Christmas Review Activity

This is a Christmas review activity where students will answer exponent, powers of 10, square root and Pythagorean Theorem questions and collect presents on the Smartboard. 

Gr8 Number Sense

• express repeated multiplication using exponential notation
• represent whole numbers in expanded form using powers of ten
• multiply and divide decimal numbers by various powers of ten
• estimate, and verify using a calculator, the positive square roots of whole numbers, and distinguish between whole numbers that have whole-number square roots (i.e., perfect square numbers) and those that do not.

Gr8 Geometry and Spatial Sense

• determine the Pythagorean relationship, through investigation using a variety of tools
• solve problems involving right triangles geometrically, using the Pythagorean relationship

• three (or more) Christmas themed containers (find at a Dollar store)
• exponent, powers of 10, square root & Pythagorean Theorem Questions (copy on cardstock, laminate and cut) 
• solution handout
• Smartboard
• Smart Notebook file with score board
• whiteboard and markers (optional)
• Christmas decorations (optional)
• prizes for winning team (optional)

1. Cut out questions and place some in each of the containers.
2. Spread out containers on a table and add some Christmas decorations (optional).
   
3. Bring up the scoreboard on the Smartboard. (Could create your own scoreboard if a Smartboard is not available)
4. Place students is groups and give each student a whiteboard and marker.
5. Have each group choose a Christmas Tree from the scoreboard.
6. One student from the group will come up and choose a question from a container.  
   
   
7. They will bring it back to their group where all members will answer the question.
8. One person will then come and check their answer with the teacher.
9. The teacher will check off that the group has answered that question.  
10. The student will then drag a present or a Misfit toy under their tree on the Smartboard.  Questions with no candy canes are worth 1 present, questions with 2 candy canes are worth 2 presents and 3 candy canes are worth 3 presents.
11. Collect the question cards as students get them right.  When containers are empty, shuffle the cards and redistribute in containers.
12. The group who collects the most presents and/or Misfit toys will win.  

Note:  There are some special cards that students will find. Each group can have a chance to tap their tree on the Smartboard to play Christmas music.

The video, below, is only visible in the WECDSB domain. That is, only teachers in our school board can see the video if they are logged into their MyTools2Go accounts.

• Exponents, Square root, Pythagorean Theorem Christmas questions (pdf) (doc)
• Exponents,Square root, Pythagorean Theorem Christmas solutions (pdf) (doc)
• Christmas scoreboard (Smart Notebook file) (not)

Did you use this activity? Do you have a way to make it better? If so tell us in the comment section. Thanks