Math Pennants are a fun way to show off student work

In this post, I want to show you some of the math pennants I've made over the years, many from teacher requests. To date, I've made over 100 math pennants, so they are not all in this post. But I picked out some of my favorites to show you.

When my students feel good about themselves, they try harder. And when they try harder, they do even better. To me, math is all about confidence. Of course there's skill involved. But above all else, students find more success in math when they believe that they can, and will, do well.

Displaying student work is one of the ways I've built student confidence in my classroom. Even my seniors get excited about hanging their work on our "Fridge" (a green bulletin board with letters spelling "The Fridge" at the top). It always surprises me that they'd rather hang their papers in our classroom than bring them home! 

On days when students feel they "can't", I can point to their work on our wall and say, "Yes, you can." This is why I feel so strongly about displaying student work. When students see their work hanging in their classroom, something special happens. Math pennants also bring in some added creativity, softening the math a little and making it a bit more fun. 


Volume and Surface Area math pennant


In this post, I want to show you some of the math pennants I've made over the years for topics covered in early elementary school right through to high school math. 





To date, I've made over 100 math pennants, so they're not all in this post. But I picked out some of my favorites to show you. 


Some of the ways teachers are using math pennants in their classrooms include: 

1: as warm-ups 

2: as math centers 

3: as community-building classwork 

4: as exit tickets 

5: as homework 

6: as extra credit 

7: as math-themed class décor


Back to school pennant with a Golden Ratio theme


All of the ways teachers are using math pennants in their classrooms have a really cool side effect-- building confidence. Once students feel confident, they start taking more risks, which ramps up the learning. The affective filter is talked a lot about in second language acquisition. I believe this affective filter is an obstacle with math learning, too. Once that filter comes down and students start feeling that buy-in, so much learning can happen. 

Displaying student work, reminding students that they CAN, helps this filter come down. Above is a Golden Spiral Back to School pennant to get kids excited for a year of math. 


Math Boss math pennant


And an editable Math Boss pennant that gives students confidence during class tests and leading up to end of course and state exams. 


Comparing Fraction Size Math Pennant


I've really enjoyed making math pennants from teacher requests, like the one above for comparing fraction size. Students color the fraction wheels to help with figuring out which fraction is larger.


3D Shape Nets, Surface Area and Composite Figures Math Pennant


This 3D Nets math pennant was another teacher request. 


Multiplying Fractions Math Pennant Activity


Fractions! I have had a lot of requests fractions math pennants. The multiplying fractions pennants above show fraction multiplication through the area model. Students color rows and columns to show the overlapping area what represents the fractions' product.


Parallel Lines Cut by a Transversal Math Pennant Activity


Students practice finding angle measures in this parallel lines cut by a transversal pennant.


Ordering Real numbers math pennant


This 
ordering Real numbers pennant came from a teacher request. Students cut out 4 Real numbers and paste them in order on the pennant. I've made a similar one for ordering integers.


Order of operations math pennant

Above is a free math pennant for order of operations. It was one of the very first math pennants I made.

Converting measurements math pennant


This conversions pennant came from another teacher request. Students convert both metric and customary measurements in this activity. 


Ratios and proportions math pennant


And this ratios and proportions pennant also came from a teacher request. Students determine ratios represented in pictures, solve proportion equations, complete ratio tables and plot their results on a grid, determine ratios from word problems, determine if a given table represents a ratio and determine if two ratios are proportional. They can then color their pennants for a little fun.


Place value math pennant


Here is a set of place value pennants


Geometric transformations math pennant


And a set of geometric transformations math pennants. This set shown covers all 4 quadrants. I also made a set for quadrant 1 only.


GCF, LCM and prime factors math pennant


A teacher asked me to make her a pennant covering GCF and LCM. It asks students to find prime factors, lowest common multiples and greatest common factors. 


This Pythagorean Theorem pennant was probably one of my favorite math pennants to make. 


Pythagorean Theorem math pennant


This regular polygons pennant came from a teacher request. Students identify polygons and their angle measures:


Regular polygons pennant


Students solve with elimination and substitution in this solving systems of equations pennant activity. The elimination questions require one, both or neither of the equations to be multiplied.


Systems of equations math pennant


I've made a lot of math pennants specifically for holidays. Below are a few of these.


Graphing linear equations holiday math pennant


These graphing linear equations ornaments ask students to graph linear equations in different forms. Bows and holly cutouts are included for an added layer of holiday décor.


Converting improper fractions and mixed numbers math pennant


In this Christmas fractions pennant, students convert between improper fractions and mixed numbers, then color to show the fractions. 


Pi Day math pennant


And of course every math teacher's favorite holiday-- Pi Day! This one here is for students who are comfortable with the circle formulas enough to solve for specific variables within the equations. I also made a set for younger students


Exponent rules math pennant


I found a springy set of clipart to decorate this exponents pennant


Compound interest word problems math pennant


One of my favorite classes to teach has been Consumer Math. Compound interest word problems are covered in this set of compound interest pennants.


integers math pennant


Integers are so tricky, even for older students. There are 3 problems on each integers pennant so that students can practice seeing the relationship between positive and negative numbers.


Systems of Equations pennant - student example


My friend Mandy from The Math Dyal sent over this great photo. A student of hers who is usually disengaged from class created this systems of equations masterpiece. It made me really happy to know that this activity was able to reach her student is such a meaningful way.


