Let’s Look inside 2nd Grade Math Centers

Math wasn’t always my favorite subject. I feel like if I had engaging interactive math centers in elementary school, my view on math would have been a little different. However, my husband and I went from best friends to dating when he started helping me with my math class in college. Therefore, I don’t regret not being the best at college level math! 🙂

With my second graders, it is my goal to make our math time meaningful, engaging, and fun! I want students to look forward to math time and interact with the math skills in a way that build a strong foundational understanding to continue to build upon. This is what drove the creation of my math centers!

Math Centers Overview

Groups

I separate my students into three groups. It usually works out to have students grouped by below grade level, on grade level, and above grade level depending on their math skills. There are usually 6-8 students in each group. I prioritize students being on a similar level with the others in their group. This is a bigger priority for me than even number of students in each group.

I give pretests before every unit especially when we are switching topics completely. For example, when we go from shapes to double digit word problems. This was I can adjust the groups as needed.

Schedule

Whole group warm up and direct teaching lesson – 15-20 minutes: – I think it is beneficial for all students to receive the same whole group teaching lesson together and have discussions across math levels

1st station – 15 minutes

2nd station – 15 minutes

3rd station – 15 minutes

Closure – 2-5 minutes

Students do ALL THREE math centers each day. So this means that I get to see them all in small group- every single day!! This is my favorite part of math work stations!

I see the below grade level group first at the Math with the Teacher station. This way if they have questions after our whole group lesson we are immediately able to work through them. We can break the skills down together. The above grade level group goes to Math By Myself first. This is because they are most prepared to be independent right away. So the on grade level group goes to Math with A Friend first, then Math with the Teacher second. Students have the same math centers order everyday.

What are the math centers?

There are three math stations- Math with The Teacher, Math by Myself, and Math with a Friend. This was modeled after The Brown Bag Teacher’s math centers.

Math By Myself– Students demonstrate understanding individually of previously learned content. This is content that is usually from the day before. By doing this, it ensures that their understanding is forming so that we can build upon it. This is a worksheet differentiated for the students specific level. I also use this as a graded classwork assignment.

Math With A Friend– These are games and hands on activities to practice vocabulary, past skills (spiral review), and new skills. Students also may use a tablet for math apps one day a week at this station.

Math with The Teacher– This is my Guided Math time. I am teaching a small group directly at their level and breaking down or extended the grade level content for their needs. My goal here is to make the math content as accessible, hands on, and meaningful as possible for the students. As shown in the picture above I use a variety of strategies to model for the students, then practice together in a concrete interactive way.

Math Centers is an amazing time to develop relationships with your students really deepen their understanding of the math material!

This is just a simple outline of my math centers. Click on each math center to read MORE detail on each station!