Literacy Centers/Stations

Today, let's talk literacy centers/stations! After reader's workshop each day, the students spend about 45 minutes engaged in literacy centers. The students follow a work board which tells them which centers they will be visiting that day. We rotate through the board to ensure that the students get a chance to work at each center a few times throughout the week.

There are five centers running at one time- each group of students visits two centers per day. We spent much of the first few weeks talking about routines and how to work at each center appropriately. It takes time, but it is important for students to work independently during centers. This allows me to pull my small groups for guided reading to work with your child on specific skills or strategies fit for their reading level.

Here's a look at the five centers in our classroom:

Read to Self
This center is just like it sounds! The students get their book bags, find a comfy spot, and read away. I also let them choose weekly themed books (bats this week!) to read during this time too.

Read to Someone
This center allows the students to buddy read. With the members of their group, they break off into partners and read EEKK- ask your first grader what this means! :)

Word Work

I have several bins with different activities for the students to complete during this time. Each student chooses a bin they would like to work on and brings it to their table spot. Some of the bins have sight word practice with magnetic letters or writing templates. Others have activities that are more focused on our science/social studies theme for the week. These might include sentence scrambles or vocabulary work.



Listening to Reading

This is definitely a fan favorite! At the computers, students can access a variety of websites that allow them to listen to stories, play word games, and practice their sight words.

Work on Writing

 Last, but not least, we have work on writing! During this time, students can choose from different writing prompts or paper that engage them in all types of writing. Students can write letters, lists, books, facts about animals, etc. during this center.

You will notice that all of the centers are based on choice. While the students are assigned which centers to visit each day, they are allowed to choose the activities in that center they would like to work on. By giving students the freedom to pick which book to read, activity to do, computer game to play, etc., I find they stay independently motivated and engaged the whole time.

Hope you're enjoying your week so far! Be sure to check back in soon. :)