Math Workstation Preparation

Hey Guys!

I started getting my math workstations ready in preparation for the new school year.  I added new labels to my boxes with tape.

I use number cards for tons of things in math.  Last year we kept getting our cards mixed up.  This year I have taken paper punches and punched designs in the cards so we can keep them together.  Each number card set has the same punch,  that way if one card is missing I can tell which conatiner it belongs to.

I store the number cards in these boxes like the ones that lunch meat come in.  I "modgepodged" the numbers on the containers.  Hopefully, students can keep the number cards organized.

I have students practice math facts fluency before they do any work in the math workstations.  I give them a small number of flash cards and they have to work with their partner to answer the facts.  I keep my my facts in travel soap containers.

 

Once again, I "modgepodged" numbers on them hoping to keep them organized throughout the year.

I have copied the flashcard on colored cardstock.  Each group gets a different color.

I made the flash cards to fit the needs in my room.  I have addition and subtraction facts to and from twenty, doubles and multiple addends.  I have upload this in my TPT store if you are interested.  Here is what is included.

If you have read this entire post THANK YOU!  There is a free download of the doubles flashcards on my facebook page.

Don't forget about my giveaway!  It ends Sunday night!

Math Workstations Blog Party Week 7

This blog book study has been wonderful! I have learned so much from all the other bloggers. The resources available now are just awesome! There is something available for everyone. I can't believe this is the last chapter. I can't wait to see how everyone implements this once school starts back in August.

Today my post is in response to Chapter 8: Measurement Work Stations.

Below I will give my answers to the guiding questions on our Math Work Stations Book Mark that I got from Deedee Wills over at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.


How do you support math vocabulary (math talk) at measurement stations?
Modeling the correct vocabulary and the language you want the students to use is so important. I think that the use of math talk cards and anchor charts will aid children during their workstations. I like the anchor chart on pg 185 as an example.

What student activities help support your student’s understanding of measurement (length, weight, capacity, and time)?
Debbie Diller has provided wonderful examples in this chapter. I love the example where students use a balance scale and measure with standard and nonstandard units at stations. I also like the clock match activity on page 195. I plan to incorporate many of the ideas from the book into my work stations. I will also use many of the ideas other bloggers have shared over the summer.


What is your student’s favorite measurement work station/activity?
I think the students will love an activity called "How Far Can You Jump?" The students work in groups of 2-3 students and jump three times once as a frog, once as a bunny and once as a kid. Students will then measure how far they jumped each time and record. They must chose the unit the to measure. Students will share results with the class.

This chapter's blog book study is being hosted by Lory's Page. Please head over to her blog and her post on measurement as well as many others.

Math Work Stations Blog Book Party Week 6

This blog book study has been wonderful! I have learned so much from all the other bloggers. The resources available now are just awesome! There is something available for everyone.

Today my post is in response to Chapter 7: Geometry Work Stations.

Below I will give my answers to the guiding questions on our Math Work Stations Book Mark that I got from Deedee Wills over at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.

How do you support math vocabulary (math talk) at geometry stations?

I think that it is important that we remember that the students are not going to math stations until we have taught them how to use the station and are familiar with all the different materials in the stations. Modeling the correct vocabulary and the language you want the students to use is so important. I think that the use of math talk cards and anchor charts will aid children during their workstations. I just love the math talk card on pg. 168, it show children a great visual with edge, face and vertex. I am so going to use this idea in the fall!

What student activities help support your student's understanding of how to draw, build, make, put together and take apart 2-D and 3-D shapes?

Debbie Diller has put together an impressive assortment of workstations and I plan to implement many of them, along with all the other wonderful resources that is being shared during the book study. Some of my favorites are:

• Digital Shape Hunt (pg 165)
• Making Shape Flip Books (pg 167-168)
• Build 3-D shapes with toothpicks, playdough and other materials (pg 166)

What is your student's favorite geometry work station/activity?

I was shown a new way this summer to play "Simon Says". During my Math Investigations training a woman by the name of Harper told the class how she teaches the children to recognize a line, line segment, ray, right angle, obtuse angle, acute angle, parallel and perpendicular lines. I have tried to attach the directions. The pictures are not the best, hopefully you will get the idea.

