Reading learning centers promote literacy skills. Activities are differentiated by grade level and include such things as books, flashcards and computer games. For example, kindergarten students are learning letters and sounds. Their learning centers might consist of phonics and word-building activities. Fifth-grade students, on the other hand, are focusing on vocabulary development, fluency and reading comprehension. Their centers incorporate paired reading and story boards. This is where students develop drawings based on story progression.
Students improve concepts and number facility through math learning centers. Activities include flashcards and computer games. In early elementary, students are beginning to understand numbers and quantities. They are learning basic operations, currency and fractions. During the later elementary years, students are exposed to multiplication, division, percentiles and decimals. Math learning centers can be simple, like reviewing flashcards or counting manipulatives. They can also be more elaborate, like working with money by running a cash register.
Social learning centers are focused on peer interaction and development. Key concepts include taking turns and resolving differences. It is important to incorporate intellectual aspects in your centers. For example, to teach students to take turns, play games such as Memory and Hi-Ho Cherry-O. Students also enjoy creating their own social stories. These are short stories written to improve social skills, such as proper bus conduct. Students can draw and color their books.
When developing learning centers, keep supplies in a safe but accessible place. Colorful bins are often helpful, assigning each center a different color. This also frees necessary space for the activities. Provide a variety of options for each learning center. Not all students have the same interests or are on the same academic level. Before beginning the activities, explicitly review center rules of conduct. Keep a copy of the rules in view. Provide supervision but allow the students to tap into their creativity.