[***UPDATE! At long last, the online course accompanying this post is FINALLY AVAILABLE!!!!! For more info on My Math Workshop and more insight into how I use this method in my own classroom, visit THIS PAGE! ]
I am Never Satisfied!
I can count on just one hand the times that I have looked around my classroom and thought, “Ahhhh, this is good.” I am just never satisfied with how things are going. Especially with Math Centers! Is everyone actively engaged? Are all my students being challenged and their needs being met? Am I presenting the material at the rigor that they will encounter on state tests? There is just always something that I feel like I could improve upon.
Did I Mention Math Centers?
Perhaps it is a lack of time, or maybe my brain simply cannot wrap itself around all of those different activities at once, but most of the math center ideas floating around Pinterest just left me looking around the room thinking, “this is not quite it.” Am I the only one who can’t seem to make those rotations work? Too many moving parts, too many different activities, too much confusion! (And, ahem, too much to grade!)
Math Centers, My Way!
I pared it down, added some magnets, and voila! My new math centers were born! This new math time consists of fluid, student-led movement between centers. Most math center/guided math templates call for at least 4 different activities and groups of kids rotating through various types of math fact review and skills practice each day. It can get out of hand very easily, both classroom management AND the piles of center work to grade!
So…out with the timers, the multiple tasks a day, and the constant group changes! Here are the best things about my new math setup:
- Students move their magnet to the center they are working on, so you can easily see who has completed what.
- It is differentiated! Students that require it have the ability to work at a slower pace, higher students have meaningful, challenging work.
- MUCH lower prep than traditional math centers
For more info on My Math Workshop and more insight into how I use this method in my own classroom, visit THIS PAGE! ]
OK, let’s get started!
Here is how we do math in room A-29
Centers work on a week long rotation, so you don’t need a ton of activities and copies everywhere! Think of Flexible Math Centers as an extended, highly engaging, super-manageable, differentiated, data-driven “early finishers” setup! (Whew!)
Typically, most kids don’t move to centers until Tuesday or Wednesday. It depends on the topic and if I need one or two days to deliver longer, whole-group instruction lessons. Then, students simply move their magnet to the next center as they complete each one.
The best thing about this setup is that the kids work through the centers at their own pace. My requirement is that they get through the Teacher’s Choice center, Math Facts center, and Spiral Review each week. The last two are “extra.” This allows those that require additional work time the ability to finish at their own pace, but also gives them an incentive to be as focused as possible because everyone loves to try the challenge center and play the games! Plus, it meets the needs of your highest students through the challenges/performance tasks.
First…
The point of “guided” math is the ability to pull small groups and work with them individually. The label at the bottom of the board is for the “Meet with Teacher” center. These are the kiddos you need to pull in a small group setting to re-mediate and work with one-on-one. Sometimes this takes the whole center time, other times after a few practice problems you discover that there was a simple issue and they can go join the class in the centers.
Here is a Sample Planning Document I use to help me map out my centers for each unit. The “teacher’s choice” center is essentially the Independent Practice portion of my lesson plans, and Math Facts stays the same each week I just swap out the number.
Click to Download an editable version!
Start with Teacher’s Choice 
After a whole-group lesson (or whole group warm-up, depending on the day) the class is given their “Teacher’s Choice Center” for the day. This activity is directly related to the skill taught and may or may not be independent. Sometimes I make the Teacher’s Choice center a partner game or group activity, but most often it is simply individual work to assess understanding. I give them a “teacher’s choice” center every day (it’s basically their “independent practice”) and when they are finished, they move on. I use a Main Menu every week that outlines what each center is, where to turn in it, and what materials to use. ( Click HERE for more info!) My classroom is an inclusion setting, so we always have that range of finish times. The early finishers to the never-turn-it-in kids, we’ve got them all! This setup works well for this issue because as the students complete the Teacher’s Choice center for the day, they move their button on the board to the next station: Math Facts!
(Psssst- check out this super fun, cooperative-learning math game that you can use for ANY skill!)
Math Facts!
Once at this center, students complete the “Number of the Day” in their math notebooks. This is awesome because you don’t need to prep anything! Simply swap out the number each week! I call it Math Facts because it covers the basics of number sense, plus some computation/estimation thrown in. You can create this any way you want, I even have a decimal version AND a fraction one! Students work through the number, including a rationale for certain responses. Then they check and review with partners. Done! At the end of math, my co-teacher and I do a spot check of the students whose magnets are on/past this center to keep the kiddos accountable, then we review the Number of the Week on Fridays so everyone can check their work/ask questions. Now they move to…
Spiral Review!
For this center, all I do is pull an activity from the previous skill taught and pop it in the bin. For example, this week I am teaching multiplication of decimal numbers. Last week, we learned addition and subtraction of decimal numbers, so I pulled out a game with adding/subtracting decimals for this week’s Spiral Review center. Often, when I don’t have time for an activity I can use it the next week in this center 🙂 If there is a skill my class struggled in, this is how I work in the review materials!
After completing this activity, the students move their magnet to…
Challenge/Extension Center!
This center is great for that group that always catches on quickly, works quickly, and is likely to end up bored with nothing to do. While you are helping those who need it, and the class works through centers, these kiddos can work on a performance task! I have an example HERE of the template I use, but you can use anything similar. The focus is the students’ ability to explain their thinking.
This book
Additional ideas for this center include number puzzles. Sudoku type puzzles are great- just add in a place for students to provide an explanation for how they solve them. The goal is to get them to think about their strategies!
I typically allow cooperative work during this center so they can learn from and push each other, but you can always grade these, too!
Math Games!!!!
Of course, I have a slew of math games in my classroom that the kids love and if a student completes all centers they know that they can get a game from the bins, where to find the materials, and how to play. There is NO IDLE TIME in our class, there is always something constructive to do!
For some students, working through all centers takes all week, while others may get to the math review games by Thursday. Our goal is that by Friday, all students have completed the first three math centers, so they at least get current skills practice plus some review. What matters is all students are working on meaningful work and you have time to work with those that need it.
We love math in Room A-29! It has become a routine and it flows so nicely. I hope that you have found some ideas to add to your math class!
Do you like these Math Center labels? Grab them in the my TpT Store!
Looking for some great center ideas? Click the pic!
Or, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store for lots of fun activities!
P.P.S. I have affiliate links on my site. That means if you purchase anything via the link, Amazon will toss me a little change, at no extra cost to you! It helps me keep my little blog up and running 🙂 I never recommend anything that I don’t totally love and use myself!
DO you SPRINT in your classroom? Hop on over to the most popular activity here on First Belle!
[***UPDATE! At long last, the online course accompanying this post is FINALLY AVAILABLE!!!!! For more info on My Math Workshop and more insight into how I use this method in my own classroom, visit THIS PAGE! ]
I love these ideas! We are homeschooling now, so I haven’t really brought centers into our math instruction. I know my youngest would love all these different ways to do math–she really LOVES it. I’m interested in the leveled book for my older daughter–math is her least favorite subject and we’re always on the hunt for resources.
I am so glad that you found this a bit helpful! I LOVE teaching math and this gives them a lot more independence and review time. I am not familiar with home-school curriculum, but the book has been spot on with our standards (SOLs). I use it all the time for my higher students who need a challenge!
I like the way you’ve gotten math centers to work in your classroom! I do them a little differently – don’t we all? – but I’m the same as you: keep it simple, and not too many papers floating around. Math notebooks/number of the day activities are one of my favorite easy centers! Thanks for sharing!
I know, everyone has their own brand of center time, don’t they? I love it, we teachers are a creative bunch. I might need to take a look at your math notebook, because that is an area I could improve in- mine is not very pretty!
How do you keep up with who’s completed a Center & not just moving on w/a friend?
Well I do this a couple of different ways, it has evolved with me over the years 🙂 All graded assignments for my class go into a slot (similar to mailboxes but vertical ) so it is easy to see if anyone has not turned something in. The Teacher’s Choice center is always the graded assignment for the day, so I can spot check quickly and tell if there are magnets on the next center but no work in their slot. Then, for the math facts center, which they complete in pairs or groups, my co-teacher and I do a notebook check at the end of math- just a quick walk around to look at the notebooks for their work and answers. In my classroom we use a pretty extensive economy system and there is a “fine” for anyone who has their magnet on a center ahead of where they truly are. I have not had a lot of trouble with this, but typically it only happens one time because they don’t want a fine! We don’t check for accuracy at this point because not everyone may have completed this center. We check this as a class on Fridays. Also, I am pulling students during this time, and that helps with breaking up the “groups” that tend to stick together. I hope this helps! If you need some more suggestions, I have tried a TON and would be happy to share 🙂 This is just what works for me!
Love this center idea!! I just completed my 1st year teaching and am looking for SO many ways to improve my teaching… specifically centers.
While the students are doing their centers, and you are pulling students, what are you pulling students for? What are you doing with those students during this time?
Also, how much time do you give for centers each day?
Hey, Chelsea! Congrats on your first year!!!!! That’s a huge accomplishment! So, I’ll start by saying that some days, I do not need to pull anyone. However, most days there are a handful of students who do not yet have the grasp of a concept and cannot work independently with success. THOSE are the kiddos I pull and we do practice on the whiteboards, review any whole-group activities/assignments together, or I take it back a notch and review the basics with them until they are at a point where they can complete centers on their own without much assistance. Center time for me lasts between 20-40 mins, depending on the day. We check homework, check the morning work (review work), and I do any direct teaching for that day. Then, they start centers! But, like I said in the post, some days it’s all teaching and others it’s more center time- you know your class and what they need each day so it will vary 🙂 I hope this helps! Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help get year 2 going!
Hi thank you for your blog I really enjoy it! Am I missing the link to the book?
I’m not able to find it.
Thank you so much! It means so much that someone else likes my little corner of the internet 😊 are you talking about the 50 Leveled Math Problems book? There is a link on the words, THIS BOOK in the post, but if it is not working for you I can repost it here. I will check the link to make sure it’s working, too! (edited: I just added the link to the text “50 Leveled Math Problems” as well) Hope this helps!
Can you give an example of the 50 leveled math problems? Just trying to see how involved/rigorous they are before I would buy the book. Thanks!
Yes! I wish I had the book with me to get one exact, but give me a few minutes to look through some old lessons and I’ll post an example here 🙂
Hello Leann! Unfortunately, since it’s the weekend, I don’t have anything to share but on Monday I’ll post a few examples so you can get a good idea of what you’re looking at 🙂
This seems like a great solution to so many math workshop struggles! How do you discourage students from rushing through their work to get to the last two centers? Or do you find it hadn’t been a problem?
It hasn’t really been a problem unless the student already is a “rusher” anyway 😊 since the first one is always graded, and sometimes the second, they tend to take their time! Like anything, it takes management, but this has worked out really well for me so far!
This looks like a beyond awesome way to teach math! I teach 8th grade (co-taught); I am the special education teacher on my team. The math teacher and I get along great, but we NEED to change the way we do things….again. Nothing seems to work, but I hope your format does. It is my first year in this position, and I was never good in math myself…I’m learning a lot this year. Struggled with it my whole life. Do you think this model would work for 8th grade (Pre-Algebra) math? I would love to e-mail you back and forth if you don’t mind in regards to this. I’m a huge fan of centers (math teacher isn’t), and the principal agrees with me and told me that the centers need to stay. Our group is very low all-round and discipline has been a major issue (in all classes this year) with the current group we have. Thank you so much for this wonderful resource!!!
Hello there, Ray! Wow it sounds like you’ve got your hands full- I would LOVE to chat with you about some ways to implement this into your class! I’ve never taught middle school, but I am the gen ed teacher in a co-taught classroom as well, so I think it can still work for you! Email me at ashleymh2006@gmail.com and we can toss some ideas around 😊
Can you share your Number of the Day Fraction version? I really like this math center idea. I have been trying to streamline my math centers. I was having the same struggles as you. This seems like it would work for me as well.
Yes!! I can absolutely share it…once I get back to school 😂 we’ve been snowed out for a week! I’ll take a pic and add it to the post tomorrow (hopefully our first day back! )
This looks like a great setup! I always have such a hard time incorporating centers. So each day the kids are doing these tasks? Do they finish where they left off the next day or start over? I’m assuming start where they left off. Any suggestions for first starting it off?
Yes each day they start where they left off, but if I have any new assignment I want them to do, they complete that first. Sometimes I have them complete an activity or quiz, then when they finish they go on to wherever they left off. Other days I just teach my lesson and they all go straight to where they left off in centers. Just depends on the day! It’s great because there’s no “I’m done what do I do?” And I can pull kids to work with while the class works on centers. It just gives me more flexibility. Start off by deciding what you want each center to be- your “teachers choice” will be whatever you already planned as independent practice for each day. Spiral review can be something from your last unit you never got a chance to do, or just a review worksheet. The Math Facts center I just use a ‘number of the day’ poster to review basic operations. The challenge center can be any fun puzzle or brain teaser type activity- I use a lot of stem stuff here, too. Or, sometimes I post a “challenge question” that’s very complex and they work together to solve. Some weeks only 2 people get to challenge, other weeks most everyone gets there. Just depends. Let me know how it goes!
Any ideas for using this with Kindergarten? My guided math is a HOT MESS!! I really would love to implement your ideas!! Thank you for sharing!!
Oh my goodness I will have to think about kindergarten! I’ve never taught that young- actually only 5th! (Well, a 6 week stint in 1st as a long term sub, but that’s it!). I would imagine you could use the same basic idea- have something available for each level of understand plus a review. With that age I think a lot of walking through the routine would be needed but I’m sure it would still work! I love that everyone just works at their own pace and I can pull whoever I need. I hope this works for you! Let me know how it goes! ❤️
I love how simple this sounds. I will try iit!! I would also like to hear more about your economy system. I don’t feel a clip chart is effective and have taught a long time to not have found a behavior management system that works for me.
Hi Sheryl! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my economy system! I can’t take all the credit, though, it’s inspired by a system I read about in Rafe Esquith’s book, “Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire.” I highly recommend! I am actually in the process of creating a mini-course with resources to to help others set up a similar system because I do get a lot of questions about it. 🙂 Stay tuned!
Hey, love your stations! I’ve changed stations every year and looks like I’ll be trying something new again next year! ha, I was wondering when you choose to pull your low kids? Do you typically pull them first thing and do the teachers choice with them? I always have a hard time getting those kiddos to finish anything because they are typically at my table most days! Also, is the leveled reader book levels by grade level? I teach 4th grade and trying to figure out which level to buy. Can you share your other Math Fact station posters too! Thanks!!
Hello Jenifer! I know, I feel like I tried a different set up for centers every year until I figured this out! 😝 I do typically pull my low kids first and do the teacher’s choice center with them OR we just do a 5-10 min practice session and then I let them do the teachers choice. That’s really why I love this set up though, because I can grade what I want, and the rest can be games or review. We recently got chrome books and I even load partner games onto google classroom for the challenge or spiral review centers. The leveled math problems book is by grade level and it’s pretty true to form. I’m not common core so if you are it’ll be even better. I hope this helps!! Let me know if you need anything else! I’ll be adding some more resources to the website soon ☺️☺️
Hi,
Your centres sound awesome 🙂 Just wondering, are students physically going to and working at each centre in the classroom, or is “centre” a word used more just to separate tasks into different groups. I am thinking if more than 5 students are at the same centre, it would be a bit chaotic, so I’m imagining that the centres are not physical spaces designated in the classroom. I would appreciate clarification on this. Would love to use this in my classroom next year! Thanks for sharing your ideas!
Hello Alyssa! Yes, you are correct, the centers are simply different tasks/activities that are housed in different bins but are completed at their seat or in one of the various flexible seating options in the room. If you walked in at any given time during math you’d see a large number of kiddos on the floor on carpet squares, then some at a table working together, and others at the desks in small groups, plus MY group at my table! It sounds like a lot of moving parts but it really works well after a couple weeks of routine practice!
This system sounds great. My issue with centers was trying to get everyone through the rotation. It was cutting into my teaching time. Your method sounds like it has teaching time everyday. Wouldn’t your teacher’s choice center change daily, since it’s the independent part of the daily lesson? Thanks again for sharing your ideas!
Hi Tammy!
Yes, my “teacher’s choice” center is basically whatever was planned for the practice/activity/graded assignment for that day so it changes daily. Some days, though, I just have them go into centers starting with the Math Facts one. It just depends but that’s why this works for me- I can be very flexible 🙂 I hope this works for you, too!
Trying to get your editable planning document that you have available in this article but I am unable to get it to pull up. Can you send me a copy please?
Also, I teach an inclusion class also. What is your inclusion teacher doing during the station time?
I was able to locate the editable planning document.
