Literacy Centers Literacy Centers are something new for me this year

Literacy Centers Literacy Centers are becoming a staple in my literacy program. After implementing them last year, I saw some great progress and the kids really enjoyed working with the different materials. They were multi-level and appealed to all different learning styles and modes. I have to admit there were some frustrations though-Management of the centers was something I worked on as well as making sure the activities were truly beneficial in developing my children's literacy. After reading Reading Essentials (Regie Routman) I gained a better perspective of their place within the greater whole of teaching literacy. After some reflection I plan to continue using them but with a more watchful eye over sacrificing authentic tasks for cute centers. I want to keep them meaningful and connected to the overall literacy process. They are important, but only one of many ways we develop readers and writers in our classroom.
Clay Letters The children use clay to form letters. These are simple die cut letters mounted on posterboard and laminated. As you can see, they are a little worn!	Alphabet Song Workmats These are workmats I created on Printmaster (a computer graphics program) to accompany alphabet songs and chants. The first mats start without using the letter, to focus more on sound, then we move to workmats which have the letter to accompany the picture.
Letter Sort These are mats we use to sort letters in our name and letters not in our name. Name tags are available to use. Later we'll move onto letters with curves, lines, in popcorn words, etc.	Sound Sort This idea is from Dr. Jean. These are containers used to sort small manipulatives and toys according to beginning sound. I add the matching letter later. Our OCPS Literacy Center has materials to makes these for FREE!
ABC Books These are our collection of Alphabet books. There are full alphabet books as well as books which focus on individual letters.	Writing Center There are all sorts of materials for making little books, writing letters and notes, making lists, etc. There are also chalkboards, wipeboards, and a computer for word processing. We have our name wall here and the kids' mailboxes have their name and picture on it. We have Family Picture Sheets for girls and boys, with thumbnail pictures and names for easy reference.
Syllable Clapping Game This is a game to reinforce clapping syllables in words. The children put on their "clapping gloves" and choose a picture card. They clap the number of syllables in the word and check themselves by turning the card over. (This idea is borrowed and adapted from Angie Bonthius' site- check it out, she has awesome ideas!) Click here to print your own syllable cards!	"Trash" Books These are our "Trash" books-the kids use these to find symbols, letters, and words they know. We also have "Trash" cards which the kids can match to the pictures inside the books. We'll then transfer the images and words to black and white print, then take away the images to just show words. We also sort them by letter, type, and symbol. (Idea adapted from Barbie Aufhammer, a wonderful Early Childhood Resource Teacher- Thank you Barbie for getting me started in the right direction!!)
Storytelling Center These are two different ways to retell stories-the Story Hat (made at a Literacy Center Make and Take with Cristi Adams) and the Story Apron (apron from WalMart with felt hot glued on-CHEAP!). I print graphics from PrintMaster, glue them onto construction paper, laminate, and add sandpaper or velcro to use. The Story Hat is a great way to sequence-you clip the flannelboard pieces around as you retell. I keep the pieces in ziploc bags with a computer label. There are usually no more than 3 bags to choose from (for management purposes!). Sometimes the kids make their own pieces to use...	Mother Goose Props We have a Mother Goose box that holds different props for retelling or dramatizing nursery rhymes. My mother-in-law gave me the doll (it's actually supposed to hang in your pantry-you can stuff plastic grocery bags in it)-we use her to introduce new rhymes. I usually put in a small prop or picture to get the kids talking and guessing.
Turtle Talk This is a turtle visor bought from the dollar store. The kids wear these and practice stretching out words ("turtle talking"). They can use the cards from the Syllable Clapping Game or other sets of picture cards. Sometimes we use them to stretch out words during Writing Workshop.	Book Looks All our books are sorted by type and put in baskets all over the room. The kids have time to read familiar books as well as explore with new ones. They can also check out books twice a week from our classroom.
Name Puzzles Each child's name is written in a different color on a sentence strip then cut up. The pieces are put into a ziploc with the child's picture and their name labeled on front (printed in the same color to make the letter pieces easier to manage). I found some serving trays at the Dollar Store to use as work trays. The kids dump the letters out, manipulate them to spell the child's name, then put them back in and seal (we practiced that quite a bit!). They can then get a new bag. Bags are stored in a Dollar Tree shoe holder bag-I put a name label on a shoe slot and the ziploc goes in.	More Name Puzzles These are simple two piece puzzles with pictures on one piece and the name on the other. The children match them up then check themselves with the name cards from the Writing Area. These can also be used to practice matching pictures with words.
Alphabet Lacing Beads These were originally just for our name bottles but my creative colleague and friend, Diana Greer, uses hers with pipe cleaners to make names, popcorn words, put letters in order, etc... Visit her wonderful site here!	Name Bottles PICTURE COMING SOON! Each child has their own name bottle filled with water and the alphabet beads in their name. They use a class roll sheet and cross off each child's name as they find their name bottle. There is a number on the bottom of each bottle which corresponds to numbers on the roll sheet for self checking.
Guess the Name Game We use this in whole group setting and the kids love to use it during Reading Workshop. You slide the sentence strip through one letter at a time and the kids try to guess it before the whole name is covered. They really focus on each letter in the name!	Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Workmat This is a color print of my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree (click here to print your own!) taped inside a cookie sheet from Dollar Tree. The kids manipulate the letters to form names, words, or to order the letters.
Name Bingo This is a Bingo Board created from Personal Educational Press. You just type in the words you want and they create the Bingo boards. You can also print tracing sheets and other activities using the names/words you provide.	Listening Center This is our Reading Area couch. The kids get comfortable and listen to great books!