Math Tubs

Hi everyone!  I hope everyone is having a great weekend!  I am excited to be starting Math tubs this week! This post contains lots of freebies and links so be sure to click everything so you don't miss out!

I spent Friday afternoon prepping my students' first tub activities!  This year, I have 4 tubs {technically 5, but the I.S. para is coming in to do a tub with my IEP students}.  This is only my fourth year doing Math tubs but I have found that they are simple to manage with the way I have them set up.  The main time-taker with tubs is material prep.  I like to stay ahead on my copying/creating and last spring, I organized all of my seasonal goodies, so I am pretty set for the year {so I say until I download/purchase 9 million more activities that I see and like!!!}.  

Prior to starting tubs, I place my students in groups.  This is random for now but I will do differentiated groups as the year progresses.  I make my cards and labels, laminate them, and put them in a Target $1.00 pocket chart.  I have found that pritning on card stock works best.  I put the coordinating graphic on the front of each tub.  I bought these tubs from Target two years ago.  I use a circus theme in my classroom but I made a more basic editable set to share with you!  To download them, click the picture below.

The Friday before starting, we go over expectations and how the tubs are going to work.  My students and I make a simple anchor chart.  They know that not every first grade class in my building does Math tubs and that they are a privilege.  Once the expectations are set, I put them in their groups and give out manipulatives for them to explore.  This gives me a feel for how they will work in their actual Math tub groups.  I put out pattern blocks, Base-10 blocks, Geo-boards, and dominoes.  Every 10 minutes or so, I ring the cleanup bell and we practice cleaning all materials up before rotating to the next station.

Through my trials over the years, I have found that going to multiple centers a day does not work for me.  I know lots of people do and I praise you for it if you are one of them!  I just can't.  It's too chaotic and the cleanup time takes too long for me.  My students visit one tub per day and then after school, I rotate the name cards down on the pocket chart.  I run my tubs Monday-Thursday with Friday afternoon being review and then an art project or Fun Friday.

My first few weeks of Math tubs will be pretty simple so students can work somewhat independently while I float around and monitor behavior.  I like to use lots of Sheri Sloane's games!  Here's what's up this week:

Toss and Tally
Doh Numbers and Number Words
Count and Color
One More

*I am OCD about keeping the supplies in the tubs organized.  I love the little crayon holders I got at Office Depot for 1 penny a few weeks ago!  Anyone else get them!?!  I may have gotten a million...just in case...

Did you find this post helpful?  I am considering doing a weekly Sunday Math Tub post where I share links to the materials that I'm using.  Please leave feedback below if this is something that you would like to see!

Megan
xo