Guided Math Station Boards

"What do I do with the other kids?" said the teacher. "Stations or independent work." replied the instructional coach.  "What do I put in the stations?" asked the teacher.  "Engaging, rigorous and differentiated materials of course!" answered the coach.  "Where do I get these materials?" asked the teacher.  "Um, well, what do you have in your room?"  the coach said as she wiped sweat off her brow.  The coach knows there isn't anything in the room or in the materials that come with the text book that meet the criteria of engaging, rigorous and differentiated.  I have had this conversation with teachers many, many times!  I felt helpless.  So did the teacher.

Teachers don't have time to write new math problems in 3 different levels for 5 different stations every week.  They don't have time to copy, cut, laminate, cut again and find storage for all of the materials.  They don't have time to hunt manipulatives and make sure they are all still there every day.  The also do not have the time and energy to proof every single item that is in the station to make sure it meets the rigor from the state.

This is how the idea of the Math Station Board grew.  We needed something that was easy to store and set up fast.  No laminating- or very little laminating! It also needed to last the week and be predictable each week so we didn't spend valuable minutes explaining the stations every week.  The students needed to be able to put the information in their notebooks or INB's so we wouldn't have tons of papers to deal with.

After designing the boards, I started writing the units.  Each unit pack has activities for all 5 stations!  Check out Unit 1 for your grade level!

The instructions to build the boards are below:

Materials:

3 Project Display Boards cut in half

Command hooks:

36 Mini clear and 10 medium white

21 Sheet protectors

Colored Paper for printing signs

Spray adhesive

Finished Product: (Steps Below)
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Step 1:

Cut the project boards in half.

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Step 2:

Using a sheet protector as a guide, position command hooks in the center of Section B.

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Step 3:

Use spray adhesive to glue the Must Do, May Do and Challenge labels to the board.

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Step 4:

Repeat this process with all 5 boards.

Each station is slightly different, so the small clear hooks are positioned in different places.  Follow the directions for each station board.

Individual Boards:

Math by Myself:

Cut 2 sheet protectors in half.  Tape one side of the halves to create a pockets.

Section A:

Put a whole sheet protector on the bottom of section A.  (This sheet is for Today’s Assignment.) Attach hooks.

Put a 1/2 sheet above the whole sheet for task cards.  Punch holes in the top of the 1/2 sheet and attach hooks.

Section B

Put the two half sheets on either side of the title and challenge labels.  Attach hooks.

Section C

Put a whole sheet protector on the bottom of section C.  Attach hooks.

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Math in Writing:

Cut 1 sheet protector in half.  Tape one side of the halves to create a pockets.

Section A:

Put a whole sheet protector on the bottom of section A.  Attach hooks.

Section B

Put the two half sheets on either side of the title and challenge labels.  Attach hooks.

Section C

Put a whole sheet protector on the bottom of section C.  Attach hooks.

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Problem Solving:

Cut 1 sheet protector in half.  Tape one side of the halves to create a pockets.

Section A:

Put a whole sheet protector on the bottom of section A.  Attach hooks.

Section B

Put the two half sheets on either side of the title and challenge labels.  Attach hooks.

Section C

Put a whole sheet protector on the bottom of section C.  Attach hooks.

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Math with Someone:

Section A:

Put a whole sheet protector on the bottom of section A.  Attach hooks.

Section B

Put the two half sheets on either side of the title and challenge labels.  Attach hooks.

Section C

Add a basket below challenge for task cards or puzzle games.

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Fact Fluency:

6 Games are on this board- 2 in each section

Cut 3 sheet protectors in half.  Tape one side of the halves to create a pockets.

Section A:

Put 2  1/2   sheet protectors on the bottom of section A.  Put a command hook above each sheet protector for a game label. The labels are 1$   sheets.  Attach hooks.

Section B

Put the two half sheets on either side of the title and challenge labels.  Attach hooks. Put a command hook above each sheet protector for a game label. The labels are 1/4   sheets.  Attach hooks.

Section C

Put 2  1/2   sheet protectors on the bottom of section A.  Put a command hook above each sheet protector for a game label. The labels are 1$   sheets.  Attach hooks.

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This year, I plan to be prepared for the question, "What do I put in the stations?"!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teachers Pay Teachers

iPohly INC: Planning Made Easier!

