New Literacy Centers!

This is my fine motor center. I call it Star Center. I think it is important to incorporate fine motor activities into centers and the kids always love them. This activity is tonging. Students have two small bowls and plastic tongs that I purchased from Lakeshore Learning. The first bowl is full of counters, little animals I think. You can use whatever you have, cotton balls, erasers, etc. They transfer all items to one bowl and then back to the other bowl. Then, they do it with the other hand. This is always more challenging since it is usually the hand they don’t write with, but it is a fun center. 

Last year, my Leapfrog Project was funded through Donors Choose and I received two Tag readers and several books. In this center, students will listen to the leveled books and also listen to animal facts. I hooked them up to headphones so they can hear without being disturbed. They love this center. Eventually,they will be able to read along with the TAG reader.

Magnetic Center: I think I got a little over zealous with this center. Too many students were not able to do this independently so I will have it revised on Monday. In this center, students will use their magnetic letters to make the sight words on the bus. These are words that we have introduced during word work by singing “the sight word on the bus”, which I found on Room 36 blog, a terrific blog! I will tweak this though and make a matching bus or backpack or something with the sight word on it and have the students match the words. I should have only put five words up to begin with. Live and learn!

Rhyming Work: This is an activity where students will take a train and match the pictures to the train that rhyme. There are three trains. Students will take turns or work together each filling out every train. Then, they will take a small piece of paper or a magnadoodle and write one set of rhyming words. They can color a picture if they are not able to write yet. I ask my students to always try. We are not seeking perfection when we are learning. 

Stamping Center: I sell this set on TPT and Teachers Notebook. Students will trace, stamp, cut and glue the letters. I only put the stamps they will need for this activity in the basket. Stamping is always a hit. 

Art Center: Paper tearing is a great fine motor activity. It also takes longer than painting. We are creating our own Meanie this week out of construction paper. I love what they have come up with so far. No two meanies are alike. If you are not sure what I am talking about, “Meanies” is a Joy Cowley book that is great to teach from. Check it out!