Reflect
Read the center overview page linked below and then take a look at the MANY centers linked on our new math site. Choose one (or four!😉) centers recommended for your grade level and teach it to your class!
Consider
- What are your thoughts about incorporating centers into your math time? How might you organize them so that they are manageable for you and easy for your students to access?
- What center did you teach to your class? How did it go?
Respond and Interact
After exploring some of the centers, please post your response to one {or more} of the prompts above. Read our colleagues' reflections. Feel free to respond to someone by sharing a comment, insight or interesting possibility.
Would You Rather? struck me as a fantastic math center for my English language learners. By acquiring a new arithmetic ability, it offers the chance to put linguistic abilities to use.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with L Farrell. I use math center games such as Estimate and Measure center and more in my ELL groups. My students enjoy learning from each other and practice math talk. This also expand their thinking, decision making and speaking skills.
DeleteLaryce, I agree with you very much. Mathematics is also very helpful to language learning. Mathematics is very rigorous in describing problems, and students can increase their English ability through mathematics. improve writing skills in English.
ReplyDeleteLearning mathematics is to be able to apply it in real life. Mathematics is used by people to solve practical problems. In fact, mathematical problems arise in life. For example, when we go shopping on the street, we naturally need to use addition and subtraction, and when we build a house, we always need to draw blueprints. There are countless problems like this, and this knowledge is generated from life, and finally summarized into mathematical knowledge by people, which solves more practical problems.
ReplyDeleteThe Centers have been a hit in our early implementers' classrooms. The kids don't want to quit playing. 😊 I especially love how the centers meet the needs of most (if not all) of our math learners. Our students who tend to struggle with math can find entry points and the centers offer our high achieving mathematicians opportunities to go deeper with the content and really THINK as they strategize.
ReplyDeleteI decided to do the center “Number puzzles Mult stage 1” with my fourth graders as we just concluded the Unit on variables and multi stage word problems. I noticed students were enjoying working in groups to solve the puzzles. I decided to introduce the center as a challenge that was just an extension of the work. These students worked together to try different potential answers that could fit. I think the center was simple enough for all of the students to jump in with little additional aid but I also think the time it took them to solve the puzzle demonstrated that it provided a needed challenge.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of math center games. We utilize a few of the ones already that are shown. Incorporating them in SPED, many will need to be adapted for my students to understand, sometimes working as a team is a challenge. However, overall the students really enjoy when we present things as a game and are usually very enthusiastic.
ReplyDeleteWorking in MAP in small groups already I agree with you that we will need to adapt these for our kids. I also am struggling with my students working as a team.
DeleteMath Centers (or what I called games) were an integral part of my math block when I was in the classroom. The level of engagement and application was much higher than other activities and allowed students to further their understanding of all sorts of math concepts. While as a coach I do not get to experience them in the classroom on a weekly/daily basis, I love that they are a part of the curriculum and linked to the learning taking place. Thank you Renae for the website and the materials that allow exploration of all the centers and having one less step to implement! So far, I have had the opportunity to engage in a couple of centers as a participant and see some in the classroom when I go in during math time. Some of the names escape me, but I did see Build Shapes in Kindergarten and Compare in 2nd Grade. The level of positive energy in the classroom was heightened with lots of smiles and laughter as students talked about math. In Kindergarten it was part of a math stations structure and in 2nd grade it was the day students were being introduced to it. I can't wait to see more centers in action!
ReplyDeleteThese centers are a great resource! We definitely use a LOT of games and partner activities in MAP and I like how these centers are activities adaptable for multiple grade levels. Students are always asking for more games!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting when I'm working with my kids, if we are doing math on a white board or work sheet I start to lose them. But if the math is in the form of a game, they wake up! :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my students' favorite centers is mystery number! They love playing it with a partner. The sheet they use with suggestive questions is a great resource for them to refer to. I have centers set up in tubs that I alternate with each unit. I keep number cards in baggies, and game sheets in plastic covers. I love that centers is incorporated into this curriculum, and my students do too!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on incorporating centers into math time is a great hands on way to help students learn and practice math concepts. I believe it can help the confidence and understanding faster with repetition. I love working with 5th grade using dice (rolling for fractions is my favorite)! The littles I love to incorporate counting cubes! I see the students excited for centers on a daily basis! I absolutely love the 'Center Page' link I could be in there all day!
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