Warm Ups

I am currently coaching a number of different running groups (one of which is the high school cross country team).  Lesson number one is always that you don’t work out cool muscles.  A proper warm-up will set the stage for a much more productive, and enjoyable workout.  I would like to submit that the same rule can be applied to any Math lesson.

Math warm ups can come in the form of relevant “real world” or fun videos:

Starting the lesson with a riddle or brain teaser is a great way to get the students participating and get some good discussion going.

There is a basket containing 5 apples, how do you divide the apples among 5 children so that each child has 1 apple while 1 apple remains in the basket? 



Answer: 4 children get 1 apple each while the fifth child gets the basket with the remaining apple still in it.

Two girls were born to the same mother, at the same time, on the same day, in the same month and in the same year and yet somehow they’re not twins. Why not? 



Answer: Because there was a third girl, which makes them triplets!

Lot’s of fun Math jokes, riddles and brain teasers can be found at this website, or many more just like it!