Making Cents in Math - Math Station

Here is a fun math station for students that need practice in adding whole numbers and decimals. You know, the place value line up gets them almost every time!  Grrrrrrr!

It's quick and easy prep and the best part is that it is inexpensive! 

Materials: Price stickers, sticks (tongue depressors), and an empty container that sticks will fit in.

I thought these stickers were great because students could practice writing the cents as decimals. For example, 25¢ as 0.25 or $0.25.  They could also practice writing the dollar amounts as decimals. For example, $1 as $1.00.  This can carry over when they are adding whole numbers and decimals together in problems not related to money.  There were 22 stickers per page with numbers on them and 15 sheets.  You could make different sets of stations!

First, I lined up the sticks because I thought it would be easier and it was.

Then I just peeled the price sticker off of the paper and adhered it to the stick.  I tried to center them, but sometimes was way off.  It was no trouble to just peel off the sticker and reposition it on the stick.

The stickers were a tad bit larger, but it was no problem just folding it over the edge of the stick.

I then typed up the station name and a set of directions.

The page was larger than the container, so I just trimmed it to fit.  If using a clear container, make sure you cover the bottom portion so students can't peek as to what amount they are choosing when they are using this station.

I used clear packing tape to adhere the page on the side of the container.

Make sure the station name and directions are centered on the front before adhering!

It's hard to see, but I used packing tape again to adhere the end of the page.  The entire page is now wrapped around the container.

I then wrapped the entire container with packing tape for durability.  

Place all of the sticks in the container with the money amounts at the bottom.

Then students take turns drawing a stick.  They add the amounts together.  If all sticks are used and time allows, encourage them to put all of the sticks back in the container and continue playing.  The student with the highest money amount is the winner! Hold students accountable for their work by having them show all of their work on a sheet of paper.
Make this a self checking activity by having them check their partners work with a calculator as they are playing. If they made a mistake, they can correct it. If they did the work correctly, their confidence increases.

Click HERE for a FREE copy of the directions for this math station!