Teaching 3rd with Mr G. The Brain Board

Hola everyone! I just wanted to make a quick post and share my Brain Board. As you know, I am still fresh in the game of teaching and many of my activities are inspired by other teachers and teacher blogs. 

This inspiration comes from Hope King at 2nd Grade Shenanigans. 

Located on the board are Hope's monthly activity centers. 

This one is named

Love Me Tender 

(Click on link to check out the unit!)

I have been using these centers since the beginning of the school year and have been changing them out with every season/month.

All you do is laminate file folders with the activity cover pages, print activity sheets, prepare student cards, and you are set. 

These centers have been a PERFECT addition to my regular math centers and instruction. How? 

Let me count the ways...

1. These start off as different blank activity pages and the students create their own numbers for each activity. So their numbers are rarely the same.

2. The activity sheets come at different levels. So differentiated instruction is a breeze. Students who have mastered the objective can challenge themselves while those who need extra practice can work on basic review.

3. I sometimes pull these centers and use them in small group to review different objectives. They are always there and ready for me to use.

4. This is a dream for a male teacher, I never have to decorate for the different holidays because the Brain Board does it automatically for me. Haha

5. These centers are perfect for the inevitable early finishers. No math time is ever lost. I know sometime we get used to allowing independent reading when work is complete. With these centers, students continue keeping their math skills fresh.

6. These activities can be used in so many ways. 

For example, I can ask the students to create different equations without the solution and have other students solve the student created activity sheets. There is so much you can do with these centers. 

7. The Brain Board is perfect practice. When I go over student data, these centers are great starters for spiraling and reteaching. 

8. If you have not realized how much I loved these centers by now, I am just going to say it. I love them. 

Yes, thats an inflatable brain on the top of the board. :)

Check out how Hope uses her centers by clicking here.

Last thing, I just wanted to show off my filing cabinet in case you are looking for a quick way to brighten up your big box of files. 

All I did was add some removable wall stickers to the sides of the cabinet and BOOM, it has become a nice eye candy for the wondering eye. These stickers have become a hot topic in almost all of my students free writing journal entries. 

So it is serving a purpose other than looking cool. 

These old school video game stickers were purchased at Ikea. 

Hope everyone has a great week!