Morning Math Tubs

Morning Math Tubs

Take a moment and think about how your students' mornings start in your classroom.

If I walked in blindfolded, what would I hear?
If I wore ear plugs, what would I see?
Are your students excited to come into your classroom?
Are your students engaged within the first 5 minutes of the day?

Do you have more tardies in your classroom than you'd like?
How many of the 8 Mathematical Practices are being hit within the first 30 minutes of your students' school day?

How are you hitting them in the first 30 minutes?
How are you hitting these practices?
What is the goal of your math instruction?
What does your morning routine look like?
- Silent Reading
- Daily Language Review
- Warm Up Worksheets
- Silent Reading
- Independent Practice

I have a solution for you: Morning Math Tubs!

I know, I know.... you must have a few questions.

1- "Emily, what in the world is a Morning Math Tub?"

Morning Math Tubs: plastic tubs containing ANY sort of material that your students can interact with.

2- How do I implement them?

This is how I implement them, as well as some primary teachers in my building, but it's flexible. You have to figure out a way to make it work for you, your classroom, and your kiddos.

I have 6 tables, so I have 6 tubs. I switch the tubs every 2 weeks. Sometimes, shhh don't tell, but sometimes I get so busy and only switch them out once a month. Shhh!!! I learned within the first quarter of implementing Morning Math Tubs that I needed to create a schedule. Kiddos LOVE certain items in tubs better than others and when I did not have a schedule posted there were many arguments among students about who had what tub the previous day and which tubs certain tables hadn't had yet. It was exhausting!

Let me back track. I was walking down our primary hallway after dropping my class off at gym immediately after announcements one day and a 2nd grade teacher, Susan Brennan, who is a friend of mine had her kids all over the room and they were playing. I popped in and said, "Susan, what are your students doing?" She responded with, "Morning Tubs!" I asked for an explanation and she said she got the idea from a blog called, The Brown Bag Teacher. She went on to explain how much better behaved her kids were throughout the day once she started letting them have this creative, teamwork, making connection time first thing in the morning. This was November, so I told her I'd like to try it out, after winter break. Sure enough, she checked in with me over break to see if I needed any guidance. I bought the same plastic containers she had. Threw some "stuff" into the tubs and introduced them to my class that year when we came back from break. This group of kiddos LOVED the tubs and LOVED this little bit of freedom I was giving them in the morning. Some of them may have gotten in some trouble for running to my room in the mornings when the bell rang so they could snag their favorite tub first.

Back to implementing. Schedule. Use a schedule. I have attached this one below. Feel free to use it as is or use it as a guide. I have table groups by color, so if you don't, you'll need to adjust it.

So this schedule is posted above the bins and the students follow it pretty well. Yes, I know not every one of the six tables get each bin twice in the 10 day period of the rotations, but it has never been a big deal. I have teacher friends who only change out the tubs once a month. One of these particular friends also tries to put monthly themes into her tubs. Her second graders LOVE when a new month starts to see what she has ready for them.

3- What do you put in your tubs?

Short Answer: Anything you want!

Long Answer: Ha! Bear with me. There are a few ways you can do this. I try to have a very, very loose set of plans for about 2 weeks laid out ahead of me in math. As each week approaches it gets more detail oriented, but I have a map in my head of where we are headed. I try to put manipulatives in the bins about 2 weeks ahead of when we will need to use them during our math lessons. This allows the students to "play" with the tools before they need to "explore to learn" with the tools. Does that make sense?

Now, that's not in every bin. I try to always have some geometry tool in each set of rotations. Whether that be Ang Legs, Pattern Blocks, Tangrams, or Geoboards with rubber bands. Sometimes I give task cards to go in with these items, but most of the time I do not. I want the kiddos to explore and discover, not necessarily follow directions during this time.

Each rotation of bins I also have some sort of Marcy Cook puzzles. If you have not heard of Marcy Cook you are missing out. She's so knowledgeable and creates some of THE BEST mathematical puzzles out there. You can check out some of her tile puzzles here. To make my tiles I took some extra square inch tiles that were sitting around our building and pulled 10 of the same color and put the ten digits on them, zipped them in a snack size zip-lock baggie, and they're ready to go. Below you'll see pictures of some of my students working on them. The answer key is usually included in the puzzles, but I encourage the kids to raise their hand to have me come check their solutions. If they got it right, I high-five them, and have them start again. If they have any wrong, I might say "Try again" or "You have 3 wrong." I want them to figure out which are wrong and keep working.

Plus-Plus Blocks and Magnetic Pattern Blocks

Multiplication Jenga and Marcy Cook Number Tile Puzzles

I also like to use cuisenaire rods and fraction tiles in my tubs. I try not to have them in the same rotation though. I want the students getting used to using them, so that once we start using them for mathematical practice of standards they are familiar with them. One of the coolest things I've seen kids do is create floor plans with the rods or fraction tiles. They're finding equivalency and they don't even know it! It's so, so cool to watch them explore.

On this image you'll see a whole bunch of options you can use in your own Morning Math Tubs. I have gotten these ideas from teachers K-5, so they're not just for my current grade level, 4th grade. If you think of other things, just leave your ideas in the comments. I'd LOVE some new ideas to throw in my Morning Math Tubs.

Place Value Discs	Cuisenaire Rods	GeoBoards	Small Dixie Cups (100+)
Playing Cards	Dice*	Fraction Tiles	Unifix (Snap)Cubes
Pattern Blocks	Ang Legs	Greg Tang Puzzles	Marcy Cook Puzzles
Dominoes	Kinex	Scales & Weights	Snap Circuits
Spira- Graph	Buncheums	Lincoln Logs	Plane Shapes
Brain Flakes	Base 10 Blocks	3D Figures (nets)	Popsicle Sticks
Edushape Magic Brix	Blank 100 Grid	Legos	Brain Builders JR
KEVA Contraption	Play Dough (cookie cutters)	Koobs	Wooden Blocks
OcossiInspiring Blocks	Magnetic Letters	Base 10 Blocks	Paper Towel or Toilet Paper Rolls

I hope you'll gain some insight from the pictures below of what Morning Math Tubs look like. Some teachers put more than just math stuff in theirs, and guess what??? THAT'S OK! This is a chance for you to create "Morning Tubs" that get your students excited to come to school. They're a chance to allow your students to work collaboratively right off the bat. Have a kid that is having a rough day? Allow them to play alone and warm up to working with others. This is a chance for your students to come in, do their morning routine, and get started on something they enjoy while you greet students, take attendance, collect folders/homework, and do whatever else it is you need to do at the start of the day.

Playing with fraction tiles.... do you see the floor plan? :)

Quote from teachers who use Morning Tubs daily:

"Morning Tubs have been a complete game changer for me and my classroom! I love that with just a little direction my students come in, know what is expected, and get right to work every morning. It gives them the opportunities they need for social interactions and conversations with their peers at an appropriate time. I love seeing how creative they can be and the team building it creates in the class is amazing! I honestly cannot say enough good things about morning tubs!"

Megan Kelly, 1st grade and now K

"Morning Tubs have changed my morning routine entirely! As the kids come in the room they jump in and start creating. Play dough and Dixie Cups are always a favorite with my 2nd graders. Morning Tubs help with socializing and teamwork. Many of the things I place in the tubs require the kids to work together. However, if a kid comes in and just needs a little time in the morning s/he can work along to ease into the morning. I'll never go back to pencil and paper morning work... never! Love Morning Tubs!"

Susan Brennan, 2nd grade

Please let me know what you think. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask away!

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