Can we be honest for a second…teachers need about ten more hours in their day. We are maxed out on time from the day-to-day to grading to planning to prep. But, what if I told you that I have math centers that are little to no prep and won’t empty your wallet?
Math centers allow students to practice and apply the strategies we teach every day. Math centers practice essential skills, but because math concepts can be more complex and a lot more strategy goes into them, it can be time-consuming to have your math centers planned. But, don’t worry. With a bit of prep, you can have a huge variety of math centers that are sure to keep your students engaged and learning.
And the best part about math centers is that spiraling and revisiting previously learned material is extremely important for our students. So that means that your math centers can have a ton of variety and focus on different skills. We want our students to engage with math centers, so hands-on activities are ideal. I also keep my centers in little boxes with labels, so all the materials are prepped ready to go, and my students can quickly grab them. The containers have changed my life and seriously made it easier for everyone.
The more hands-on the math centers are, the stronger the connection is to the material. And manipulatives are key! Decks of cards, dot markers, dice, patterning blocks, and unifix cubes are some of my favorites that are used with various centers.
Dice Games
A lot of my favorite math centers consist of using dice. I have an entire bundle of worksheets that are just print and go that include roll and cover, roll + 1, and so on. It’s great for getting students engaged and requires more than just answering math problems. Inside this bundle, I have over 90 games that cover concepts of addition and subtraction! A super simple way to get your students engaged. Read about why you should use math games in this blog post.
Wipe-its
Wipe-it activities are literally lifesavers for math centers and early finishers, partner work, and independent work. These are great because you print then slip into a sheet protector, laminator, or a dry erase slip like these. Inside my bundle, this set includes operations and algebraic thinking activities, numbers in base ten, geometry, measurement and data, and fact fluency. You can find these in this bundle.
Digital Activities
This past year, I think we can all agree that we have grown our collection of digital resources. Digital math centers can be super effective whether you are still in remote learning or back in the classroom. Our students are definitely drawn to technology, so why not use that to our advantage and allow some math centers to be digital. This HUGE bundle has everything you need to cover various standards. And, with fun and different themes, your students will really enjoy these.
Skip Counting Clip Cards
Skip counting is a crucial aspect of developing fluency. It helps students understand and see patterns in numbers while laying an important foundation for number sense and multiplication. Clip cards are a great way for students to get hands-on practice with skip counting.
Measurement
In this center, students will use unifix cubes to measure various items, and it allows students to get familiar with the concepts of measuring.
Pattern Block Puzzles
Pattern blocks have been around for ages! But, they are really great for helping students with STEM skills by following directions and creating designs.
These are just a few of the math centers that have made a difference in my classroom. Trust me, and once you take a little time to print everything out, organize, and gather the materials, math centers no longer become a hassle but only an essential aspect of your classroom. Remember that math centers should be simple enough for your students to work on without assistance. So, try to avoid planning centers that might require a ton of teacher assistance! Don’t forget to check out some of my favorite bundles. I have listed them below.
Do you find your math centers to be daunting? Let me know in the comments below.
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