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Math Centers Project MATH 130 – Fall 2020   Imagine that you are working a Montgomery County Elementary School

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Math Centers Project

MATH 130 – Fall 2020

 

Imagine that you are working a Montgomery County Elementary School. You are at the end of a unit. You are planning a review day where students use a variety of math centers to prepare for the upcoming Summative Assessment. Principal Barnett is so impressed with your innovative math centers that she has asked you to submit a detailed description of your Unit Review Math Centers as an example to show new teachers.  Follow the guidelines below when submitting your materials to Principal Barnett. 

 

Background Research – Selecting your Grade Level and Unit

 

? Identify the grade you are teaching: 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th.  Each person must work on a unique project, so if you choose the same grade as a classmate, then you must do a different marking period. These selections are awarded on a first-come, firstserved basis. I recommend that you have a 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd choice. Also, try to do your research and make a selection as soon as possible. Post your selection in the appropriate place in Blackboard Discussions.

 

? Identify the marking period for which you are submitting samples. 

 

o First, review the MCPS Parent Newsletter for your grade.  Go to http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/2.0/parentnewsletters.aspx, select the appropriate grade. Go through the math topics taught each marking period, and choose a topic related to what we are covering this semester. That is, you can choose topics having to do with numeration systems, mathematical operations, whole numbers, number theory, integers, mental math, sequences, Venn diagrams, and rational numbers (Please note: You DO NOT need to print this out or include it in your final presentation. It is simply a quick way for you to see all units for that grade level and choose one.)

 

Math Center Project Requirements

 

? Write a project introduction in which you identify the grade, unit, and topics that will be covered by your centers. 

 

? Create 4 math centers pertaining to your chosen unit and grade level.

• No more than one center can revolve around a worksheet. o At least two centers must use some sort of manipulative or hands-on activity.
• At least one center must include an assessment component to help you determine whether or not students understand the material.

For EACH OF THE 4 math centers, do the following: 

 

• Identify the indicators and objectives you are addressing according to the Common Core Standards. This can be found at: http://www.corestandards.org/Math/. 

 

• Identify and describe any manipulatives that will be used at the center. Site a website or catalog where the item(s) can be ordered so that the new teachers will know where to go to order their own class set for each item. Be sure to include specific item numbers.

 

• You have a math resource teacher and a parent volunteer lined up for the center review day. You will lead one center, the math resource teacher will lead one center, the parent volunteer will lead one center, and students will work without direct supervision at the final center.  You will assign yourself and your two helpers to the math centers you create according to the appropriate level of supervision and guidance needed for that activity.  With each math center, tell which adult will be manning that station (or if none will be) and explain the rationale for your decision.

 o Describe the learning center in detail.  Explain directions for setting up the learning center as well as detailed directions/procedures for each center.  If it helps you to better understand what Principal Barnett is expecting, think of creating a mini-lesson plan for each math center.  This section should include:

 A description of the math center and how it is set up.

 List of necessary supplies (i.e. pencils, markers, copies, compass, rulers, etc.)

 Instructions for yourself, the math resource teacher, and the parent including exact procedures, solutions, and tips to run the center.

 Instructions to the students for the independent center’s activity.

 The actual activity itself!  Create and include the hands-on activity, game, worksheet, etc.  If the activity involves a manipulative or game that must be purchased and to which you do not have access you still must include a sample.  Type, neatly draw, or printout an example to explain what you are planning.

 

? You must create a diagram of the classroom (neat and professional, preferably on the computer) showing how you will set up your classroom and where you will place each center to use your classroom space wisely, to ensure appropriate supervision of all students, and to facilitate an easy flow of students from center to center when it is time to transition.   

 

You must determine how the 27 students in your class will be divided into groups for the centers and describe this in writing. Will they be grouped by mathematical understanding, maturity level, or some other determination? Does grouping matter? Explain your rationale. In addition, you must describe in writing how long students will work at each center, how they will flow in an organized manner from center to center and how you will let them know that it is time for a transition

 

? You must include concluding thoughts about the math centers for the unit and what they will help your students accomplish. Remember, you are trying to prepare students for their end of unit summative assessment. Explain how the centers you’ve chosen will help the students master the content they need to know for the test.  

 

? The final portion of the project will be a reflection on this process of creating math centers.  For this portion, you will step out of your assigned role. This reflection should be a separate page that is written from the standpoint of being a student in MATH 130, versus a teacher in MCPC Elementary School.  Discuss the successes and difficulties you had in developing the centers, what you have learned from this process, and what you will take to your future classroom after completing this. As long as you adequately reflect, you will not lose points based on your opinions in this reflection, so it is okay to be honest!

 

? Have fun with this and be CREATIVE!  Going through this exercise will give you an excellent resource for when you are teaching in your own classroom, experience in thinking through all the aspects of using learning centers, and a very rich lesson plan to include in your education portfolio for use when applying to education programs.  Don’t forget the creative aspect – your centers should be distinctly different from those of your peers.  Feel free to share your thoughts about the process with your peers throughout your work on the project, but make sure that your math center ideas are your own and reflect your own creativity!

 

Formatting Considerations

? Your paper should be typed in 12 point Times New Roman or similar-sized font.  You should have 1-inch margins and line spacing of no more than 2. The majority of your paper should consist of organized, well-constructed paragraphs, not lists.

 

? Your paper should be checked for spelling and grammatical errors and should exhibit college-level writing.  You are encouraged to visit the virtual Writing Center for help proofreading your paper before your final submission:

https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/support/learning-centers/virtualtutoring.html

 

There is no set length for your project; however, you will probably need at least one to two typed pages per math center to address all requirements.  You also need to give a background, including your grade and unit, include a diagram of your classroom and a written explanation of how students will be divided and when and how they will flow from center to center, add concluding remarks, and attach a reflection.  Therefore, you are most likely looking at close to (or more than) 10 pages to appropriately address all aspects of the project.   

 

Resources:

For classroom set-up: https://www.edutopia.org/topic/learning-environments  

For math centers: https://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/math-centers.html

You can find a variety of math center activities by searching math centers for your specific topics.