Center Activities

Numbers

Make a Number Book
* Play Dominoes

Math stories
Using tiny toys and back ground scenes, make math stories. eg: It was a busy day at the airport today. 3 airplanes landed at the airport and 3 more landed after, there were 6 airplanes all together at the airport...
* Create equations for a certan number using manipulatives such as beans, keys, unifix cubes, etc. and have each child draw pictures of the various combinations.
eg: for the number 7, 5 beans + 2 beans = 7 beans
* Stick some stickers on a piece of tag board and laminate. Ask children to circle the stickers into groups of ten using a washable marker. They ask them to count by 10's then 1's to find the answer.
Bean Race
This game can be played in small groups or in pairs. Students take turns rolling a die. Each time they roll it, they pick up the number of beans that corresponds to the number on the die. The first one to get 100 beans wins.
* Play War

Shapes

Tangram Puzzles

Shape Pictures:
Cut out hundreds of shapes out construction paper and ask students to glue them onto another piece of paper to make a picture.
* Make Toothpick Shapes:
Using plasticine and toothpicks, have students make shapes that resememble those drawn on a series of cards.
Make Geometric Solids
Provide students with photocopies of the maps to geometric shapes. Ask them to cut them out and glue the sides together to make solids.
* Graphing Geometry in the Classroom:
Draw a columns on a large roll of paper and label each column for each geometric solid and/or shape they are studying. Ask students to draw pictures of things from the classroom that fall under each column. Eg: a chalk board could go under the rectangle column and a trash can could gounder the cylinder column.
* Make Objects Out of Geometric Solids:
Have students make things out of all the geometric solids that they put together or beforehand, collect boxes, cans, etc. for them to use.

Patterns

Necklaces and Bracelets

*Use of Fruit Loops* Make Patterns Using Unifix Cubes
* Make Patterns Using Keys
* Make Patterns Using Stamps

Measurement

Weight Center
Have a variety of scales and ask students to try weighing things from the classroom. Fold a piece of paper in half and on one side draw an object on the other side draw something that ended up being lighter.

Rice Center
Have a variety of jars and a large container of rice. Allow students to explore the volumes of the different jars.

Measuring With String
Have pieces of string that are a wide variety of length. Allow students to find things around the classroom that are longer, shorter, the same size as the pieces of string.
* Mesuring With Rulers
* Measuring With Paper Clips
* Measuring With Shoes
* Reading a Thermometer:
Provide some thermometers as well as bowls of water that are of different temperatures. Ask students to record the temperature of each of the bowls.

 

A List of Daily Math Graphs

Graph Questions

* What color is your hair?
* What color are your eyes?
* What type of shoe are you wearing? sneakers, sandals, dress shoes...
* What are you going to be for Halloween?
* What kind of Halloween candy do you receive the most of?
* What type of clothing did you where today: shorts, pants, t-shirt, sweater, vest, etc.
* What is your favorite school day?
* What is your favorite holiday?
* What is your favorite season?
* What is your favourite kind of pizza?
* What is your favorite piece of playground equipment?
* What is your favorite summer or winter activity?
* What is your favorite after school activity?
* What is your favorite sport?
* What is your favorite fruit?
* What is your favorite vegetable?
* What is your favorite meal?
* What is your favorite dessert?
* What is your favorite movie?
* What is your favorite cookie?
* What is your favorite pie?
* What's your favorite juice?.
* What is your favorite cereal?
* What is your favorite fast-food restaurant?
* What is your favorite book title?
* What is your favorite literature genre?
* What is your favorite tv show?
* What day is your favorite TV show on?
* What is your favorite cartoon?
* Who is your favorite super hero?
* What is your favorite time of day? morning, afternoon, evening
* What is your favorite centre?
* What is your favorite coin?
* What is your favorite dinosaur?
* What is your favorite game?
* What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
* Who is your favorite story character?
* What is your favorite subject in school?
* What do you hope to do (or did) on your summer holidays: go to another city (go on vacation), swim in a lake, go hiking, etc.
* Where wouldn't you like to go on vacation?
* What mode of transportation did your family use when they went on their last holiday: car, bus, boat, train, plane, etc.
* What would you like to be when you grow up?
* What type of dwelling do you live in? house, apartment, condo, townhouse, basement suite, etc.
* How do you like your apples? sliced sauce baked
* Which do you like to color with? crayon marker pencil crayon
* How do you fasten your shoes? buckles laces velcro
* Would you rather have a pet with ... Fur Fins Feathers
* What kind Of pizza do you Like? Cheese Pepperoni Sausage
* Which soup do you like best?
* What kind of toothpaste do you like best?
* What you like best to write with? pencil, crayon, marker, chalk...
* What month were you born in?
* How do you feel today?
* Is your shirt Striped print plaid or solid?
* What time did you go to sleep last night?
* How many people are in your family?
* How many brothers do you have?
* How many sisters do you have?
* How many grandmothers/fathers do you have?
* How many teeth have you lost?
* How many pets do you have at home?
* How many windows are in your house?
* How many telephones are in your house?
* How many televisions are in your house?
* How many rooms are in your house?
* How many pairs of shoes do you have?
* How many pockets do you have on your clothing today?
* How many syllables are in your first name?
* How many syllables are in your last name?
* How many letters are in your first name?
* How many letters in your last name?
* How many vowels are in your name?
* How many pencils are in your desk?
* How many books are in your desk?
* How many things did you have for breakfast?
* How many doors are in your house?
* Are you left or right handed?
* Are your hands clean or dirty?
* Are you wearing ______ today? (substitute any colour)
* Did you wear a coat, a sweater, or neither to school today?
* Did you wear mittens, gloves, or neither to school today?
* Do you brush, brush and floss, or neither?
* Do you have a four-legged or two-legged pet?
* Do you like baths or showers?
* Do you like to play inside or outside on a rainy day?
* Do you have a hot or cold lunch today?
* Do you like chocolate, plain, or neither milk?
* How did you feel about coming to school? Happy or sad
* How did you get to school?
* How do you feel on the first day of school?
* How do you get to school?
* How old are you?
* Are you wearing long sleeves or short sleeves?
* Where do you like to swim the most? ocean, lake, pool, none

