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Join for free resources →by Ping · November 22, 2022
As the year winds down and the winter holidays approach, it can be tricky to keep students engaged with review. They’re excited for vacation, seeing family, and taking a break for the year. My favorite activities during this time of year incorporate the exciting upcoming holidays into the classroom.
Here are six of my favorites that are perfect for your 5th grade math classroom.
Get my free resource library with digital & print activities—plus tips over email.
Join for free resources →Wondering how to review expressions & equations with 5th graders around the holidays?
Another great review activity for the winter holidays is Doodle Math. Like Pixel Art, it has an artistic element, but is in print format. Students solve a series of problems, with each correct answer unlocking a series of doodle patterns that they can draw onto a template image.
It’s like color-by-number or color-by-code, but with a bit more creative freedom to pick the colors that they use for the patterns.
$1.99
Students practice evaluating numerical expressions with exponents and positive integers by applying the order of operations (i.e. PEMDAS) with this Evaluating Numerical Expressions Doodle & Color by Number Holiday Pack resource. Contains 16 questions total with an elf themed image perfect for winter and Christmas.
There’s also a version of the order of operations activity that includes 1 set of problems and 5 template pictures for different holidays, for year-round use:
$3.99
Students practice evaluating numerical expressions with exponents and positive integers by applying the order of operations (i.e. PEMDAS) with this Evaluating Numerical Expressions Doodle & Color by Number Holiday Pack resource. Contains 1 problem set with 16 questions total and 5 fun holiday images celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and St. Patrick's Day. These zero prep printable worksheets are great for emergency sub plans, math centers, independent practice, review, math lesson, homework, and bulletin board decorations.
It's a fresh twist on color by number or color by code. Each correct answer unlocks a doodle pattern students can use to complete a mystery image with the colors of their choice. They keep students engaged, free up your time for differentiation, and look great as classroom decorations.
Wondering how to review decimals with 5th graders around the holidays?
Try my holiday-themed decimal Doodle Math activities, where students complete a series of decimal problems, and unlock winter and Christmas themed pictures.
There's three to try:
$3.50
Make decimal operations review and practice a blast with this print-and-go Doodle Math activity. Includes two levels with 32 questions total to practice adding and subtracting decimals, with both vertical and horizontal set up. Each correct answer unlocks doodle patterns to complete a winter and Christmas themed image perfect for winter holidays. If your students love color by number or color by code, they’ll love Doodle Math!
$3.25
Students can practice 32 questions total involving long division of decimals by whole numbers and decimals by decimals with this print-and-go Doodle Math activity. Includes two levels to practice dividing decimals by whole numbers (level 1) and dividing decimals by decimals (level 2). Each level includes its own separate image, so can be assigned separately (or together) depending on preferences. These zero prep printable worksheets are great for emergency sub plans, math centers, independent practice, review, math lessons, homework, and bulletin board decorations.
$3.00
Make decimal multiplication (multiplying decimals by whole numbers, multiplying decimals by decimals) review and practice a blast with this print-and-go Doodle Math activity. Includes three levels with 18 questions total to practice multiplying decimals, including multiplying decimals by whole numbers, multiplying decimals by decimals, and word problems with decimal multiplication. Each correct answer unlocks doodle patterns to complete a winter themed image perfect for Christmas, winter holidays, New Year or any time in the school year. If your students love color by number or color by code, they’ll love Doodle Math!
And here's them in a money-saving bundle:
$7.50
Have a blast adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing decimals in this Christmas and winter themed Doodle Math bundle! If your students liked color by number or color by code activities, they'll LOVE this!
Looking for a version of this that you can reuse year-round?
I’ve produced a special Doodle Math 6-Holiday Pack for decimal operations. It contains 6 decimal operations problem sets together with 6 template images for different holidays (e.g. Hannukkah, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day):
$15.00
Students practice adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals up to thousandths place with this Decimal Operations Doodle & Color by Number Holiday Pack resource. Contains 6 problem sets with 96 questions total that can be mixed-and-matched with 6 fun holiday images celebrating Halloween, Hanukkah, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Earth Day, and Father's Day. These zero prep printable worksheets are great for emergency sub plans, math centers, independent practice, review, math lesson, homework, and bulletin board decorations.
Wondering how to support fast finisher 5th graders around the holidays?
One of my favorite tools for fast finishers in the classroom is Google Sheets Pixel Art. Students solve a series of problems, and get instant feedback as they go — each correct answer unlocks part of a mystery picture. It's perfect if you have fast finishers, as you can assign Pixel Art to them, and they can work entirely independently.
And better yet, I’ve developed a set of winter-themed Pixel Art activities perfect for the holidays as well as the new year.
$3.99
Make area and perimeter review and practice a blast with this self-checking digital pixel art activity. Includes 2 Google Sheets with 30 questions total to practice area and perimeter of rectangles, triangles, and composite figures. Each correct answer reveals part of snowman and reindeer themed images perfect for winter, Christmas, and January. Plus, there’s an optional printable PDF worksheet to show work on paper if desired. Easy to assign virtual or in-person, and with Google Classroom.
$5.99
This winter themed Pixel Art BUNDLE includes two products with a total of 4 pixel art with a total of 60 problems on area and perimeter of individual polygons (including rectangles, triangles, trapezoids, and parallelograms) and composite figures. All pixel arts are self-checking Google Sheets. It's great as sub plan, review lesson, or independent practice!
These are just the beginning. I’m continuing to produce more winter activities. Don’t miss them by signing up for my mailing list — you’ll receive sample activities right away and tips for using them too!
Happy holidays!
I spent 7 years in the classroom working to make math fun and relevant in middle school, by integrating math, art, and technology. I started Congruent Math to share this all with you.
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