Geometry Simon Says



This weeks party is being hosted by Mrs. Patton's Patch. Head over there and check out all the wonderful resources.

Math Work Stations Blog Book Party Week 5

Happy 4th of July to everyone!!!

I am still trying to catch up on by blog book study of Debbie Diller's Math Work Stations. Today my post is in response to Chapter 6: Place Value Work Stations.


Below I will give my answers to the guiding questions on our Math Work Stations Book Mark that I got from Deedee Wills over at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.




How do you support math vocabulary (math talk) at Place Value stations?
I plan to use math talk cards to help support math vocabulary. I also plan to incorporate math anchor charts and I Can charts.

What student activities help support your student's understanding of place value?
This year I plan to use number lines, hundreds chart, tens frames, base 10 blocks and sticker strips (these are with the investigations program that I will be using in the fall) to help the children better understand the place value system. This is such an important concept in second grade. I will admit that I have relied heavily on our current math series, however, I plan to use many of the resources on other blogs to help support the children's understanding of place value.

What is your student's favorite place value work station/activity?
I love working with the hundreds chart. So I think my children have grown to love to use it also. Many activities I have used in the past has come from the book 1-100 Activity Book from Learning Resources. However, I plan to implement many of the new activities that have been posted over at Oceans of First Grade Fun Linky Party for this Chapter.

This chapter is being hosted by Ms. A at Oceans of First Grade Fun. There is so many wonderful place value activities and ideas you want to check it out!
Oceans of First Grade Fun

Math Work Stations Blog Party Week 4

Oh My! I am really behind with this math work stations blog party. On the bright side I just spent a week at math training so I now have a better understanding of what my administration is expecting from me. I was told that my county will begin using the Common Core Standards with the 2012-2013 school year. This year I will have to follow my state's course of study, however, this will be a good year to implement many things in preparation for the common core standards.

This post is my response to Chapter 5: Addition and Subtraction Workstations.

Below I will give my answers to the guiding questions on our Math Work Stations Book Mark that I got from Deedee Wills over at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.


1. How do you support math vocabulary (math talk) at Addition and Subtraction Work Stations?
I think the key is to teach children how to use the math vocabulary through model lessons. Students needs to hear math vocabulary being used. I think that this can be supported through math talk cards, model lessons, and "I can" charts.

2. How do you build addition and subtraction fluency?
During my training this was a huge topic. Some teachers that I talked with said their schools had specific programs that targeted math facts fluency. The Investigations training instructor's opinion was that fluency is build through practice using the math work stations.

3. What type of story problems have you been working on?
I was given a wonderful idea during the workshop that was new to me. The instructor worked with story problems every day as a routine. She used a routine that she called "ICEE". Each child had some type of notebook. She taught them how to draw the four quadrants on the paper. Then children glued the story problem across the top. (I think you could also use peel and stick labels.) In the first box the children Illustrated the picture. The the student Composed a number equation. Next, the students had to Explain their answer (write how they got their answers). Last was a box that was labeled "Extra". I have tried to upload a sample that I made.


ICEE Story Problem Example


4. What is your student's favorite addition and subtraction work station/activity?
I'm not sure what my student's favorite will be because it has been several years since I thought second grade. If I had to guess it would be the computer station. I plan to have that as one of my math workstations and I will begin with XtraMath.

This Chapter in the blog book study is being hosted by Cheryl at Primary Graffiti. There are so many wonderful activities other bloggers have shared and your can find them linked over at Primary Graffiti.

Math Work Stations Blog Party Week 3

This week the Math Work Stations Blog Party is focusing on Chapter 4: Beginning number Concepts Work Stations.

This chapter has a great deal of information and ideas. I am trying hard not to feel overwhelmed, especially after reading all the wonderful responses this week. I think it is important to remember baby steps. I am also having trouble adjusting my thinking from kindergarten to second grade standards.

Below I will give my answers to the guiding questions on our Math Work Stations Book Mark that I got from Deedee Wills over at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.

How will you support math vocabulary (math talk) at the Beginning Number Concepts stations?

• As with anything you must model.
  
