Generally during math, I do math stations.  After our math lesson (whole group activity) for the day, my students split up into math stations.  My students love this time.  Often times, we are doing hands on activities.  I generally have four to five stations going at one time.  Sometimes more, sometimes less depending on what skills I want the students to work on.  In general the four groups I have are Accelerated Math, Ipad/Proboard Activity, Hands-On Activity, and Working with the Teacher.

We needed to review and work on Place Value.  During today's rotation, I decided to teach my kids a simple game (or activity) that they can play quickly at home.  This game requires only a scrap piece of paper and a die.  I wanted my students to make numbers to the thousands place.  Therefore, I had my kids made a large rectangle on their piece of paper and divide it into four smaller rectangles, making a column for ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands.  Then we began by rolling a die.  The students had to put the number they rolled into one of their boxes.  After everyone rolled, we went around again.  The key was to be the person to make the highest number.  Of course the goal would be to put a high number in the thousands box.  It took some of my kids a while to figure this out.  However, most caught on after one or two rounds.  They figured out quickly why another student won.  Of course I differentiated instruction by having my higher group make a number in the ten thousands place and my lower group only a number in the hundreds place.  They loved it.  It was simple and quick to prepare.  They can also play at home because it requires only a die.