Literacy+Centers

= = __**Library Center**__ __**Writing Center**__ Students can choose from a variety of writing materials to practice writing letters, names or words. They may also work on writing workshop stories, theme related stories, and other writing activities (lists, puppet show/plays, greeting cards, letters, theme books). Examples: > __write rebus sentences or sticker story stories.__
 * Make a p icture dictionary to go along with a theme. For example, if we are talking about farm animals, they draw a farm animal on each page of their book and write the word, using the words displayed at the writing center. There may be a sentence frame on each page, such as: A __is at the farm.__
 * __Stamping: Students can stamp out words or sentences using rubber stamp alphabet letters or words.__
 * __Write-and-Lift: Use the little pads that you write on and lift up the plastic and the word disappears.__
 * __Rainbow Writing: Students write words/letters in words in different colors.__
 * __Journal writing: Students may write on a specific topic given or own choice.__
 * __Mailbox/Post office: Students can write letters to their friends and family and put in a mailbox.__
 * __Stamp-a-story: Students use stamps/stickers__
 * __Patterned sentence and stamps: Teacher writes a SIMPLE sentence using words from the word wall. It may be, "I see a__ ___." The students write this down. Then they use stamps (letters, numbers, and pictures) and an ink pad to complete the sentence. They reread the sentence and move on to the next sentence.__

= = __ BIG Books Center __ __ Phonics Center __ Students do games, file folders activities, read the room, or use the overhead at this center. The possibilities at this center are endless. Some Examples are:
 * Write the Word Cards: Students use letter/phonic knowledge to write the word on a laminated picture card. There are blanks for each letter in the word below the picture for clues.
 * Word Family Strips: Students use rime fold-overs to create new words in the same "family." Then they record all the words they made.
 * Letter/Sound Match: Students match up objects and letters.
 * Picture labels: Have students use a washable pen to label magazine pictures on laminated file folders. These can be photocopied for assessment.
 * Word clothesline: Students attach individual letter cards with clothespins on small clothesline using clothespins.
 * Sand Table/Playdough: Use Jell-O jiggler molds or cookie cutters to make words.
 * Magnetic letters/words and magnetic boards: Students manipulate letters to spell names, words, or sentences.
 * Rhyming Word Match: match picture to word.