Using Early Finishers Worksheets to Extend Learning in Math (that can also save your sanity!)

We’ve all heard it. You’re in the middle of helping a student understand a math concept. You’re providing much needed one-to-one support or maybe you’re working with a small group. Your focus needs to be with these students, just for this moment at least.

But you’ve suddenly got 1, 2, 3 students who are saying “I’ve finished my work… what do I do now?”

The demands upon educators to meet all students’ needs can feel overwhelming at times. In my own 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classrooms, I have implemented early finishers worksheets that become extensions of their core learning. I find that having worksheets ready for my students to access is so important to extend their learning. Plus, I like to use a variety of activities that are both fun for my students while being common core aligned.

I could see the need in my colleagues’ classrooms too. So, I created a bundle of worksheets to meet this need. Within the worksheets, I have included a variety of activities to keep students engaged and interested in their Math learning. Some of the types of tasks include word searches and crossword puzzles themed around essential math vocabulary. I’ve also included fun logic puzzles and problems to provide a fun challenge for my students. Additionally, there are mindful coloring activities which lend themselves towards social and emotional learning.

This selection of activities has been created to provide students with extra practice on core concepts while encouraging independent work.

Importantly, the best part is that I’ve designed these as “Print and Go” tasks meaning that you don’t have to spend hours collating or creating the work. You can print these worksheets with very little prep work on your part. Some teachers like to print and staple mini-booklets so they can give the worksheets to students ahead of time. But do what works best for you and your kids.

As we know, every classroom is different and we all plan, prepare and teach in our own unique style. Perhaps for you, you may want to have these worksheets ready to go for a substitute teacher. If you need to take a day off, there’s nothing more stressful than having to create work for another teacher. Instead, you can use these math worksheets for your emergency sub-plans.

Having printables ready to go for my early finishers allows me to focus on delivering the core lesson and not have to worry about my students finishing their work at different times. Check them out below!