Centers

Dear Visitors,
On this page you will find ideas for learning centers, as well as kid tested reproducible center signs and task board labels. You will also find book links to excellent resources for creating and managing literacy centers. Primary teachers at my school have found that focused literacy tasks and increased accountability at centers allows them to teach their reading groups without interruption!

Please note: I showed the task board labels to my sister, Paula, another teacher in the family, and she says that I need to provide suggestions for materials and activities for each of them. So, thank Paula for the suggestions below! However, I agree with her. Upon returning from Linda Dorn's two week literacy seminar several years go, my thinking about literacy centers had been completely changed. When my primary teachers set up their new centers, we asked ourselves many questions. Why are we doing this particular center? (We don't want this to become crowd control while we do guided reading groups.) How will we hold the children accountable? How will we know they have completed the activity? What skill or standard is being addressed? Is the practice and application differentiated for a variety of skill levels?

If you have other suggestions for the centers listed below, please send them to me in the guest book or via e-mail carl1404@msn.com. I will list it and give you credit for the idea. If you would like a label or sign for a center that is not listed or need more ideas, please let me know.

Why Do We Use Literacy Centers?

Should I Have Goals and Objectives for Literacy Centers?

What Will I Need for Literacy Centers?

What are the Students’ Responsibilities ?

Answers!

Center Task Board Labels

Follow this link to download thirty-one full color task board signs for literacy centers. I put six to a page for each center so that teachers have enough for each group involved. All you have to do is print the pages you need, cut, mount on tag, laminate and place a magnetic strip on back and you're ready to use them! I suggest saving this file to your computer in case you want to make changes to any of the labels or create your own. Matching signs (see below) help children in locating the appropriate center. Because of the large number of graphics in this document, it will take more than the average amount of time to download it, so be patient!

I plan to add more signs using the graphics shown below. Each new task board label link will be shown after the suggested directions.

Reading Centers Recording Sheet

This reading center recording sheet was created and saved as a Word document so that you can modify it to suit your needs. This recording sheet add accountability to literacy centers and also serves as an informative piece for you to see what children are selecting and/or finishing during their independent time. I would suggest including required centers (in bold print) as well as weekly centers and "anytime centers" for children who finish early. This form may be used for center management regardless of the type of system you use (assigned centers or free choice).

Alphabet Avenue	See Alphabet Avenue for suggestions and downloads for this center. I would include an assortment of alphabet charts, alphabet books to read, sorts for letter attributes (circles, sticks, colors, lower case and capitals, etc.) and a wide variety of letter fonts so that children begin to take a critical look at the way letters are formed. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign ABC Center Menu (color) (BW) (1 of 7)
Artist's Alley	As a reading teacher, I didn't have this type of center. However, when I taught third through fifth grades, I always had a vast supply of materials that students could access for responses to stories and poems, and for enhancing their book commercials, book covers, and language arts projects. This included cardboard and fabric for polished pieces that were extra special, wallpaper sample books, construction paper, pinking shears and other specialty scissors, brads, a stapler and staples, and much, much more. Many of my more creative students loved looking at my teacher resource books for ideas for book projects and some even came back to look through them in middle school! This is a good center to use when putting on a play or puppet show, flannel board presentation. The students enjoy using materials like these to express their creativity. Task Board Sign Another Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Another Classroom Center Sign
Birthday Boulevard	This portable center activity is for the birthday boy or girl. Gather picture books that address birthday celebrations and place them in a colorful backpack for the family to read together at home. Add a class journal so that the child can document his/her birthday with pictures, photographs and a short narrative to share with the class in the author's chair. You may use a birthday form for them to fill out. Include a birthday card and a personal message and send the backpack home for an interactive center. Be sure to include instructions for the parents and plan for summer birthdays. Your students will look forward to the day they get to take the backpack home. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign My Birthday Writing Paper Suggestions for Center
Blocks	Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Book Boulevard	Provide a wide variety of books for browsing, some familiar and some new. Place your recently shared reading books and/or big books, add some pointers for your first or second graders and listen for eager reader's voices that might sound a bit like yours! Comfortable seating and ambience are important in a classroom library area. (How often do we sit at a table or desk to read our favorite novels?!) I like to include bean bag chairs, pillows, lamps, carpets and colorfully displayed books. Teaching Resource Center has "comfort critters." Mine is a six foot long caterpillar! Be sure to include an assortment of genre or author studies, magazines, and books that address whatever theme you are studying. Bookcases, baskets, bins and boxes all work well for storing and displaying your materials! Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Another Task Board Sign Another Classroom Center Sign Center Directions
Buddy Reading	Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Computer Corner	A computer corner can be used for several purposes. Keep your goals and standards in mind when designing tasks for this center. You may want your students to work on their keyboarding skills, a Power Point or HyperStudio presentation (for older students), play an interactive reading or math game, or research material for a science or social studies report. Biographical studies can also be pursued via the internet. My first grade team uses the computer corner with Scholastic Interactive Readers. The CDs require the students to reread their current book and do several lessons to improve their skills. Computer Corner Classroom Center Sign Another Task Board Sign Another Classroom Center Sign
Cooking Court or Cook's Corner	Here's another one of those that I have not observed in a first grade classroom (I had a cooking center every week when I taught kindergarten). However, I do recall our first graders doing non-cooking food activities that involved following directions and sequencing, and I believe the tasks were related to a theme. For instance, during a spider unit, they made critters with Chinese noodles, chocolate and . . . I don't know what else. Anyone have any classroom friendly recipes they want to share? Send your recipe to me at carl1404@msn.com and I'll place it at this site with credit to the contributor! Here are some of the things that one first grade teacher had at her cooking center: Fruit Kabobs for patterning Apple turkeys at Thanksgiving Ants on a log during insect unit Jelly on a Cracker with mini book The students had to read the directions and make the item. Before they could eat, they had to write an explanation of how they made the treat. This was good for following directions, sequencing and retelling. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Task Board Sign #2 Classroom Center Sign #2 Another Task Board Sign Another Classroom Center Sign
Dictionary Drive	This center may be used for reading and alphabetizing word/picture cards. Students can also construct, add to and illustrate their own personal picture dictionaries.
Dinosaur Drive	Task Board Sign
Environmental Print	This center is good at the beginning of the year for early/emergent readers and to build their confidence at being able to recognize words from their environment. I was able to order environmental drawings from RESOURCES for READING at 1-800-ART-READ. Some of the drawings are of logos that your children will recognize and the others are of common, everyday items. These are especially good for second language learners.
Flannel board	Students may use flannel board pictures for retelling old favorites. They may sequencing story pictures or alphabetize words. Students may also enjoy making flannel board characters to use with their own stories to share with the class.
Games Galore	Thanks to Pepper Paden, a Reading Specialist and Title I teacher, for this set of task board signs. Task Board Sign
Graphing Grove	At this center, you may choose from any number of tasks, depending upon the grade level and the ability to work independently. You can put out an assortment of items, foods, etc. and have students sort and graph. They should also write "true" statements that summarize the results of the graph. One of our technological teachers has her first graders think of a question for their classmates, conduct a survey and then produce a simple graph in Excel to share with their classmates. The teacher puts the graph into her class website for parents to see. Amazing, huh?!
Handwriting Highway	Since I saw many different grade levels during my work day, I had a variety of writing tools for my students to work with at this corner. This included white boards, eraser and pens, Magna Doodles, chalkboards, pencil and paper, marking pens, sand trays, Wikki Stix, stencils and more (not all out at the same time: too many options). At the beginning of the year I gave emergent writers the opportunity to write focus letters on a large sheet of butcher paper in a variety of sizes and colors. Brain research shows that children need flexible practice, often writing with the whole arm in motion, horizontally (at the table) and vertically (on the large white board or butcher paper mounted on the wall or cabinet). Our first grade teachers used this to practice writing high frequency words in many different forms and sizes. See Teacher Trail for pencil possibilities and tantalizing tools. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Handwriting Activity Sheet Writers at Work
Housekeeping	Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Letter Lane	Suggestions to follow. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Postcard
Listening Lane	After listening to many squabbles from small groups about turning the volume up or down, I decided to purchase several inexpensive tape players and earphones so that each child was responsible for the controls. Since I only had two students to a center, this was manageable. I placed the tape player, earphones, tape and book in a gallon sized freezer bag. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Magnetic Mountain	Magnetic letters stick to many surfaces that make readily available centers in out of the way corners of the classroom. For example, I had several metal cabinets, a small refrigerator, the white board, cookie sheets, and serving trays that make this center an easy one to set up. You can have the children sort letters and/or build words. Tasks may be similar to those in Word Way. However, children appreciate the opportunity to have open ended centers, so I often allowed them to explore with the letters and record their results or read them to a friend. These are often used for practicing high frequency words.
Math Mall	Suggestions to follow. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Mystery Mountain	This center is an excellent place to put your "Problem of the Day" for practicing problem solving and using thinking skills. Evan-Moor has several sets that I like to use: Daily Problem Solving Math (one for each season for Grades 1-2 and Grades 2-3). Each of these sets have 11" x 17" charts with an illustrated math problem that follows a seasonal theme. They are good practice in using what I like to "math language." Thinking Skills for Grades 1-2, Grades 3-4 and For Grades 5-6. Each of these sets have 44 illustrated charts and accompanying student pages that encourage children to think critically and logically. They have another set for upper grades called Math Brainbusters for Graders 3-4 and Grades 5-6.
Names Nook	Place each child's name in a three-ring pencil case along with the letter tiles or magnetic letters with which to build the name. Children can match pictures of their classmates with their printed names, place the names in alphabetical order, and put together teacher created puzzles of the child's name. Research shows that young children quickly learn to recognize the names of their friends, so it is appropriate to use names as anchors for learning consonant sounds and for emergent writing. Check Linda Dorn's Apprenticeship in Literacy for extensive ideas for a Names Corner. More suggestions and web links: It's the Name of the Game Suggestions for Center Names Nook Menu
Origami Corner	When our first graders were studying Japan, the teachers put out an origami center. The students had to follow directions to create their origami.
Overhead Projector	I liked to use cut up poetry transparencies so the children can rebuild the poem and read it from the white board. I have seen teachers place the whole poem on the overhead projector and students are required to use whiteboard markers to highlight the rhyming pairs (different colors for each pair). Transparent letter tiles or magnetic letters may be used to build the words of the week, spelling words, or word family words. There are commercial games available that use transparent sheets for reading activities. Students may also use an overhead pen to practice writing and reading high frequency words.
Painting Place	Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Play Dough	Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Pocket Place	Most of our K-3 classrooms have fifteen or twenty colorful pocket charts (in many shapes and sizes) that are used for a variety of purposes: poem of the week, vocabulary, chants, charts, sequencing, sentence building, sorting pictures and words, etc. However, Pocket Place is an area set aside for a specific task for differentiated instruction. One of my favorite uses is for my largest pocket chart. My groups love to play Junior Jeopardy, a game that is suggested in Words Their Way. To save time and energy for the teachers on my staff and in my university classes, I have created print ready cards for different spellings for each vowel. (For instance: ay, ai, a-e, a, etc.) Each game comes with directions, clues and cards and a cheat sheet with all of the answers for the teacher! These games are available on the Word Way page of this website. Interactive pocket charts: Bunny in a flower pot Valentine Hearts The children follow the directions and make an art project. If they don't read and follow the directions, the project often doesn't work out. Storing sentence strips is easier than it was when I first started using centers in the sixties (I'm showing my age!) There are commercially produced sentence strip containers with dividers or you may use wall paper paste trays that are placed below the pocket chart for easy access. This is an excellent place to reinforce story sequence. Children can reconstruct stories, songs or poems that were introduced during shared reading and then reread them with a pointer. For nonreaders or emergent readers, use rebus stories.
Publishing Place	Gather a large assortment of publishing materials, including writing tools (colored pens, pencils, markers), a variety of writing paper, stationery, postcards and envelopes (colors, sizes, and shapes), blank books, journals, dictionaries, writing prompts, editing posters, charts describing what good writers do, checklists, and construction paper for covers. You may also want to include samples of good writing, rubrics, and picture book samples of letter writing, journals, and postcards (see writing bibliography). Work in progress needs to have a designated spot and so does work that is ready to be checked by the teacher for publication on the computer. Organization and storage of materials is critical to the success of Publishing Place. Children need to know exactly where to put things. Labeled trays and bins are helpful. Placement of this center should allow for visibility and easy access to the classroom names chart, alphabet chart and the word wall. What do they write about? Children may write responses to stories, retellings and/or summaries, or copy changes of old favorites. This is also a good place for writing and publishing personal narratives. Directions Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Five W's Chart Flip Book for Retelling My Little Book of Words for Special Spelling My Little Book of Words for Writing
