“What does it mean to drag and drop?” “Where do I type my answer?” “What do I do when I’m done?”
Questions just like these can come up when students are getting familiar with digital activities. This is especially true after a whole summer away from educational technology.
Using digital math centers in the elementary classroom may seem like a no-brainer to most of us now. However, to students, it may not be that simple.
They need to get reacquainted with the technology. They need to learn the specific directions of each center. Then they need to focus on the actual math content.
It can be a lot to juggle right off the bat in a new school year!
For me and my students, using a starter set of math centers has always kicked off the school year in a positive way. My students were able to learn the expectations I had for completing math centers in a way that allowed them to be successful. They were able to practice the rules and procedures first with content that was reviewing skills from the previous grade level. In turn, they would approach the centers I used throughout the year with a feeling of readiness and confidence.
Since I have already created printable starter sets to help you get your school year started right, it seemed natural to provide digital versions of those centers. That way, if you decide to use printable, digital, or a hybrid, I have you covered!
Let me show you the digital math centers included in the starter packs (available for grades 3-5)!
Roll and Answer Digital Math Center
This center is a favorite of many students. After all, it feels like they’re playing a game even though they’re learning all along! You may opt to provide students with real dice, but if not, I have linked each slide to virtual dice to make everything digitally friendly.
For each center, students will roll the dice and perform the task shown on the board. The center shown above is an example of the fifth-grade starter pack. Students will read the number in standard form, then write it in word form on the digital answer sheet.
An element of this center that teachers will love is the self-checking aspect. An answer slide is included, so students are able to check their own work after they are finished! All they have to do is drag a moveable rectangle away to check the answer below (that way they can’t see the answers in the slide preview along the left side of the program!).
To purchase complete grade-level sets of Roll and Answer Math Games to use in conjunction with the free starter pack, click on your grade level: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, or 5th Grade. Digital activities are included for each grade level!
Digital Math Choice Boards
Students love being able to choose the tasks they complete. (I mean, who doesn’t like to have a little choice in what they do?) These math choice boards allow them to do just that. Each choice board is geared toward one standard or skill. The choice boards included in this starter pack focus on whole numbers. The students will practice representing, comparing, and performing operations with whole numbers.
In this digital version, each task links to a workspace slide where students can complete the activity. Digital number cards are included on each slide for students to create numbers with which to answer accompanying questions.
When the task chosen is complete, your student can click on “Back to Choice Board” on the screen and work on the next activity. Did I mention it’s easy to keep track of which tasks they’ve completed? When they return to the choice boards, they can move a transparent “chip” over the text to show they’re done!
To purchase complete grade-level sets of Math Choice Boards to use in conjunction with the free starter pack, click on your grade level: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, or 5th Grade. The digital versions are currently being updated and added to each grade level.
Digital Math Center – Number Puzzles
While the other centers included in this pack are ones I consistently use for all of the skills I teach throughout the year, I also offer my students other types of centers. This is an example of one of those centers.
In this activity, students will match three forms of a number. Depending on the grade level of the center, they will match the standard form, word form, expanded form, and models of the number.
To purchase complete grade-level sets of Standards-Based Math Centers to use in conjunction with the free starter pack, click on your grade level: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, or 5th Grade. Digital versions are included in each set.
Digital Math Sorts
Students have always enjoyed practicing math with sorts. In this starter pack, students will read word problems and sort them according to the operation they need to use to solve the problem. Depending on the grade level, students will sort between multiplication and division (as shown in the fifth-grade sort above), addition or subtraction, or all four operations.
An optional slide is included for solving each problem to add a challenge to the activity!
To purchase complete grade-level sets of Math Sorts to use in conjunction with the free starter pack, click on your grade level: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, or 5th Grade. Digital math sorts are also included with each set.
Digital Math Task Cards
An oldie, but goodie! There is a reason why task cards are so popular. They not only offer students a great way to practice a multitude of skills, but they are also versatile depending on the needs of your students. The digital version is no different.
I have included a set that utilizes a digital answer sheet, which is handy for whole-class review on an interactive whiteboard or other display. Additionally, I have included a version that requires students to type their answers right on the slide with the question.
The task cards included in this starter pack focus on various place value skills.
At this time, my math task cards are only available in printable formats. To purchase complete grade-level PRINTABLE ONLY sets of Math Task Cards, click on your grade level: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, or 5th Grade.
Find the Error Digital Math Activity
Give your students a chance to be the teacher! These digital math activities focus on error analysis. Your students will read a math problem and determine where the student made a mistake in their work. Then they will explain what the student did wrong and answer the problem correctly.
These centers can really challenge your students’ thinking by making them verbalize how a math problem needs to be answered and explain why a student may make a mistake.
To purchase complete grade-level sets of Find the Error Tasks to use in conjunction with the free starter pack, click on your grade level: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, or 5th Grade. Digital versions are included.
Benefits of Using the Free Digital Math Center Starter Packs
The digital math centers for each grade level review a few skills from the previous grade level. This allows you to teach rules and procedures for digital math activities and centers before you teach new math skills. You can be certain students understand the expectations of the centers they will be completing all year long by starting with these sets in the first couple weeks of school.
By starting with review content, your students won’t be focused on learning new skills. They will be paying attention to learning the rules and expectations you have for completing digital centers. You can be sure to iron out any misconceptions they have or tech questions before introducing new math content.
Should I assign all of the centers to my students?
Pick and choose the centers you want to use in your classroom with your students. Don’t feel obligated to assign all of them right away – or even at all. Choose the centers that work best for you and your students. I prefer to start the year with task cards, roll and answer activities, and math choice boards. Then, I introduce the others as the year goes on and add them to our centers, or replace them with a center occasionally.
Get the Free Digital Math Center Starter Packs Here
These math center starter packs are available for FREE in my TeachersPayTeachers store. Click on your grade level and you will go straight to my store to download the resource. The links to access the digital math centers can be found on page 10 of each PDF.
3rd Grade Launching Guided Math Centers FREE Starter Pack
4th Grade Launching Guided Math Centers FREE Starter Pack
5th Grade Launching Guided Math Centers FREE Starter Pack
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More Helpful Posts about Math Centers:
These posts are super helpful if you are just starting out and would like more detailed information. Just click on the title to be taken to the blog post:
Getting Started with Math Centers
How to Launch Guided Math Centers
Guided Math Procedures to Teach
Scheduling Your Math Block for Guided Math Centers
My Top Tip for Making Math Centers Work for Me
Calculator, machine for automatically performing arithmetical operations and
certain mathematical functions. Modern calculators
are descendants of a digital
arithmetic machine devised by Blaise Pascal in 1642. Later in the 17th century,
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz created a more-advanced machine, and, especially in the
late 19th century, inventors produced calculating machines that were smaller and
smaller and less and less laborious to use. In the early decades of the 20th century,
desktop adding machines and other calculating devices were developed. Some were key-driven,
others required a rotating drum to enter sums punched into a keyboard, and later the drum was spun by electric motor.
Hello Mrs. Findley,
Thank you for always sharing your resources! I have been looking for digital math centers since my campus went 1:1 with chromebooks for our students. These activities are great for review, intervention and extension. It allows me to differentiate the needs of my students easily.
Thank you,
Melina