Print off the clues and place them around your school or home and send your students off on a percentage scavenger hunt. Students will be so actively engaged that they will forget it’s a math lesson!

  • Materials: Scavenger hunt clues, paper, pencils, clipboards (if available)
  • Topic: Percentages

Learn more: Pinterest

Related Post:  23 Dr. Seuss Math Activities And Games For Kids

11. Ratio and Baking

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Give students the chance to apply their understanding of ratio to a real-life situation – scaling up a baking recipe. If you really want to go the extra mile, why not try out the recipe for real and make some delicious cookies!

  • Material: Recipe worksheet, ingredients (optional)
  • Topic: Ratio

Learn more: Pinterest

12. Paper Airplane Graphs

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Children can learn how to graph distance each time they fly their paper airplanes. This activity requires little preparation, but it is a great way to engage your students.

  • Materials needed: Paper
  • Topic: Measurement, record keeping, graphing, averages

Learn more: Our Journey Westward

13. A Trip to the Moon

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Let students prepare for a trip to the moon by using ratios to calculate their ‘space’ weight. A great activity to practice math skills while learning about fascinating science concepts.

  • Materials: Printed worksheets
  • Topic: Graphs, equivalent ratios

Learn more: A Trip to the Moon

14. Rotational Symmetry

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Students can use this interactive game to explore how objects behave when they are rotated around a centralized point.

  • Materials needed: Access to a computer or device
  • Topic: Rotational symmetry

Learn more: PBS Learning Media

15. Frank Stella Protractor Artwork

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Students can analyze Frank Stella’s artwork made with a protractor and attempt to design and draw their very own version. A great opportunity for students to enhance their maths and art skills.

  • Materials: Pencil, protractor, ruler, Frank Stella’s Protractor Series
  • Topic: Using a protractor

Learn more: Art is What I Teach

16. The Kings Chessboard: The Power of Doubling

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Students can learn the power of doubling through this story. After reading, encourage your students to think about how they could use the power of doubling to get more pocket money!

  • Materials needed: The King’s Chessboard book
  • Topic: Doubling

Learn more: Our Journey Westward

17. Scale a Comic

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Let your students apply their creativity in this activity. Students will design and produce their very own comic before learning learn how to scale it up or down to fit a frame.

  • Materials: Printed worksheets
  • Topic: Scaling

Learn more: Scale a Comic Activity

18. Tessellation Project

Learn different techniques to create amazing tessellation artwork using rotation, reflection, and translation.

  • Materials: Paper, pen, scissors
  • Topic: Rotation, reflection, translation

Learn more: Geometry Coach

19. Pythagoras Using Lego

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Fed up of always drawing triangles to learn about Pythagoras? Then, check out this activity - students will use Lego pieces to prove Pythagoras theorem! Now, that sounds more fun!

  • Materials: Lego
  • Topic: Pythagoras theorem

Learn more: Math Geek Mama

20. Geometric Snowman

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If Christmas is approaching, then be sure to check out this activity. By folding a snowman, students will learn about geometry and have a new decoration for the Christmas tree!

  • Materials: Snowman template, scissors

Learn more: Mini Eco

21. Integer Dots

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This activity only takes 2-3 minutes to teach and then students can practice adding and subtracting integers hands on. It is a great way to visually teach students the rules for integers.

  • Materials: counters or craft puffs in two different colors
  • Topic: Integers

Learn more: Math in the Middle

22. Escape Room Review

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A fun activity is a great idea for math review! The escape room will have students working cooperatively on solving problems!

  • Materials: glue stick, scissors, a ruler, manila folders, a metal paper fastener/brad, and a mirror
  • Topic: A review of 6th grade concepts

Learn more: Beyond the Worksheet

23. Card Sort

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This activity is appropriate for the 7th or 8th grade math class. Students are given different word problems with card sets. They need to find the correlating cards for finding the points, slope, and graph to write the linear equation.

