Fun Math Scavenger hunt

               
Do you teach teens or adults with special needs?

I find it is tricky to find things that catch their interest, are good for their learning but isn't babyish.

A fun thing I have found is a math challenge. It may sound silly but it mixes up math a bit.
Who doesn't love a good scavenger hunt?

 For seasons I print and cut out pictures of pumpkins  in the fall, coffee mugs in the winter, shamrocks for st. Patrick's day , hearts for Valentine's day.

I did Basketballs for march madness. What I do is once I have the images cut out I write math problems on them. I then hide them around the room. I let them find them and they do the problems I usually say 2 each.  I go and check and make sure they have the problem and check for mistakes. I then pick a handful to do on the board together for whole class learning.
I get my ideas for math problems from https://worksheets.theteacherscorner.net/make-your-own/math-worksheets/basic-math/math.php  . I do both addition and subtraction but you can do what works for you.
 It can be easily differentiated for different levels.I have a wide range of math abilities from simple additon subtraction to multiplication and hundreds addition subtraction would be done in 2 seconds.

I have different levels.

Level 1

Lowest   Struggle. I would make it so they would add and subtract a number in the hundreds plus a tens and a few hundreds plus a smaller hundreds number maybe (no 800 or 900 for second number). 512+74. 512+136. Subtraction with no borrowing.  I have about four of these students. I make 8 of these cards half addition half subtraction. Each student gets 2 problems.  

Level 2 Still slight struggle.    I have about 4 of those. so about 8 cards.  

Adding and subtracting in hundreds with less worry ,maybe a few thousands in there. Still no borrowing. 

 Level 3 

 I would do more in the thousands. Still no borrowing. 

 , adding more numbers 24 +38+91+60

 4 people I might add some extra on back either addition subtraction.Maybe a simple multiplication problem. These students tend to finish fairly quickly.  I add in more with 0's maybe to test and see how they do with that.

Level 4 High   With these students I get into ten or more thousands. I add in borrowing ,  Add more numbers at once as well more challenging. Add in some multiplication  or just extra on the back. 4 people 

It's easiest with my coteacher she will go in a room next door and talk the lower half  Level 1-2 and I will take the other half.

I like them working together on the problems at the end. As well as I think my students favorite is when I step out of the room and let them hide 2 problems for me. I tell them nowhere under papers or on the ceiling or anywhere crazy. They once put it in the microwave. :)  They laugh and joke and tell me not to come in yet. They hid way more then the 2 last time but they enjoy it.

Prep medium.

Finding ideas for seasonal images isn't hard it's printing and cutting out as well as writing the problems. Another thing is hiding them. I usually do it during lunch.

A way to make it easier would be to use sticky notes no printing or cutting but I haven't seen any seasonal ones but even just sticky notes could be fun or it can be seasonal colors.

Going around and helping it usually takes about the whole hour.