Grade: Elementary
Subject: Mathematics

#2570. 2nd Grade Math Stations

Mathematics, level: Elementary
Posted Sat May 4 10:10:56 PDT 2002 by Eric Waara (ewaara@sheboygan.k12.wi.us).
Cooper Elementary School, Sheboygan, United States
Materials Required: Masking tape, play money, large map, tape measures, marker, white contact paper,jar or box
Activity Time: 15 - 20 minutes per station
Concepts Taught: Money, Area, Perimeter, Map Skills with addition

Math Stations (Cooperative Learning)

Over this past year we have had math stations once a week. The students were put into groups of three and we would rotate to 6 different stations. The stations lasted for about 15 minutes. The stations would correspond with what we were learning for math during that time. Here are a couple examples of various stations we had this year.

First Example: Money Ladder
I created a large ladder on the floor using masking tape. The ladder had 11 rungs. Each rung had a different problem written on it. The students answered the problem by putting the right amount of money in the space above the rung with the question they had just answered. They worked their way up to the top of the ladder one step at a time. The questions also got harder as they got higher up on the ladder.

Second Example: Perimeter and Area of Shapes
I used masking tape and created various polygons on the classroom floor. The students then, using a tape measure, had to find the perimeter of each shape. They used the tiles on the floor to find the area of each polygon.

Third Example: Distance on a Map
I used a very large United States map for this station. I connected various capitals on the Western part of our country with white contact paper. I then added, using small, white circular stickers the mileage it would take to go from one city to the other. Next, I typed out each capital city onto a sheet of paper and cut them out. I put these names into a jar. The students then had to pick two of these papers out of the jar and find the distance between them. They tried to complete as many as they could in the time limit available. They could use a calculator for this station if they needed to.

A major part of these stations were learning how to work together as teams. The students learned that in order, for example, to reach the top of the ladder in 15 minutes they needed to work as a team.