The week before Thanksgiving break is its own special kind of teaching challenge. The standards haven’t gone anywhere, but your students’ minds are already at the dinner table with family and friends. You want practice that still counts, without a big lesson to plan or a stack of worksheets that feels like busywork. That’s where Thanksgiving math maze worksheets come in!
Students solve real Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 problems, follow their answers through a Thanksgiving-themed maze, and get built-in feedback along the way. These six are $1 each, and every one comes with a recording sheet and an answer key, so checking is quick!
What Makes a Good Math Activity for the Week Before Break?
The best holiday-week activity gives students real practice, runs mostly on its own, and tells them how they’re doing without you checking every paper. A math maze worksheet does all three! It is a set of problems where each answer guides students along a path through a maze.
- Real practice. The math is standard Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 content, so the time still counts.
- Mostly independent. Students can work on their own or with a partner while you circulate, and the recording sheet keeps their work organized.
- Built-in feedback. Students follow the path their answers create, and the answer key makes your checking quick.
Which Thanksgiving Maze Should You Pick?
Pick the maze that matches the skill your students are working on right now. Here is a quick way to choose:
- Wrapping up linear functions in Algebra 1? Try Finding Slope from 2 Points or Finding X and Y Intercepts.
- Working through radicals in Algebra 2? Try Operations with Radicals or Rewriting Rational Exponents and Radicals, which also fits PreCalculus.
- In the middle of polynomials? Try Dividing Polynomials for long and synthetic division, or the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra maze once students are finding zeros. That one also fits PreCalculus.
Algebra 1 Thanksgiving Maze Worksheets
Finding Slope from 2 Points Maze
Slope is a skill students need plenty of practice with, and this maze gives them a fun way to get it. They use the slope formula to simplify each answer, then follow the path across the maze. It’s an easy way to reinforce slope right before you move into linear equations.
Finding X and Y Intercepts Maze
Students plug in values to find each x- and y-intercept, then let their answers lead the way through the maze. The recording sheet keeps their work neat, so you can see their thinking at a glance.
Algebra 2 Thanksgiving Maze Worksheets
Operations with Radicals Maze
Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing radicals all show up in this one. Students simplify each expression and follow their answers across the maze, and the recording sheet gives them a place to show their steps.
Dividing Polynomials Maze
Long division and synthetic division both make an appearance here. Students work through the problems and use each simplified quotient to find their way through the maze.
Rewriting Rational Exponents and Radicals Maze (Algebra 2 and PreCalculus)
Students convert between rational exponents and radicals, and each rewritten expression points them down the right path. The recording sheet helps them show their steps along the way.
Fundamental Theorem of Algebra Maze (Algebra 2 and PreCalculus)
Students use the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra to figure out how many zeros a polynomial has, then solve to find all of its real and complex solutions. Following the path gives them built-in feedback from start to finish.
How Can You Use Math Maze Worksheets in Class?
Maze worksheets work well for independent practice, partner work, review, or homework. Here are a few ideas:
- Review before a quiz or test. Pick the maze that matches the skill you just taught.
- Partner practice. Have partners work separately, then compare paths. When their paths differ, that is where the good math conversations happen.
- Stations or early finishers. A maze gives students something self-contained to work on while you help others.
- Sub plans. An independent activity with built-in feedback and an answer key is easy to leave behind.
Looking for more seasonal ideas? Take a look at 4 Winter Math Activities for Algebra Students. And if you’re planning review more broadly, Algebra 2 Review Activities That Work has more review ideas.
FAQ: Thanksgiving Math Maze Worksheets
What courses are these maze worksheets for?
Two are for Algebra 1, and four are for Algebra 2. The rational exponents and Fundamental Theorem of Algebra mazes also work for PreCalculus.
Do the maze worksheets include answer keys?
Yes. The mazes have a Thanksgiving theme, but the math is standard Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 practice, so they fit whenever you teach the skill.
How do students know if they are on the right track?
The maze gives built-in feedback, because students follow the path their answers create. The answer key makes it quick for you to check their work afterward.
Ready to try one? Each maze is just $1, and you can see all six together right here.
