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Station Rotation Timer

Free station rotation timer for classroom centers: groups and stations on one fullscreen board with a big countdown — chime and automatic rotation at zero, no ads on the projector.

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The Board Runs the Rotations So You Can Teach

Centers time has a hidden job: while you are working with the small group at your table, someone has to watch the clock, call the switch, and remember which group goes where next. This board takes that job. Put it on the smartboard, press start, and every station card shows the group working there right now; when the countdown hits zero, a chime plays and every card updates itself. Students learn to glance at the board instead of asking — and you stay with your group.

Fair by Construction

The rotation is a simple cycle: each round, every group moves one station forward. Over a full session every group visits every station exactly once, and no two groups ever land on the same station. If you have fewer groups than stations, the spare station shows as “Open” — handy for a catch-up desk or a station you staff every other round.

Plan the Block With Real Arithmetic

The setup panel shows your session length live — rotations × minutes plus transitions — and the table below lists the classic configurations against standard class periods. The transition setting matters more than it looks: thirty seconds of sanctioned moving time per switch keeps the switches calm and still fits four 12-minute rotations inside an hour. Pair the board with the classroom noise meter for centers that run themselves, and the classroom timer for one-off activities.

Does your centers block fit the period?

SetupTransitionTotal timeVerdict
3 stations × 10 min30s31 minfits 45 min
3 stations × 15 min30s46 minfits 60 min
4 stations × 8 min30s34 minfits 45 min
4 stations × 10 min30s42 minfits 45 min
4 stations × 12 min30s50 minfits 60 min
4 stations × 15 min60s63 minfits 90 min
5 stations × 10 min30s52 minfits 60 min
5 stations × 12 min60s64 minfits 90 min
6 stations × 8 min30s51 minfits 60 min

Computed with the same arithmetic the board uses: rotations × minutes + transitions between rounds. Every group visits every station once.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the rotation work?

Each round, every group moves one station forward, so over a full session of N rounds (N = number of stations) every group visits every station exactly once and no two groups ever share a station. The board shows who is where right now; the countdown and chime handle the transitions.

Can I use it for Daily 5 or math workshop?

Yes — name the stations whatever your model uses (teacher table, word work, independent reading, technology…). The board is model-agnostic: groups, stations, minutes, and a chime. Up to 8 groups and 8 stations.

What happens when the timer hits zero?

A three-note chime plays (synthesized in the browser — you can turn it off), the board advances every group to its next station, and the countdown restarts automatically. You can also hit "Rotate now" to advance early, or pause mid-round.

Will the timer survive switching to fullscreen mid-round?

Yes — the running countdown and current round are preserved when you enter or leave the fullscreen presentation mode, and the fullscreen board never shows ads.

How long will my centers block take?

Rotations × minutes, plus transitions: the setup panel shows the total live, and the table on this page lists common setups — for example, 4 stations at 12 minutes with 30-second transitions is about 50 minutes, a tidy fit for a one-hour block.

Station rotation timer mid-session: four station cards showing their current groups under a large countdown in round 2 of 4
Round 2 of 4, 7:42 on the clock — each card shows who's where, and the chime rotates everyone automatically at zero.