Math projects are an ideal way to consolidate learning. I recommend using them as an engaging activity AFTER skills have been learned rather than during learning. You will likely find that engagement is very high and that your students ask to do more of these!

There are many ways to use math projects in your classroom. Some of the most popular are:

• a small-group or pairs activity
• a guided math activity to allow you to see where your students are struggling
• a fun, rewarding way to engage your early finishers
• a low-prep, easy-to-implement activity for a substitute teacher

You might choose to print specific tasks to use during Math centers, or you might make a booklet out of all nine tasks and let your students choose which one to do when.

This resource is included in PDF format for printing and in Google Slides™️ format for digital learning. This makes it useable with Google Classroom™️ or Microsoft TEAMS™. 

Take a look at what you’ll find inside this math project:

TASK #1: COLLECTING DONATIONS

Donations are essential for your pet shelter. They help you buy food and supplies for the pets that you care for.

Multiplication Skills: basic facts, repeated addition, arrays

Other related math skills: addition, reading a chart 

TASK#2: SHELTER SUPPLY INVENTORY

It’s time to do inventory of all of the pet supplies! Let’s go to the supply room and figure out how much we have!

Multiplication Skills: basic facts, groups of, arrays

Other related math skills: tally charts, addition 

TASK #3: IT’S FEEDING TIME

Feeding time at the pet shelter is the busiest time of the day! Can you help plan the amount of food that is needed?

Multiplication Skills: basic facts, groups of, arrays

TASK #4: DOG RUN DECISIONS

You’re designing a brand new outdoor dog run for the pet shelter! The area of the dog run MUST BE exactly 24 square meters. Draw 3 possible designs. Be sure to label each side with the length in meters.

Multiplication Skills: basic facts, fact families, area

TASK#5: VET VISITS

Once a month, the local vet comes to the pet shelter to do a check-up on the animals. How long will she need?

Multiplication Skills: basic facts

Other related math skills: addition, time

TASK #6: PETS BY THE MONTH

Because animals are constantly coming in to the pet shelter and also being adopted, the number of pets fluctuate from month to month. Use the graph to figure out how many pets were in the shelter each month last year.

Multiplication Skills: basic facts, skip-counting

Other related math skills: graphing and data interpretation

TASK #7: ADVERTISING FOR ADOPTION

The pet shelter advertises around the city so that more pets can get adopted. All of the advertisements cost money, and it’s very important for the pet shelter to stay within their budget.

Multiplication Skills: basic facts, fact families, area

TASK#8: FUNDRAISING

The pet shelter holds two major fundraisers every year. Figure out how much is earned from each one.

Multiplication Skills: basic facts, fact families

Other related math skills: subtraction

TASK #9: ADOPTION DAY

It’s Adoption Day at the pet shelter! Crack the codes to find out which pet is chosen by each family.

Multiplication Skills: basic facts

THERE IS A FRENCH IMMERSION VERSION OF THIS RESOURCE AVAILABLE.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "I used this with my math tutoring group of 6 students and they really got into it! They worked cooperatively and it was exciting to see how they came together to help each other. Animals are always a big hit with students and they were eager to see how they could help and run a shelter. Thank you!" Patricia S.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "I love everything that Shelley Gray creates. The detail that she puts into all of her work is great. There is something for everyone in class. I love the tasks that are easily outlined for students to work on. When we do not finish a task in class then I assign the students to finish for homework and the students are excited because they know what they are doing and working on. They are set up for success with everything that Shelley creates. Serisouly one of the best creators on Teachers Pay Teachers. I love her resources." Brienna P.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My daughter hates math and activities like this one makes things so much easier! I have not heard her complain once that she needs to multiply. My daughter LOVES animals and running a shelter is something that she would like to do as a future job. Therefore, she is 100% invested in this task. Thank you so much! :)" Cindy C.