Computation: 

• *Laminated cards with boxes for the answer (they clip these to a dry-erase board) 
• *Timed addition and subtraction tests (digital timer...they have 1-3 minutes depending on the test. They love to beat their previous time! 
• *Addition and subtraction dot-to-dot pictures 
• *Invisible answer computation sheets (from a Homework Helper book...not sure of the publisher, it's at school) I have these laminated and they use a vis-à-vis to mark their answer. Then they take a red cellophane "wand" and scan over their paper...the answers are hidden in boxes beside each equation and they "magically appear" when they look through the wand. 
• *Equation dice toss...roll 2 dice and figure the sum...write the equation above the sum on a number grid. The first player to fill a column is the winner. 
• *Store (money) They are given a set amount of money and some catalogs...they have to keep a tally as they "shop"...grocery store ads, book club order forms, menus, Christmas toy catalogs are all good for "Store" 
• *Valuable words (money) I put up a chart with the alphabet listed. Beside each letter I put coin stickers (pennies, nickels, dimes) They take their list of spelling words for the week and find the value of each word. Sometimes I put a dictionary in the center and challenge them to find the most expensive word...they go through MANY trying to find a high value word! 
• *Workjobs (Math Their Way) I use Workjobs interchangeably with several other centers (manipulatives, games, etc.) They chose which manipulative/work mat set they want. I provide equation cards and they have to "act out" the equation using the workjobs (sometimes they write their problems in "story form" on index cards for us to use later in the center, sometimes they write the problems and their solutions in their math journals. 
• *Taped quizzes...I record myself giving a short quiz. They listen, work the problem, then check. It's fun if you can get other teachers and administrators to tape a couple for you too...the kids love hearing people they know! 
• *Sum Time...it's a set, comes in a little briefcase. We got it at the Learning Toys store. There are cards with holes punched in them. The children use the provided number tiles to find the answer. If the answer is incorrect, the tile won't fit. 

• *Time stories...I tape a story I make up..."I got up at 7 o'clock and read for an hour. What time was it then..." I provide the children with copies of blank clocks (from a clock stamp...but they could make their own if you are limited on copies)They have to draw the hands on the clocks to show the different times I'm talking about! 
• *Domino equations (often interchanged with "math games") Choose a domino, write the equations using the number of dots on each side, write the sum. There's more...but hopefully that will get you started! Manipulatives: Well, as the name implies, I use different manipulatives here! 
• *Pattern Blocks...creating pattern block walls, creating symmetrical designs with a partner, creating a design in with blocks and a hinged mirror and then copying the larger reflected design, using templates and finding which blocks have to be used to fill the shape exactly, fraction practice (a trapezoid is 1/2 of a hexagon...) 
• *Unifix cubes...pattern trains, probability, concrete bar graphs, greater than/less than games, even/odd games 
• *Multilink cubes...(many of the same activities as Unifix cubes) 3-D shapes (geometry) 
• *Geoboards...numeral writing, patterning (with Unifix cubes on top of the pegs), patterning cards (with rubber bands, geometric shapes, area, perimeter, "Dots" (you know, that game you play where you try to create boxes by connecting the dots...you can do the same with geoboards and rubber bands, they place a color tile in the box when they make it...lots of critical thinking, observation, and strategy with that one!) 
• *Color Tiles...patterning, probability, area, perimeter, symmetry, acting out equations 
• *Wooden Cubes...patterning, probability, 3-D shapes and designs, width/length/height ("build a shape that is 4 blocks wide, 6 blocks long, and 2 blocks high...what shape is it? rectangular prism) 
• *Junk Boxes...a lot like Workjobs, I use them to "act out" an equation, patterning, classification, attributes (I have keys, pompoms, golf tees, bottle caps, milk jug rings, square bread clasps, marker lids, seashells, beans, pebbles, dog biscuits, buttons, marbles, seed packets, pasta, Christmas lightbulbs, squares of wallpaper, and postage stamps, to name a few) 
• *Tangrams and Pentaminoes...much like pattern blocks... figuring out designs from templates and creating their own. 

