Does that stack of worksheets bore you and your students to tears?
Could your teacher tool kit use some new tools for formative assessment?
Then you absolutely need Task Cards!.
What are Task Cards?
Task Cards are index-type cards that each list a separate task for students to complete. It could be a math problem, a content area question, a vocabulary term to define, or a photo to id. The ideas are endless.
Task cards take traditional flash cards to a whole new level!
Any worksheet you already use can easily be turned into a set of Task Cards. Just make each worksheet question into a separate task card and I guarantee that you’ll instantly increase student engagement and mastery.
1) Flexible
You can create all types of tasks for your cards.
In my math classroom I use task cards for problem solving practice.
In my ancient history classroom, I use task cards for vocabulary, reading comprehenion checks, escape rooms, map practice, and test review.
Questions can take the form of fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, true/false, etc. To help minimize test taking anxiety, I use question formats that students will see on their summative assessment.
2) Differentiate
Task cards help to ditch the overwhelm that students may feel when they approach a worksheet full of questions. By focusing on just one problem at a time, each student masters the same skills, with less anxiety and at an individual pace.
I’d be kidding though if I didn’t acknowledge that there is definitely an air of competition which helps maintain students focus.
3) Encourage Socialization
I love grouping 3-5 students to share a set of task cards. Not only is my printing reduced, but group members help each other out. Their confidence boost from working with another student to master a skill is a total win.
4) Target Specific Skills
I have never found a text book or program, regardless of content area, with enough practice questions of any one type.
If I’m focusing on dividing decimals, I need a myriad of questions to cover dividing whole numbers by decimals, decimals by whole numbers, decimals by decimals, etc. And don’t get me started on the lack of associated math word problems available in any one text.
If I’m focusing on absolute and relative location map skills, I may want 10 questions, while my text may have only 1-2 questions.
You can customize task cards to cover the targeted skills you need students to master with enough repetitive practice to ensure that they really do master that skill.
5) Spiral Back to Previous Knowledge
If I’m teaching a new skill, pulling out an old set of task cards to activate prior knowledge is easy, fun, and efficient.
6) Scaffold to More Challenging Skills
It’s so easy to create task cards which scaffold to higher level tasks for any given skill. Students can feel their mastery building as they work through harder and harder tasks in a very deliberate manner.
7) Efficient Assessment
I love the ability to wander around the classroom observing each student’s individual progress. It’s easy to scan my room and see the smiles of students who “get it” and also see the frustration of those who are struggling.
I can easily help struggling students 1-on-1 use their tools to work through a task.
And all while the rest of the class assesses independently at their own pace.
8) Build Self-Confidence
My students are always excited to work through task cards.
They want the self confidence boost that comes with correctly completing each task.
And for struggling students, that self confidence boost may come as 1-to-1 help from me minimizes the frustration that creates student shut down. Instead, the success we build encourages the perseverance to try another task.
9) Low-Prep Paper Saver
Once you print and laminate a set of task cards, you can use them every year.
I generally have students write answers on a white board to save paper unless I’m using task cards for an Escape Room type activity.
And frequently, I create Self-checking Task cards so students get immediate feedback. Self-checking task cards have a question on the front of the card and a solution/answer on the back.
10) Print and Digital
While I prefer Print task cards for in-class use, Digital task cards are terrific for student use at home or on-the-go.
Task cards are a flexible, efficient formative assessment tool which will add variety to your classroom and increase student engagement and mastery.
Want to Further Explore the Power of Task Cards?
8 Reasons Self-Checking Task Cards Beat out Traditional Task Cards
10 Easy Ways Task Cards Will Jumpstart your MS Social Studies Classroom
10 Easy Ways Task Cards Will Jumpstart your MS Math Classroom
How to Leverage the Power of ChatGPT to Write Math Word Problems.
How to Make and Store Task Cards
Looking for Ready-made Task Card Sets?
Check out Self-Checking Task Cards from my Middle Grades Math on TpT.
Check out Ancient History Task Cards from my Looking to the Past TpT Store
Go ahead and jumpstart your Middle School classroom today!
You’ll love the heightened student engagement, immediate feedback, and differentiation opportunities that Task Cards provide!.
Enjoy!
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