Are you new to math center rotations? I know that it can be difficult to get started in the beginning. We will go through 5 easy and proven ideas that will surely make your math center rotations a success!
If you are looking for more ideas after reading this blog I have an article called 10 tips for engaging students during your math block that I am sure you will love. Drop your email below and I will send it your way 👇
Why are math centers important?
Does your school have a set curriculum they want you to teach? Does that curriculum have multiple ways for your students to practice? If you answered no to that last question then you need to continue reading…
Math centers allow students to practice and apply the skills you have taught them during the math lesson. Are all of your students the same? Do they learn the same? Probably not, right? Just as our students have different ways that they think, we need to provide them with different ways to work through a math concept.
When math centers are done right it will be a time for your students to engage in the math concepts that are meaningful but when it is done wrong it will be a major area of frustration. So let’s take out the frustration and make it enjoyable. Read on for ideas on math center rotations.
Math Center in the classroom
Math centers are meant to be at the center of your math block. They should include:
- Daily instruction for all students
- Independent practice is based on the standards but is also differentiated to student need
- Change regularly
- Hold students accountable as they complete them
- Allow you as the teacher to assess student’s math skill
Math centers allow you to do so much more during your math block. A few reasons why you should incorporate math centers are:
- Math centers allow you to differentiate
- Math centers allow you to review past skills
- Math centers allow you to meet with students that need more small group time
Stations vs. Centers
I’m sure you have heard of both of these terms. Maybe people have used them interchangeably. They are different concepts and we are going to go through them together.
Math stations are a set of activities that are positioned throughout the classroom that students work on in a group or independently. Each student will work towards completing each of the activities or parts. These could be worksheets or group work that is based on the concept you are teaching. This is typically what your curriculum gives you as the activity for students to complete.
Whereas math centers are individualized activities that students complete that focus on the concept you taught during class. These are individualized instructional materials for students. They are designed to meet the student exactly where their conceptual understanding lies.
Both Stations and centers have their place in learning. Both have merit however, we want our students to conceptually understand the materials at a level that is within their zone of proximity so incorporating centers is important.
Math Stations
When students go to a math station they are typically working on one particular assignment. Students rotate around the room and work together or independently as they choose. Within stations, students can pass through the stations at their own pace. An example of this is task cards.
In my classroom, I use task cards with my students all the time. As a review at the end of a unit, I will pull out task cards for students to review. I will place a few on each of the students’ desks and we will play a game of scoot. They start at their own desk and after 2 minutes I will say scoot. Students will rotate to the next desk. This will go on until all of the cards have been completed.
Math Centers
The biggest area that makes math centers different is the fact that they allow for differentiation. Typically centers focus on the concept that you are teaching or one of the previous units that you learned that year. The materials that are used during centers allow for a range of levels and interests.
An example of a math center is games. Students can choose to play the math game that goes with the current or past math concept. They then play with another student and they work through the game. An example of a math game is kaboom. My students love to play this game. This can be done with addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division facts. Students pull sticks and they have 5 seconds to answer the problem. If they get it correct they keep the stick. If they get it wrong, it goes back in the pile or bucket. The fun part is that there are random kaboom cards in the stack. If they pull a kaboom card, they put all of their sticks back!
Organizing Math Centers
There are so many different ways to organize your centers and I have probably tried them all. Below I will outline my top 3 favorite ways to organize your math centers.
Put each Center in a Ziploc Bag
My all-time favorite way to organize my centers is in Ziploc bags. I put each center in its own bag and I put the entire unit in another bag. This method saves space and if your centers are all labeled then it also makes for super easy clean-up at the end of your rotations.
Put each center in a Filing Organizer
Another great solution is using a filing organizer system. I’m sure you have one in your classroom and you have been thinking of a way to use them. Well by placing your centers in the filing system, your students know exactly where to go when they need to get to work.
Put each center in its own Bin
The final idea is bins or tubs. I usually use bins for all of my task cards. I put each task card inside a little bin or container. One way you can do this is with the little photo containers that you can find here.
Having and organizing your math centers is super helpful and makes grading and getting your centers ready a total sinch.
5 ideas for your math centers
Are you ready to rock your math center? Here are some ideas on your math center rotations:
- Dice games
- Technology
- Interactive notebooks
- Real-world math activity
- Task cards
Need more ideas to answer your question, “ How to incorporate math centers into your math block?”
Go check out these blog posts:
- How to organize your math centers
- 20 math center ideas
- Reasons why using more routines and having a schedule are important for elementary students
Don’t forget to download my article, 10 tips for engaging students during your math block. I give some ideas on how to keep your students working and interested in the learning process. Fill out the form below 👇 and I will send it your way.
Don’t forget that you have the ability to rock your math center rotations. I hope you found some great ideas for your math center rotations. Remember that You got this! If you found this article helpful let me know below. I would love to connect and hear how you will be using these tools in your own classroom. Until we connect again…
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