Math Centers

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Math Centers
By Amanda K

I have had a great deal of success in math this year, and I attribute it all to my math centers. While most of the class is in centers, I teach a new concept to a small group at my kidney table. I never teach anything new
to my kids in math unless I am doing it in small group.
I use all kinds of centers, like pattern blocks, Unifix cubes, measuring, Marcy Cook, etc. There is a great book called Math Their Way that has a lot of great ideas. It's a bit expensive, but worth it. I don't actually own it, but we have a first grade teacher in our district who gives a math seminar, and all the ideas from

that seminar were from that book. One center that, surprisingly, is the most popular with my kids is Flash Cards. I made my own math fact flashcards out of index cards, then I had them laminated. I have enough sets of cards for each group of math facts (1-5, 5-10, and 10-20) for a group of five students. My kids, honestly, will rush to these cards before they go to any other center. They have started complaining that there aren't more cards. It's so strange, because I hated flash cards when I was younger, but my kids just love them. Give them a try!