Math Games: 

• Kids love this center, of course, because they just think they are playing! I have made several game boards from poster board and file folders. The poster board ones either have paint splotches in a path with little pictures or die cuts to decorate. Many are made from daily calendar pictures (You know, those pad desk calendars...I prefer Disney Days) I cut out the pictures and glue them in a path around the board. I add things like "Jump ahead 2 spaces, go back to start, roll again, lose a turn" and laminated them. Then, I went to Toys R Us and bought those little plastic character figurines (Pooh, Simba, Snow White, etc.) that they use for playing pieces and some dice. Often times I just put out the board, playing pieces, die, and a stack of addition/subtraction cards. One child takes a card from the stack, works the problem (mentally) and says the answer. If the other player agrees it is correct, the child gets to roll and move that many spaces. If they get the problem incorrect they don't get to roll. This is a popular game and all I have to do is change out the board and the cards. Sometimes I use money cards where they have to say the value of the coin combination. Sometimes I use clock cards where they have to say the time. If you wanted, you could make these self-checking by writing the answers on the front. Instead of the first child picking the card the buddy picks the card and reads the problem FOR the other child. The child answers and the buddy can look at the card to see if they are right. (In the years I've been using this center, though, the kids have done fine with just plain cards...if there is a disagreement, they find another child close by to ask.) File folder boards are made by using stickers to make the path or to decorate with and then laminated. Milk jug caps with stickers on them make great, inexpensive playing pieces. Some of the game boards are shower curtains that they spread out on the floor. (I have drawn the path and decorations with markers) They use Beanie Babies for the playing pieces. I also like to use vinyl table cloths. My game area is close to my whole group area so there is room to spread out big game boards. The games are basically the same but changing the board makes it exciting! 
• *Tic-Tac-Toe...They draw this on the dry-erase board. If they answer the problem correctly they get to put their mark. I also die-cut 2 sets of big X's and O's, laminated them and on the back of one set I put a piece of magnetic tape. I use a big cookie sheet with colored masking tape on it to make a tic-tac-toe board or they can draw one on the chalkboard that is magnetic and play the same way. The other set they use on the floor using yardsticks to make the tic-tac-toe grid. Variety is the key! 
• *Addition War...played with 2 decks of cards (Ace through 10 only) Played like regular War except they put 2 cards out at a time and add them together, largest sum gets all 4 cards. 
• *Addition, Subtraction, Time, or Money Concentration: played like regular concentration except they have to match the problem to the answer. (This is a nice QUIET game!) 
• *Dominoes...each player chooses 6 dominoes, they take turns to try to match the ends. If there is no match they have to choose another domino from the "pool" until they find one that will play. The first one to match all his/her dominoes is the winner. 
• *Bang!...I made Pringles cans to look like a stick of dynamite. Inside are equation cards and 8 cards that say BANG! Their little hands fit perfectly inside these. They take turns reaching in and pulling out a card. If it is an equation card they read the problem and say the answer. If they are correct they get to keep the card, if they are incorrect it goes back in the can. If they pull out a BANG! card, they have to put ALL their cards back in! BUT LEAVE THE BANG! CARD OUT! (otherwise the game would never end!) They LOVE this game! (It also works well in a reading center, the cards have sight words or spelling words on them that they have to read.) 
• *Math Their Way games...Stack, Tell, Spin, and Win (Directions for this are in the MTW book.) and The "Sidewalk" game (I made a miniature sidewalk from 2 sentence strips taped end to end and divided it into 21 boxes. Zero goes in the middle and then one to ten on either side... 10|9|8|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10 They put a marker(playing piece) on the zero and each choose a side. They roll the die and move that many steps on their side. The next person rolls and moves that many steps back the other way. The person to get the marker off his/her side first is the winner. 
• *Go Fish...I got this game last year and the kids love it! It's not the regular Go Fish. This is a Fisher Price game ($5 at Walmart) It has 4 little boats, fish cards and a suction cup fishing pole. The object of the game as it is, is to put all the fish cards face down and take turns fishing with the rod. If the bottom of the fish they catch matches the color of their boat they get to keep it in their boat. If it doesn't match, they have to "throw it back". There are 4 fish with pictures on them (rusty can, old boot, anchor, and a tire) If they get one of those, they have to put ALL their fish back! We just added a twist to it. They have to answer a math problem correctly FIRST to be able to fish in the first place! The person that gets 4 fish in their boat first, wins! (I also use this in my reading games center.) 
• *Number, Addition, Subtraction, Telling Time Bingo...the kids can play this by themselves (in pairs or triplets). The cards are placed face-down in the middle. The children take turns choosing a card and calling it out for everyone. They look on their card as well so they are still playing every time. 

• *A LOT can be covered here since measurement is not only length/width/height (non-standard as well as inches and centimeters)...it's also area/perimeter, time/duration, weight, and quantity. I start out with quite a few non-standard measurement activities (with all measuring concepts). 
• *For example, this past week we measured bats' wingspans using unifix cubes, teddy bear counters, paper clips, and a measuring tape. 
