Guided Math Groups and Math Stations Together

While reading Debbie Diller's book, "Math Stations," I created this chart to show how I would introduce the stations and yet continue to teach math each day in a MULTI-GRADE CLASSROOM.
Many of the ideas would work in a single grade classroom too. 
Some teachers don't take the time to establish routines and the result is that the math stations do not operate smoothly as the students do not know EXACTLY what they are to do and what is expected of them.

I thought I would post it again, as many teachers are thinking about how to start next year and incorporate math stations or "centers" while teaching math in guided math groups.

The First 14 Days of Math Stations for Multigrade Grades 1/2 Using Everyday Math and Math Stations

Schedule:

     Mini-lesson 25 - 30 minutes

     Whole Group Everyday Math  Lesson: 30 - 40 minutes

This schedule is ONLY for the first 14 days of instruction.

Day	Mini-lesson	Learning Outcome	Resources	Whole Group Everyday Math Lesson
1	Take one photo of each child for Management Board.		Complete the set-up of the Management Board for Day 2	Number Lines 1st/1.1  2nd/ 1.1
2	Introduce: Management Board . Model: How to obtain materials and where math stations are located. Model: Cleaning up a station	Students explore and learn how to obtain their instructional materials and where to go to work with their partners. Students will know what is expected as they clean up their stations.	Management Board Missing Pieces Box Numbered clear plastic tubs	Everyday Math Games: Monster Squeeze Number-Line Squeeze
3	Teacher and students model and practice: “Turn and Talk”. Model: The difference between hearing and listening.	Students will learn that as mathematicians we are capable of thinking in many different ways and sharing their thinking with others.	Chart: Thinking and Talking with a Partner Partners use 6 inch voices. Partners take turns talking. Partners listen to one another. Partners respect each others’ thinking	Introduce the Slate Routine Explain the Number Grid and it’s patterns 1st/1.2    2nd/ 1.4
4	Math Station Tub: Teacher discusses how students have choices within one tub. Teacher shows how materials are labeled to differentiate levels. Model: Signals used to indicate it is time to stop and clean up, and signal to indicate to move to next station or to the small group teaching station.	Students realize that there are multiple activities to do with one math tub and those activities can be repeated. Students will move to different activities quickly and quietly.	Completed math tub Chart: How do we put materials away in our Math Tubs? Auditory signal	Introduce the Pattern-Block Template 1st/1.2   2nd/1.4
5	How to Obtain Help Model: “I Can” Chart “Instead” box for the Computer station	Teacher and students will create the first “I Can” chart together. Students will practice being adaptable and flexible.	“I Can” chart	Formative Assessment for 1st Graders: Use math master pg 304 to see what numbers they can all ready write. Challenge them to write their numbers to 20. Introduce the Class Scroll to the 2nd Graders.
6	Model and Practice: How to Use a Math Talk card to express their mathematical ideas.	Students will express their thinking using a math talk card as a support.	2 different “Math Talk Cards” for each group of 2 students	How to Use a Calculator 1st/  2.4          2nd/1.9
7	Represent your thinking through drawing, writing, Flip videos, and dramatizing. Where to put completed work.	Students learn to record their thoughts in short video clips. Students learn ways to represent their thinking, and where to put that completed document.	Flip Video Camera Examples of students drawings, and writings.	Whole Group: Odd and even Tally marks
8	How to handle problems:    Ask 3 and then ask me.   Disagreements What will happen when students don’t follow the procedures.	Students follow specific guidelines to solve problems.	Chart: How We Can Solve Problems Ourselves	EM Games: Penny-Dice Game Top-It Addition Top-It Rolling for 50 Rolling for 500 using a 400-500 number grid.
9	Introduce “Our Math Thinking “ Books	Students learn they are accountable for doing their best work at stations.	Book: “Our Math Thinking”	EM Games: Play your choice of game
10	Introduce First Station: Review and model use of management board, obtaining materials, correct voice level. Choose one student to be your partner, and go through the entire procedure while “thinking  aloud about what you are doing and thinking”	Students will revisit how to maintain organized classroom math stations	Chart:  Looks like, Sounds Like, Feels like One math tub of your choice	Whole Group: Modeling how the teacher will be teaching the small group guided math groups. All about Math Boxes using a teacher created math box page all about tally marks.
11	Continue to introduce another station. Establish student accountability by modeling and posting an example of a completed student work product.	Students will learn mathematical ideas through independent learning.	Example of student work	How to play: EM Facts Workshop Game that provides online practice of basic facts and computation.
12	Model:  How we share our experiences with our class members.	Students will engage in discussions and that they are accountable for their independent learning.		Reading books that relate to math such as counting books. How to create your own math related book.
13	Model: Computer Station “Instead Box”	Students will learn a routine to cooperatively use the classroom computer.	Chart: Step by step directions to use the computer Chart: Who is on the Computer Today?	How to read a number line on a thermometer
14	(After conducting an actual “Math Station”) Getting back together as a whole group to reflect on what went well.	Grand Opening Celebration: Beginning a station	Wrapped box that announces the beginning of math stations. Chart:  What We Did Well	Administer the Beginning of the Year Test to both grade levels. Recruit a volunteer to read the test aloud to one grade level while you read the other grade level test. See if the volunteer will also help score the test.

My blog, Multi-grade Matters,  contains more ideas for Multi-grade and Single Grade Classrooms, as I am a Math Instructional Coach in my school district. 

Deborah Devine