Hello, Joanna!
I am sorry for any trouble pulling up the documents, please let me know if you have any further tech issues! During center time, my co-teacher is also working with students. We will either split the small group or one of us will work with the group and one will manage/facilitate the rotations. It depends on the day/ needs of the class. That’s why I love this- it’s so flexible!
Wow! I just love your approach to math centers! I am definitely going to implement this in my classroom. I also love your Number of the Day poster. Do you have the same poster for decimals and fractions? Or, are the questions different? Thank you for exciting me to implement centers again – instead of crying at the thought.
Oh I’m so excited that you are going to try them! It’s SOOOO much easier for me and gives me the flexibility to do whatever I need each day for my class. I have been trying to get copies of my posters up here for a while so I’ll get my butt in gear and post some pictures soon- maybe I’ll make some to add to the library! Anyway, PLEASE let me know how it goes and if you have any questions. OR if you find a new, brilliant way to make them better! 😜
Question about when you do the teaching. How many days a week do you do whole group instruction? Do you teach new concepts in small groups as they are in the centers. I really want to do guided math this year and I like how you do it. I just need more info on where/when the teaching happens. Thanks so much!
Hi Mary! I do while group instruction 2-3 days per week on average. I do not introduce new material in small groups. I know many people do but I can never get through that many rotations! 😂 I use the whole group time to intro and practice then do any additional remediation/ practice in my groups. I hope that helps! Please let me know how it goes and if you need any more clarification. I LOVE my math centers now- it’s so much more flexible!
Just curious about ‘levels’ in the 50 Leveled Math Problems… is level equivalent to grade?
No, they have a separate book for each grade. The 50 problems each have 3 levels of difficulty 😊
Hi there. I am in a very small school where we have our grade 1 and 2 students in the same classroom. 17 Grade 2’s and 9 Grade 3’s. Would you be able to give me some ideas that I could share with the teacher as to make centres work in a situation such as this? Thank you. I love your ideas and will definitely be giving it a try in my grade 4 classroom. I only have 8 students so I am sure it will be a success!
Wow that is so cool! Our classrooms are bulging to the brims with almost 30 students each, so the small school you work in sounds just lovely 🙂 I think in a smaller setting like this, you could really do the same setup, your groups would just be a bit smaller- which is awesome! You may find that they get through the centers/activities faster due to the numbers, so I would go with games or activities that are open-ended or can be repeated. Also, I add a writing component in whenever I can, and this would be a GREAT option for your groups that you work with! The other option is that you could simply split your class into permanent groups that rotate together each week, but that takes away from the flexibility. Look in the Free Resources section, too, and there are a few free downloads of different activities you could use 🙂 Please let me know if you have any further questions, and keep me posted on how this goes!
Hello! I love your ideas on how to ‘run’ math centers. Here’s my question…If you have a Teacher’s Choice activity 2-3 days in a row, do you move everyone’s magnet back to Teacher’s Choice each day and then as they finish it, they go back to where they left off on the center board? Just curious how you manage this. Thank you!
Hello! To answer your question: Nope, I keep their magnets where they are in the centers, since they can’t continue through the centers until their graded assignment (teachers choice) center is complete. And of course, some days we don’t have a graded assignment and they can just resume centers after the lesson. I hope this helps!
How do you slowly introduce these stations at the beginning of the year and scaffold this model at beginning of the year to set students up for the year?
Well it’s funny you ask that, because I’m creating a course that goes into detail about implementing this method. The short version is I intro one center at a time, teaching how to do each one. It takes about 3-4 weeks to get it going, depends on the class. Stay tuned, though! I’ll have the course up soon!
Ok good. That’s what I usually do for both my math and reading workshop. Thank you.
I am interested in this course! Is it still available? I know this is an older post. I’d love some more information as it sounds great. I also have some of the same questions as Kelly (comment 50) but I didn’t see any answers to those.
Hi! I replied to Kelly but I cannot see it, I will have to check. The course is actually not available yet! It will be open for enrollment next month- I will send out an announcement soon! To answer the grading question, I only “grade” the teacher’s choice center and the others are self-grading or peer check. I use them mostly for formative assessments. That’s the beauty of this, though, it can be whatever you need it to be! In the course I will outline outline different grading options and include a full semester self-grading set of Math Facts! I am so excited for it to come out!