Domain and range math pennant


This domain and range pennant covers the topic through graphs, scatter plots, tables, coordinate pairs and mappings. 


Volume and surface area math pennant


In this volume and surface area pennant, students work with 3-d and irregular shapes.


Converting scientific notation math pennant


This pennant came from a teacher request for one to help her students convert scientific notation. I also made more sets for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing in scientific notation.


"My Advice to Next Year's Students" Pennant end-of-year activity


And this "My Advice to Next Year's Students" pennant is a nice end-of-year activity. It gives your current students the opportunity to give their best advice to next year's students. 



“This was one of the things that many of my students commented that they enjoyed when I asked them at the end of the year." - Marla B



Photos from teachers:


Teachers have sent me so many photos of math pennants hanging in their classrooms. Below are just a few I'd like to share with you.


Ms Woodworth matholution math pennants in the school courtyard


Ms. Woodworth sent this incredible photo of her school courtyard with hundreds of matholution math pennants.


Ms Deculus comparing fraction size math pennants


Ms. Deculus sent this photo of her students' comparing fraction size pennants hanging over her desk.


Ms. Barnum's students made a happy sunflower with their completed order of operations math pennants.


Ms. Barnum's students made a happy sunflower with their completed order of operations math pennants.


Ms. Collins made a holiday display from her students' graphing linear equations ornaments.


Ms. Collins made a holiday display from her students' graphing linear equations ornaments. 


Yvette from @maththatworks posted this photo on Instagram of her window display made with her students' systems of equations pennants.


Yvette from @maththatworks posted this photo on Instagram of her window display made with her students' systems of equations pennants.


Students of all ages love seeing their work displayed, and math pennants build student work right into your math classroom décor. Students complete the math problems on each pennant then decorate to add their unique touch. Each math pennant activity includes an optional student answer sheet and answer key.


Every math pennant from this post is included in this big Math Pennants Bundle:

26 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kind words! :)

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  2. I would love to order this, but some of the math concepts are too high for my students. Do you have something for easier concepts, with differentiated lessons?

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    1. I'll be creating more for additional topics but I've been sticking mainly with Algebra topics that are familiar. If you have a topic you'd like me to look into to make a pennant for I'm up for it!

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  3. AnonymousJune 06, 2016

    Since most school are requiring common core standards to be on all things we do, I think having pennants that correlate with each standard would be great. I think making them grade specific especially for the younger grades would be extremely helpful.

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    1. Thank you for the suggestion. I'd love to help make the standards more fun. If you are comfortable with suggesting some standards for me to focus on, I'd gladly trade you some pennants for free:) scaffoldedmath@gmail.com

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    2. As a third grade teacher, I'd love to see some that focused on repeated addition as a method for multiplication introduction, place value through the thousands, introducing types of angles and lines, reading various types of graphs (bar graph, line plot, etc). These pennants are awesome.

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    3. Katie, I have a question about repeated addition. Would you be able to email me at scaffoldedmath@gmail.com?

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    4. YES! I would love to see this too!! If you do/did this one please let me know.
      Lisa
      wrightls@marshallk12.org

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  4. Katie you're amazing. These are great suggestions. As a thank you I'd love to send them to you for free as I make them. scaffoldedmath@gmail.com

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    1. That would be amazing! I can provide you with pics of the kids work after they are completed through the year :). Thank you!

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    2. That would be great! :)

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  5. Wow! These are gorgeous! I would love to be in a math classroom decorated with these! All my high school math classrooms had the occasional poster and not much else... Thanks for linking up with Spark Creativity, this is an awesome example of creative pedagogy to share with our community!

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    1. Thank you for allowing me to link up! I appreciate your kind words! Thank you!

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  6. WOW!!!!!!! These are great! I homeschool my younger son with special needs and great interest in Math. So I am always looking for great ideas to make our learning time brighter. We keep a bulletin board with reminders of Math concepts. From now on we can make it in form of pennants. I specially love the Pythagorean one. Do you have a volume, capacity, and mass pennants?

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    1. Thank you so much! So I was a little ambitious thinking I'd be able to make science pennants as well, but a friend of mine has been making them. I can send you her contact info if you send me an email. I'm at scaffoldedmath@gmail.com.

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  7. Saludos ¡Buen trabajo!!! Desde México

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  8. AnonymousMay 13, 2017

    Is there a blank editable pennant? I would like to add each standard that I teach and add to my wall?

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  9. AnonymousJune 16, 2017

    On the Algebra factoring penenat, what is the QR Code for?

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  10. Can you PLEASE do K-2 pennants-PRETTY PLEASE

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    1. Hi Erin! I would LOVE to! I'd love to chat over email! shana@scaffoldedmath.com

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  11. I have errands to run but I keep seeing your awesomeness! Thank you so much for the free items...my cart is also getting full! Thank you! Bless you!

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  12. Do you give one banner per student?

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    1. That's up to you. You can give each student one to start and then more as they finish, or you can give a few to a group. It's really up to you how you'd like to use them.

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  13. Thank you very, very much for making these fantastic free packages available. We teachers in Brazil don't earn much, but I like to give the best to my students. You are beautiful inside and out. Thanks

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