Elementary school teachers SWEAR BY math centers. I have seen them successfully implemented in first, second, and fourth grade classrooms. If elementary school teachers can engage 6-11 year old students in activities independently and effectively, then there must be a way to use them in high school as well.
I needed to find a way to break up my class periods to keep my students engaged for as long as possible and math centers were my answer!
There are so many ways that high school math centers can be implemented that I could probably write a whole blog post about how to create effective groups (stay tuned…I just had a brilliant idea). Depending on the class size and topic, there are an infinite number of activities, but these seven ideas are my favorite activities to use in my classroom.
Card sorts are great because they can be collaborative or independent. The hands on component of the printable card sorts give students a different way to show their understanding and discuss concepts with their classmates. Depending on the size of the class, I like to give multiple sets to a group that is four or bigger, so that everyone can participate.
With this specific card sort, the students are taking many concepts from one unit and bringing it all together to see the bigger picture. I love to use card sorts on review days for this reason exactly! You can never have too many ways for students to show their work … am I right??
2. Writing prompts
Your students will be thinking critically with these grab and go writing prompts. You can assign one or multiple for a collaborative math activity. Get this free sample of Algebra 1 writing prompts to try in your math class!
3. Color by number
I love to integrate coloring into my math centers because it gives my students a little bit of a break in an otherwise busy class period. There are so many color by number activities on TPT for every grade level and subject area.
After working hard during the other two stations, sometimes students just need to complete a low energy, relaxing activity. I am always so surprised by how excited my high school students get about being able to color!
4. task card stations
Do you love stations, but struggle to keep up with all of your students needing you to check their work? I was in the same boat until I created these self-checking task cards! I love when my students are able to get up out of their seats and change up their work space, but trying to correct everyone’s work at the same time so that they can move on to the correct station was a nightmare.
These task cards build independence because all the students need to do is scan the QR code to get the correct answer. From there, they can work through the problem with a partner to figure out what went wrong before immediately going to the teacher. These no-prep cards have been a game changer for my Algebra math centers!
5. discovery activities
These discovery activities are another great way to get students writing in your math class. Your students will be able to watch how the graphs transform based on the changes they make to each variable. They can make observations and predictions completely on their own!
Quick discovery activities like these fit perfectly into your high school math centers rotations.
6. small group mini lesson
Gone are the days of whole group instruction in math classes. My students used to always get distracted or lost in space during whole group work and note-taking. Doing mini-lessons with small groups of students has helped me keep each student on track and makes the lesson much more engaging.
This decoding word problems graphic organizer is one of my favorite mini-lessons that I have. We are able to dig into which words and phrases represent each operation and come up with strategies for solving word problems. With this small group model, the students are much more willing to participate and discuss strategies in a small, low pressure group.
7. digital escape rooms
Before online learning became an educational norm, I rarely used technology in my Algebra 1 classroom. Looking back at those times, I don’t know how I survived without it! This generation of students is so engaged in online activities because they have grown up surrounded by it.
My students have completed escapes rooms in trios, pairs, or individually depending on the level of difficulty. Digital escape rooms are great for so many reasons. There is no prep time, they are self-checking, and honestly way more exciting than a regular worksheet!
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