• *This week, we are measuring different lines with candy corn. 
• *When we studied pets we measured things in the room with dog biscuits! 
• *In a couple of weeks we will string cranberries to make a cranny and measure thing with it. 
• *We measure with bananas (rainforest), candy canes (Christmas), jalapeno peppers (Texas), ears of Indian corn and crannies (Thanksgiving), T-Rex teeth cut-outs (dinosaurs), Shark teeth models(oceans), chopsticks (Asia), seeds/beans (plants) etc. 
• *We also measure with ordinary manipulatives like unifix cubes, color tiles, wooden cubes, counters, toothpicks, centicubes, etc. 
• *Sometimes I give the children a list of objects to measure (How many candy canes long is your desk, your math book, your shoe, your best friend?) They take the manipulative, candy cane, and start at one end, mark the end with their finger, move the candy cane, mark it with their finger, move and so on. 
• *Sometimes I give them the manipulative (T-Rex tooth) and ask them to find 3 things that are shorter than, 3 things that are longer than, and 3 things that are the same length as the tooth...they draw and label their findings on a sheet of 12x18" manila paper folded in 3 sections. 
• *Students compare different objects (spiral, crayon box, eraser, pencil, notebook, folder, etc.) and have to put them in order by size, use a ruler, and label the length or width of each. (This is a great place to practice math vocabulary!) 
• *Body measurements...measure your smile, your hug, your hand, arm, leg, big toe and find things in the room that are shorter, longer, same. 
• *We do non-standard measurement all year (using a shark tooth makes it fun and interesting!) the difference is, later on in the year, we turn our non-standard into standard..."this book is 4 shark teeth long. A shark tooth is 3 inches so if I measure 4 of them, it's 12 inches." 
• *Time...get a digital timer, clock with a second hand, and a stopwatch for this center. 
• *To begin with, we do simple duration tests...fill a plastic tub with water, provide a pile of baby food jar lids...some solid, some with 1, 2, 3, or 4 holes punched in the top (with an ice pick) Students pick a lid and predict which one will sink first. They place the lid horizontally on top of the water and watch. They are sometimes surprised...it's not always the one with the most holes! Sometimes if a 1-hole lid has been used repeatedly and is very wet it will sink faster than a new lid with 3 holes! HMMMM! 
• *Set the timer for 1 minute...how many times can you write your name, count to 10, sing the ABC song? How many jumping jacks, toe-touches, arm circles can you do in 1 minute? Kids love competing with each other! 
• *Use the stopwatch and a list of activities, write how long it takes for each one...tie your shoe, write the alphabet, stack 20 unifix cubes, make a pattern with pattern blocks, sort magnetic letters into capitals and lowercase, pick out all the yellow teddy bear counters in a box, etc. Students are very capable of working a stopwatch and a timer! 
• *Weight: You need a balance scale and a regular tabletop scale. 
• *Compare different objects...orange, crayon box, bottle of glue, pencil eraser, tennis ball...which weighs the most, least...order them. 
• *Non-standard measurement of objects...how many teddy bear counters will it take to equal (or balance) this paint box, ball of clay, bag of dimes, bag of feathers, etc. 
• *At Thanksgiving I buy 5 or 6 different types of small gourds. I label each of them with a letter on the bottom. They children have to measure the mass in teddy bear counters and put in order by weight. 
• *Also at Thanksgiving I put a miniature pumpkin in the measuring center. They have to measure the circumference (with a piece of yarn and hold it against a ruler), find out how many candy corns, paper clips, and unifix cubes it would take to equal the length of the circumference string, find the height in unifix cubes, and weight in teddy bear counters. 
• *Quantity: I have a big rice tub. I also use a bean tub. I provide many different containers (labeled with letters), scoops, and funnels. 
• *They use the scoops and funnels (that's the rule)to find out which container is the biggest (tallest doesn't always mean biggest!) 
• *They scoop, fill, and label on a paper how many scoops it took to fill different containers. 
• *Sometimes I put a box of rubber bands in the rice tub. They pour in five scoops and mark the level with a rubber band around the outside of the container. Pour in five more, mark it, continuing until it's full. Sometimes it's every 2 scoops, or 3...a great way to practice skip counting! 
• *Later they use actual measuring cups. I recommend starting with beans (easier to handle and clean up!) and then move up to rice. Sand would probably work too. 
• *Area/perimeter: I mainly just want them to get the concept that perimeter is the distance around and area is the whole space. 
