Simple Tools for Assessment-Toothpicks

Last year, around Christmas time, I gave each of my students a small handful of toothpicks. I gave them directions to show me what Christmas made them think of-I can do that at my school. Then I started thinking, what else can I do with toothpicks.

Math: Toothpicks can be used to demonstrate any flat-sided figure. For example, squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons, octagons and more. Numbers can also be formed with toothpicks because rounded numbers can be squared.

Toothpicks can also be used to make 3-D shapes like triangles, prisms, and other geometric figures. All you need to add are marshmallow. The marshmallows will be used to make the joints.

Geography: Use toothpicks to demonstrate a knowledge of various land forms, such as mountains, mesa or peninsula.

Spelling: Spell words using the toothpicks. Again, rounded letters can be squared.