  • Topic: Slope and linear equations
  • Materials: glue stick and colored paper

Learn more: Kelly McCown

24. GCF Game

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A simple game that has students solve the find the greatest common factor (GCF) to decipher a hidden message! A fun way to practice finding the GCF.

  • Topic: greatest common factor
  • Materials: 3 different colored pens, scissors, glue

Learn more: Math in Demand

25. Mental Math Game

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Use this game to flex those mental math skills using integers with different operations. It can be adapted to work on just one operation or all and needs very limited materials and prep.

  • Topics: Operations with integers
  • Materials: dice
Related Post:  30 Fun & Easy 6th Grade Math Games You Can Play At Home

Learn more: Math Geek Mama

26. Sorting Activity

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Effective math review for order of operations, this activity has students solve expressions and sort them into different answer groups.

  • Topics: Order of Operations
  • Materials: colors paper, scissors, glue

Learn more: My Math Resources

27. Secret Picture

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Students will simplify radicals to discover color codes. They will then use the different colors to create a mystery image.

  • Topic: Radicals
  • Materials: colored pencils

Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers

29. Percentage Change Worksheet

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This worksheet uses real-life instances to find the increase and decrease in the percent of change.

  • Topic: Real-World Percent Change
  • Materials: Percent Change

Learn more: Percent Change, Lesson 1

30. Scaffolded Equations

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The activity has leveled math equations that can be used in different ways - for homework that needs to be leveled to challenge students.

  • Topic: 2 steps Equations
  • Materials: none

Learn more: Pret Homework

31. Kahoot!

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A fun game to play to keep students engaged is Kahoot! This pre-made Kahoot focuses on finding the surface area of three-dimensional shapes.

  • Topic: Surface Area
  • Materials: computers or phones

Learn more: Kahoot!

32. Area Foldable

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If you need to cover key math concepts, interactive notebooks are great! This activity for an interactive notebook covers how to find the areas of a triangle.

  • Topic: Area of a Triangle
  • Materials: scissors, glue, colored paper

Learn more: Caffeine Queen Teacher

33. Dance, Dance!

Get math students up and out of their seats when teaching transversals. Students will move, using tape on the floor as their guide, to dance along with the directions for a transversal.

  • Topic: Transversals
  • Materials: colored tape, speakers

Learn more: Tiffany Mosier

34. 31-derful Game

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A simple game to use on the first day or for early finishers. Students need to create rows and columns that are all equal to 31 with any 25 cards they choose.

  • Topic: patterns and addition

 

  • Materials: decks of cards

Learn more: Everybody is a Genius

35. Pi Day Stations

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Students will rotate around 6 different stations doing different activities, like pi reading and applying pi in a formula.

  • Topic: Pi
  • Materials: colored papers, circular objects, rulers

Learn more: Math Giraffe

36. Fibonacci Art Circles

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Students will learn about the sequence and how it is found in nature. Then they will create their own sequence using a compass and colored paper.

  • Topic: Fibonacci sequence and using a compass
  • Materials: ruler, compass, scissors, glue stick, pencil, colored paper

Learn more: What Do We Do All Day

37. Barbie Bungee

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This activity is a hands-on bungee jumping simulation. For each "jump", they will measure how far the doll went, add the data to their table, and adjust rubber bands. They will continue until they have enough data and then use it to create plots.

Learn more: Illuminations

38.  Lego Man World Cup Ratio

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Students will use the ratio of their Lego man to determine and draw a proportionally sized soccer field with chalk on the playground or outdoor area.

  • Topic: ratios
  • Materials: chalk, measuring instruments

Learn more: Maths Pig

39. Grudgeball

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Grudgeball is a fun, but low prep way, to review concepts with students at the end of a unit. Students are in groups and asked math questions, if they answer correctly, they get to take so many Xs off the board and shoot the ball. If they make the basket, they can give Xs to other groups. Whoever gets rid of their Xs first, wins.

  • Topic: any
  • Materials: dollar store basketball hoop

Learn more: Engaging Them All

40. Quadratic Tic Tac Toe

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Students will practice solving and factoring quadratic equations while they play a game of tic tac toe in pairs. The worksheet includes two game boards.

