Classroom: Grouping Sticks

Grouping Sticks for the Classroom

Classroom grouping stick

Ok so here is the low down, I will be honest I absolutely hate making groups in my classroom.  So I decided after observing a high school math class this spring and seeing some simple store bought grouping sticks I would make some of my own this summer when I'm off because I'm not currently grading papers or writing lesson plans.  Some of you who are not teachers if your reading this may be wondering what's so hard about making groups in your class well let's think of everything that could possibly make it an unpleasant experience ~ COMPLAINTS from students and even parents at times.  So after pitching this idea to my husband who is also a middle school teacher I decided that I would make these simple grouping sticks, however I am a math teacher and a little OCD so I ended up making these a little more complicated than I had imagined.  However, during the course of making this grouping stick project I ended up coming up with so many other ways I could use these sticks in my classroom.  Today, I posted a picture of it complete on Facebook and a bunch of my teaching friends want to steal, I mean apply it in their classroom. Please make them work for your classroom.  So here is a go at a tutorial for what I did to make these grouping sticks.

Materials Used:

Wide Popsicle Sticks (Hobby Lobby)

Mod Podge - Matte Finish

Acrylic Paint (Hobby Lobby) - it will cost about $1.19 for each color

Scrapbook Paper

Foam brush

Silhouette Cameo Machine

Colored Vinyl (I used Navy, Bright Pink & Leaf Green)

Steps:

1.  Plan out your grouping sticks on paper.  Mine was planned out in the following way for a class set of 36 students (you never know when your going to have a class greater than 30 students in middle school):

The proposed grouping plan down on paper

• Math Vocabulary Words - for groups of 2 
• Paint Color - for groups of 3
• Scrapbook paper - for groups of 3
• Math Symbols - for groups of 4
• Numbers - for groups of 4
• Vinyl Color - for groups of 2, 3, 4, etc. since I used 3 different vinyl colors

2. Paint your popsicle sticks with acrylic paint using a foam paint. Let dry completely before proceeding.  I painted mine on both sides.  

Painted popsicle sticks

3.  Trace and cut out your scrapbook paper.  Once cut out, glue scrapbook paper to sticks with Mod Podge.  Once again let it completely dry before proceeding.

Math vocabulary organized in storage.

4. Using my Silhouette Cameo I printed out 2 set of each vinyl color for the math vocabulary words, math symbols, and numbers that would be used for the project. I had to "weed" each number and word for every color, yes this was a little time consuming however it was well worth it for the end product that I now have.

5. Attach in whatever configuration you want the math vocabulary, math symbols, and numbers to your sticks.

Arranging math symbols

Vocabulary words ready to put on

6.  Mod Podge each stick in order to seal the grouping sticks.

I will admit that this project has taken me some time to do after all this blog is called "Mom~Teacher~Saver"

• "Mom" - It has taken a couple of weeks to finish this since I have a 15 month old son, so working on this has to occur during nap time or once he goes to bed.
• "Teacher" - I plan to use this a lot in my classroom this year because I love the idea that my students will never know how they are going to be grouped in my classroom since there are lots of ways to do so and I know that my class sizes can vary from 13 students one class period, all the way up to 32 students another class period.  Crazy I know!
• "Saver" - Most of the supplies I bought at Hobby Lobby and I used the 40% off coupon on "One Regular Priced Item".  Here is the trick if you forget your 40% off coupon at home and you have a cell phone with a data plan, go to the Hobby Lobby website and show them the coupon from your phone by reading off the 4-digit number.  It's that simple and they will give you the 40% off discount.  See you saved some money.

These grouping sticks could work for any subject and elective. 

• Science - vocabulary, elements, moon phases, periodic table
• Choir - vocabulary, musical notes
• Spanish - vocabulary, countries, verb tenses

Here are the ways I can use these now in my classroom.  If you have any other ideas feel free to leave a comment.  

• Refer to Step 1 for my initial ideas and ways to group
• Exit Sticks in your classroom.
• Call on students to give the definition to the vocabulary word.
• Create math number sentences using the number, math symbol, and word on the stick
• I'll add more as I get more ideas.