Math Work Station Freebie

FIRST, don’t forget to enter for your chance to win in my HUGE giveaway (think Vistaprint, and prizes from your favorite bloggers!).  Click the image below to go to that post.

Today was my first time implementing a Debbie Diller Math Work Station in the classroom.  And…it was GREAT!  The kids loved it, they were engaged and using “math talk”, which makes me a happy teacher.  Summer school is nice because I’m actually teaching the same thing 3 times each morning.  Our kiddos are rotating between myself and the other two teachers, which means I’m going to get a lot of practice implementing these work stations.


Today we kept it simple. I’m working with incoming first and incoming second.  I’m used to second graders, so the incoming first graders are a semi-unknown quantity…but I’m learning.


I created a Number Sense Work Station based off of Chapter 4 of Debbie Diller’s book.  This was called, “How Many to 5?”.  It’s pretty simple and fun!

Students work in partners and they need (I kept it all in a bin):

• a die
• 15 counters
• 3 five-frames
• 2 markers
• Graph

Goal: complete individual frame, and wild frame before partner.  The wild frame is the one in the middle of the 2 individual frames, and any student can “win” that one. 


Students sit facing each other.  Place the three 5-frames in between them.  Set out I-can task card and Math Talk sheets.  Roll dice to see who goes first.


Student rolls the die, places number of counters on five-frame.  IF student rolls a 6, can’t do anything.  After turn, says, “I have____.  I need ____ to get to 5.” 


Students can only put the counters on the frame if they roll a number that fits on the frame.  For example if the student has 3 counters on the frame, and rolls a 3,4,5,6 then he cannot place any counters on the frame and essentially loses his turn until he rolls a 1 or 2. 


After the student completes his own frame he can begin working on the wild frame.  BUT, it doesn’t matter who places the most counters on the wild frame.  The student who places the final fifth counter on the frame “wins” that frame.


Once students have filled the wild frame they extend the activity from number sense to data by graphing the results.  They write the first letter of their first name under their column and graph how many frames they filled - NOT how many squares.


Then start over. 


We loved it!  Tomorrow, I think we’ll be ready for “How Many to 10?”, and might try to do a place value station too - we’ll see.


I've made a freebie so you can try this station in your classroom too!  It’s in English and Spanish and includes all the printables.  If you use it let me know what you think, I’m hoping to create a bunch more math work station in English and Spanish, and feedback is so appreciated!  Click the image below to download from my TpT store.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!  Also here are some other giveaways you should check out!


Sandra at Sweet Times in First is having a great math giveaway - perfect for this post.  Click her button below to go to it:

Donna at Math Coach's Corner is also having a great giveaway - for a TpT gift card and some more math products from her store...and they'r amazing!  She's the queen of work stations!  Click the image below to head over:

And, that's it!
Cheers!
Mrs. Castro