42 Dry Erase Math Activities

One of my favorite classroom tools is the dry erase pocket. Looking for dry erase math activities to make the most of your own set of dry erase pockets? Check out these 42 dry erase math activities!

Dry erase pockets are one of the easiest ways for teachers to save paper and quickly make interactive, reusable activities for their classrooms.

If you don’t have a classroom set of dry erase pockets, you could also use heavy duty sheet protectors. But, I highly recommend investing in a classroom set of the pockets since they are so much more durable.

MATH = LOVE RECOMMENDS…

I cannot imagine teaching math without my dry erase pockets! They instantly make any activity more engaging and save me countless hours at the copy machine since I can use the same class sets of copies year after year.

Here are my current go-to recommendations:

I honestly believe that every classroom needs a set of these! My students are willing to take much bigger risks with a dry erase marker in their hand than they will with pencil and paper. Plus, these make it so easy for me as a teacher to produce quality, reusable activities in almost no time at all. I spend less time at the copy machine, and my students are engaged throughout the class period.

The possibilities for using these are endless. You can print any activity, slide it inside, and be ready to go. Here are a few ideas for using them if you need some convincing.

Limits Graph Sketching Activity for Calculus

I created this limits graph sketching activity to give my AP calculus students some much-needed practice interpreting limit notation.

Integer Operations Work Mat with Sea of Zeros

I created this dry erase integer operations work mat for my students to complete integer problems with both counters and a number line.

Drawing Boxes for Domain and Range

Dry erase pockets make it easy for students to visualize finding domain and range from a graph.

Balloon Pop Review Game

I used this balloon pop review game to help engage my math concepts class in some much-needed equation solving review. I like this review game because it is low-prep and can be used with virtually any topic that you are looking to review!

Connect the Dots Puzzle

This Connect the Dots puzzle from Erich Friedman is perfect for using in a dry erase pocket.

Dry Erase Template for Solving Equations Graphically

I created this dry erase template for my Algebra 2 students to use while learning to solve equations graphically using our graphing calculators.

Tic Tac Total Puzzle

Tic Tac Total is a fun dry erase math puzzle. Students will love trying to find three in a row!

Roll a Number Dice Activity for Practicing Absolute Value, Opposite, Reciprocal, and Opposite Reciprocal

You will need dry erase pockets and dice to create this Roll a Number Activity to practice finding absolute value, opposite, reciprocal, and opposite reciprocal.

Transformations of Functions Word Search Activity

This Transformations of Functions Word Search Activity is perfect for use with dry erase pockets.

Domain and Range Challenge Activity

I created this set of 20 domain and range challenges for my Algebra 1 students to work though as a review for our quiz over domain and range.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Challenge

Students will love using their dry erase pockets as they work through the 5-4-3-2-1 Math Challenge.

Venn Diagram Template with Guess My Rule Cards

I created this Venn Diagram template to use with Guess My Rule cards, but it could be used in so many different ways in the math classroom.

Simplifying Radicals Dry Erase Work Mat

Yesterday, I was able to use the simplifying radicals dry erase mat that I created to help my Algebra 1 students organize their work while simplifying radicals. I printed the work mat on 11 x 17 cardstock that I use for practically everything in my classroom.

Quadratic Formula Dry Erase Activity Template

After the success of using a quadratic formula template in my quadratic formula foldable, I decided to create a quadratic formula dry erase template for my students to use throughout the rest of the quadratics unit.

Shape Grid Puzzle

I am really excited about this shape grid puzzle from Erich Friedman. The goal of the puzzle is to divide the grid into geometric shapes. Any lines you draw must follow either the grid lines or the diagonals of the grid squares. Each shape that you draw must contain exactly one shape icon inside.

Maximize the Sum Puzzle

This Maximize the Sum Puzzle works perfectly in a dry erase pocket!

How Far Can YOU Climb? – An Activity by Frank Tapson

The premise of the puzzle is quite simple. Form the longest chain possible by moving horizontally or vertically from one number to an increasing number.

X Marks the Spot Puzzle

The goal of the X Marks the Spot puzzle is to place Xs in the drawing so that a certain set of requirements is met.

Key Features of Functions Work Mat

I created this Key Features of Functions Work Mat to use with my Algebra 2 students during our introductory functions unit. We used it to practice concepts including domain, range, increasing and decreasing intervals, positive and negative intervals, and x- and y-intercepts.

Is It Divisible Dice Game

I created this Is it Divisible Dice Game several years ago to give students practice with using divisibility rules. To play the game, students need to be able to determine if numbers are divisible by 2, 3, 5, 9, or 10.

Sketch a Graph Activity

I created this Sketch a Graph Activity to give my Algebra 2 students much-needed practice with the vocabulary we use to describe the key features of functions.

