"STANDARD" CENTERS

Do you feel like your brain is on “pause”? Are you running out of ideas for centers? Are your students rolling their eyes as you hand them another worksheet? Over the few days I’ll try to spark up standards with some simple multi-sensory center ideas.

Note! Many districts now require teachers to display focus goals at centers. Last year Carolyn Kisloski (ckisloski.blogspot.com) helped me create “I Can” standard cards that you can post in your centers.
Go to WWW.DRJEAN.ORG/HTML/MONTHLY_ACT/ACT_2014/07 to download them.

                                       
Although every state has variations of standards, the core skills are the same. Standards are based on research, and all states are committed to adhering to the research.

COMPREHENSION - RETELLING A STORY
Story House
Fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise. Open. Fold the top two corners down to the crease. Fold the bottom up so it looks like a house. Children can draw the characters on the front of the house and then open to draw the setting.
*Write the author and illustrator on the top flaps and the title on the front. Open and ask children to draw their favorite part of the story.

Play Dough Characters
Give children play dough and let them make their favorite character.
*Let them draw the setting on a sheet of paper and then use the play dough character to talk about the story.

What Can You Find Out?
Collect several non-fiction books on the same topic. Demonstrate how to fold a sheet of paper into fourths to make a book. Ask the children to look through the books to see what they can find out. Have them draw or write notes in their books about what they learned.

Story Telling Center
Puppets are a unique way to integrate art with standards. Children can make stick puppets, lunch sack puppets, paper plate puppets, envelope puppets, etc. of favorite characters from books read. Their “puppet” can then retell the story.

                                       
Flannel Board
To make a simple flannel board, staple the sides of a file folder and glue felt to the front. Make characters from felt or copy color photos from the book, cut them out, and attach a piece of Velcro to the back. Model how to retell the story and then invite the children to retell it using the felt pieces.
*Milk filter paper is perfect for flannel board characters. Cut milk filters to
8 ½” x 11” and place in the copy machine. Choose an appropriate page from a book and make a color copy. Cut out and you’ll have realistic pieces to retell a story.