Book excerpt: An essential tool for today's middle school mathematics teachers, this book helps students explore, think critically, analyze and have fun with math. In an age when teachers have to compete for their students' attention against television, video games, the Internet, peer pressure and many other factors, these workouts are designed to provide fun, thought-provoking, skill-building ways to make math exciting! Begin each math lesson with one of these engaging activities, which include: calculator tricks, factorials, time and money challenges and much more!