1 and 2 Step Problem Solving with Multiplication and Division

Multiplication and division word problems are not what they used to be!  No longer can we teach the memorization of  facts and be successful!  Kids need to be taught to recognize the different types of problems enabling them to chose a strategy that works for them!  My favorite method to use is the Cognitively Guided Instruction model.

Cognitively Guided Instruction is an inquiry-based approach to teaching mathematics that was developed at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (Carpenter et al, 1999).  It is based on the developmental stages of math reasoning.  Sequencing word problems from easy to difficult helps kids build on what they know.

Multiplication is divided into two categories- grouping and comparing.  Division is also divided into two categories- measurement and partitive.

To begin the unit start with 1 step multiplication.  Give students sample problem to sort into two categories.  Don’t tell them the categories ahead of time!  Talk about why they sorted the problems the way they did.  Then guide them to the two different categories- grouping and comparing.

Here is an example of the problems they sort:

 

Problem sorting for multiplication- grouping and comparing,

Problem sorting for multiplication- grouping and comparing

After kids have learned about the similarities and differences of the two, begin to work some problems.   Start with easy problems and move to more difficult problems.

I like to use problem solving mats in guided math to work through these problems.  Here is the answer sheet for a grouping problem.  The kids have plates and cookies (paper cookies – I’m not brave enough to give out really cookies as manipulatives!) to model the problem.  Start with equal groups, then arrays, area models and final connect with the basic fact.  Kids then work a few of the problems from the sort before we move to comparing.

Slide28The next type is a comparison problem. This one is difficult. The strip diagram is essential to solve comparisons with multiplication.  Teach it to them now if you have not already!  The problem solving mat looks like this:

Slide11

As teachers we see this as multiplication.  The word times gives it away, but for some reason kids can’t visualize this unless we teach them to draw a strip diagram.  Repeat the same procedure as before – discussion, strategies, and working a few problems.

The next step is to work some problems individually so you can determine where understanding is breaking down.  For this activity, each student has a problem solving mat.  They read the problem and choose a box to fill in.  Rotate the paper and they fill in a different box.  At the end, kids have used several different strategies to solve the problem- the answer is not as important as the strategy! Pass the Problem Multiplication

 

Pass the Problem Multiplication

 

Continue working on 1 step problems.  Go through the same process for division.  The kids begin by sorting problems.  Most people don’t understand the two types of division – measurement and partitive.  Measurement is when the number of groups is unknown and partitive is when the number of items in each group is unknown.  Sounds trivial, right? BUT  if you approach a measurement problem the same as a partitive problem it will be confusing! AND these kids are 8!  Look at the following  problem solving mats to see the difference.

For partitive, start with the number of plates, then kids can put cookies on the plate.  This type is the easiest for kids.

Slide28Measurement is tricky – you don’t know how many groups you will need.  Kids have 15 cookies in their hands and are unsure how to start grouping them.  Start by putting 3 cookies in a group, then make another group until you are out of cookies. Talk and talk some more!  Look at the other strategies – array, area model, and repeated subtraction!  Show repeated subtraction last because it is the easiest and you want them to try to visualize equal groups first.

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The next step is to work independently. Use the same strategy for independent practice as multiplication – pass a problem.

Finally you are ready for 2 step problems!  Start with a problem solving mat and show them the how to see the two problems in this paragraph.  Go slowly and find similarities and differences.

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Work several problems, making small changes to what they already know!

By the end of the week, most kids are working 1 step and feeling better about 2 step problems.  Add 1 and 2 step problem task cards to stations the next week and continue to pull small groups of kids who still need help!

Task cards

These task cards have a QR Code, making them self checking!

 

You can find this product on my Teacher’s Pay Teachers store at:

1 and 2 step Multiplication and Division Unit

Included in the unit:

  • 5 Complete Lesson Plans- high yield and sheltered instruction strategies included!
  • Guided Math Problem solving mats
  • Teacher answer keys for the mats
  • Problem sorts with pockets for Interactive Notebooks (INB)
  • Anchor Charts for INB’s
  • Small Group Independent Practice
  • Exit Tickets
  • Manipulatives
  • 4 Whole Class Activities
  • 20 Task Cards- Color and Black and White with QR Codes for Self-Checking
  • Answer Sheets
    • Bubble sheets
    • Open responses
    • Griddable sheets
  • Teacher Answer Keys for all activities.

 

I hope this helps your students and helps make your life easier!

Talk to you soon,

Misty