Tuesday, August 2, 2011

More on Math Workstations

I went in to school today for a few hours... a lunch date with my dad cut my morning short, but was a nice treat! :) We had Chinese which I haven't once eaten since starting Weight Watchers in January. Oh how I missed it! But... I was quite terrified when I calculated the points when I got home!

Anyway, I got lots laminated and finished organizing my math workstations.

Here's what my closet looks like now... I hardly recognize it!


So, the tricky thing for me right now is figuring out workstations for a split class. I would LOVE to hear from any other split class teachers who are using workstations.

The plan right now is to have five workstations for each grade level (since I'll have 10-12 students from each grade level in my room) and 1 computer station. I set aside a math area with my updated math focus wall and shelving for workstations and labeled 10 tubs with numbers 1-5... 1 set for 1st grade and 1 for 2nd. Here's what that looks like:

My updated math focus wall- the shelf underneath holds my workstation tubs... see the next pic!


Here are my student tubs. The ones for second grade are green and purple. First grade tubs are blue and pink. I just realized when looking at this picture that my 2nd grade tubs are first... that's going to bug me so they will be getting switched around tomorrow! HA!

My plan is to head in tomorrow to finish organizing... I have a looooong "to-do" list scrawled on my white board and would love to actually tackle some of it!

Pics of my 2011-2012 calendar area should be coming tomorrow!

Anyone doing math workstations, I'd love a comment from you! I'm excited about implementing them, but nervous about running two grade levels' worth. Help put my mind at ease please!

14 comments:

  1. I thought you put the second grade ones on top because those children are taller! ;) It seemed like the thing to do...you know, older, more experienced students get a little perk...

    I am not nor have I taught multi-age, but our range of knowledge is usually two to three years above and below the grade level anyway. I know you'll do a fabulous job working with the students at their individual level anyway. You always do! (I've been visiting your bainbridgeclass.com for at least 2 years now...)

    Melly <><

    Second Grade Strategies for Sizzlin' Second Graders!

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  2. I don't do specific workstations from that particular book but I do teach 3 grade levels in my room. What I did was divide math time into 3 rotations so I could meet with each grade level for 15-20 minutes for their lesson. The other kids are doing Independent Work or Math Tubs during those times. I use materials from our math program for Independent work. In the tubs go different games or activities that are hands-on and focus on what that grade level is working on, or what they need to review. I have 4 tubs per grade level.

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  3. Hey there,
    Gave you a shout out and thank you on my blog post. Thank you again for all your help:) Would love if you come check it out:) (maybe follow;) )

    4th Grade Frolics

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  4. Thanks for coming by:) Yeppers, Dollar Tree:))

    4th Grade Frolics

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  5. I teach Multiage first/second and am going to try to do stations this year in math. I'm thinking of 15 minute concept lesson, 10 minutes at each of 3 rotations(independant games on concept, seatwork to check progress, and small leveled group with me) I have no idea if it will work or not since I'm probably piloting a new series. I just bought a math rotation board from: www.CFClassroom.com. I also am using an idea from the post it note party of each student's picture beside a square on a board that they can put the answer to ticket out the door on a post it.

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  6. I'm going to be doing Work Stations .... well sort of. I'm going to be doing mine similar to what Mrs. Wyand suggested. One group of 8 will be with me doing teacher directed activity, another group of 8 will be doing seat work and the last group of 8 will be doing Math Work Stations and/or computers.

    Quick Question .... b/c I'm about to start the purging process. I read Debbie Diller's book but this remained unclear to me for some reason. First i go in and sort, then I keep only enough sets for a station (not the entire class or two classes for that matter haha), then i put them into totes/containers. From there (and this is my question) I make my actual work stations. So Christina, your picture here is of your Math Storage closet and you will pull from these tubs to create your stations. Correct?

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  7. Jami~

    Yes, that's what I plan to do. Some of them have the stations in them already and others just have "stuff" that goes with that topic and I'll create stations as I go.

    I put things I had a huge excess of way way away in storage. For example, I had over 50 small Judy clocks... FIFTY!! I kept five out in a container with 5 small tape measures, 5 pattern block templates, 5 sets of dominoes, etc..., put 10 in the time workstation tub, and the rest are stored away.

    Hope that helps!

    :)
    Christina

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  8. Christina--I love the color of your tubs for the stations! So bright and inviting! My goal this year is to really incorporate work stations into my math as much as I can. I was planning on some of my work stations be more "game" like where they don't have a lot of written work--I also plan to use quite a bit of number sense games which could go for both age groups. I am also planning on have some where they must do a certain task and then can do a "game". Also because sometimes kiddos are absent, I try to have an activity/task in the station that they can do on their own. One of the 1st grade teachers in my school and I have the same games that we play with our kids. We've been told to really work on number sense with all grades!

    I was also thinking of your questions about the 2 grade levels, and maybe you can group both your 1st and 2nd graders kind of together for small group...So maybe some high first graders can go with some 2nd graders for small group and vice versa. Does that make sense??? I guess when I plan on pulling small group I'm thinking of pulling kids who may be struggling with a similar task OR need more help to master a skill OR just might be on the same level and need some "one on one" kind of help. I don't know if this was helpful but I'm really excited to try stations but also nervous too :) Good luck and I'm sure it will all come together for you.

    Stacee

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  9. Wow- Stacee! Thanks for the info! :)

    We use a program, so I can't cross grade mix for math, sadly.

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  10. If you have another 1st/2nd grade teacher... think about grouping across the classes by ability. We teach a high first/second grade together and a lower first/second grade together in Multiage which helps with the many levels.
    The beginning of the year was the hardest with new first graders and second graders who already knew math concepts.I used a program last year but taught concepts using the book so each grade level was on a different page in the book but doing the same concept. It took time getting the pages to match and keeping it staight but worth the work. In my series there was not many new concepts at second grade, just a higher level on the same conept. I just warned the parents that the students wouldn't be going throught the book in order but getting all the concepts.
    Use the time with you in small group as a flexible ability grouping opportunity( I pretest each chapter then make groups according to the pretest scores for accountability) Teach the whole group together or even seperately as grade level. The activities ( games/computer/activities) can be by concept and ability( have a high and low opportunity) and independant work( work book page) can be on grade level.

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  11. WHERE did you get those CUTE tubs? I've been looking for tubs just like them!!

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  12. Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions! I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this, but I think I'm making progress! :)

    Emilyoh- I got them at the Dollar Tree!

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  14. You are SO lucky! I can't find those bins anywhere. I've been to all 3 Dollar Tree stores and they don't have anything like them! The bins they have are either way too small or way too big. Nothing in that in-between size that would work for student bins! Arg.

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