Classroom Setup
Classroom Photos:
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Create Examples of Practical Centers/Ideas!!!!
Ex: Kindergarten Literacy Centers
The children visit literacy daily after completing their independent work. After our morning meeting and reading and writing time, the children are given an independent activity and go literacy centers when they are done. While the children are working and at literacy centers, I either do read with students individually or call a reading group.
Here is a small selection of some of our literacy centers from 2004-2005:
Our Literacy Center Chart
This is the center chart that the children use to see what centers they can choose from. The children are organized into rows according to what color group they are in. The students may visit any of the centers that are in their row. The students have more choices as the year progresses.
Listening Center
At this center, the children choose a listening center bag. Each bag contains a book, tape, and a portable tape player. The students have five books to choose from - each are related to what we are studying in class. They may listen to their book at the table or any other comfortable spot around the classroom.
Reading Tent
At this center, the children grab a good book and relax. The reading tent is full of soft pillows, blankets, and reading buddies (stuffed animals that like being read to by kindergartners :o). This a great place to relax and enjoy a favorite story.
ABC Pocket Chart
At this center, the children sort pictures by beginning sounds. The tub of cards by the student's feet are picture cards labeled on the back. Later in the year, the children are given sight word cards and sentence starters so they can use the top of the pocket chart to form their own sentences.
Big Books
At this center, the children are read through the big books we've used for shared reading. The children use a pointer to read through familiar books. I often find them role playing teachers and students with each other. It is so funny to hear them pretending to be the teacher. Do I really sound like that? :o)
Alphabet Magnets
At this center, the children practice spelling with alphabet magnets. The alphabet magnets are stored in a tub full of magnetic boards and flashcards. The flash cards have sight words, names of children in our class, and common words (like cat, dog, etc.). Later in the year, I also include word and punctuation magnets for sentence building.
Electronic Games
At this center, the children may choose from a variety of electronic games including several Leap Pad learning systems and others. I have acquired many of these games from my own money and from grants.
Write the Room
At this center, the chidren take a clipboard, writing paper, and pencil, and choose from a variety of pointers and reading glasses. They walk around the room looking for words they would like to write down. Sometimes the children have free choice to choose words and other times I will ask them to look for specific things (words that start with a certain letter, action words, sight words, names, etc.)
Pocket Charts
We have many pocket charts located around the room. At literacy centers, the children are allowed to play games at the pocket charts. The games usually involve matching, sorting, or building and are based on the basic skills of letters, letter sounds, sight words, CVC words, opposites, rhyming words, numbers, number words, and colors.
Writing Center
The writing center is a constantly changing center. It provides opportunities for the children to practice writing on their own.