I have six or seven bins for math center rotation. One center can be a group of children working with me on a new concept or on something that only a few children are struggling with. Usually the centers last me two weeks because we don't get to them everyday.

ROUND ONE:

1.  Measurement - Mass - Using weigh scales the children are provided with different gourds and a small pumpkin along with blocks to determine how much each item weighs. They record their data in a math journal. I label each item with a letter so that in the journal they would write A - 11, meaning gourd A weighed 11 blocks.

2. Number Operations - Number fact cards (addition facts up to 9) are provided along with treasures from my collection. The children show the number story using the ghosts and jack o'lanterns.

3. Patterning - I provide the children with paper ends our school receives from a printer and have the children make pattern strips that I use for a border on my Halloween bulletin board. To make the pattern the children use Halloween stamps that I have purchased and use black and orange stamp pads.

4. Sorting - Using Halloween erasers the children determine various rules for sorting as the items are put into Halloween baskets.

5.  Number Concepts - A sheet is provided with a number and a Halloween symbol. The children are expected to draw the quantity of that symbol that the numeral represents.

6. Chance and Probability - Children will play a pumpkin game with dice to see which number is rolled the most often. Each time the dice is rolled the number is recorded under the appropriate column on their chart.

7. Data Collection - Children survey classmates to see if they are wearing a scary Halloween costume or not. (ie. vampire vs. fairy)

ROUND TWO:

1. Measurement -

2. Number Operations - Number fact cards (subtraction facts up to 9) are provided along with treasures from my collection. The children show the number story using the ghosts and jack o'lanterns. (Same materials as used in round one.)

3. Patterning - Using items collected from nature the students glued them onto strips to demonstrate a pattern.

4. Sorting -

5. Number Concepts - Children will count the number of pumpkin seeds they found in their pumpkin from a previous pumpkin carving activity. The seeds will be sorted into groups of tens. The emphasis will be on place value by counting the groups of tens and left over ones.  These will be glued onto a large paper pumpkin with the number recorded at the bottom. This activity will be done as a small group not individually.

6. Data Collection - Using a chart students will survey classmates to see which is the most popular Halloween color.