Exponent Rules Review Game with ACT Questions and Distractors

This exponent rules review game exposes students to actual ACT questions from past released exams, and it gives students a chance to play the role of exam writer by crafting tricky distractors for each question.

Finding Rate of Change from a Graph Hole Punch Activity

I created this hole punch activity to give my Algebra 1 students practice finding rate of change from a graph. When I teach Algebra 1, I intentionally avoid using the word “slope” for as long as possible. I printed off a bunch of practice questions for students to complete inside our dry erase pockets.

Connect the Shapes Puzzles

I’m excited about these Connect the Shapes Puzzles from Tanya Grabarchuk. Following the lines of the grid, connect each pair of identical symbols with a single continuous line. The lines should cover all nodes of the shape. The lines may not cross each other.

Teaching Students to Play the Train Game

For the past two years, the Train Game (20 Express by Blue Orange Games) has been my go-to 2nd day of school activity. I print the game cards on regular paper and put them in dry erase pockets to make them reusable.

How Many States Have You Visited Map

How many states have you visited? We’re getting into one my favorite part of teaching statistics – data collection! I created this free printable to help my statistics students figure out how many states they have visited since students don’t typically know that fact off the top of their heads.

Graphing Inequalities Dry Erase Work Mat

I created this graphing inequalities work mat when I taught Algebra 1 to help my students conceptualize what it actually meant to graph an inequality. So often, I have a tendency to just give my students a set of steps to follow without making sure they understand why we are following those steps.

Quadrants Unlocked Activity

I created this fun quadrants unlocked activity to give my pre-calculus students some much needed practice determining the signs of trig functions in various quadrants.

Mean Median Mode u0026 Range Challenge Activity

I created this mean, median, mode, and range challenge activity back when I was teaching Algebra 1. The activity is an adaptation of a set of questions created by the late Don Steward. Students are placed in small groups which must work through as many of the different challenges as possible.

Translating Algebra Dry Erase Mat Activity

Before we started translating between words and algebraic expressions, equations, and inequalities, I decided to figure out what my students remembered about this process from previous math classes.

Set and Interval Notation Dry Erase Template

A quick post to share a set and interval notation dry erase template I ran across recently while organizing my Algebra 2 files.

Small Pieces of Paper with Drawing of Turkey Printed on It.

Turkeys in the Oven Game – Writing Linear Equations

Looking for a fun game to give your algebra students practice writing linear equations from a graph? Check out this Turkeys in the Oven Game. If it’s not Thanksgiving, feel free to change the theme to something more seasonally appropriate!

Combining Like Terms Maze Activity

To give my students some practice on combining like terms, I assigned them to work through a combining like terms maze in their groups with dry erase pockets.

Mean, Median, Mode, and Range Spider Puzzles

These mean, median, mode, and range spider puzzles aren’t super complex, but my students absolutely loved them! We used this activity with dry erase pockets so students could write their answers on top of the puzzle sheets.

9 Dots Puzzle

Students will love using dry erase pockets to solve the 9 Dots Puzzle.

Make a Million Place Value Game

Looking for a fun way to practice place value? Check out this Make a Million Game. You will also need a 10-sided die.

Level the Towers Activity for Introducing Mean

This Level the Towers Activity from Don Steward is the perfect introduction to the concept of mean.

Dry Erase Workmat for Finding Five Number Summary, IQR, and Outliers

My Algebra 1 students really enjoyed using this dry erase workmat to structure their work while finding the five number summary, IQR, and outliers for a set of random data.

Using Dry Erase Pockets for Notebook Checks

Every year, I do notebook checks a bit differently. The best way I have found so far is to use dry erase pockets.

Triangular Numbers Posters and That’s Logical Puzzles

My students really enjoyed using dry erase pockets as we solved the puzzles from That’s Logical.

Arrows Puzzle

The Arrows Puzzle was one of the very first puzzles I featured on my weekly puzzle table.

Hidden Equation Puzzle 1

Can your students solve this hidden equation puzzle?

More Dry Erase Puzzles

Jonathan

Monday 7th of May 2018

This is awesome. I have two questions: 1) How do you print your 11x17 templates/activities? 2) When students are doing activities like this, is there additional homework for practice or does the whiteboard work serve as practice? I use interactive notebooks and typically have a "notes" side and a "practice" side. I'm thinking maybe copy their "best problem(s)" for their notebook to reference later? I'd love to hear your thoughts since I know you also use INBs.

Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)

Wednesday 9th of May 2018

I print on 11 x 17 paper using my school's copy machine. The paper has to be placed in the bypass tray to fit, though. The whiteboard work is definitely practice. We usually do example problems in our notebook BEFORE doing the whiteboard practice. You could definitely have them record their best problems in their notebook, though.

Camille

Saturday 28th of April 2018

Great ideas for using those wonderful dry erase pockets! Thanks! By the way, that too good to be true deal is no longer available.

Thank you!