Puzzle Place	This is a good place for alphabet jigsaw puzzles for younger students and word search puzzles for older students. Again, I like to have a variety to hold student interest and I would suggest large floor puzzles as well as table sized puzzles. After completing an alphabet puzzle, allow students to use a pointer to "read" the puzzle, touching each letter as they recite the alphabet. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Read the Room or Write the Room	Provide a wide variety of colorful pointers for children to use while reading text that is displayed around the room. They may reread familiar student generated books, environmental labels, word walls, ABC charts, and pocket chart displays. I like to hold students accountable for their time in this rather informal activity. I provide a "Write the Room" form for them to record and illustrate words read from the classroom environment. When they come to their reading group, they read the words to the group/teacher. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Write the Room Read the Room Menu
Rhyming Road	If you have a poem of the week, poetry anthologies, or work with Mother Goose, place the poems in the Rhyming Road center. Add a pointer or two and let them practice what is now "familiar" reading. Copy the poems on sentence strips and have students place them in the proper sequence before rereading. Combine the overhead projector and the rhyming center in a portable center. Make two transparencies of the same poem. Use one on the overhead in conjunction with the white board. Students can highlight and read rhyming words on the board. Cut the second transparency into strips for children to sequence and read from the white board. Store strips in a labeled three-ring pencil case that fits in a binder along with the transparency of the poem in its entirety. I usually put out one poem to avoid mix ups, but this solves storage and management issues. Options: poetry charts, poetry cards, poetry books, class books of poems, and poem of the week to illustrate and add to individual anthologies.
Sand Table	Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Science Station	Students are required to learn how to do observational writing in science. I love what one of my first grade teachers, Carol Filloon, did with this one. During one period of study, she had a different pet brought in each week by a student (it could be the classroom pet). Two students equipped with clipboards and recording sheets parked themselves in front of the cage or aquarium to observe and record. It was wonderful! The teacher provided related books for students who were interested in looking into their topic a little bit further. Of course, this was not the only way she used this center, but it was one that was well remembered by all who saw it happening! Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Another Task Board Sign Another Classroom Center Sign
Sentence Building	There are many different ways to create your own sentence building center, but I took the easy way out: buying ones that are ready made. Suggestions include: ©Lakeshore's Sentence Building Pocket Chart, which is color coded for success. This is an example of completing cloze sentences, filling in the blanks and using context clues. I add student names to the nouns pack. ©Lakeshore's Make a Super Sentence Flip Boards. Students can build hundreds of sentences with these color coded sentence parts. Each kit comes with three different boards and a teacher's guide. Children love to use these because they so often come up with something so preposterous that it gives them the giggles. I particularly like this kit for second language learners who need to learn about sentence structure. Word stamps are available for children to stamp and illustrate sentences. A commercial product, Tub-O-Words and More Tub-O-Words has high frequency words and punctuation marks for building sentences. (I also use them for sorting by parts of speech or orthographic features, syllables, etc.) Build a Sentence Sing a Super Sentence
Sequencing Corner	This is the place to put sequencing activities that you create or buy. It will reinforce comprehension of stories, sequencing lines in a memorized poem, science concepts, etc. If you look at Evan-Moor's Alternatives to Worksheets, you can find hands-on ideas for crafty presentations of first, next, then and finally for retelling.
Sewing Center	Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Another Task Board Sign Another Classroom Center Sign
Shopping City	Shopping City is a great place to use your environmental print and to allow beginning writers to use their knowledge of sounds and letters to create "shopping lists." Provide a shopping cart (available at many stores), grocery items (nonperishable plastic and paper, of course), catalogs, and wish lists for recording the items your students would like to buy. Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign Another Task Board Sign Another Classroom Center Sign Suggestions Shopping List
Social Studies Street	Good use for Daily Geography. Once you have finished several days lessons with the students and modeled how you want it completed and reported, the students can go on their own. Also good to use with Rookie Reader map and globe books or books about different countries. Students enjoy working with the globe and maps. This is also a great way to get those social studies standards in that you don't have enough time for! Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Sort Street	Sorts, sorts, and more sorts! Use Words Their Way and All Sorts of Sorts for ideas for developmental word and picture sorts, reproduce the appropriate pages on vellum, and laminate for use. I store mine in labeled three-hole pencil cases for easy access in a notebook. Full color picture and word sorts are available in Word Way. These sorts address a variety of orthographic features, grammar (nouns and verbs) and other skills that I have found lacking in some of my students. I'm picky and prefer pictures in color and that's why I have developed my own. Enjoy! This particular activity teaches students to look for patterns and to make connections. Brain research suggests that we can learn through analogy: What do already know that will help us with this new word? Task Board Sign Classroom Center Sign
Spelling Space