Math Centers

Hello!

I recently posted a picture on Instagram (@eclectecheducator) of my place value math centers. I received questions about my math center organization and rotations. I am happy to share!

Centers are part of my math rotation. I have ten centers for students to choose from at one time. The different centers can be completed in any order that the students would like. 

The independent center is a time where students are practicing skills that have already been taught during whole group and practiced in small group. The center activities include task cards, interactive activities, and constructed response math journal prompts. I laminate the directions and title page on card stock.

I put each center in a dry erase pocket. The dry erase pocket is wider and taller than a letter sized piece of paper, so the title page, direction page, recording sheets, and manipulatives fit easily. The pockets are clear, so students can quickly see which station they are choosing. The pockets are also sturdy and cheap! I purchase the pockets from my local Dollar Store, but the pockets are also available on Amazon.

I insert a station number card in each pocket to help students recall which stations they have completed.  The station cards are approximately a third of the page, so students can still see the title page behind the card.

I hope this helps!
Please post any comments or questions.

Organizing The Classroom BEFORE The First Day

Prepping the classroom can be overwhelming. Managing classroom materials, students, lesson plans, and organizing the environment… where to start?! 

Fear not, you are definitely not alone in this quandary. Teachers have more paperwork, activities, files, writing implements, paper, books, plans, books, stickers, and arts accessories than can possibly be fit into one classroom. 

While there are many ideas on how to organize, the act of organizing is a very personal endeavour. There is not a “one size fits all” implementation plan for managing classroom materials, students, or lesson plans, and much of it is trial and error.

However, some resources for helping teachers through the organization process can help prepare and define their classroom, while allowing for personalization of the environment.

I have designed three resources to help get your classroom ready:

1. Preparing the Classroom Before The First Day 
2. Classroom Planning and Management
3. Subject Organization

The first resource, Preparing The Classroom, focuses on organizing the environment before the students arrive for the first day of school. The included materials and suggestions help your students know where items belong and to identify designated areas in your classroom. Included in the resource are: 

1. Organizing Your Themes and Units
2. Organizing Students' Submission of Work 
3. Organizing Storage of Students' Notebooks and Duotangs
4. Labelling Designated Areas In the Classroom
5. Organizing the Classroom Library