In first grade, a big portion of our morning is spent in Literacy Centers. A literacy center is an area or station designed for a specific learning purpose. It is designed to provide appropriate materials to help students work independently or with partners or small groups to meet literacy goals. Our classroom provides a variety of centers that all focus on different aspects of literacy. Below are pictures of some of our centers and an explanation of what we are doing!
Teacher Table
Commonly, the teacher table center is used as Guided Reading practice. This offers students intentional reading instruction with texts that are just a little too hard! The first 1-2 minutes of our reading group will be spent looking at sight words in the selected text. We practice saying, writing, and applying the words. I next move on to introducing the book. This is not a summary of the book, but instead a short, and sweet overview of it. If a book is full of content vocabulary, this is the time that we look at those words and identify them, to ease the reading process. The next 6-7 minutes or so are spent having the students read the book aloud (in a whisper or quiet voice). As students are reading, I am checking in with them individually. During this time I listen to students read, prompt them for strategies, ask questions, and provide support. Since these are instructional texts, they are meant to be slightly difficult and students will need support. After reading, we discuss the book and work on comprehension aspects, as well as spend a few minutes in Word Work. Often this is just pulling patterns found in our texts.
Sometimes I will use the teacher table center as a chance to do a project or activity that goes along with our whole group lesson. In the picture shared below, you will see an example of students working on their “sentence buddy”, which went along with our mini lesson of sentence parts!
Independent Read
They are also given the choice of independent reading in our cozy reading corner! Prior to independent reading, they are given the opportunity to “book shop” and explore the variety of books in our library. Students are taught how to pick “just right books” for them but are also encouraged to pick out a few “just for fun” readers. I also provide teacher selected books in their book boxes to make sure that there are books appropriate for their reading level.
Phonics
The phonics center is always changing as we focus on different spelling patterns each week. The work pages provide the students an opportunity to practice and review our phonetic pattern words, as well as help them with reading and decoding trickier words. The phonics center always includes cut and paste activities, which help greatly with developing our fine motor skills!
Sight Word Games and Activities
This group of students are working on their sight word game. In addition to the students practicing at home, the children have an opportunity to further their sight word knowledge at school. The games and activities are always changing, which helps keep practicing new and exciting! Examples of games and activities include board games, write the room, memory games, magic words, and upside-down writing!
Listening Center
Our listening center is an opportunity for students to listen to a story though a safe, online story portal. After choosing their story on the iPad, they scan the provided QR code, which automatically directs them to the story. After listening to the story, the student answers a question related to the story, working on their comprehension skills.
Writing Center
The writing center is one of our most popular centers (despite what the picture is shows!) and it is a great way for children to explore literacy beyond reading books. At the writing center, children are instructed to write, write, write! However, it is their choice as to what they want to write. Many students choose to write letters to one another and others are having fun writing cards and lists of things to do! After starting our Writers Workshop unit, the kids are beginning to explore book making and writing their own stories.
