center rotation

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Home : 2003 : March : 4

center rotation
By glenda

Last year I had to use a different method during centers. I purchased 4 colored plastic boxes with lids that matched our 4 table colors. (red, blue, green, yellow) Each box had a different activity. On Monday at center
time the table helpers collected the box that matched their table color and gave out the materials needed. The table helpers also had to put their initials on the completed activity verifying that it was finished and had a name on it. They were responsible for putting things back in the box and insuring that the others cleaned up. On the box lid were colored dots that indicated which

day and what table got the tub. (Red box lid dots were red, yellow, blue, green dots, indicating the red table on day 1 had the red box; the yellow table had it on day 2, etc.
By rotating table helpers with total reponsiblity, everyone had a turn being the boss and there was no difficulty remembering who did what each day. Plus they began to figure out which day they would get a certain activity. At the end of centers, the children stacked the boxes in a corner of our room. At times they would also take their box to a different area and work. We just didn't have the space to leave centers set up all day.