  • Topic: quadratic equations
  • Materials: none

Learn more: Doc Player

41. Inequalities Memory Game

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Students will have to use their memory to match up pairs of inequality cards. Cards include expressions, number lines, and different operations.

  • Topic: inequalities
  • Materials: printed cards
Related Post:  35 Place Value Games To Play In Your Classroom

Learn more: Middle School Math Man

42. Dice Probability Experiment

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Students will use critical thinking skills, hypotheses, and finding probability in this fun experiment.

  • Topic: probability
  • Materials: 20 sided dice, dry erase board, markers (paper/pencil)

Learn more; STEAMsational

43. Distributive Puzzle

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Students will use the distributive property to solve expressions and match up the pieces to build a puzzle.

  • Topic: distributive property
  • Materials: print out

Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers

44. Fractions Centers

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These centers cover numerous topics on fractions - comparing, modeling, using fractions with operations, and more.

  • Topic: Fractions
  • Materials: dice, printouts

Learn more: Jennifer Findley

45. Math Art

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Students use a 100s grid to create artwork using math. They will color code the works determining the fraction, decimal, and percent for each color.

  • Topic: fractions, decimals, percents
  • Materials: colors and printout

Learn more: Linden STEAM Academy Project-Based Learning

46. Exponent Battle

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Students will be dealt a base card and an exponent card. Whoever had the highest product wins that round.

  • Topic: exponents and multiplication
  • Materials: playing cards

Learn more: Learn with Math Games

47.  Surface Area of Right Prisms

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Students will use a 3D paper shape to analyze the surface and solve to find the area of the specific shape.

  • Topic: surface area
  • Materials: paper, scissors, task cards

Learn more: I'm Kendall Hunt

48. Human Box Plot

Box

This is a scaffolded activity where students will use real-life data to examine box and whisker plots and learn about data sets.

  • Topic: Box and whisker plots
  • Materials: 2 yardsticks and rope or masking tape

Learn more: ETeams

49. Measurement Conversions Game

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If you need a simple game in math class, try this conversions game. It is great for reviewing measurement conversion and there is not much prep involved.

  • Topic: metric and customary system
  • Materials: printout, game pieces

Learn more: The Imagination Teacher

50. Pixel Math

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Create digital art using Google by solving math problems.

  • Topic: multiplying fractions
  • Materials: computer

Learn more: Teach with Tina

51. Word Problems Activity

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Students will use modeling, number lines, and the standard algorithm to help them solve word problems involving the division of fractions.

  • Topic: dividing fractions
  • Materials: markers, print out

Learn more: You've Got This Math

52. Two Truths and a Lie

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This is a fun math activity for any topic!  Students need to create their own problems - 2 being correctly solved and 1 incorrect. Then they need to explain why. A great exit ticket or switch with other students to see if they can find the lie.

  • Topic: any
  • Materials: print out

Learn more: Math Equals Love

53. Geometric Reflections

Students will create different reflections of a polygon. As they create it, they will have a visual representation of a reflection to analyze.

  • Topic: reflections
  • Materials: hole punch, graph paper, pencil

Learn more: Scaffolded Math and Science

54. Digital Task Cards

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Students will solve binomials using Google Forms. The digital content is editable, so you can modify the activity as needed for your class.

  • Topic: multiplying binomials
  • Materials: computer

Learn more: Lindsay Bowden

55. Angle Coloring Page

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A simple way to teach angles and can be used as a visual memory aid for students who need a refresher. The color-coding helps students remember what type of angle has which measurement.

  • Topic: angles
  • Materials: colors, paper, print out

Learn more: Scaffolded Math

Final Thoughts

The maths activities above have all been chosen to help to improve your students’ engagement and progress in math. Not only will these activities instill more fun in your lessons, but they require limited preparation time to make your life easier too! The hands-on element of the activities will help your students to learn math without even realizing it – and you’ll probably be forever remembered as their best maths teacher!

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