Yes/No Questions

* Do you have buckles on your shoes?
* Do you like anchovies on pizza?
* Do you like to eat watermelon?
* Did you wear a belt?
* Do you wear glasses?
* Did you wear a coat today?
* Did you wear boots today?
* Do you own a watch?
* Do you have a cowboy hat?
* Does your jacket have a hood?
* Do you have a pet?
* Does your first name have more letters than your last name?
* Do you have a middle name?
* Were you named after someone special?
* Do you like to watch sports?
* Do you have any brothers?
* Do you have any sisters?
* Do you have any brothers or sisters in this school?
* Do you have any brothers or sisters in preschool?
* Do you have any brothers or sisters in high school?
* Did you wash your hair last night?
* Do you think your shoe weighs more than your math book?
* Did you eat breakfast this morning?
* Did you have milk at breakfast?
* Do you have a public library card?
* Do you like broccoli?
* Do you have hair longer than your shoulders?
* Do you have hair shorter than their shoulders?
* Do you like macaroni and cheese?
* Do you know what day of the week you were born on?
* Do you think 30 pennies will cover a dollar completely?
* Does it take longer than 30 minutes for you to get to school?
* Do you like strawberry ice cream?
* Do your shoes have black on them?
* Do you know what day Christmas is on?
* Do you walk to school?
* Do you have a 2-wheel bike?
* Do you have pierced ears?
* Do you know how to roller skate?
* Did you brush your teeth this morning?
* Do you have a teddy bear?
* Do you have your own bedroom?
* Do you have a TV in your bedroom?
* Do you think math is easy?
* Do you like sweet potatoes?
* Do you play a sport?
* Did you carry your lunch today?
* Do you like to bring your lunch to school?
* Do you have a sandwich in your lunch today?
* Do you have a computer at home?
* Do you have eyelets in your shoes?
* Do you know how to swim?
* Do you play an instrument?
* Do you like country/western music?
* Does your grandfather have grey hair?
* Did you comb or brush your hair today?
* Do you like to read?
* Do you have a cat?
* Do you have a dog?
* Do you take gymnastics or karate?
* Does your mom work outside the house?
* Does your grandma or grandpa live in the same town as you?
* Do you like oatmeal?
* Do you walk to school?
* Did you go to the library this week?
* Do you have a computer at home?
* Do you ride a bus to school?
* Do you have a garden at home?
* Did you sleep well last night?
* Have you ever ridden in an airplane?
* Have you ever taken dance lessons?
* Have you lost any of your canine teeth?
* Have you ever been to Walt Disney World/Land?
* Have you ever gone fishing?
* Have you ever had to wear a cast?
* Have you seen one of the Great Lakes?
* Have you ever been to the beach?
* Have you ever ridden in a train?
* Were you in bed at 9:30 last night?
* Have you ever been to our province/state capital?
* Have you ever had to stay overnight in a hospital?
* Have you ever ridden a horse?
* Have you ever been to the ocean?
* Have you ever been to a farm?
* Have you had chicken pox?
* Have you been to another country?
* Have you ever had to get stitches?
* Have you ever ridden in a buggy pulled by a horse?
* Have you lived in any other province/state?
* Have you even baked cookies at home?
* Have you ever seen a rainbow?
* Have you ever been to the zoo?
* Have you ever been to the circus?
* Have you ever mailed a letter?
* Have you ever went to a different school?
* Have you ever played the game Monopoly?
* Can you ride a two wheel bike?
* Can you do a flip?
* Can you jump off the diving board at school?
* Can you with a skipping rope?
* Can you speak another language besides English?
* Can you say all of "Peter Picked A Peck of Pickled Peppers" without a mistake?
* Can you do a magic trick?
* Can you walk to school all by yourself?
* Is your hair naturally curly?
* Is your hair red?
* Is your birthday in the summer?
* Is your glue bottle full?
* Is all the snow gone at your house?
* Is (enter season) your favorite season?
* Were you awake at 6:30 this morning?
* Are you going away during spring?
* Are you wearing socks?