Activities to Teach Students to Round Decimals and Mixed Numbers
Teaching students to round decimals and mixed numbers can be a daunting task, but there are many fun and engaging activities that can help make the process easier. Here are a few activities that are great for teaching rounding:
1. Rounding Race: This game is perfect for a group of students and can be played on a whiteboard or chalkboard. Create a number line and a starting point for each student. The goal of the game is for each student to move their marker along the number line, rounding decimals or mixed numbers to the nearest whole number. The first student to reach the end of the number line wins.
2. Rounding Bingo: Bingo is a classic game that can be adapted to teach rounding. Give each student a bingo card with a mix of decimals and mixed numbers. Call out numbers and ask the students to round to the nearest whole number. The first student to get five numbers in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) wins.
3. Rounding Scavenger Hunt: A scavenger hunt can make for a fun and interactive way to teach rounding. Hide cards with decimals and mixed numbers around the room or outside. Students must find each card and round the number to the nearest whole number before moving to the next card.
4. Rounding Relay: This game can be played with two teams of students. Give each team a set of cards with decimals or mixed numbers. Each student must run to the front of the room or board and round their number to the nearest whole number before tagging the next student to go. The first team to finish wins.
5. Rounding Jeopardy: This game is perfect for reviewing rounding and can be played individually or in teams. Create a Jeopardy board with categories like “Round to the nearest whole number,” “Round to the nearest tenth,” “Mixed numbers,” and “Adding and subtracting rounded numbers.” Assign point values to each category and ask students questions that correspond to each category.
In conclusion, teaching students to round decimals and mixed numbers doesn’t have to be boring. By incorporating fun and engaging activities, you can help your students understand rounding and feel confident in their math skills.