First-graders are learning to read and spell words, so one learning center could be a place to use those skills to create words. Teachers can provide letter tiles, plastic letters or paper letters that students cut out. The students then rearrange those letters to make as many words as possible. The teacher can decide which letters to provide the students, possibly focusing on particular vowel sounds the class is practicing at the time and have them spell words that contain those sounds. Students can then write a list of the words they made or choose a few to write in a sentence.
Most first-grade classrooms contain a word wall, or a place where commonly used words are displayed. There are many independent activities students can do with the word wall during a learning center. Teachers can ask students to choose a word from the word wall and make a list of words that rhyme with it. Students can sort the words from the word wall in a variety of ways, for instance by the number of letters in each word, or by what vowel sound they contain. Students could also choose a few words from the word wall and include them in sentences.
First-graders are beginning to become writers, so it is important for them to have an opportunity to practice these skills in a self-directed way. A writing center can contain a variety of materials that students will need for writing, such as paper stapled to create small blank books, construction paper or lined paper. Teachers can also provide different writing utensils, like markers, pens and colored pencils so students get a chance to write with a variety of tools. The writing center can be a place where students create stories, write letters and make cards.
With a heavy focus on literacy in first grade, it is often difficult for teachers to find enough time to devote to other content areas. Learning centers can be a way to reinforce some of the other subjects being taught in first grade. A science or social studies center could contain nonfiction books or magazines surrounding a topic the class has been studying. Students can also engage in self-directed discovery with small experiments or investigations about a subject previously taught. For example, if the class has been learning about magnets, the teacher could provide a kit with magnets and objects that students can test for magnetic force, then record their results on a chart or graph.