Today, I wanted to share how I teach math in my classroom. I've read different blogs, attended different workshops, and read more blogs until I was able to put the pieces together on how I wanted to teach math.
This year I finally found a routine that has worked for me. Math Centers are a wonderful way for students to learn and review math concepts while being engaged. However, I felt like I needed more than 50 minutes. I just couldn't get everything done that I wanted to in only 50 minutes. I decided to separate math throughout the day.
From 9:20 to 9:50, I teach my math mini lesson. This has given me PLENTY of time to introduce and review concepts before breaking off into centers later in the day. My mini lessons look different depending on the day and concept. Here's what we did this week to learn about 2D and 3D shapes.
We studied shapes and their attributes using geoboards. Then, my students wrote down their findings in their little 2D and 3D Shape Booklets. If you are interested in this little booklet click here. It's a little FREEBIE.
We did this all while jamming to some geometry music. They LOVED listening to these songs and singing along.
I pick up with my math centers from 12:10 to 1:00. My centers last 15 minutes each and my students travel to 3 centers a day. I have this adorable little PowerPoint to help them rotate.
I have 6 centers up and running every day in my classroom.
I am a center. Students work with me every other day. This is the best way to differentiate. This week, we played Guess My Shape which comes from my Geometry packet. I differentiated by having by higher students dig deeper with the questions they had to ask. They absolutely LOVED this.
Teachers have to have a little fun, too. Right?!?!
My other centers include a computer center, a review center, interactive math journals, and 2 centers to reinforce what I've been teaching in my mini lessons. Sometimes I use centers that I have made and sometimes I use centers that I have found from other lovely bloggers on Teachers Pay Teachers. This week, they came from my Springing Into Math Centers packet.
Here's what they looked like this week:
Computer Center: I always use IXL. My students LOVE it and I can go back and see how they are doing.
Review Center: We were working on money. We spiral this skill all the time. Money is such a hard concept for little learners.
Math Journals: Two words. Reagan Tunstall. Go look her up now if you don't know her. Love her stuff!
Geometry Themed Centers: I found a geoboard app. AMAZING! I gave them little cards telling them what shape(s) to make. The other center was a true or are shape sort. They said this was EASY.
6 centers. Students Learning. Students Engaged.
Happy Teacher
Thanks for stopping by!
Lots of love,
Jeannie
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