Have pairs of students play a matching game during center time to promote greater understanding of rounding. Print specific numbers on one set of index cards and multiples of 10 on another set of index cards. Spread the multiples of 10 on a flat surface and place the specific number cards face-down. One at a time, players flip over a number card and must find the card that the number can be rounded to. For instance, if a player flips over a card with the number 27 printed on it, she should match it to the card that has 30 printed on it. If the player makes a correct match, she keeps the cards; if she's incorrect, the opposing player has a turn to make a match. The child with the most cards wins.
Roman numerals are an important focus of the fourth grade math curriculum. To promote greater understanding of these numbers, have children convert the numerals into Arabic numbers. Create worksheets that illustrate Roman numerals and have children work on converting the numerals during center time. After the numbers are converted, the students should arrange the Roman numerals in sequential order.
With this math center activity, children must determine the missing factors in multiplication problems. Create worksheets that display multiplication problems with missing factors. For the fourth grade, double- and triple-digit multiplication problems are ideal. Along the top of the worksheets, print the missing factors. Children must plug the correct factors into the problems.
Use word problems as a means of having students practice creating fractions. Again, create worksheets that contain word problems that can be converted into fractions. An example of a problem may be "Joe has 4 red balloons and 8 green balloons. What fraction of Joe's balloons are green." In the given example, children should create the fraction 8/12. If possible, students must reduce the fractions. In order to make the activity more challenging, have students convert the fractions into decimals.