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When it comes to using their own money to purchase classroom materials and supplies, teachers have pockets deeper than Captain Kangaroo's...
Does anyone have their centers organized in tubs? Would you please share your ideas, rotation and etc.? Thanks!
Shawn responded:
I do my morning learning centers in a tub. It's like a large dishpan I got at Big lots. I have 5 centers with 4 and 5 students working at each of them. On the front of each the tubs I have one of 5 shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, and hexagon) and on each shape I have a number 1-5. The leader for the week for each group goes to get the box for their group and they work together at a designated spot in the room. When the timer goes off they clean up and come to the carpet for stories. A co-worker told me that she had started this and it worked really well for her. Organized and consistent, which is what kids really need. I hope this is what you were looking for.
I usually try to put in activities that go with our assessments at that time. It's not just a work sheet.
Phonemic Awareness items: On the top of the paper I put "Today in Learning Centers I counted syllables in my classmates names." Then I had columns with "1,2,3,4" and along with that I had a class list. They had to cut out a classmate's name and decide which column it should go into [according to the number of syllables in the name]. Then they glued it in that column.
One center I just started new this year is a Poetry journal. I find a short poem that goes with our letter person or theme for the week and a very simple craft to go with the poem on the other side of the notebook page. Last week it was about a Ladybug and the poem was similar to a fingerplay. They highlighted the Ll's and circled the rhyming words. Then on the other side was a simple Lady bug they cut out of contruction paper and put together.
Another tub is a writing one. I had a large outline of a gift box and it said "I want a __________ . They had to finish the sentence and draw a picture.
Another tub was review on Rhyming words. I had a sheet of paper that said "_____________ rhymes with _____________" Then in the box I had a neat set of rhyming cards from Wal-mart that had a simple picture with the word below it. They had to find ten matches and write the words. Afterwards they had to read it to me. I change these centers weekly. I have accumulated lots of things which I keep in a larger tub so I can just pull ideas from year to year. But I always like to revise and find new ones. It keeps me motivated and energized!
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