6th Grade Math Classroom Decorations and Back to School Ideas
Starting the year off on the right track is so important for middle schoolers. The beginning of the year is the time to show students what your class is all about, to get them excited, and to give them a glimpse of all they’ll learn.
I’ve gathered some of my favorite resources for the first day and beginning of the year for sixth grade math. Included are ideas for classroom decorations, activities for the first day, and routines we can establish from the start.
I hope you find some inspiration and ideas to have a great start to the school year.
6th Grade Math Classroom Setup & Decor
Vertical Number Line
Negative numbers are a new concept for many 6th graders. A vertical number line helps students visualize and think about the relationship between positives and negatives. It’s a great tool for talking about absolute value, comparing numbers, and rounding.
Grade Level Signs
These math signs feature topics from each grade level. The 6th grade sign will give students a glimpse of all the topics they will learn this year!
Math is Sweet Bulletin Board
This fun bulletin board has sweet treats made of math! It features a chocolate calculator, protractor ice cream cone, popsicle with a ruler for a stick, and a donut with math sprinkle!
Math Door Decoration
Welcome students to math class with a door decoration! This one includes math concepts. All the pieces are ready to print, cut, and attach to a door or bulletin board.
Math Calendar
A math calendar is a great way to incorporate math into classroom decor. With this one, each day of the month gives a GCF or LCM problem. Solving reveals the date!
First Day Activities
Hands-On Activity
Get to know students while doing some hands-on math! In this activity, students graph points to create the net of a cube while answer questions about themselves. They cut it out and fold it to create a 3D figure all about themselves.
Collaborative Group Work
Get students working collaboratively with a group coloring challenge! In this one, each student solves division problems on their own paper. Once 4 group members put their pages together, the image of a unicorn is revealed.
Icebreaker Questions
These icebreaker question cards can help you and your students get to know each other. Ideas for games are included.
Welcome to Math Booklet
Grab these get-to-know-you booklets to help you learn about your students the first day. They can color and fill in the pages with information about themselves.
Begin a Number Talks Routine
Daily Lessons
Begin the year with a routine that will build students’ fluency! With these PowerPoint and Google Slides lessons, students are introduced to a new mental math strategy each week. Visuals show why it works. Just a few minutes each day can help students learn new strategies and become efficient thinkers!
I hope your year gets off to a great start teaching 6th grade math, and I hope you find these ideas useful!
Be sure to download my free guide to 6th grade math resources to help you plan your units throughout the year.
Have a great school year!
-Rachael
