Algebra Math Centers for Middle School Math

After a successful round of math STAR testing today, the sixth graders will be back at it tomorrow with some more functions! Here is what we have in store for math workshop! Don’t forget to check out my book, Making Math Workshop Work, if you are interested in a complete guide to getting workshop started in your class!

Teacher Center
At our teacher center we will be focusing on taking a function from a table, writing it as an equation, and then being able to graph the equation using a t-chart. This lesson can be a lot to take in at first, so we are spending a second day learning about how to do this! My students that already have got it down will be working on the enrichment problems, which require them to work with functions that are a bit more complicated! Click here or on the picture to find a copy!

Homework Center
During the homework center, students will have an assignment from our Math Connects textbook. This will be some more practice taking a function from a table, writing an equation, and graphing the equation on a coordinate plane. Like I said, this can be a lot at first for sixth grade, so this will be an important center for students to practice what we have just covered at the teacher center! I give students the option of two different assignments...A or B. Homework A is the "regular" homework and homework B is a little more challenging. Students decide for themselves how they are feeling about a particular lesson.

Problem Solving
Tomorrow we will be starting a new Problem of the Month from the Inside Mathematics website. I've talked a lot about these before, but I have to say again how much I love these! Click the link or the picture to find out for yourself how great they are! Tomorrow I am using the Growing Staircases problem. I print off six of the problems on colored cardstock for each group to use, since there is a maximum of six students working on it at any given time during our math center rotations.

Technology/Hands-on Center
At our technology/hands-on center, my sixth graders will be playing a math review game that we learned a few months ago at the beginning of our algebra units - Algebra Top-it. I created Algebra Top-it for students to practice substituting in a number for a variable and solving expressions. The game is similar to the card game War, however students need to roll a die and flip over a card each round. After solving the expression using the number they rolled for the variable, they see who has the greater solution. Winner gets the cards! Make sure you grab a copy! Or better yet, follow my TPT store and blog and get one for free (see the banner in my store for more info!).

Have a great rest of your week!