See the “PS” for how to turn a muffin tin center into a partner game.
If you give a teacher a muffin tin, will that teacher make a moose some muffins? Maybe. The tin might inspire a reading of If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff too. However chances are the teacher will find plenty of other ways to use the muffin tin in the classroom. After all, that’s what teachers do! Here are some examples!
• A six-count muffin tin is a great organizational tool. Sort paper clips, push pins, binder clips, a staple puller, rubber bands, and spare change in the cups.
• Muffin tins of any size make great math centers. Label the bottom of 12 liners with:
—coin values. Provide play money.
—numerals. Provide counting manipulatives.
—sums, differences, products, or quotients. Provide cards labeled with corresponding basic facts.
—decade numbers. Provide cards labeled with numbers for rounding.
• Muffin tins of any size make great literacy/language arts centers. Label the bottom of twelve liners with:
—uppercase letters. Provide lowercase letter manipulatives or labeled cards.
—picture cards for rhyming. Provide cards for making rhyming pairs.
—synonyms, antonyms, or homophones. Provide cards for making pairs.
—high frequency words. Provide cards for matching.
Now it’s your turn! How would you (or do you) use muffin tins in your classroom?
Please share!
Diane
PS: It easy to turn most muffin tin centers into partner games that students will want to play over and over again. Simply provide 12 two-color counters. Partners take turns drawing cards and placing a counter of his or her claimed color in the matching muffin cup. The first player to mark three cups in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row wins—or all the words are marked and the game is declared a draw. Fun!