Cut & Paste Math Picture Puzzles

Sometimes I forget that my middle school students are still just kids. As a middle school math teacher, I get so caught up in all the standards I need to cover, the stress of state testing, reteaching content, meeting accommodations, and so on, that sometimes I need to step back and let my students still be kids. As much as I need a break sometimes, my students need a break from their rigorous studies even more so than me!

I came up with an activity that fits the bill - Math Cut & Paste Pictures! Students do between 9 to 16 math problems on the first page, depending on the skill. The second page has square puzzle pieces with the correct answers and parts of a picture drawn. The puzzle pieces are scattered in a different order and place. Once completed, the puzzle pieces line up to create a fun picture ready to be colored in.  

Students complete the math page first, then they can grab the puzzle pieces page. They have to cut out the pieces and match them on top of their work, making it a fun self-checking activity. 

There are always a few students who tell me they have the same answer more than once, or that they can’t find where a puzzle piece goes. It is a great opportunity for them to check their work and find their mistakes. The fact that the puzzle pieces create a recognizable picture help give them clues for the correct spot of the puzzle piece. 

I always have students glue the pieces halfway so we can flip up the piece and still see their work underneath - it is a math class after all!

This activity usually takes one 50 minute class period. It gives students the math practice they need while also giving them some SEL time - cutting paper, gluing, and coloring. I love to make a spot on my classroom wall to display the completed work. 

 

This is not a once per week activity, more like once per month or holiday. The first one I created for my students was Thanksgiving themed and for solving systems of equations when the two lines are already graphed. It was perfect for the days before Thanksgiving break because the concept was not a difficult one.  They also had a great time coloring in the pictures - and I always love when they think outside the box with their coloring creativity.  

So far I have created ones for New Year’s, Easter, Valentine’s Day and a couple that are Christmas or Winter themed. Check them out below!

Functions: Inputs and Outputs - Winter Themed

Finding Missing Side Lengths Using the Pythagorean Theorem - Valentine Themed

Calculating Slope Between Two Points - Holiday/Christmas Themed... and you can download this one for FREE!

Solving System of Equations using the Elimination Method - Christmas/Holiday Themed

Geometric Sequences - Valentine Themed

Volume of Cylinders, Cones and Spheres - Easter Egg Themed

Distribute and Combine Like Terms - New Year's Themed

The New Year’s Distribute and Combine Like Terms was probably one of my favorite ones because we completed it right when we came back from Winter Break, so it was a nice review of pre-algebra skills after our 3 week break. 

Some of the Cut & Paste activities also have a digital version that can be completed on Google Sheets. It’s a great option if you have students who are working from home on Independent Study.

But for the rest of the students, it is so pleasing to be able to do a hands-on activity just like they used to in elementary school. 

You can check out my collection of the cut and paste math pictures available HERE, including the FREE DOWNLOAD of Finding the Slope Between Two Points Holiday Cut and paste. And if you follow my TpT store, you will get notified when I create new cut and paste pictures - there should be some Halloween ones ready this Fall!

I make these for my students and to use in my classroom; so if you have a request for a specific skill or theme you’d like me to create for your classroom, please leave me a comment or send me a message!