Susan Daniel

Designing Literacy Centers

Name of Center: Readers Theatre
Grade Level: 2-3
Objective: To aid students in their acquisition of reading fluency
Description of materials: There will be a story board and a basket which contains book bags. The book
bags will include the book and puppets which correspond to the story. There will be options that
correspond to differing reading levels and interests. Some books may be favorites we have read as a
class.
Procedure: Groups of 3-4 students will work together in this center to do a readers theatre. They will
read and play with puppets from a chosen story. In order to eliminate issues with choosing a story, the
children will rotate leaders. The leaders will choose the story for that day.
Closure: Students will clean the space, get their writers notebook and return to their desks. On
occasion, the group may be invited to tell the story to the class using the puppets.
Extension: As an extension students may use their writing notebook to write a new story from the other
characters perspective, retelling the story or telling what happens next. They will also have the
opportunity to include ideas for future writing in their Topic in my Pocket notebook. Also, students
may check out a readers theatre bag to take home and read with a parent.
Maintenance: The teacher assures the levels are organized and properly coded, changes the books to
correspond with units and interest of students. This center would be permanent, but changing
frequently.












Name of Center: Word Work
Grade Level:K-4
Objective: The students will be able to choose their spelling words and words to work on from their
writing and based on a pattern of the week.
Description of Materials: Students will need their writing notebooks to view words they need to learn,
there will be a bucket of pencils, colors, letter tiles, dry erase boards and markers/
Procedure: Groups of 3-4 students will meet together to decide on a list of words to study for the week.
They will choose words based on the weekly pattern (such as dge ) as well as words they notice in their
writing that needs improvement. Once a list of 10-15 words is determined the students will begin
practicing using the tools in the center.
Closure: Students will share their words with the teacher and the class. The students will put their
folders and supplies back where they belong.
Extension: Students will be able to practice their words at home, during the week and in their writing
folders.
Maintenance: The teacher will replenish supplies as necessary, sharpening pencils and straightening the
area. This center would be permanent.













Name of Center: Play Center
Grade Level: K-4
Objective: Students will play in a real life center in order to use authentic experiences for environmental
print, reading and writing
Description of Materials: tables, cups, pads of paper, cup of pens, play food, plates,
Procedure: Groups of 3-4 students will enter the center and draw from the job jar. Depending on their
job assignment, they will don an apron and seat the others as customers, perhaps they will put on a
chefs hat and cook. They students will hand out menus to be read, choose food, the waiter/waitress
will take the order and deliver it to the cook. The cook will read the order and prepare it. If time allows
students will rotate through this center again, taking on new jobs.
Closure: Students will clean the space and fill out a recommendation form. The recommendation forms
will be in a binder for students to write what they like, dont like and what they think would be good to
add to the center.
Extension: Students will be able to utilize their writers notebook to add ideas for story starters based on
their activities.
Maintenance: This center will rotate frequently transforming from a restaurant to a veterinarian clinic to
a grocery store to a hospital. The teacher will be responsible to maintain the paper pads and pens and
changing the center as necessary.











Name of Center: Listening Center
Grade Level: K-4
Objective: Students will increase fluency and aid in automaticity through listening to various stories
while following along.
Description of Materials: Various listening devices such as iPad, tape recorders, computers. For IPad and
computers software or websites will be on the device prior to the center opening. For tape recorders
and cd players, books and CDs/tapes will be in book bags. Also needed are response binder, forms and
writing materials.
Procedure: Students will select a device and then a book that corresponds to their chosen device.
Students will take their choices to their desks or other location in the room previously approved by the
teacher. They will listen and quietly read along to the story.
Closure: Students will return to the center to choose a form and leave a recommendation for other
students. This form could include a paragraph from older students or a picture and a word from younger
students. The form is returned to the binder under the correct book marker.
Extension: Students will have the option of taking the books home to share with their families. They will
also have options of further activities including making an advertisement, a book report to present or a
poster.
Maintenance: The teacher will replenish forms and writing supplies as necessary. The teacher will check
the recommendation binder to ensure it is in order. Books will be maintained, rotated and checked in or
out as necessary. This center would be permanent, but allow for changes to reflect multicultural units,
Science units, and other materials.










