Math Center Organization-Stage 1

I recently moved to a Math Workshop model for my class (and another 4th grade teacher also moved to a small group model).

As part of my Math block, the kids rotate three times. One station is me, one station is their Math Workbooks, and I needed to come up with a third.

Step into a center explosion! (I've used a lot from 3rd Grade Gridiron's Math MegaPack but have been working on some of my own, and shopped different TPT shops) Now that I have Math Centers, I needed a way to organize all the little pieces.

This is stage one of my organizing, and I fully expect to go through many stages while I figure out how to handle, store and organize my new math centers.

First off-I print, cut, and laminate (cut out again) the centers cards

I always print out more than one set, and the cards-so far-have fit nicely into coin envelopes

Then the smaller coin envelopes went into a bigger envelope.

The envelope is labeled with the name of the center.

Those cards that didn't fit into a coin envelope automatically went into a larger envelope.

 These are just the cards to the centers. I have stored the paper copies of everything in...what else? a binder.

I divided the binder into the 5 sections of Math CC, so when we are working on a particular skill from the area, I can flip through that sections to see which of the centers I have fit.

Everything so far has been stored in a clear plastic shoebox (the same kind that's in my library), but that will probably change as I get more centers.

When it's time for the kids to use them, I pull the center directions and recording sheet out of the binder, make a copy, and place them on my back table with the cards.

This way, the kids are mostly independent which their center work, and I can focus on my groups more.

The system has worked okay so far, but I see modifications in my future. As I find a better organized process, I'll keep you in the loop!

Hope you remembered to turn the clocks back!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn