When you’re thinking about back to school, a common theme is apples, which I love to use as well.

But many of us go back to school long before apple season. (Our district goes back during the last week of July.)

So if you’re looking for a simple early math center to get kids engaged during those early weeks, this sunflower making ten playdough math center is a great fit for first grade!

Any time I can make a resource hands-on, I jump at the chance.

And because you can use this with several kinds of manipulatives, it’s versatile. Which is great if you’re still trying to get your classroom supplies sorted at the start of the year.

Read on to see how to get your copy of this resource – free!

And, for more fun in the sun, take a look at our simple Coffee Filter Crab Craft!

Sunflower Making Ten Playdough Math Center

To use this early math center, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are used below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Laminator (optional)
• Scissors
• Playdough

This resource includes ten sunflower addition circle cards – each displays a pair of numbers that equal a sum of 10.

There are also ten yellow ten frames inside.

You can print the resource with regular printer paper if you’re only planning to use it once.

But if you intend to reuse it (like most of us teachers do), laminate the cards and ten frames before you cut them out.

How to Use The Making Ten Playdough Math Center

When you’re ready to begin this activity, ask your class about how we add numbers to make ten. If they’ve never done it before, have them hold up all ten fingers.

Walk them through adding a couple of different numbers to make ten.

For example, you could say: “Hold up all ten fingers. We’re going to count out three together. As we count each one, put that finger down. 1-2-3.”

They should have seven fingers still extended. Use this to show that 3+7 = 10. Repeat with a few other combinations.

Now you can demonstrate the activity.

At the center, put down an addition circle card and a ten frame. Use two different colors of playdough.

Make enough playdough balls to represent the first numeral. Then use the second color to make playdough balls that represent the second numeral.

Show students how to count each group and then add them all up to make ten.

If you don’t have playdough, you can use just about any math manipulative you can think of.

Coins, buttons, stickers, math counters – even LEGO blocks or drawing circles with dry erase markers would work well.

Scroll down to get your copy of this Sunflower Making Ten Math Center!

Take a look at these other early math activities for centers!

To get your copy of this sunflower adding to make ten center, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – coming this Sunday!

>>> Sunflower Make Ten Playdough Center <<<

The post Sunflower Playdough Making Ten Math Center appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Math centers. Once they’re organized and ready to go, they’re awesome – especially for primary grades.

Kids can rotate from station to station, completing hands-on learning activities and getting some practice for concepts you’ve gone over in class.

It’s the prepping part that is…a challenge.

If you’re looking for some tips on how to prep a math center faster, here are three suggestions that have been working for me.

Even better, one of my math center prep hacks makes it easy to clean activities in between groups of students. Which is super important, especially these days.

Read on to read my math center prep tips! And, for more fun math activities for early grades, take a look at my list of printable counting puzzles!

Three Tips for How to Prep a Math Center – Fast!

1. Choose the activities you plan to include before you print.

This is a mistake I’ve made all too often. I love the center and the activities in it, so I think “I’ll use all of these!” and I print the entire thing.

Reality: I never end up using everything. Never.

There are a couple of activities that are a big hit and those are the ones the kids want to do again and again. Huge waste of time (and ink!)

Scroll through the center to find the worksheets or activities that will be a good fit for your students.

Write down the page numbers for printing those specific pages. Then start printing what you need.

2. Gather up the manipulatives and tools you’ll need for each activity.

Math center activities for early grades usually include different kinds of tools and movable pieces.

I find it best to get all of these items together before I start preparing the center itself.

When I’m prepping center activities, I tend to use hook and loop sticky dots, scissors, and O rings.

The activities are designed for use with dry erase markers (or crayons), transparent spinners, and clothespins, among other manipulatives.

So I put all of the tools I need to prep the center in one group and the tools students will need to use the center in another.

Then I’m not running back and forth to my desk when I need to switch from assembling one activity to another.

And I already have the items students will use for the center in one place too. That makes it much easier to organize each activity as I go along.

3. Use clear laminate to cover each activity or worksheet page.

But my absolute favorite tip for how to prep a math center is to use clear laminate to cover every activity.

Personally, I’m partial to the Smooth Top® EasyLiner® from Duck Brand.

Clear laminate works just like the laminating sheets in your laminator.

The advantage is that you don’t have to wait for the laminator to heat up (which seems to take forever).

And, you don’t have to wait in line to use the machine (which also seems to take forever).

EasyLiner® also comes with helpful gridlines that make measuring the right amount a snap!

I just roll out several inches of the clear laminate – gridlines facing up.

Then I lay the activity page on top. The edge of the page is my measuring line.

Cut the length of clear laminate you need.

The gridlines side is the removable piece you’ll need to peel off. I find it best to snip a tiny corner off.

Then it’s easier to peel the backing off in one piece, which avoids leaving crease marks on the laminate.

Lay the laminate down, sticky side up. Then place the activity directly on top, face down.

Flip the page over, add a second sheet to cover the back (if needed), smooth it out, and you’re done!

All that’s left now is to cut out any activity pieces and add other items (such as the sticky dots you see above).

Removable Adhesive EasyLiner has another advantage: It wipes clean.

So, if you need to sanitize your math center activities in between groups, you can use cleaning wipes on the pages with no problem.

I love clear laminate for making dry erase activities in my centers.

With it, I can turn any printable worksheet into a reusable center activity.

When the pages are covered with clear laminate, I can let students use dry erase markers or dry erase crayons.

Then just use a napkin (or a napkin plus water for wet erase markers) and we’re good to go for the next group!

Watch me cover a math center activity with clear laminate below!

I hope these tips for how to prep a math center faster have been of help to you.

If you use any in your classroom, let me know which ones worked!

See more of my apple-themed math center activities for early grades below!

The post 3 Tips for Prepping Math Centers – Fast! appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Our devices show us the time on demand, but kids still need to understand length of time, elapsed time, and how to count the way time passes.

Which means learning to relate analog time to digital clock numbers is still necessary.

So I’m sharing an apple-themed telling time math center that makes teaching this concept fun and hands-on for first graders!

This math center is loaded with active ways to reinforce understanding of both analog and digital time!

Read on to see how to get your copy.

For more apple-themed math practice, take a look at our Apple Shapes Early Geometry Lesson too!

Apple Time! Telling Time Math Center for First Grade

To use this first grade telling time math center with your students, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Cardstock (useful for the learning cards and clip cards)
• Transparent spinners
• Hook and loop sticky dots
• Clothespins
• Laminator (optional)

This 55-page early elementary math center features several hands-on telling time activities for first grade.

The two-page spin and color analog clock activity is awesome for practicing telling time to the hour and half hour.

The circle the digital time activity helps students relate analog time to digital clock numbers.

The two-page write the digital time activity gives them a chance to practice writing time correctly.

A full line art version of each activity is included.

Use the enclosed answer key to make grading a snap!

Along with the reinforcement activities, this center includes telling time clip cards.

These allow students to practice matching the correct digital clock to the given analog clock time.

There’s also a set of time to the hour and time to the half hour flashcards.

And a set of learning cards that allow students to look at the given analog time and find the correct digital time card to match!

How to Use a Telling Time Math Center with Students

Once you have this telling time center printed, it’s time to start using it with students!

For the spin and color activity, simply hand out each page to the students and let them use spinners and crayons to mark off each time they find.

Since one worksheet features time to the hour and the second time to the half hour, you can save the half-hour activity until your students are ready to practice that concept.

Get a look at this activity in the video below!

When you’re ready to use the clip cards, print them (on cardstock, if possible) and then cut them out. You may want to laminate them for durability as well.

These are perfect for use with small groups. Just add clothespins!

For the learning cards, assemble the flashcards and place them on a ring for students to use until they’re comfortable identifying the times on their own.

To make the learning cards into a reusable activity, attach hook and loop sticky dots and laminate the time cards.

Students can then match them up with the analog apple times over and over again!

Scroll down to get your copy of this first grade telling time math center!

Take a look at these other ways to teach math in early grades!

The post Apple Time! First Grade Telling Time Math Center appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

As children grow, however, we don’t just want them to know shapes by their general appearance. We want to teach them how to differentiate shapes by counting their sides and vertices (corners).

In fact, this is a required standard for kindergartners.

To make learning this concept easier, even for distance learning, I’m sharing a simple Digital Shape Sides Sorting Activity!

This is such an easy activity for early geometry lessons!

Read on to find out how to get your copy and to see the lesson in action! And, for digital math ideas, take a look at my digital Ladybug Number Word Puzzles!

2D Geometric Digital Shape Sides Sorting Activity

To use this Shapes and Sides! Digital Shape Sides Sorting Activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• A computer compatible with Google Slides (We use these Google Chromebooks)
• Or a tablet compatible with Google Slides (such as this iPad)
• The Shapes and Sides! Digital Activity (available in my TPT store)

This product includes three digital shape sorting activity pages, which feature nine different 2D geometric shapes.

Each of the pages has a chart with a blank “shape” column.

Students will need to examine the three shapes on each page and then count the sides and vertices (corners).

Then they drag and drop the correct shape onto the matching row with the corresponding number of sides and vertices.

This activity can be used with an Apple Pencil, if students are working on iPads, or just by using their fingers to drag and drop the shapes on any tablet!

Watch the video below to get a look at this product in action!

Scroll down to pick up your Shapes and Sides! Digital Geometry Activity!

Don’t miss these other digital learning activities for early grades!

To get your copy of this Shapes and Sides! Geometric Shape Sorting Activity, click the image or the link below to get it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

> Shapes & Sides! Shape Sides Sorting Activity <

The post Shapes and Sides! Digital Shape Sides Sorting Activity appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Our smallest learner has been recognizing numbers for years.

She can count all the way to 100 and she is so proud to tell you about it.

Every. Single. Chance. She. Gets.

But I noticed that she needed a little more help recognizing number words, so I wanted to make learning that as fun as possible.

Which is how we ended up with this rainbow number word matching activity! I thought this would be a wonderful early math lesson and so I’m sharing it with all of you too!

Read on to see how to get this number word recognition activity for your little ones!

Need to use it as a digital activity that your students can complete online? Keep reading to see how to grab it as a digital lesson!

And, for more math learning, don’t miss our list of 10 math activities for kids with ADHD.

They’re all hands-on and easy to set up, so your active learners won’t have to sit around waiting.

Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity for Kids

This number word activity is a perfect fit for early spring math centers!

Since it involves basic literacy skills, it’s best suited for kindergartners. But if you have preschoolers are who are ready for number words, feel free to use it with them.

For this number word matching activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Laminator
• Scissors
• Hook and loop sticky dots
• Colored pencils (optional)

Once you print out the product, use scissors to cut out the rainbows and the cloud number words.

Time to break out the sticky dots!

Just place one on each side of the rainbow and one on the back of each cloud.

Then let the kids practice matching up the number word clouds with the correct number rainbows!

One cloud goes on each side of each rainbow.

Like so!

There are rainbows and clouds for the numerals and number words all the way to ten!

These would make a great busy bag activity for little ones too! Just assemble them and store them in a bag for later.

Need to save on ink? Use the lineart version!

Let the kids color the rainbows themselves, then laminate them and assemble like usual.

Digital Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity for Kids

If you’re using distance learning or just prefer digital activities with your students, you can pick up the digital version of this activity!

This resource is compatible with Google Slides and you can use it on a tablet or on a desktop computer with a mouse.

All ten rainbows are included, along with the number word clouds.

An answer key is also provided for ease of grading.

Get a look at this digital math activity action in the video below!

Scroll down to pick up these Rainbow Number Word Matching Puzzles!

Check out these other fun math ideas for early grades!

 

 

 

 

Want to use this activity as a digital lesson for distance learning?

Click the image or the link below to pick up the digital version of this product from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Digital Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

The post Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

It’s science, y’all.

