by 
(5-min Non-curricular tasks that motivate, activate and engage Math students)
If you want to read the research on why these are effective go here
ENTHUSIASM MATTERS – There is enough info in each slide for students to figure it out. Start the timer and say “Go!”. Use your words to encourage them to persevere and they’ll figure it out.
WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER – Everybody loves to play and students will engage and play just for the sake of it but “winning”. That being said these fit really well in any Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) but candy works as well.
THE BEST $ YOU’LL EVER SPEND – Buy a bag of wooden dominoes (Like these). When they arrive, put each colored group of 100 Dominoes into its own 1 gallon ziplock. Number each bag (sharpie).
NOTHING SAYS GOOD TIMES LIKE A RED CUP – Buy 100 Red Solo cups (no they don’t need to be red or Solo or even plastic). The majority of the challenges can be done only using dominoes but it’s nice to switch it up sometimes.
BE THEIR BIGGEST FAN – Remember to fill your heart with love, joy and enthusiasm. If you are excited about what your students do they will be as well.
BUILDING UP AND KNOCKING DOWN
There are two basic types of challenges, “Chain Reaction” and “Building”. I like to alternate between Chain Reaction one week and Building the next. I start with the simplest challenges first and make them progressively harder every week. After a while your students will become very proficient and the order won’t matter as much. Some are event specific but even that is up to you. “A little bit of Love” is designed for Valentine’s Day but maybe you or your classes are in need so let it rock. Here is my suggested order and more will be added to the youtube channel as I think of them or you suggest them
| Chain Reaction | Action Steps | Building | Action Steps |
| Unchained Reaction | I just start the timer and circulate constantly reassuring them to persevere and letting them know that accidental topples happen to everyone. Example video | Tower of Cups | Start the timer and let ‘em go!!! Be careful some students may want to stand on a chair to get that top cup on. Maybe have them start on the floor. (Gojira is the French Band that opened the Paris Olympics) Ties can be broken with more cups and 60 seconds |
| Y OH Y | Just start. If a team doesn’t know what a Y is, tell them 1 domino knocks down 2. Constantly circulate encourage to persevere Example video | Tower of Tiles | Students will spend the time figuring out a strategy. Have faith they’ll get there. Use a meter stick to determine the winner. |
| Up and Over | If students don’t have themselves put out a set textbooks. Let students figure out how to get the dominos to go up steps. Be patient on Further prompting. Example video | Tower of Cups and Tiles | This is just fun. Remember to encourage all along the way. |
| 2Y’s and 2 Hills | By now its all circulating, encouraging and celebrating design Example video | Paper House | I have a team member pick up the paper but I walk around and stick a 12in piece of tape to each team |
| Falling Up | Have available lots of stuff to climb but let students figure it out | Step Mummy | This one always seems to to be a struggle but let them google the shape they’ll get there |
| The Multi Y verse | You’ll be amazed. Circulate, encourage, celebrate | Faulty Towers | The suspension platform is just a paper sized board with a 12in piece of string that has a loop at the end attached to each corner. Make sure they only hold it by the loop. |
| Peace 4 All | As I circulate I talk about peace, in our hearts, our classroom, our school, Nation and world. You do you. Example Video | Leaning Tower | Similar to faulty towers but one end balances on a desk |
| Pine Reaction | Christmas is inappropriate but the trees are everywhere | Deuces Wild | I have a different colored stack of paper for each team and set up a few orange buckets. It’s wild and hectic but a lot of fun. There can be stats extensions to this. |
| Getting Frosty | Winters coming or here | Tumbling Teacups | Of course we are using non breakable “tea cups”! |
| Getting Squidly | These are symbols from the Squid Games Example video | Getting Cubic | Depending on your Ss you might want to preload this by putting V=LxWxH on a board |
| A Little Bit of Love | Valentines day. The song restarts at 3 minutes so keep them going Example Video | Gardening | Another volume problem with tie ins. |
| Ring Theory | One of my hardest math classes at UCSD but also a celebration of the olympics | Hexilicious | This always leads to some interesting interpretations |
| Circling | Part of my Pi day celebration Example Video | Paper Chains | It’s a good way to decorate your room for the holidays!!! Just saying… |
| April Showers | Self explanatory | Through a Card | I like to have lots of cards and scissors so that everyone on the team can try multiple times |
| Flower Power | May Flowers and a nod to the Summer of Love | ||
| Domino Falls | You’ll be amazed at some of their solutions | ||
| SPF 100 | Maybe I should have used the Beatles “Here comes the sun!”. No matter what happens it will be alright | ||
| 30 60 90 Right Triangle | My attempt to help them make connections to what these numbers actually mean. Create a 30 and 60o template to check | ||
| Poly Wants a Cracker | Who doesn’t? | ||
| Graduation | Another opportunity to celebrate by making a Mortar board. |