• I will use math talk cards
• I want to create "I Can" charts and "Anchor Charts" with the children.

How will your students read, write, order, represent, or compare numbers? What activities support that?

• My school uses the Investigations program with Harcourt Math and Everyday Counts Calendar as supplemental resources. The Investigations program begins the year with several games that can be used in the Math Stations after being modeled and practiced. These games include: cover and count, make 10, double it, double arrays and magic pot.
  
• During the first few weeks of school we review basic addition factions and our first math unit is place value.
• If anyone has any tutorials on how to spruce up some of my games please let me know and I will be glad to share.
  

What is your student's favorite number concepts work station/activity?

• It has been 4 years since I last taught second grade. The last time I taught 2nd grade, the students loved number of the day. This is the activity where the students written different expression that equals today's number. I want to include this in my math workstations. I am thinking about placing a journal in the tube and have the students record their answers there.
  

Fran from Kindergarten Crayons is hosting this weeks Math Work Stations Blog Party. Her post is fabulous and she offers many free downloads. A Big Thanks to Fran for all her hard work.

Math Work Stations Blog Party Week 2

This week the Math Work Stations Blog Party is focusing on Chapter 3: Getting Started with Math Work Stations.

In my opinion, this is the chapter you will use the most, especially at the start of the year. The author, Debbie Diller, gave specific examples of mini-lessons, how to introduce math work stations to the class and the management of the work stations.

Below I will give my answers to the guiding questions on our Math Work Stations Book Mark that I got from Deedee Wills over at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.

1. What should your math work stations, look like, sound like and feel like?

• I would hope they would look a lot like our literacy centers. Our literacy centers have a management board, students go in pairs, students go the the stations every day, and stations are heavily modeled.
  
• I hope it looks very child centered, anchor charts viewed and used by the students.
  
• I hope it feels like the children have ownership of the stations by helping create the anchor charts and I can lists.
  

2. What does your management board look like?

• I would think that my math management board would look something similar to the one on page 70 using children's pictures, math and number cards.

3. How do you support math vocabulary (math talk cards) in your stations?

• I am not sure. I have not used math stations in the past so this is something new to me. I will be looking for lots of resources this summer. I will start by printing off the Math Workstation Sharing Time Cards (found in the appendix) onto cardstock and putting it onto a ring.

Thinking about how I will use math workstations, I will probably store the stations in a three shelf metal rolling cart.

I am also looking for tubs or bins to store the math stations. I was thinking about these Sterilite 15 qt latch box containers.

Now, I just need to find the best prices. Please let me know if you find a good deal.

A big thanks to Mrs. Parker for hosting this weeks blog party. Be sure you check out all the wonderful posts for Math Work Stations.

Math Work Stations Blog Party Week 1

I am thrilled to be able to participate in the Math Work Stations Blog Book Study. This week the focus is on Chapters 1 and 2 from the book Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller. This weeks host is Deedee Wills from Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.


I am looking forward to continuing to read this book and hopefully adding additional strategies and resources to my 2nd grade math curriculum. After reading the first two chapters this weekend I am a little embarrassed at what my current math practice is. However, I am hopefully going to have a better and much improved math program.

Chapter 1: What is a Math Work Station?

• Materials used by the teacher first, then placed in the station: NO
• Materials do not change weekly, but rather changed to reflect the students learning objectives: Not really, we don't seem to have the time
• All Students go to stations daily: NO
• Materials are differentiated: NO
• The teacher observes work or meets with differentiated math groups: Only when time allows
  

This allows room for much improvement. I know I have a lot of work to do, but, I am up for the challenge. Check out all the other wonderful blogs for ideas, suggestions and support. That is what I plan to do!

Chapter 2: Organizing and Managing Math Materials

This is something I have been needing to do and now is the perfect time with changing grade levels and rooms. I was able to get into my classroom this week and started organizing my materials like the book suggested.

I started by taking all materials out of contains and organizing them on top of the students desks. Below is a picture of my measurement materials. The items took up so much space. I then placed them in one larger plastic box and a bag.

Before:

After:

It took me three days to gather, move and organize all my math materials. I now have a beautiful math cabinet. I still need to add the labels. I will add those when I return to school next week.