LIST OF MY CENTERS

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : August : 1

LIST OF MY CENTERS
By June

After posting my original message, many people emailed me. I thought it might be better to post my list.
I used "centers" when I taught second grade, but then when I was switched to third, I decided to change the name
to "Learning Workshops". I keep all my “Workshops” in different decorated boxes in a certain area of my room for organizational purposes.
After you read the descriptions, please let me know if you would like me to further explain. Also, if you have any other ideas, please let me know. Here are many ideas:
READ AND DO: Put a short book (easier book) with a question sheet in a folder.

Label the cover (I photocopied the cover of the book, colored it, pasted it on the front of the folder, and then laminated the folder). I have about 50 books now in my Read and Do box.
LISTENNING CENTER: An area with a tape recorder, earphones, and books with cassette tapes (books on tape).
LETTER WRITING: I had the students bring in stamps, envelopes, stationary, and a list of people whom they could write letters to. I kept all their folders in a box. I also put a books "Free Stuff for Kids" and "People to Write to" in the box for the children to write to.
READER’S THEATER: (Max 4 kids per play) I have a collection of mini-plays. I make about 5-6 copies of the short plays (there are many books out there with short plays for kids), put it in a folder, draw a picture on the cover, label it (make it look attractive) and put it in a box labeled "Reader's Theater”. I have each play in a different folder. I allow the students to read, practice, and act it out for the class and then they may choose one other class in the school to perform it for (they love this and so does the class they chose to perform it for).
COMPUTERS-Students could go on to the computers at this time (if it was their computer day).
WORD WORK- I put crossword puzzles, word games, etc. in a file box and numbered it 1-20. The students could choose which puzzle to work on.
BOOK NOOK- Students could read a book silently.
BOOK MAKING- Students would have to write a story and then they could create a cover, etc. I put all the supplies in a colorful box to attract them to this center.
MATH GAMES- I had different math games in this center (math bingo, flashcards, any math game will do).
MATH CHALLENGE: I had a box filled with math challenge word problems that they would choose from and then glue I their math journal and solve.
LANGUAGE GAMES – included phonic games, bingo, word games.
BOOK REPORTING: Students could choose a book and read it and then write a report and present it to the class.
POETRY: students could copy poems from books and draw an illustration for it and then present it to the class or they could write their own.
THEME CENTER: Depending what topic I were teaching at the time (ex. If I were teaching dinosaurs, I may stick a dinosaur game or project in that center).
TEACHER CENTER: If I needed to work with a student at the time, I would put them in this center

These are the basics that I started with. If you have any ideas that I could use, please let me know. Sorry if I have made a million mistakes, I typed this very quickly. Thanks, June