Silly question, but how do you identify the magnets student use to move from center to center?
Oh! How silly of me, I should have addressed that! I have a number assigned to each student and I wrote their numbers on the magnets 😊
Ok, I LOVE this idea, but I feel like I am missing something.
First, you say you sometimes don’t get to centers until Tuesday or Wednesday. Does that mean your first day or two it’s just whole group instruction/practice on the same lesson?
Second, let’s say you begin a new lesson on Wednesday so you have a new Teacher’s Choice activity. For the kid who completed the Teacher’s Choice from Tuesday and is already working on the Challenge rotation, do they first complete the new Teacher’s Choice and then go back to working on the Challenge task?
Finally, about how many different lessons do you typically get through per week? I really like this idea for centers, but feel like we are always rushing to fit in all of our curriculum and I can’t figure out how much you are actually getting through in a week.
Thank you SO much for sharing 🙂
How many lessons do you get through a week? Or do you just do standards, not lessons? How does that work?
First, thank you so much for sharing how you made Math work. I am interested in the decimal and fraction version of the Math Facts that you have made. Have you posted that somewhere? If so, could you let me know where. Thank you again!
I tried to download the editable sample planning page and it says it is password protected. I didn’t notice a password on your blog. Would you mind sharing with me?
I’m sorry about that! If you enter your email in the box it will pop up 😊 if it doesn’t work please let me know!
I tried entering my email, but it still wasn’t letting me download the file. Thanks for this blog post because now my students are even more excited for math centers! I appreciate your time in organizing this and sharing out!
Oh I’m so sorry! Which one are you trying to download. I’ve had some issues with my site in the last couple of weeks so I’m working to fix the glitches! In the meantime I can send them to you. Oh I’m so glad your kiddos are enjoying the Centers!
I was trying to download the template for the lesson plans where it says out the different centers. Thanks so much for everything!
These look amazing! I’m teaching in the UK and think I’ll be looking at how to begin revamping my maths rotation for next week. Thanks for sharing this idea, looking forward to using it in my class, after I sort out adapting to a much younger audience than it sounds like you have.
Can you please share your decimal and fraction versions of the number of the week? Thank you! I am so excited to start this with my class 🙂
Yes!!! I’m furiously working on a course for this method to help folks get started in heir classrooms – I’ll get is up here ASAP!
What do you mean your goal is to have the first 3 stations done by friday? Is it where they are at that day they stay there until they get it done?
Yes, these centers run on a week long basis and wherever they end on Tuesday, they start on Wednesday. They stay on one center until complete😊 Since I have many students who require additional work time, I only grade the first 3, not the challenge. I hope this clears things up!
I am REALLY wanting to implement this into my 4th grade Math Class. I have three different classes I teach, and they are in 1 hour and 30 minute intervals. I really think this would be great for my kids.
My question is, how long do you have to focus only on math? I am trying to figure out how to include this into my daily curriculum.
Thanks!
Hello Robbie! I only have an hour for math per day, but if you have more time you could do a little more whole group review and then break out into Centers and pull those who need it 😊
Yes!! This is a game changer. Thank you so much for this post. Cannot wait to try math rotations this way.
Oh I’m so excited that you like this setup! Let me know how it goes!
Thank you for sharing! I really like this idea… just trying to figure out how to make it work with our district mandated math program. We have a pacing guide we’re supposed to follow and we’ve been told we have to use the workbook we were given. Each lesson is 4 pages long! Any advice?
Hmmm, that could be your “teacher’s choice” activity each day- one page/ a set of questions on the workbook each day and as the kids finish they can go into centers. Then you can circulate and pull those who are struggling. Or, the workbook can be your whole group/ guided practice work, and you can use more interactive activities in your centers. I hope this helps! It’s hard when you have to adhere to a specific program. We’re facing the same thing with language arts right now in my district.
I really appreciate your sharing this system. I like how the structure ensures you are covering things for students with small groups and independent practice, but it also includes flexibility with regard to pacing, and choice (when they get to the games). Although I think it probably takes some time to set up initially, it would be so much easier to have in place year after year, and you could keep adjusting to improve it. I love it! I’ve been looking for ways to let students talk about math, and games are really helpful for building number sense, but it’s so hard to manage everything all at once and ensure students are getting the most out of that practice time. Thank you so much for sharing your idea!
