Snowball Fight!

Today, inward Algebra 1, nosotros had a snowball fight. My students had never done anything similar this. Well, for that matter, I hadn't either. This thought originated from Kate's blog equally a get-go twenty-four lx minutes menstruum of schoolhouse getting to know you lot activity. Well, we've been inward schoolhouse close a month, in addition to I instruct at a rattling pocket-size school, in addition to therefore I didn't actually demand a getting to know you lot activity. But, I did demand a agency to alter upwards our review of solving equations. We've been working on solving equations for a calendar week now, in addition to today was quiz day.

Snow Balls

Before the quiz, I wanted to honor a agency to utter over mutual errors to avoid inward solving equations without whatever students thinking that I was picking on them. Introduce the snowfall balls. (Funny story. When I told my seventh menstruum that nosotros would live having a snowball struggle today, 1 pupil informed me that she didn't intend that would move because it was yet summer...)

Give each pupil a canvass of flake paper. I buy the farm on a box of newspaper that is build clean on 1 side inward my classroom for random activities similar this. Yes, each pupil volition possess got to investigate what is on the dorsum of their canvass of paper. Comparisons volition possess got place. Some students volition endeavour to increase their social standing with their peers based on the fact that the dorsum of their page is cooler than that of the other students.

Project 10 equations on the Smart Board. Tell each pupil to selection an equation in addition to write it on their canvass of paper. Repeatedly remind them that they are solely writing the equation, non solving it. Expect to possess got at to the lowest degree 1 pupil solve the equation fifty-fifty though you lot asked them non to.

Next, inquire each pupil to crumple their newspaper into a ball. Prepare yourself for looks of disbelief. Some students volition literally non desire to produce this step. They volition endeavour to daintily flexure their paper. Reassure them that it is okay to crumple the paper.

Set the Smart Board timer for 10-15 seconds. Allow the students to possess got a snowball fight.

When the timer goes off, the snowball struggle must end. Each pupil picks upwards a snowball in addition to opens it.

Tell the students that their chore is to solve the equation. However, approximately students should brand a error on role spell solving the equation. Don't nation anybody you're going to brand a mistake. Just produce it.

After students possess got correctly or incorrectly solved their equations, possess got the students crumple their newspaper again.

10 2nd snowball fight.

Each pupil finds a snowball. If they opened upwards it in addition to honor the equation they but solved, they must merchandise papers with approximately other student. Now, each student's chore is to expect at the move in addition to degree it. Is it correct? Or is in that location a mistake? If in that location is a mistake, the pupil must right it.

After the grading has been completed, inquire students who institute a error to part the equation (still projected on the board) in addition to what error they found. This is a bang-up conversation starter for discussing mutual mistakes without making students experience similar they possess got been singled out.

The students had a blast. One pupil asked if nosotros were e'er going to produce this again. It provided a overnice alter of measuring betwixt our exercise problems on the white boards in addition to our quiz. Most importantly, learning took place. Students were engaged. And, nosotros got to possess got approximately fun, too.

Example of Snow Ball with Intentional Mistake

Most students worked the equation out on their ain to run across if the other pupil had solved it correctly.

Example of a Correct Snowball

Some students were a trivial harsh inward their grading.

Watch your positive in addition to negative signs!

I also institute this random regime notation on 1 of the snowballs...

I dearest this!