The first week of school activities in your 8th grade math class set the tone for the entire year. It’s your chance to review foundational skills, get students moving, and show them that math can be meaningful! I’ve always been a fan of some icebreaker activities, letting my students get to know me, and adding in a little math to get them warmed up for the school year.
In this blog post, I’m sharing five engaging first week of school activities for 8th grade math classrooms. Each activity reviews key pre-algebra skills, helps you assess students’ starting points, and gets everyone excited about learning.
Kick off the year with a skill your students will see all year long: solving equations. This One-Step Equations with Fractions Maze helps students practice solving one-step equations with fractional coefficients in a self-checking, engaging format.
This activity includes a digital or printable version so you can decide if you want your students to be able to self check on their own. This no prep maze is a quick and easy way to figure out what skills your students know and what needs some extra review. Have students work independently or add this maze to your math stations.
Compare and Order Rational Numbers
Many students struggle with rational numbers, especially when they include negative numbers, fractions, and decimals. This Compare and Order Rational Numbers digital card sort reinforces number sense and gets your students thinking about math again.
This middle school math review will give students a chance to practice comparing and ordering a mix of rational numbers. You’ll also be able to quickly gauge each students’ number sense as you are getting to know this new group of students.
If you want your students to have a more hands-on activity for the first week of school, the printable version can be used as an independent cut-and-paste activity or laminated for group work.
Adding & Subtracting Fractions Maze
There is never a bad time to review fractions in your 8th grade math class. One of the biggest knowledge gaps that I see in math class is fraction operations (especially when there are unlike denominators). Students are so quick to just pull out their calculator and turn the fractions into decimals.
This self-checking digital maze for adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators refreshes your students’ fraction skills with one no-prep, engaging activity. This activity is perfect for early finishers, math stations, or a quick warm up.
Fraction Operations Review Mystery Picture
Make fraction review exciting with a gamified mystery picture! This fraction operations review activity covers adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions in a digital, self-checking format that reveals a fun image as students solve correctly.
You can easily assign this activity digitally as independent practice or a first week of school homework assignment.
Order of Operations Maze
Strengthen your students’ confidence with the order of operations, a must-have skill for algebra readiness. This order of operations review activity is both printable and digital, offering flexibility to meet your class needs. Your students will simplify expressions with grouping symbols, exponents, and all operations.
✅ Fun, self-checking maze format
✅ Covers PEMDAS in positive and negative numbers
✅ Great for Day 2 or 3 to reinforce classroom routines
This activity will reinforce important math skills, so that you can start your 8th grade curriculum off on the right foot!
Make the First Week of School Activities in Your 8th Grade Math Class Count
These activities are designed to engage your students while reviewing critical 7th grade skills. They’re perfect for bellringers, exit tickets, stations, early finishers, or whole-class practice. Plus, they’ll give you valuable insight into your students’ strengths and gaps right from the start.
Looking for more ideas? Check out this 8th grade summer prep packet ⬇️
