Guppy Graphs

This is a Math interactive bulletin board that teaches the basics of graphing. This is a great way to teach students how to look at data and analyze their findings using a bar graph! Perfect for teaching greater than and less than in its most basic form. Here are the products I used...

• PAC57340 - Magenta Fadeless 24X12 Paper
• T92408 - Sparkle Fish Scalloped Trimmer
• T8086 - 100 Day Fish Bowl BBS
• CTP5184 - White Small Horizontal Calendar (Cut the header with the days of the week off and taped 2 of them together).
• CTP4628 - Poppin' Patterns Uppercase Letter Stickers (used for the numbers on the graph).
• CTP1228 - 7" Poppin' Patterns Punch Out Letters
• HYG43317 - Assorted Square Pocket Chart Cards (used as cover ups for graph, but post-its would work well too).

If using post its is not possible, another option is to laminate the graph and let students color in the graph with wipe-off markers. The large fish in the set come with the number 10 on them, if you think this will throw your students off, you can always find creative ways to cover them up. As with some of the other centers, include a pocket with a graphing worksheet to be completed by the student. This will help you determine if the center is effective. The directions I typed up using a font I downloaded for free online. The directions read...

- Count all the similar fish.

- Graph your findings.

Happy Fishing!

Puzzling Place Value

Here is a fun and educational math center for learning the basics of place value. This is a skill that most 3rd graders need to understand for standardized testing. Here is how the center works. All the pockets are labeled with a place value. On each card there is a 2-5 digit number. One of the digits is underlined indicating a place value. The student is to determine which place value is being highlighted, then choose the correct pocket. I put stickers on the back of each card that will act as a way for the student to self-check their work. If the sticker on the back matches the one on the pocket, their answer is correct. Below are the instructions I typed up, but you are certainly welcome to do your own or add extra elements as your students require them.

Directions:

1. Choose a number card.
2. Determine which place the underlined number is in.
3. Place card in the pocket that corresponds with that card's place value.
4. After all cards have been placed, flip them over to check your answers.

Another idea would be to attach one of the large pockets used on the front, to the back of the board. Then put a worksheet on place value in the pocket, for students to complete after working at the center. This will help you, as the teacher, determine whether or not the student mastered the skill and if additional instruction is necessary.

Here are the products I used to create this board...

• FLP30045PU - Purple Project Board
• TNT6450 - Real Big Pockets - Bright
• T10805 - Puzzle Mini Accents
• T69034 - Jigsaw Name Plates
• PAC101169 - Colorful Assorted Cardstock
• T79743 - 4" Yellow Playful Punch Out Letters

The words on the pockets I typed up using fonts I downloaded for free online. To make the title I enlarged one of the small puzzle pieces on a copy machine, to create a template that I traced onto colorful pieces of cardstock. I pieced them together to create the background and then put my title on top of it.

Polka Dot Job Chart

So many people are now using the "Dots On Black" Poppin' Patterns Products from Creative Teaching Press and I had a friend of mine, who teaches, ask me if I had any ideas for a job chart. So I put on my thinking cap and this is what came out! The circles in the center of the dots are construction paper circles I cut out and laminated. Then I used velcro to adhere them, so that this chart can be used for several years and only the center circles need to be changed out yearly! I wrote the job title on the outside of the circle at the top. The names of the jobs I used are listed below, but you can always create your own! It always seems to get kids more excited when there is a fun name to go along with the job at hand.

-Weather Reporter

-Calendar Conductor

-Dean of Doors

-Pencil Protector

-Snack Samurai

-Lord of Lights

-Office Outlaw

-Flag Pharoah

-Keeper of Keys

-Board Brigade (2 of these)

-Pet Parent

-Chair Chief

-Lunch Lieutenant

-Paper Pirate

-Fearless Leader

-Plant Prince/Princess

-Captain of Clean

-Earl of Erasers

-Trash Tribe (2 of these)

And here is a list of the products I used to create this fun job chart...

• FLP30049BK - Black Foam Project Board
• CTP3869 - Poppin' Patterns Dots Cutouts
• CTP5933 - Poppin' Patterns Dots Mini Cutouts
• T2704 - 4" White Italic Punch Out Letters
• PAC103045 - Hot Pink 9X12 Construction Paper
• PAC103423 - Brilliant Lime 9X12 Construction Paper
• HYG45215 - Velcro Coins 15 Count

If you have more students than jobs, you might consider attaching a ziploc bag or an expand-a-file onto the back of the board to store your extra student name circles!