Math Centers

We have started Daily Math in my classroom.  I started experimenting with the math version of the Daily 5 last year and intended on implementing it more regularly this year.  We have developed our rules for Daily Math and charted it.  I need to make a pretty version of it to share, but I wanted to get my thoughts out. 

As an aside, I am amazed at the amazing teachers who blog during the year.  I keep thinking of things I want to add to the blog during the day, but then I get caught up in the whirlwind of the day and forget when I am wiped out at the end of the day!

I have 5 centers with a mix of number writing, number identification, and number comparison activities. 

Center 1: reviewing formation through Power Printing, our handwriting program, on classroom computers.

Center 2: Number Writing Practice – I did a whole class practice by having the kids click on an online 10-sided die and then write the number 5 times on mini white boards.  I transferred this to a center, having the kids take turns “rolling” the die on the Promethean board. Click on the die for the link.

       

Center 3: Students could choose to practice writing on the wipe-off mats or play Top-It, which is the classroom friendly version of War.  The cards are just playing cards. I removed the jack, queen, and king.  The kids know the ace is 1.  I teach them how to divide the cards and take turns flipping their top cards over.  The can play where the person with the greatest number wins the cards, or the lowest.  Later I teach them to place the same game with 2 and 3 digit numbers, adding, and subtracting. The cards are kept in a gift card tin I found at Michaels.

I have a class set – enough for partners, and often use Top-It (from Math Their Way) as a morning job or early finisher activity.  Great for substitutes too!

Center 4: Number Top-It and wipe-off number writing books from the Dollar Tree. I made a pretty version of Roll, Say, Keep with all of the directions and cards to print.  Click on the game board on the right to go to the post where you can download it!

 

Center 5: I pulled out the foam numbers and the dot cards from the game below to have the kids play as a matching game.  The match the number to the dot cards.  The other game is a puzzle where the match the numeral, number of objects, and number word.

We spend about 15 minutes at each rotation. I have thought about using the centers as morning work, but I also like doing 2 centers a day.  I end up with 4 children at a center, and that works well.

I hope someone can use these ideas!  I know that, by putting them on here, I will have a visual of what I did when I plan next year!