Managing Centers in your Classroom

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These are just a few ways you can manage your students at centers. If you train your students to look at the center chart, managing them will be a breeze.

Here are some games that you can use in centers.  Most of these games can be varied to fit any skill.
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Add in math flashcards, spelling words, or vocabulary definitions to the great game of Checkers and you have a great learning tool.

Use this chart to build fluency. The black dots get claps and the spaces get nods. The dots are attached with Velcro. Change, add, or delete the dots to create a new rhythm pattern.

These tap lights are fun and inexpensive. Add math, spelling, or vocabulary flashcards and you have a fun game.

Shaving gel isn't just for dad anymore. Kids love the way it feels and smells. It also makes your classroom smell wonderful. Students use this to write their spelling words in.
 

I loved play dough as a child and your students will love it too. Let students form their vocabulary words and spelling words with it.

 

Keep your "eye" on the words. Your students will love going to their browsing boxes to use their "eye" to follow along to read. Use these at the listening center to follow the story as it is read to you.

I buy books with cassettes from the Scholastic Book Club. Usually you can buy 4 to 5 books with the cassettes for $15.99. My students love to listen to these at the Listening Center.
 

I love my computer in the classroom. It became an instant center. My students listen to these on the computer then can play an interactive activity about the story. Kid Pix Deluxe 3 can be incorporated with any subject.

The get game of Jenga just became a learning center  game. Add any type of flashcards to this wonderful game and you have instant learning fun.
 

Who knew water and a paint brush could be so much fun. Let the students write their spelling words on the chalkboard using water and a paint brush.
 

Save those old calendar pictures. Start a collection of digital pictures for you writing center. These are great writing prompts.
 

Look around your house for funny looking sunglasses, old Halloween masks, or things that can be used as pointers. They make great props for reading around the room.

If you haven't visited www.starfall.com yet, you don't know what you have been missing. You get free stuff and lots of small books that the students can take home to read. It's a great way to start your students a library.

 

Making words is fun to do. I like taking big words and seeing how many words I can make from that. Students love the competition to see who can make the most.



 

These four games can be adapted to any subject. Use a Pringles can for the container and any type of skill. I made up Oh-No, Bang, and Gotcha using the same concept of Kaboom.
Click here for directions.

SWAT Team is one of my students' favorites. Write words on this poster board. Then, call out a word and watch the students swat it like a fly. The teacher could also call out a definition and the students would swat the word that matches it.

These little boxes are a wonderful addition to a writing topic. The students chose a box and look inside to see what their writing topic is for the day.
Click here  for the template and directions.
 

These plastic spider rings are great motivational tools to get students to add. Place white on one hand and black on the other and voila your adding. These are great for subtracting too.

 

These doughnuts won't make you gain weight, but they will make you gain knowledge. Kids can play alone or with a partner.
Click here for directions.

 

Use these small dry erase boards to get student to practice syllabication. This is a great way to get students to spell those long words they can't ever remember.
 

This is another favorite of my students. They were great detectives breaking codes for  their spelling words.
Click here for Secret Code sheet.

This game is an oldie but a goodie. It just has a Spelling twist to it. I used it for vocabulary definitions too.
Click here for directions.
 

All kids love make paper chains. This is a great variation to do with those paper chains.
Click here for directions.

 

Tic Tac Toe three in a row. Just add spelling words or vocabulary words and definitions to play this fun game. I made my game board with construction paper, but click here for a different game board.

A little competition never hurt anyone. Beat the clock can be played alone or in a group.
Click here for directions.



 

Your students may not like to eat beans, but they'll love to play with their beans. This is an easy game to make and it's loads of fun.
Click here for directions.
 

Quick Spell is another game students love.
Click here for directions.

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Last Updated on Monday, December 17, 2007