There’s something magical about the first five minutes of a math class.
Students are settling in. You’re scanning the room. The vibe is either focused… or flying off the rails.
So how do I make those first five minutes count?
With two intentionally designed math problems per day.
💡 My Daily Math Warm-Up Routine
I used to hunt down bell ringers online. Random review questions, generic “number of the day” prompts, or worse—blank stares and a lot of, “What are we supposed to do?”
So I built something better.
Each day of the week, my students work through two warm-up questions:
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✅ A skills-based problem to spiral review key concepts they’ve already learned (hello, retention!)
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🧠 A problem-solving prompt that pushes them to apply their knowledge in a word problem, reasoning scenario, or logic task
It’s not busywork. It’s purposeful practice in under 10 minutes a day.
📘 What’s Inside the Warm-Up Packs
My 6th, 7th (and now) 8th Grade Warm-Up Packs are designed to work across the entire year.
Each week includes:
- 5 daily warm-up sets (2 problems per day)
- A weekly reflection prompt that encourages students to think about their strategies, confidence, and problem-solving approach
- Printable for ease of showing their work and thinking through math
- Answer keys for quick checks or self-grading
🔁 Why This Format Works
✔️ Routine + Structure: Students know exactly what to expect when they walk in
✔️ Spiral Review: Skills stay fresh throughout the year
✔️ Higher-Order Thinking: Built-in problem-solving keeps students engaged
✔️ Accountability: Reflection questions create space for math talk and metacognition
✔️ Versatility: Use them as bell ringers, early finisher work, or group discussion starters
💬 What Teachers Are Saying:
“I love the daily do now. It has allowed me to use as a review all year round; using these I was able to work on concepts throughout the year and ensure students are keeping all content current throughout the year and avoid reteaching when preparing for state testing. .” — Latasha
“Great resource to have on hand. It was quick and easy for me to give my students at the beginning of each class. Students were able to complete independently for the first 10 minutes of class.” — F.Y.
💻 Want to Try Them?
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to reset mid-year, these warm-ups will help you launch class with calm and purpose—every single day.
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