The beginning of the school year is such a fun time. But let’s face it… It’s also an exhausting time for teachers. You are trying to get students settled in with routines. You are beginning to teach your curriculum. And you want to ease your students in with fun math activities, so that they start the year loving math instead of hating it. That’s why I’m sharing 3 math beginning of the year activities that will help students love math. These beginning of the school year math activities are perfect for 1st and 2nd grade students.

Math Beginning of the Year Activities 

 

I Spy Math Facts

 

I like to start the year off with a simple math fact activity. It’s actually an I Spy activity so students think it’s really fun. I love it because it allows me to see where students are at with math fact knowledge.

I start students off on a simple one. Students find math facts that equal 6 within all the pictures. I go around observing students as they are doing this. Do they have the facts memorized? Are they using counting strategies like using their fingers to figure out the facts? Are they relying on a neighbor for help?

I’ll take note of these I see so I have a record of it. After students find the facts, they get to color the pictures. I like to start with a school supplies themed worksheet. They love it! Find these worksheets here.

It’s nice to introduce this activity to students at the beginning of the year because I use it all year round. So once I teach students how to do them, I can just set out the worksheets and they know what to do. Students never get bored of them because each month has a different clip art theme. Each week I set out new facts they focus one. For example, the first week of the month I set out a page where students find facts that equal 10, the next week I set one out where students find facts that equal 11, and so on. Find my year long bundle of I Spy Math Fact Worksheets here.

 

Teach Math Fact Strategies

 

After I observe where students are at with math facts, I like to explicitly teach them math fact strategies. I teach them counting strategies like counting on, counting back, and using a number line. I also like to teach them reasoning strategies like near doubles facts, make 10, and patterns in addition.

Now I don’t teach these all in one day. I pick one a day and that’s our math lesson. It’a important to teach students explicitly, give them guided practice together with a worksheet, and then I have them do a scoot activity around the room with task cards. I have students work in partners with this because it gives them good support and I love to see students working together at the beginning of the year and talking to each other about the math.

This gives students a solid foundation with math facts at the beginning of the school year. I even hang up anchor charts for each math fact strategy as I teach them so we can reference to them all school year.

Learn more about each math fact strategy here in this blog post: Math Fact Strategies That Work

Get my bundle of math fact strategy task cards, worksheets, exit tickets, and anchor charts here.

 

Back to School Math Craft

 

After teaching a couple math fact strategies I like to have my students apply those strategies in a fun way. So we do a fun Back to School Math Craft. This makes a chill afternoon activity. And makes a great beginning of the year math bulletin board.

Students solve the math facts on the pencils, cut them out, and then glue them on a circle. It makes a fun pencil wreath. Then they cut out the sign, color it, and glue it to the bottom of the pencil wreath. Students love the pun on the sign, “My Math Skills Are Sharp.” There’s one for first grade and second grade, so this craft works for either grade.

Find this Back to School Math Craft here.

Find my year long bundle of math crafts here.

 

First Day of School Math Activity

Okay, so I decided to give you a bonus with this list of math beginning of the school activities. This one I love to do on the first day of school because it helps me get to know my students’ interests a little bit more. As a class we make a picture graph. I ask my students what is their favorite school subject. Then I give them three options to choose from: reading, math, or writing. I give students a little piece of paper for the subject they chose. For example, if they choose reading, they get the paper with the picture of the book. Students color these and write their name on them. Then I help students tape them up on our front whiteboard to make our picture graph.

After that, we complete a worksheet as a class. This worksheet has us change the picture graph into a bar graph. Then it asks us questions about the data points, like how many in each category and how many more or less are in one category compared to another.

I like these questions because it helps me see where students are at with math facts and problem solving skills. Find this First Day of School Math Activity here. There are even two other versions included: What is your favorite dessert and what is your favorite fruit. I like to continue these activities for the first week of school, or you can save them for when you teach Data and Measurement later on in the school year. Find them here.

Find more ideas for back to school activities here in this blog post: 10 First Day of School Activities That Will Make Your Students Excited For The Year to Come

The beginning of the school year can be a fun time for students especially when it comes to math. These math beginning of the year activities help you get to know where your students are at with math, set a foundation for math facts, and let them get some fun math fact practice.

Find all of my classroom management resources in a money-saving bundle here.

Looking for everything you need for Back to School? Check out this bundle where you get these back to school math activities plus other back to school essentials in this Back to School Mega Bundle here. 

Learn more about setting a foundation for math at the beginning of the school year here.

 

For more help to getting your students to math fact fluency over the new school year, check out my free resource for 1st and 2nd grade teachers: The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Fluency

Download your free copy here.