Oh thank you so much for these encouraging words! I love love love my math time, each year I’ve gotten better with this system and I’m constantly trying to improve it! Let me know if you have any suggestions! 🙏
What if a student arrives at a center that requires a partner and no one else is to that point yet? What does that student do? Just wait?
This sounds like a wonderful way to do math centers!
Hi Amy! Pretty much all of the centers can be done without a partner and they can start on their own and work until someone else is ready, however if I do assign a game that requires 2 people, they work on the challenge tiles while waiting. These are like brain busters- they have 0-9 on individual tiles and try to work them into a puzzle. Any individual activity would do, though, like Kahn Academy or xtra math!
Thank you so much for “simplifying” Math Centers and sharing your system. Finally, a system that seems do-able! One question, in your class how many “numbers of the day” do the students work on per week?
I’m glad you liked this! We do one number a week (whole number) until we do decimals. Then they have a whole number of the week AND a decimal number of the week. Following that, we add a fraction of the week. So by the end of the year, they end up doing 3 a week 🙂
I’m so glad you like this! It’s working pretty well for me and I had to share 😊 They do one number a week, but at this point in the year we do one whole number, one decimal number, and one fraction per week. So, really 3 a week!
Hi,
I cannot get your editable copy of your math centers to download. I put my email in the password box like you told another person to do and it didn’t work.
Thanks for your help, I love the idea!
Oh no! I’m so sorry, once you enter your email you should get a screen with the password, plus an email with the password as well 🙂 let me know if this doesn’t work and I will email you a copy!
Just wanted to say that you are amazing, and I cannot wait to implement this way of centers in my own classroom! Thank you SO MUCH! (:
Aw I’m so glad! Once I found my groove it really helped in math!
You say you grade the first 3 stations, this sounds like a lot of grading & time! Is there a way you make this simple?
Currently I only grade my teacher’s choice, homework, and assessments and I feel like I’m drowning some days because I’m also grading for 2 other subjects on top of math.
Haha you’re right it does sound like a lot! Honestly I need to clear that up because it just depends. Some weeks I only grade the current skill work and the spiral review (which is often on google classroom and self- grades!) I guess what I mean is they are held accountable for the first 3 centers – via peer checking or me grading. The last ones are for those who need enrichment or fun practice via a game. If you don’t use google forms yet you have to start! They’re a game changer!
I love this idea for the math center and I can’t wait to implement this in my classroom. I did not see the math facts in your TPT store? I would really love to purchase especially the fractions and decimals.
Oh I don’t have them in my store! I made a chart but have been trying to amend it and haven’t gotten it back in the store. (#teacherlife) It’s just a poster I put up with a fraction, then about 10 questions like , word form, decimal form, add ___, subtract___, draw a model, etc. I will work to get one up soon!
Hello! I’m not sure if you are still answering on this post, but I do have a few questions!
This is wonderful and I’d really love to have my math class run like this.
I’m just having trouble wrapping my head around 1 topic per week and how you get a good amount of your lessons done with these centers.
For instance, we use EnVision. There are Topics (which are basically just chapters) and each topic has a number of lessons. It usually takes me 1 day to do a lesson. That includes whole class instruction, independent work, etc.
So let’s just say I do lesson 1.1 on Monday, then kids go into their centers on Tuesday and have until Friday to finish? I know I wouldn’t be able to get everything done that way.
If you, or anyone who has tried these centers could give me any guidance or advice I would truly appreciate it! Thank you so much!!
Hello! I am so sorry for my delay in response! So, I don’t think I was very clear when I wrote this post originally and I have tried to amend it since. Also, I created a digital course that covers everything and includes some resources! I don’t cover one topic per week per say, I meant more like one “standard” but a lesson is taught every day. The lesson is whole group, then the independent practice is the “teacher’s choice” center. The rest of the centers are completed whenever they finish the “teacher’s choice” center, so think of it as a well-organized “early finisher” setup. 🙂
So I’m wondering, do you teach a different lesson each day? Or how many lessons would you say you cover in the week? Then the practice in the center covers all the lessons for the week?
I cover one topic per week, and the lesson numbers change depending on the unit/ how the kids are doing. The practice is on the current topic, the spiral review is on the previous topic 😊
Thank you!