Getting Started With Math Workstations

It's week two friends, and we are at the very beginning of learning Math Workstations. When I say we, I mean everyone, including me. This is my first time ever implementing math stations into my regular math routine. Last year, I kinda sorta started doing them. But they were always the same 4-5 standard activities and they were more of a "If you finish your work early you can grab a math tub while everyone else is finishing up" VS. "We're all going to do math tubs that coordinate with what we have been learning because they will help reinforce these skills." Ok, now that I've confessed that, let's talk about what getting started looks like so far.

Quick Note: If you read to the end of the post you will eventually reach some "I Can..." station sign freebies from me. But the meat and potatoes of these stations have been brought to you for FREE by a ton of various sources, and of course I'm shouting out to every one of them!!


Day One - Pattern Block Station. I printed these awesome pattern block freebies which I found on Mrs. Willis Kindergarten. And she grabbed them from Prekinders.You can follow both the links to grab them for yourself.

 

Day Two - Linking Cubes Station. On the third day of school I like to get my kiddos familiar with linking cubes by challenging them to make letter out of them. Check out my blog post on this activity here. Then the next day we practice making three towers of 10 or less cubes, and adding them together.

 

Day Three- Geoboard Station. I model how to copy the letters and shapes on the cards below. 

 

I first found these geo-letter cards on Mrs. Bremer's Kindergarten. And she got them here.

                                                                    

 

Then I found these geo-shape cards as a freebie from Kristin Berrier's TPT store!

Day Four- "Add It" Station.  I can't wait to teach my class this game that I found via Pinterest! The original source and creator of this game is Confessions of a Home Schooler. She also has an identical game for Subtraction called Subtract It. You can download them both for F-R-E-E!!

I'm teaching a 1/2 combo class this year. Which means, in order to be able to teach the first grade curriculum to my firsties and second grade curriculum to my seconds, I need to be able to have one grade working on engaging stations while I am giving direct instruction to the other grade and vise versa. These first few stations are mostly just to get us familiar with the routines and expectations during station time. They are purposefully simple and as the year goes on I will slowly introduce stations that more closely relate to what we are learning.

I put together three "I Can..." Workstation Signs to put into my math tubs to remind my kiddos what they can do at each station. Grab your copies by clicking the image below!!

  {The awesome Pattern Block Graphics and Linking Cube Graphics were created by: The School Supply Addict}

What are your favorite beginning of the year math stations??

In other news...our new "Class Pet" should be making his first appearance by the end of the week.

 

I think some of you may already be acquainted with him ;)