Monday, July 25, 2016

Launching Literacy Centers for the Fall in the K-2 classroom

Check out my new and improved Literacy Center Packet! I've added a lot of new and helpful tools to this packet to launch your centers in the fall! Keep reading if you want to check out the new stuff! 

Cover Page

In this packet I've included a number of things: photos of my classroom centers with materials and directions, "I Can.." cards to laminate and put on a ring for directions in the centers, Large Center Icons to laminate and display in the center, Small icon cards to put on a rotation poster, and center activity pages in color and black and white for the students to complete in each center. It is jammed packed full of fun and colorful stuff!

In my classroom I have 24 centers:
Library, Theme, Read the Room, Write the Room, Math, Science, Museum, Drama, Finger Puppets, Felt Board, Geography, Art, Word Wall, Author Study, Construction, Games, Listening, Calendar, Word Work, Research, Overhead, Computer, Poetry and Writing.

I LOVE to see real photos of classrooms, I just think it is so cool to see the real thing! And, since I'm a very visual person, I like to see how the classroom is set up and organized. That's why I took photos of all of my literacy centers to give you a visual.
Drama Center
Felt Board
Museum
Writing

These are just 4 of the 24 centers that I have in my classroom!  The rest of the photos you have to see in the packet!

I also included large center icons- to copy, laminate and cut out! You can display them on the wall or table of your centers so the students know where each center is. They have the center name and the picture to go with it.  I LOVE using chevron in my classroom, so I used it around the border.
Large Icons 

Large Center Icons

I also included small icons to copy, laminate and cut out as well. These are small enough to put velcro on the back of them and stick onto your center rotation board or poster.

Small Icons for Poster

For each center I wrote "I Can..." cards. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is so helpful for the students! A lot of times when the students get to a center they forget or are confused on what to do there. These cards can help! They are step by step instructions on what the students can do at each center! Mine are very simple. Simply print, laminate and cut them out, then punch a hole in the top corner and attach together with a ring! You can hang these alongside the center icon or have it somewhere in the center for the students to read. I always have my students clean up there center when they are finished, so that is also a part of what they "Can Do!"
I CAN cards

At each center I have an activity page for the students to complete. I've made these in color and black and white!
These are the pages that stay inside the students' center folder for later rewards!  
Math Center Activity Page

Other Center Activity Pages

Literacy centers are so fun to have in your classroom. It's a wonderful way to spiral your skills and concepts taught during the day! If they are fun and engaging the students won't even know they are learning at the same time! And, there are a million different ways to launch them, these are my tips and tricks. If you are interested in my new and improved Literacy Center packet, click below.

Launching Literacy Centers: I Can cards, Icons and Templates

Love, Kara

Graphics Courtesy of: