Learning Stations

in Primary/Junior Mathematics
April 9, 2016

Todays exploration
Bringing inquiry into the math classroom is a current hot topic.
Encouraging students to explore new concepts, to engage actively in
practice, and to represent their thinking with a variety of tools can be
achieved using Learning Stations which provide students with a cluster
of activities all centred around a common concept. In my classroom,
we use 4 learning stations and rotate through them, exploring a single
concept from a variety of perspectives. Afterwards, we consolidate our
thinking together, and construct another entry into our interactive math
notebooks. If youre interested in seeing samples, having some time to
work in a small group to create a set of stations for your classroom,
and then benefiting from the collective creations of the group, please
join this session, geared to Primary/Junior classrooms.

What is your greatest barrier?

Take a moment to write down your greatest barrier to using

learning stations in the math classroom. Share your barrier
with an elbow partner and add it to our baggage bag, if
youre comfortable sharing with the group.

Lets see if we can break down these barriers today.

Division Learning Stations

video clip of classroom in action

How do centres help me?

Video clip made by students.
Centres help me to do math because I use
manipulative to help me with my strategies.
I do new things.

iPad

laptop

EQAO

problems
laptop

Learning Stations
One Way

Video of the classroom, noting the variety of tools in use:

tiles, money, bingo dabbers and chart paper, the Smart
Board and iPads.

Differentiated Learning

Video clip of a student checking the

work of another pair of students, and helping
them to find an error.

Rich Conversations

Video of two students solving a

money problem. One uses money
pieces and the other uses virtual
money on the smartboard.

Accessibility

Learning Stations
Another Way

Two female students reflect on how learning stations are

helpful to them. They note that they like having 4
lessons in one as they feel they are learning more. They
also like the fact that they can work with the support of
partners and other group members. Students appreciate
being members of a group and having the flexibility to
choose their working partners.

Learning and Reflecting

Its your turn

Explore fractions
using epractice.ca
on the Smartboard
What are the big
idea & intention?

If the contents of the

bag represent 1/2, what
does 1 look like? What if
it represents 1/3?

Use tools to represent

one quarter, one half,
three quarters and
one third. What do
you notice?

Show 1/2 in as many

ways as possible,
using the geoboard app.

visit http://edugains.ca/newsite/math/fractions.html to learn more about teaching fractions

Key Components
common theme/big idea
open questions
partner work

intentional progression and

differentiation for
struggling students
opportunities for

varied materials

enrichment

technology

aiming for Aha!

What Works
manipulatives
consistent groups
routines
visual timer
room layout

Organization - One Way

practice with technology
and/or manipulatives

exploration
with manipulatives

big idea &

intention

application
with problem solving

exploration
with technology

Open Exploration (another way)

Provide a variety of tools and one problem or challenge.
Students flow freely between the tools, and gather/provide
evidence of their learning.
This can be an excellent opportunity for Assessment for
Learning and metacognition.
Differentiated, and allows repeated practice.

Organization
practice with technology
and/or manipulatives

exploration
with manipulatives

big idea &

intention

application
with problem solving

exploration
with technology

Linear Measurement

sample 1

This open exploration was conducted in the school yard.

Students measured 5 objects with each tool, recording data in a table.

rolling metre wheel

measuring tape

choose
appropriate units to
accurately measure
objects

students ruler

metre stick
(marked in dm)

Patterning

sample 2

In this activity set, students explored patterns.

Look at the pattern. Make another
pattern that works in the same way
(the same attributes change, in the
same order). Take a photograph of
the two patterns together and explain
how they are the same. (Making
Math meaningful p611)

A pattern begins like this: 2, 6, ..

How might it continue? Show as
many different possibilities as you
can. (Good Questions p 127)

create and
extend patterns, find
pattern rules and
identify values

Draw out or explain the next three

figures to continue the pattern.
(MMM, p610) Here is one
steamboat. How many steamboats
will you need to make 5
steamboats? 10 steamboats? 20
steamboats? 30 steamboats?
Explain your thinking.

What are all of the patterns you can find

on the hundreds/addition/multiplication
charts? Use highlighters, crayons, etc
to show your thinking. (MMM
pp614-615)

Its your turn!

Think about your curriculum expectations
Identify an important idea that students need to grapple with
Write the idea or intention in the middle of your organizer
Identify four ways students can learn around this intention
Sort the activities so that scaffolding can occur (from concrete
exploration to problem solving and application)

Make a plan
choose a big idea
determine your learning intention
think about what students will already know
come up with 4 ways to explore the big idea, coming from
different perspectives and learning styles
sort the activities into a layout that allows struggling students
to work through a scaffolding process

Window Shopping
Take a gallery walk of the ideas that your co-learners have
built today
Lets talk about it!
How will we share?

Share your ideas

We will take photographs/scans of each page and upload

them to my blog: http://mmesarmatiuk.weebly.com

Checking our baggage

Have we answered some concerns?

Addressed some issues?

Ongoing support

http://mmesarmatiuk.weebly.com