Literacy Centers

(more pictures coming soon)

   I think literacy centers are the most important part of the day in the early childhood classroom. I design my weekly "must do" centers based on current reading research which has found that children need instruction and practice in phonological awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary and high frequency words. I plan 5 centers each week that students rotate through and then have other centers they visit after completing the "must do" center each day. The students work literacy centers independently for about 90 minutes per day. During this time I pull students for guided reading. My paraprofessional monitors students during literacy centers. For the first four weeks of school I slowly introduce centers to them adding one a week. After the first six weeks they have four centers too choose from after they finish their planned activity. Students are divided into groups for guided reading and literacy stations.

Planned Literacy Activities

Sound Station
    At this station students listen to Alpha Tales (Scholastic), play sound games, complete beginning sound wheels, participate in hot dot pen activities, sorting activities, and puzzles. I download many of my beginning sound activities from Cherry Carl's website: (http://www.carlscorner.us.com) After completing at least four activities, students draw pictures of the sound they are working on. I use ABC board books I found at Dollar General, (each letter has it's own page). This is a great introduction to dictionary skills.  Instead of completing a worksheet, they have been totally involved with the sound. After completing beginning and ending sounds activities, then this station can be used for word family activities.

Hot Dot Pens Hot dot pens make sounds and light up when you press the dots under each picture. You purchase cold and "hot" dots. Place the hot dots under the right answer and the cold dots under the wrong answer. It is a self checking activity that the children love. Talking Hot Dot pens and dots can be purchased online from Educational Insights for 10.95 for the pens.	Discovery Bottle I found this plastic jar at Target filled with popcorn. I filled it with the little plastic beads you can find at  craft stores. I place beginning sound objects in the jar. the children roll the cylinder around until they have found all the objects. I placed a picture of the object on a 5X7 card running down each side. Then they are laminated. The children use clothespins to mark the objects they find.  I will put an example on this page soon.  You can also cut out pictures and place them in the jar if you don't have the beginning sound objects. I purchased a set from Lakeshore Learning.
Alpha Tales can be purchased from the Scholastic Teacher Store	Alphabet  Wheels can be purchased from the Scholastic Teacher Store
Alphabet Puzzles can be found on Cherry Carl's website	Sound Sorts can be found on Cherry Carl's website

Sound Station Response Sheet example

Each child is given a response sheet to complete as they finish each of their sound activities. Click on the links below for each sound page. ( I use a  Zaner Bloser trace font at the bottom of each  sound sheet, you can download free tracing fonts at this website:

http://www.fontspace.com/search?dotted

Sound Station Response Sheets

Listening Station
 The beginning of reading comprehension begins with listening comprehension. At this station, students listen to a story and then answer a question about the story involving characters, setting and plot. Last year I added a small television to the listening center. I have the students watch a story and answer questions. It keeps the center new and exciting.

Creation Station                                              At this station students let their creativity shine through. They respond to the theme we are working on or a piece of literature by creating art work they can share. Illustrating poems with various art media is a favorite activity. My wonderful paraprofessional keeps a large supply of small squares of different colored construction paper for students to use.

Word Work
At this center students are making words by stamping, writing with different pencils, magic markers, q tips, etc.  They  can also trace words, write words on a magna doodle board or on a dry erase board. They construct sentences, complete a pattern sentence and illustrate, and match words and sentences to pictures.

Guided Reading
While guided reading is extensively discussed in another page on my web site, it is the most important part of my literacy station time. At this station students complete phonics activities, comprehension activities, print awareness activities and instruction on reading strategies. You can read more about Guided Reading by clicking on this link:
 

Literacy Center Board

Other Literacy Centers

ABC Center
     A collection of  review activities such as matching games, making words, stamping  words, lotto games, beginning sound games, mixed up sentences activities, rhyming games, etc.  Frequently I place activities from past weeks in the ABC Center.

Book Boxes
        Books with various genres are all around the room.

Reading Center
       Books related to the current theme along with teddy bears, cushions, and puppets are placed in the center. They must read five books.
 

Pocket Chart Station
        Poems, chants, songs, etc. are placed on two sets of sentence strips (one cut apart) and used to construct sentences. Pocket charts can also be used for matching games.
 

Writing Center
    Students can write words related to the theme letters to their friends or make books.
 

Puzzles
   Alphabet puzzles are available for students to put together.

Magnetic Board
   Making words activities, matching games, rhyming games, etc. are placed at the magnetic board.

Big Book Center
       Big books related to the current theme are placed in this center. Students must read five books. They can read with a partner or on their own. They can use the pointers found near the big book center. 

Listening Bags
     Students can listen to a thematic book on cd. As the year progresses, there will be response sheets for them to complete after listening to the cd.

Video Center
   Students watch stories or short videos related to the theme and complete a response sheet.

Poem Charts
    Students use pointers to read at least five songs or poem charts.

Computers
    Literacy related programs are placed on computers for students to use.

Email me with questions or comments: