Math Icebreaker for Elementary and Middle School Students

A Handshake and a Question Activity

As the new school year begins, it’s important to create a welcoming classroom environment where students feel comfortable participating. One of my favorite ways to do that is with a tried-and-true icebreaker I call A Handshake and a Question—a math-focused activity that encourages peer interaction and informal skill assessment.

This activity prompts students to:

• Practice the social skill of greeting each other with a handshake
• Ask and answer a math question
• Rotate through partners, building classroom connection and confidence

It’s a lighthearted way to combine movement with math while teaching a real-world communication skill that often gets overlooked in the curriculum.

As my new students participate in this math icebreaker I assess their current math skills and observe how students interact with each other. This activity allows me to see which students are initially shy and which are naturally more gregarious.

You can also continue to use this icebreaker throughout the year as a way to review and assess students'  fact-based knowledge.

To assist you in implementing this icebreaker activity in your classroom, I've created a printable download with instructions and directions to cycle students through a set of interactions!

BONUS: Get the icebreaker activity, along with 12 additional printable math downloads, in the Math Back-to-School Kit!

Before you dive into the details of how it works, I want to inform you that the process of this activity is a bit challenging. This icebreaker math activity is worth the initial confusion, so hang in there!

More Back-to-School Resources

In addition to planning icebreaker activities so you can get to know new students, the beginning of the new year can be stressful with teaching classroom routines, establishing a classroom community, assessing students’ previous knowledge, and diving into content-area instruction.

Download the Math Back-to-School Kit filled with resources that will help relieve some of the stress and ensure teachers, academic coaches, and administrators lay the foundation for strong math instruction! Kit includes:

Classroom Set-up

First Week of School Activities

- Tell Me What You Think About Math Survey
- Figure Me Out Math Activity
- A Handshake and a Question Icebreaker Activity

More Ways to Enhance Math Instruction

Start the New School Year with Back-to-School Icebreakers

Planning for the first weeks of school can be overwhelming. With the ready-to-use math icebreaker activity and our downloadable resource kit, you’ll be better equipped to build relationships, assess early math thinking, and create a classroom where students are ready to succeed!