When I started teaching first grade, there was no TPT and very few bloggers (at least I didn't follow any at this time,) so I was sort of drowning during my reading workshop time. I was constantly looking for new centers and changing them out and I felt like all of my time was spent on centers. I knew I needed to figure something else out that would work for me. So sometime in the middle of my first year, I started making these monthly literacy menus. I felt more organized and they provided me with a little direction. Now in the beginning, I had little access to clip art and fonts, so they were not cute at all! Ha! Over the last decade, I've updated, tweaked, added, modified, "cute-sified," you name it. These centers have definitely evolved, but the format has stayed the same and it's the format and easy management that saved me as a first grade teacher. Here is how they work...
Benefits:
- Students keep track of centers completed with this menu.
- Menu sets up organizational system for the monthly centers.
- Categories are consistent from month to month so students are familiar.
- A variety Common Core standards are hit with these centers. Standards are ON the menu, too.
- Spend the first month teaching routines and expectations, then enjoy the next 8 months!
My first criteria: SPACE! I had a tiny classroom so I needed something that would fit in a small space. Those four "folder holders" fit my entire month's worth of centers!
Each center fits in the folder. Students take their folder to a place in the room. Keep contents of center together in the folder. Easy clean-up!
The entire year of centers fit into my closet on one shelf!
Want to learn more?
THIS post goes into a little more detail about how I roll it all out.
In THIS post, you can find a video explanation, too.
Want to see the centers themselves?
I have these centers for kindergarten, first, and second grade!
One last thing! This freebie is in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I use it to grade my centers. This rubric could work with any centers, not just mine. Enjoy! Click HERE to get these.
Great, organized, monthly plan. I will share this post, too, as there are many teachers in my building who will be happy to read. And thanks for the free rubrics- also handy. Kathleen
ReplyDeletelook how organized those center buckets are!!
ReplyDeleteMakes learning more interactive. thank you Sarah for sharing
ReplyDeleteIt`s great to have such kind of tools which help to organize somebody`s time. They significantly helpto arrange working time and all of the activities during the day. I have some problems with it, that`s why your post is informative to me. Thanks a lot.
ReplyDelete