• *I provide simple little outline pictures (Ghost at Halloween, Turkey at Thanksgiving, Gingerbread man at Christmas, egg at Easter, Dolphin with an ocean unit, etc.) Then I provide manipulatives (often edible) to measure around or inside. For example, for Halloween this year, the kids had a picture of a pumpkin and a bag of popped popcorn. They had to find the perimeter by placing the popcorn around the shape and then the area by placing a layer of popcorn over the entire shape. (Not an exact science, but enough to get the point across!) Then afterwards, they get to eat the popcorn. (mind you, this was just plain popcorn from a bottle...pour a bit in a paper sack and put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes...works the same as microwave popcorn but without the cost!) For the turkey we use candy corn, raisins, and marshmallows...YUM! For the gingerbread man it's red hots, marshmallows, and cheerios. Easter egg...jellybeans, of course! We did leaves once, too. We used raisins and Apple Jacks. That should get you started with measuring! Estimation/graphing: This station is almost always edible! The sky is the limit here, really! I try to tie it in thematically. This week we are studying skeletons so we are graphing Dem Bones candy. Estimation goes hand in hand with graphing because I ask them to estimate which color, flavor, shape they think they will have the most or least of. I provide a recording paper for each student. On one side is a grid for the actual graph. On the other are questions...Estimate how many green you think there will be...How many of each did you have...orange + yellow =...how many broken ones were there... Here's a few of our favorite items to graph: 
  • *Fruit Loops 
  • *M-n-M's of course! 
  • *Skittles 
  • *Life Savors (they predict before they even open the roll) 
  • *Marshmallows from Lucky Charms (for St. Patrick's Day) 
  • *Jellybeans for Easter 
  • *Trail mix (Hot Tamales, peanuts, Cheerios, raisins, and pretzel sticks) for our unit on the Wild West! 
  • *Different flavors of goldfish crackers (ocean unit) 
  • *Gummy Mummies (Egypt unit) 
  • *Mixed nuts 
  • *Shape mix (Doritos-triangles, Cheese Nips-square, Captain wafers-rectangle, Ritz Bits-circle) 
  • *Teddy Grahams (different flavors OR one flavor, graph by arms up, arms down, broken) 
  • *Flavor chips (chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips...have you tried those? They are new...wonderful!) I make different graphs on the recording sheet...vertical, horizontal, picture graphs, etc. Sometimes (when the measuring center is edible!) the graphing center is a survey. The children decide on a question (Have you ever been to the mountains, do you have a brother, how many pets do you have, what's your favorite flavor ice-cream, etc.)and they write it at the top of their survey paper. (If it's a question like ice-cream with almost endless possibilities, I tell them to choose 3 or 4 answers and have people choose from those) They survey 10 people (it's really not as disruptive as you might think! They are very quick and quiet...that's the rule!) Then they tally and graph the results.

• The science center activity relates to whatever we are studying at the time so, for you, it could be anything! Here's a few things we've done so far this year and will do in the near future: 
• *Animal classification: picture cards of animals they classify into the different categories (reptile, amphibian, bird, mammal, fish, insect) They like to mix up the cards and race each other to see who can classify them the fastest. All I had to do was put a stopwatch in the center! Living/Non-living posters: I provided big pieces of construction paper and magazines. They drew a line down the middle and label one side "Living" and the other "Non- living" Then they searched through the magazines and cut out 5 pictures of each and glued them on. Five Senses experiments: (From AIMS...a WONDERFUL resource! Sensible Science) Shape Search, Texture books, Sound effects tape they listened to and drew pictures of what the sounds really were, Sound Boxes, Smelly Bottles, etc. Apple tree life cycle posters: pictures of the different phases of the apple they had to put in order and glue on a large apple tree to show the cycle. Bat Wing skeleton models: (From AIMS "Bats Incredible") Human Skeleton models: cut outs they have to piece together to make a skeleton Meal Worm observation logs: (actually this could work with any class critter!) They are fascinated to just watch! Then they write down what they observed. Rock Crystal Gardens: grown from charcoal bricks Pumpkin decomposition, bread mold, any kind of "scientific change" (We never say, "OOOO Gross!" in my class...instead we say, "OOOO How scientific!") Growing Indian Corn: place an ear of indian corn half submerged in water in an aluminum pie pan. In a week or so it will start to sprout! (Hint: change the water OFTEN...it gets really stinky if you don't!) We keep growth charts and observation logs. Dinosaur classification, fossil molds, dinosaur skeleton puzzles, etc. Just about anything relating to your topic could fit here. I use AIMS activities A LOT! Another good resource is "Instant Science Centers"...folders put out, I think, by CTP on different topics that have simple science experiments.