Well, not really, but I have noticed that when students get to use manipulatives or games to reinforce math lessons, they remember them so much better.

And that’s why I’ve come to love math centers. They’re just adorable and awesome, especially for early grades.

To welcome spring, I thought it would be fun to share a bee-themed counting math center that helps students learn how to count one more and one less!

This is a wonderful resource for kindergarten and first grade students who are working on counting fluency.

Read on to see how to get your set! And, for more spring math fun, don’t miss our Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets!

Bee Buzz and Spin! Bee Themed Counting Math Center

To use these bee themed counting math center activities, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Pencils
• Laminator (optional)
• Dry erase markers (optional)
• Transparent spinners (optional)

This product includes:

• Four bee-themed spin and cover one more or one less worksheets
• Four bee-themed spin and cover find the number mats
• Four bee-themed spin and cover count one more game boards
• And four bee-themed spin and cover count one less game boards

You can use these as a one-time practice activity or you can laminate them for reuse at centers or in morning tubs.

To play the spin & cover one more or one less games, students can spin the numbers on the bee and find the number that is one more or one less than the numeral they land on.

Cross them out with dry erase markers (if the pages are laminated) or pencils until they’re all gone!

If you want to make a simple spinner, just use a paper clip and a pencil point.

Students can hold the pencil upright and spin the clip to see which number it lands on.

If you prefer to use game spinners, though, these transparent spinners are perfect!

And they’re sturdy enough to stand up to multiple uses.

Scroll down to get your copy of this Bee Buzz & Spin Spring Math Center!

Don’t miss these other spring math activities!

To get your copy of this spring-themed Bee Counting Math Center, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Bee Buzz & Spin! Math Center – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

The post Bee Buzz and Spin! Bee Counting Math Center appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

We’re about a month out for spring, but I’m ready for it NOW.

Like yesterday.

Today, I’m excited to share a brand new set of spring worksheets for kids: Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets that are perfect for early grades!

I’ve been working on the concept of multiplication with my boys this year.

Once you get the idea that multiplication is just adding groups of numbers rapidly, then it’s easier to understand how to solve multiplication problems.

And repeated addition is a big help in mastering that concept.

This set of math worksheets features repeated addition problems in a fun spring theme!

Read on to see how to get your copy! And don’t miss our printable All About Flowers Spring Unit Study!

Spring Worksheets for Kids: Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets

To use these flower repeated addition worksheets, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Pencils
• Laminator (optional)
• Dry erase markers (optional)

This product includes two worksheets that display the concept of repeated addition.

As well as two worksheets that use the same flower groups to display basic multiplication.

The addition problems are fairly simple and only use numbers from 1 to 6.

There are problems that show 3 + 3 + 3, which is the same as 3 x 3, 5 + 5, which is the same as 2 x 5, and so on.

The multiplication worksheets are a wonderful introduction to multiplying for early grades!

And you can laminate them and use them with dry erase markers at math centers.

A complete answer key is also included!

Scroll down to get your set of Spring Flower Addition Worksheets!

Don’t miss these other spring learning ideas!

To get your copy of our Spring Repeated Addition Worksheets, click the image or the link below to grab it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

> Flower Addition Worksheets – Teachers Pay Teachers <

The post Spring Flowers! Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

One of the things I love most about spring is waiting for rain showers to end so we can try to spot some rainbows.

You know how you always heard about “the end of the rainbow”? Well, it turns out there is no end.

I just read the other day that the rainbow always changes arc direction depending on your position. So as you travel, it seems to travel too.

Bummer.

They may not be what they appear, but rainbows are still plenty of fun for kids.

And that’s why I thought I’d make some rainbow tally marks worksheets for kids who are working on counting with tally marks!

These would be fantastic for spring math centers! Simply laminate the pages and let students use them with dry erase markers!

And be sure to grab more of our spring worksheets for kids, including our Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets!

Rainbow Tally Marks Worksheets for Kids

To use these rainbow tally marks worksheets for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Pencils
• Laminator (optional)
• Dry erase markers (optional)

Counting with tally marks can seem old-fashioned, but it’s still a wonderful math skill for kids to learn.

When students use tallies, they practice one to one correspondence, skip counting by fives, and number sense (understanding what numerals actually mean).

This product contains: 

• Three color rainbow tally marks counting worksheets
• Three line art rainbow tally marks counting worksheets
• A full answer key
• A mini lesson about how to count with tally marks
• And a set of instructions!

Review the mini tally marks lesson with your class and then let the students get to work!

You might also find it helpful to keep a copy of the lesson at the math center for easy reference.

Scroll down to get your copy of these Rainbow Tally Marks Worksheets!

Check out our other rainbow learning ideas!

To get your copy of our Rainbow Tally Marks Worksheets, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

> Rainbow Tally Marks Lesson – Teachers Pay Teachers <

The post Fun Rainbow Tally Marks Worksheets for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

There wasn’t an introductory lesson about it in early grades. 

So I think it’s good that students get to learn about making equal shares in first and second grade – before they get to the concept of fractions. It makes the concept much clearer later on.

I wanted to make a hands on math activity that would help first and second graders to learn this geometry concept – this Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity!

I feel pretty confident that I’m not the only donut lover on Earth, so I thought this would be a fun math center activity for early grades!

Read on to see how to get your copy. And, for more fun with donuts, take a look at our Donut Colors! Sentence Writing Activity! 

Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity

To use this making equal shares activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Child-safe scissors
• Glue stick
• Laminator (Optional)
• Hook and loop sticky dots (Optional)
• Dry erase markers (Optional)

This product includes:

• Two pages of unlabeled color donut pieces
• Two pages of labeled color donut pieces
• Eight line art fill in the blank donut cards
• A full answer key
• And a set of instructions!

You can use this as a one-time cut and paste lesson.

Just print the pages, let students cut out the parts, and then glue them into the donut cards to fill in the donut with the correct number of equal shares.

Be sure to have students label the number of shares and use the unlabeled donut pieces to name each part as a fraction (if you like).

You can also make this into a reusable math center!

Laminate the pages and cut out the donut shares. Then add hook and loop sticky dots to the back of the donut parts and the donut cards.

Students can use them over and over again!

Scroll down to get this Donut Making Equal Shares Activity!

Don’t miss these other hands-on math ideas for early grades!

And see more ways to teach math on my Math Mania! Pinterest board!

To get your copy of this Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity, click the image or the link below to grab it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Math Center – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

The post Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity for Early Grades appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

But it doesn’t end there!

Counting leads to recognizing inequalities – which numbers are greater or less – and recognizing the difference between even and odd numbers as well. 

Since teaching during winter can be a bit of a drag (at least it can for me), I thought this fun Yeti math practice for early grades lesson would be a fun way to perk up these basic math skills!

These fun snowman-themed practice drills feature skip counting, odd and even, inequalities, and more – all at a level that is perfect for early elementary grades!

Read on to see how to get your set – free! And, for more winter learning fun, don’t miss my Snow Globe Grammar Parts of Speech Sorting Activity!

Yeti Math! Math Practice for Early Grades

To use this math practice for early grades lesson, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper (I used Astrobright paper)
• Pencils

This product includes:

• Seven skip counting practice sheets
• Two inequality practice sheets
• Two odd and even number practice sheets
• And four addition and subtraction practice sheets

If you want to use these for a math review, hand out each sheet and let students practice on their own.

You could also use them as a math center activity for several lessons!

Just laminate each page and let students practice completing them with dry erase markers.

Then they can try all over again the next day!

Scroll down to get your copy of Yeti Math! Math Practice for Early Grades!

Take a look at these other early math resources!

And see more ways to teach math on my Math Mania Pinterest board!

To get your copy of Yeti Math! Math Practice for Early Grades free, sign up for our email newsletter! You’ll receive access to this resource, plus loads more, in our exclusive Subscriber Library!

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The post Yeti Math! Math Practice for Early Grades appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.