Make a Cookie Sheet Math Board (and recycle!)

Want to make a useful, fun tool for your students? How about recycling a cookie sheet? Here's how!

1. Find a cookie sheet that's ready to be discarded. You know...the kind that flakes questionable gunk onto your baked goods. Check yardsales, Goodwill, and your mom. Make sure that magnets will stick to it. Not all will work.

2. Spray paint the edge of the tray. I let mine dry about 24 hours.

3. Get some contact paper. If you want the board for math purposes, you'll want to make grid lines. I used my quilting ruler, rotary cutting mat and drew lines with a Black Sharpie in a 1" grid.

4. Cut the contact paper to fit the flat inside of the cookie sheet. Top with a decorative ribbon if you like.

My cookie sheet had a hole at the top; I attached a nylon cord through the hole so that I could hang it up. It can now be used in a hanging position or kids can take it down for lap or table use. I hung mine on the back side of a small end table since wall space is at a premium. I think the kids will enjoy the private math corner (perhaps use it more!), but we'll also take it down and use it elsewhere.

Put it to use with some fabulous math lessons:

Manipulatives pictured: magnetic tile, magnetic base ten pieces, magnetic pattern blocks
The magnet manipulatives came from The Math Learning Center. It's a non-profit. My disclaimer: I don't get any kick-back from pointing you there, but I do some contract work for them occasionally. I tried to find links to the products on Amazon, but came up empty handed. I often purchase math manipulatives from MLC because they tend to have low prices.

Tomorrow I'll be stopping at the thrift store to find a few cookie sheets that need a second wind. :) I'd like to make a decorative message center. Another idea...addition/subtraction using cookies with magnets on them.

Go recycle! ;)

And check out more great math lessons at this week's Math Monday Blog Hop!