Election Math Challenges & Brainteasers

Included in this pack:

10 Math Challenges

• Race to 270 (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data, guess and check)
• Race to 270 – More difficult (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data, guess and check)
• Electoral Map Challenge #1 (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)
• Electoral Map Challenge #2 (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)
• Electoral Map Challenge #3 (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)
• Electoral Map Challenge #4 (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)
• Electoral Map Challenge #5 (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)
• Electoral Map Challenge #6 (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)
• Election Results – Chart Style (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)
• Election Results – Electoral Map (Adding large number of 1 and 2 digit numbers, organizing data)

All math challenges come with a lined page for written responses focused on strategies students used to solve the problem

11 Brainteasers

• Voting Line (Logical thinking, eliminating possibilities, time)
• Exit Poll (Logical thinking, eliminating possibilities, political parties, political candidates)
• Election Signs (Logical thinking, eliminating possibilities, guess and check)
• VOTE #1 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, easier)
• VOTE #2 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, easier)
• VOTE #3 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, easier)
• VOTE #4 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, easier)
• BALLOT #1 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, more difficult)
• BALLOT #2 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, more difficult)
• PRESIDENT #1 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, most difficult)
• PRESIDENT #2 – Logic puzzle (Logical thinking, guess and check, most difficult)

Also includes

• Teacher Notes with link to interactive Electoral Map site
• Election Math Challenges Notes for Teachers
• Projected Results Chart
• Electoral Map
• Answer keys for every problem

Here are a few ideas for how you might use these challenges and brainteasers in your own classroom:

*Use these as extension activities for math contracts. Make a pack of challenge problems for advanced students to use as a fast finisher or during certain in-class math lessons when they’ve already mastered the material. You can read more about this strategy and receive a free editable math contract HERE.

*Use a challenge or brainteaser as a homework option for students who need a challenge, or let them replace a simple homework assignment with the challenge to show parents how well you’re differentiating.

*Use a math challenge or brainteaser as a “number talk” problem to start out your daily math class. Work through it as a class or let students work in partners or small groups to talk through it and solve it together.

*Give a challenge or brainteaser to a small group of students as one of their independent math workshop rotations or use them with your advanced small math group rotation.

*Use the problems as an independent practice activity during a unit on problem solving strategies (guess and check, work backwards, etc.) or attacking a multi-step problem.

*Keep a stack of challenge problems in your classroom fast finisher area for any student who wants a challenge.

*Choose one or two challenge problems for the month and reward any student who can solve both. You can put these on a bulletin board or have them available as additional incentives.

*Use the election themed challenges as a way to engage your kiddos during a school mock election, or to integrate math and social studies during your unit on government, elections or voting.