Free Mental Math for Sixth Grade
(6th Grade Quebec Math Exam prep)
Want more free math resources? Check out my math freebie page or my Quebec-specific freebie blog
Math Exams! Do you remember taking math exams in sixth grade? Honestly, I do not - although I know I did! Honestly, at this age, I never pictured my own homeschooled kids taking exams and tests in a building away from home. But over the years our homeschool laws have changed and so we have had to adjust. Now, homeschooled kids in Quebec are required to take exams in grades 6, 10, and 11.
One of the exams given in sixth grade is the mathematics exam. this exam includes 3 different parts that use regular math problems, situational applications, and situational problems - and mental math! While there is plenty of talk about situational problems in our homeschool groups (and you can find free ones on my math page!) I've had a really difficult time finding mental math problems to practice - and so here we are! I've made some for free :)
The Math Exam and Mental Math
Whether your kids / students are taking the Quebec math exam or not, practicing mental math certainly has benefits! Not only does it make solving math problems in a textbook simpler, but it can really help in kids everyday lives. How many times have you calculated how many quarter cups are in 2 1/2 cups while baking? Or counted how much change quickly the cashier should be giving you? Maybe you've planned a home renovation project and had to estimate how much it would cost, or gone to the store with a budget and shopping list with an estimated total mapped out. We use mental math all the time and having our kids practice it will help them as they grow too.
In the Quebec Mathematics Exam for Sixth Grade, students will have a few mental math questions they will need to answer. (Want to know more? you can see the free guide here!) Although it is not a huge part of the exam, it is always good to help your kids feel prepared and ready when that part of the exam does happen. Practicing mental math strategies and being used to answering simpler questions in 10 seconds or less will allow them to feel confident and good about that portion of the test.
These exercises are meant to replicate that. In the Google Drive you'll access you'll find a few resources:
- 100 Google slides mental math questions
- Teacher guide with answers and a how-to page
- Student response sheets
- A PDF version of the slides for printing or displaying
Starting Mental Math Slowly and Pacing
This set of sixth-grade mental math exercises will be the first of a few sets that I will be making over the next few weeks. This set is meant for kids who have completed fifth-grade math. The beauty of the slides is that you can choose which ones you will use based on your student's abilities. You can save some for later, skip some completely, or do them all over a few days.
I have included different student response sheets - one with 10 answers, one with 5 answers, and one blank so that you can choose your pacing and eventually work up to doing 10 exercises per day. Keep in mind if your student has never done mental math before, you may want to start out with a longer time limit or go over some mental math strategies first.
Download the Free Unit Below
However you use this unit - whether in homeschool or classroom, I hope it benefits you and your learner's educational journey this year! The next sixth-grade unit will be coming soon, so stay tuned for that as well!
