Centers in a Tub

from the Teachers.Net Kindergarten Chatboard
http://teachers.net/mentors/kindergarten

Susan/k/ca asked:

Does anyone have their centers organized in tubs? Would you please share your ideas, rotation and etc.? Thanks!

Shawn responded:
I do my morning learning centers in a tub. It's like a large dishpan I got at Big lots. I have 5 centers with 4 and 5 students working at each of them. On the front of each the tubs I have one of 5 shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, and hexagon) and on each shape I have a number 1-5. The leader for the week for each group goes to get the box for their group and they work together at a designated spot in the room. When the timer goes off they clean up and come to the carpet for stories. A co-worker told me that she had started this and it worked really well for her. Organized and consistent, which is what kids really need. I hope this is what you were looking for.

I usually try to put in activities that go with our assessments at that time. It's not just a work sheet.

Phonemic Awareness items: On the top of the paper I put "Today in Learning Centers I counted syllables in my classmates names." Then I had columns with "1,2,3,4" and along with that I had a class list. They had to cut out a classmate's name and decide which column it should go into [according to the number of syllables in the name]. Then they glued it in that column.

One center I just started new this year is a Poetry journal. I find a short poem that goes with our letter person or theme for the week and a very simple craft to go with the poem on the other side of the notebook page. Last week it was about a Ladybug and the poem was similar to a fingerplay. They highlighted the Ll's and circled the rhyming words. Then on the other side was a simple Lady bug they cut out of contruction paper and put together.

Another tub is a writing one. I had a large outline of a gift box and it said "I want a __________ . They had to finish the sentence and draw a picture.

Another tub was review on Rhyming words. I had a sheet of paper that said "_____________ rhymes with _____________" Then in the box I had a neat set of rhyming cards from Wal-mart that had a simple picture with the word below it. They had to find ten matches and write the words. Afterwards they had to read it to me. I change these centers weekly. I have accumulated lots of things which I keep in a larger tub so I can just pull ideas from year to year. But I always like to revise and find new ones. It keeps me motivated and energized!