Fun-Filled Apple Math Centers

1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple Math With Me

I never mind putzing a bit to make a math center because once you’re done making your activities things are easy-peasy.

I designed this packet so students are empowered because they set up the center, do the activity independently, check their work via the answer-key posters, make corrections if needed, then put things back where they belong.

No more prep for you, so you’re freed up while children are happily engaged.

Plus you can reuse this “apple-icious” math center every year. Woo hoo!

I keep my apples with a pipe cleaner stem in a large ZipLock Baggie and have included labels so you can separate the 0-10 apples from the 11-20 ones.

I created the patterns in such a way that you can easily diversify your lessons, while practicing a variety of standards such as:

* Sequencing, patterning, number recognition, counting forwards & backwards, +1 addition, -1 subtraction, groups/sets, subitizing, sorting odd & even, number word recognition, plus greater & less than.

There are so many independent center options that I've included a list of suggestions.

For example, I have one set of apples where I've glued the number leaf and mathcing oval set of seeds to an apple, which is labeled with that number word.

For this math center students count and string that many beads on the pipe cleaner stem, which matches the appropriate numbers on the apple.

They can use all one color, or show me an AB-AB or ABC-ABC color pattern.

For another activity, the leaves and center options are laminated, then individually cut out.

Children match the leaves and various centers to the appriate apple.

Even though I'm not teaching reading to my Y5s, I still put the number words on the leaves and apples.

They enjoy these games so much, that the continued repetition of seeing number words associated with a specific number, eventually sinks in by association, so many start reading those words on their own!

You can also use the patterns to make a set of apples without a pipe cleaner stem. I simply glued on a strip of brown paper.

We use this set for sequencing the numbers from 0-20, as well as sorting them on the odd or even number mats.

To reinforce the fact that apples can be red, yellow and green, I make a set of each color.

Students can make matches with the apples, (great for "Memory Match" or "I Have; Who Has?" games) as well as showing a row of color patterns.

For another set of apples, I glue a blank white oval to the center.

Children pick a number leaf, place it at the top then use black or brown pony beads to make a group of that many "seeds", which practices counting, making groups/sets, number recognition, plus one-to-one correspondence!

Besides using the variety of pattern choices for activities in your math center, you can laminate a class set of blank apples, as a quick, easy and super-fun way to whole group assess.

Call out a number. Using a dry erase marker, students write that number on their leaf, and make that many "seed" dots on the center oval, then place that many "seed beads" on the pipe cleaner stem.

When they are done, they hold their apple in the air. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

This is an inexpensive and easy enough craft, that students could also make their own apple, then take it home for continued practice there.

Today's featured, apple-themed FREEBIE, is another fun way to help your students practice number recognition, counting and sequencing.

As with my other math centers, I keep each one of the puzzles in their own ZipLock Baggie. I hope your kiddos enjoy these apple strip puzzles as much as mine do.