Name of Center: Vocabulary work
Grade Level: 1-4
Objective: Students will practice words in a fun and engaging way
Description of materials: In this center will be 3x5 notecards, a card holder per student, dry erase
boards, a checklist of vocabulary activities and various writing and drawing materials, a bucket or jar of
words we have pulled from our reading and other activities.
Procedure: Pairs of students will draw a word from the word jar then complete a list of activities. The
first activity will be to write the word on one side of the 3x5 card then turn the card over and draw a
picture representation. Students will repeat this choosing another word until they have 5-10 words in
their box. The next activity will be for the students to choose a card from their box to either draw or act
out for their partner. Partners will take turns.
Closure: Students will share their vocabulary words with the teacher by using at least one word in a
sentence. Students will return everything to its place.
Extension: Students will be expected to attempt to use the words in their writing and speaking
vocabulary.
Maintenance: The teacher will keep index cards and writing supplies stocked. The teacher will add and
remove words from the vocabulary jar frequently. This would likely be permanent, but words would
change to reflect differing units.










Name of Center: Poetry Center
Grade Level: K-4
Objective: Children will increase fluency by reading poetry and favorite nursery rhymes. Students will
create poetry books of their own.
Description of Materials: This center will need writing supplies, papers, various books of poetry,
laminated copies of favorite poems and nursery rhymes.
Procedure: In this center children will begin by reading their favorite poems and nursery rhymes to each
other. Students will be encouraged to act out the story as they become more familiar with it. After a few
visits to the center children will begin to compile their favorite poems to keep. When they are ready
students will be encouraged to write their own poetry for exchanging.
Closure: Students will share poetry with each other and the teacher.
Extension: Students will be encouraged to keep ideas in their writing journals or future writing projects.
Maintenance: The teacher will be sure new poems are introduced. The teacher will replenish the
supplies as necessary. This Center could be combined with the Writing center, readers theatre center
or fluency center.













Name of Center: Research Center
Grade Level: 1-4
Objective: Students will have an opportunity for authentic writing and reading in an area of special
interest.
Description of Materials: We will have a basket of various books based on Science and Social Study units
including multi-cultural choices. Students will have access to markers, chart paper and forms for
questions. Students will also bring their writing notebooks.
Procedure: Students will be instructed to choose an area of interest from Science or Social Studies.
Students will form questions or create a KWL chart. After deciding what they want to learn students will
select books or other materials for further research. As a student answers a question they wanted to
find out more about they will write a sentence or paragraph depending upon the age/ability.
Closure: Students will have an opportunity to share their information with the class.
Extension: Students may do more research using the school library, computer, or other resources and
complete a project.
Maintenance: The teacher will change the materials available based upon the units of study. The
teacher will be sure to keep chart paper, writing utensils, and forms stocked.













Name of Center: Writing Center
Grade Level: 1-4
Objective: Students will continually be working on a writing assignment.
Description of Materials: A file box with writing folders which include topic in my pocket on the front
with various ideas students collect throughout the year.
Procedure: Groups of students will enter the writing center and choose a role, such as writer, editor, or
illustrator. Students will work together on their writing by reading each-others work, editing and
offering suggestions, writing, drawing pictures to go with their writing,
Closure: Students will take a moment to be share what they are writing with each other and the teacher.
Students will clean their space, place their writing folders back in the file box
Extension: Students will have the ability to publish their work and add it to the class library where it will
be available to be checked out by others.
Maintenance: The teacher will verify writing folders are in the file box.














Name of Center: Story Telling
Grade Level: 1-4
Objective: Students will increase comprehension by rewriting stories based on a few clues before
reading a new story.
Description of Materials: Print outs with clues about the story to be read, paper, pencils and story maps.
Procedure: Students will read a list of clues about a story and then create their own.
Closure: Students will compare their story to the actual story by reading.
Extension: Students may compile a notebook of their stories and trade with classmates or add it to the
classroom library to be checked out.
Maintenance: The teacher will change the story clues to fit new books or units of study. The teacher will
be sure story maps, paper and pencils are maintained.

















Name of Center: Word Sort
Grade Level: 1-4
Objective: Students will build schema for various units in Science and Social Studies
Description of Materials: various charts and vocabulary words corresponding with current units and
answer keys.
Procedure: Groups of 3-4 students will enter the center and look at the words. They will then decide
how the words should be sorted. Taking the chart paper they will begin to sort the words.
Closure: children will decide together if the words are sorted correctly and check with an answer key
provided.
Extension: Children may choose words from their studies and create their own word sort activities.
Children may trade their activities amongst themselves for practice.
Maintenance: The teacher will be sure new words and charts are available based on the units of study in
the classroom.