Using a deck of playing cards, fifth graders can compete while practicing percentages. Place the deck of cards face down in the middle of a group of three to four students. Education. com says, choose a percent such as 10% and flip over the first card. Students then compete to find 10% of the card's value. For example, if a 5 is shown, students will find 10% of 5, which is 0.5. For this activity, a jack equals 11, a queen 12, king 13 and ace 14. The student who says the answer first wins the card and the student with the most cards after 10 rounds wins the game. Allow students to use paper and pencil or a calculator while doing this activity.
Split the class into pairs and give each pair a chart of the numbers 1 through 100. One student will use a pen to circle a prime number on the chart or cross out a non-prime number. Partners take turns crossing out or circling until no numbers are left untouched on the chart. Pairs should use different colored pens so that after using an answer key to check that all numbers are marked correctly, students can add up their scores. Two points are awarded for crossing out a number and four points for circling one. The highest score at the end of the game wins.
Provide students with a fact sheet listing the formulas for the area and volume of different shapes including squares, rectangles, spheres and cones. Have students find an object in the classroom for each shape. For example, a globe can represent a sphere. To see how much space each object takes up in the classroom, have students use a measuring tape to measure the object. To help students, have them round to the nearest inch before plugging the measurements into the appropriate formula.
To practice adding, multiplying and subtracting decimals, have each student bring in a catalog from their favorite store. Assign a budget to the students before they start making a list of all the items they would like to buy. This will help students line up decimal points as they add their items. The activity teaches how to multiply decimals if students want several of one item, according to Education.com. After adding and multiplying, students will then subtract their totals from the budget amount to see if they went over their limit.