Make math fun with New Year Math Mystery Pictures! Students solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts to reveal hidden puzzles. Use the preview to decide which fact practice level will work best for your class.
$2.00
New Year’s Math Mystery Pictures bring math facts to life as students head back in January! These cut-and-paste puzzles give students a chance to practice their facts while revealing a fun secret picture. Each puzzle piece depends on students solving addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problems—so as the picture comes together, so does their fact fluency.
This activity works beautifully in January math centers, fast finisher bins, or even as a holiday homework option after winter break. Teachers love that it’s both engaging and practical, and students love the excitement of uncovering a hidden picture while sharpening their skills. Whether your students need practice with addition and subtraction or multiplication and division, you can choose the version that best fits your classroom needs.
The beauty of these puzzles is their flexibility. You can pick exactly what your class needs—just addition, just subtraction, both together, or upper-level multiplication and division. That means whether you’re teaching first graders learning basic facts or third graders who need extra fluency practice, these puzzles will meet your students where they are.
Each set comes with 20 different puzzles. Every puzzle is made up of 12 pieces, so that’s 240 opportunities for students to solve and check their math facts in one resource. The puzzles come pre-mixed, which means no sorting or cutting on your end. Students simply solve, cut, and glue to make the mystery picture appear.
No matter how you run your classroom, you’ll have a version that works:
Print: Just hit “print” and you’re ready to go. The pages are designed so students can cut out the tiles and glue them in the right spots. Color and black-and-white options are included, making it easy to print what you need.
Digital: If you’re assigning work online, the puzzles are also available in Google Slides format. Students drag and drop tiles into place after solving the facts. It’s a zero-prep option for Google Classroom or other online platforms.
Teachers use these puzzles in so many different ways. Try them as:
A math center activity during the first week of January
Partner or small-group practice
A fast finisher option that keeps students working independently
Homework with a fun seasonal twist
Guided math practice for differentiation
Spiral review of math facts
A New Year’s classroom craft that doubles as fact practice
Because they’re so versatile, you can decide if you want to assign one puzzle per day, one per week, or let students complete them at their own pace.
These puzzles are perfect for a wide range of elementary classrooms:
First grade: Enrichment or early fluency practice
Second grade: On-level fact practice
Third grade: Remediation or extra practice for students who need it
They align with Common Core and Texas TEKS standards for addition and subtraction fluency, and the multiplication/division sets are designed to reinforce fact recall and accuracy at the upper elementary level.
Engaging: Kids are motivated to solve facts so they can reveal the mystery picture.
Self-Checking: If a tile doesn’t fit, students know they need to try again.
No Prep: Everything is mixed and ready—just print or assign.
Time-Saving: Great for quick centers, sub plans, or days you need independent work.
Flexible: Use them for practice, review, or even seasonal math decorations.
Here’s exactly what you’ll get:
20 unique secret picture puzzles (12 pieces each)
Both print and digital options included
Color and black-and-white formats for easy printing
Answer keys provided
Challenge paper included for math center use
Aligned with Common Core, TEKS, and Florida B.E.S.T. standards
1st Grade TEKS:
1.3D: Apply strategies to add and subtract within 20
1.3E: Explain addition/subtraction strategies with models and number sentences
1.3F: Generate and solve problems with addition and subtraction up to 20
2nd Grade TEKS:
2.4A: Recall facts to add and subtract within 20 automatically
Florida B.E.S.T. Standards:
MA.1.NSO.2.1, MA.1.NSO.2.2, MA.1.NSO.2.5, MA.1.AR.1.2
MA.2.NSO.2.1
With mystery picture tiles, math fact practice doesn’t feel like work. Students are excited, engaged, and focused—and you get seasonal activities that actually build fluency. This New Year’s, skip the boring fact drills and let your students solve, cut, and reveal their way to stronger math skills.
| Choose A Version | Addition & Subtraction Facts, Multiplication & Division Facts, Multi-Digit Multiplication & Long Division |
|---|
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Planning to use this resource with more than one teacher or classroom?
Many teachers work closely with grade-level teams or teaching partners, and it’s important that resources are shared in a way that respects the creator’s rights. Each teacher who wishes to use this resource must purchase their own license through their own account. If you’d like information about grade-level licensing, feel free to contact me directly at li***********************@***il.com for details on group pricing.
Thank you for respecting the work that goes into creating these materials!
Copyright © The Lifetime Learner, INC. All rights reserved. This resource is for use by the original purchaser only. It may not be copied, shared, or distributed for use by multiple teachers, classrooms, departments, schools, or districts. Uploading this file to any shared drives or public websites is strictly prohibited. Unauthorized use is a violation of copyright law and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Graphics and elements included are licensed for use within this product only and may not be used separately. For personal and single-classroom use only.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.