I really like shopping the Teachers Pay Teachers back to school sale for bundles I can use throughout the year in math and reading centers and in daily lessons. In August, I’m always looking for the big back to school resources that can be reused over and over each week. Below, I’ve listed my favorite back to school resources from my TPT shop that may benefit you. Happy shopping!!
I don’t think there’s a single teacher out there that “loves” worksheets. But they serve a purpose and are good practice when used wisely. Whether you’re doing some whole group practice, assessing, or looking for spiral review for homework, worksheets can serve a great purpose in your classroom.
If you haven’t heard of logic puzzles (also known as brain teasers), you are missing out! I use these in my classroom year-round for math centers and they are essential when practicing math facts. I always start the year with easier ones (addition and subtraction facts) and work my way up to using multiplication and division fact brain teasers by the end of the year. Learn more about the benefits of logic puzzles here.
Something pretty new to the 21st century classroom is secret picture tiles. In these puzzles, students figure out the answer to each puzzle piece and then place or drag the correct answer on top. By the time the puzzle is complete, a picture has formed. Kids enjoy them and they make another great math center. These are available for every month of the year.
Balance beams are really exciting for high students who need that extra challenge. The goal of the activity is for students to figure out what number each item represents so that each side of the balance beam can be equal. These can be used for kinder to sixth graders with choices like addition and subtraction within 10, 20, 100, 1000, multiplication and division facts, and multi-digit multiplication and division.
Learn more about critical thinking activities for accelerated learners here.
If you know me, you know that I am an ultimate classroom transformation junkie. I do a room transformation every week in my classroom! It’s so fun to end each unit with one and I find they really help students see how math relates to the real-world. They are also great back to school resources to build that classroom community and show students how fun learning can be! I have bundles of room transformations for every grade level in my TPT shop.
Learn more about the easiest classroom transformations you can do in your room with low-prep here.
Building classroom community and sustaining that community during the school year is very important. I do this through the use of whole group games. It also “kills two birds with one stone” because I can practice a math skill and have students work together at the same time. Students can practice math fact fluency with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Math and reading mysteries are an instant way to turn skill practice into an adventure your students can’t wait to solve. Each mystery blends standards-based questions with a fun, story-driven format that keeps students motivated from start to finish. As they work through each clue, students apply key math or reading skills in a meaningful, highly engaging way that feels more like solving a puzzle than doing a worksheet. Teachers love how the structure stays consistent while the skills change, making mysteries perfect for whole-group lessons, small-group work, centers, or independent practice.
These mysteries are especially powerful during back-to-school season because they build excitement and confidence right from the start. Students collaborate, think critically, and stay focused as they narrow down suspects or uncover important story details. At the same time, you get meaningful data on how well they understand beginning-of-year skills without the pressure of formal assessments. Once students learn the mystery format, you can introduce new skills all year long and instantly create high-interest review with very little prep.
Before you jump into the full collection, I also have a free mystery you can try so you can see how the format works in your classroom. Here’s the link to grab it!
One of the good things to come out of teaching during the pandemic is access to more games that are digital. Students practice their math fact fluency with both printables and digital resources. Ensuring students have engaging resources is important for student focus. These fact fluency activities can be put in centers, assigned for homework, used digitally, printed when parents request additional resources, and more.
Interested in more math fact tips? This blog post shows my 5 favorite ways to practice math fact fluency.
I am a big fan of task cards (both print and digital). They can be used with games, as an informal assessment, as extra practice, etc. The possibilities are endless. I currently have bundles of task cards for all math standards for grades 1-3 in my TPT shop.
Hands-on game packs are one of the easiest ways to make back-to-school review feel exciting instead of overwhelming. Each pack is filled with quick, engaging games that help students practice essential math and reading skills without realizing how much they’re actually learning. The routines stay the same, so students gain confidence quickly, but the skills change all year long. This makes them perfect for morning work, centers, partner practice, early finishers, or small-group review—any moment when you want students actively involved and on task. Teachers love that everything prints and plays, with no complicated setup required.
What makes these game packs especially helpful at the start of the year is how smoothly they support classroom management. Students stay busy, focused, and motivated while you handle all the other moving pieces that come with back-to-school season. The games build independence, teamwork, and repetition in a way that feels fun for kids and low-prep for teachers. Once students learn how the game formats work, you can plug in new skills all year and instantly create meaningful practice with almost no prep time.
Before you dive in, I also have a special freebie so you can try out the hands-on game style without committing to a full pack. Here’s the link to grab it!
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Or, try a math mystery for free below to practice math facts with your class at the beginning of the year!
