The Difference Between Math Worksheets and Math Busy Sheets

Ask anyone (teachers, parents, kids) and you will find a wide variety of opinions on the use of math worksheets in the classroom. Some of the opinions will be negative and some positive.

If you are like me, the last thing I want to do is give my students meaningless work that has no pedagogical value. This is the true definition of busy work.

But are all worksheets some form of busy work?

The truth is that the overwhelming answer from researchers and teachers is NO.

While some worksheets are nothing more than busy work, other worksheets provide students and teachers with instructional value in a form that is easy to create and implement.

The tricky thing is that well-designed math worksheets provide students the opportunity to apply and evaluate concepts and skills. Poorly designed worksheets only provide students with the tasks of recalling and labeling.

Even if you are still using the same math worksheets you have used year after year, what are the key features you can look for to help you identify a well-designed math worksheet?

Look no further, research shows well-designed math worksheets to include the following components:

1. Students are asked to apply, evaluate and even create knowledge using math to solve problems.

2. The math concepts and skills in the worksheet are aligned with real-world problems.

3. The math worksheet's tasks are aligned to math learning objectives and standards.

4. The math worksheet can be used to differentiate instruction according to the individual needs of your students.

5. The math worksheet provides students with narrative practices aligned with math concepts and skills too (ex. asks students to write how to solve a problem using math concepts and skills or to explain why the answer is correct).

On the other hand, how can you identify math busy sheets?

1. Busy sheets only provide students with the opportunity to practice discrete skills, nothing else.

2. Busy sheets are disconnected from real-world applications of math skills and concepts.

3. The purpose of the sheet is to keep the student busy and sitting still.

4. The busy sheet is not well-aligned to learning to learning objectives and standards.

5. Busy sheets are used to drill students with highly repetitive practice problems.

Looking for easy to use math worksheets to supplement your math instruction?