We all know that changing out materials for literacy centers is essential.
Introducing new materials helps keep the kids engaged. AND it gives them practice with different skills as we move through the school year.
However, we have to think carefully about:
- How often to switch out materials
- How and when to teach students to use the new materials
- How many centers to replace each week
For a while, I switched out my centers every week. Every Friday afternoon or Monday morning, I’d replace (some of) my centers materials. Before the kids went to centers on Monday, I explained all of the activities so they’d know what to do.
This routine worked fine for me in terms of my own organization and planning.
However, it didn’t work great for my kids. I always felt like I was losing them when I explained the centers activities on Monday. Even if they were familiar with some of or all of the activities, it was just a LOT to throw at them all at once.
Do you ever feel the same way? If so, keep reading! In this post, I’ll share a simple alternative to switching out your literacy centers at the beginning of each week!
Photo Credits: Katerina Graghine, Shutterstock
I thought it’d be best if I explained my system in a video. Click “play” below to watch!
The Recap
Instead of introducing multiple new centers at the beginning of each week, I designate one day of the week for each center.
For example…
- Monday = partner reading center
- Tuesday = word work center
- Wednesday = independent reading center
- Thursday = writing center
- Friday = listening center
If you have more than 5 centers, you can assign more than one center to each day.
Then, on that center’s designated day, you can do one of two things:
- Introduce a new activity (or a variation of a pre-existing activity)
- Re-teach a procedure or teach a troubleshooting lesson to help students overcome a challenge you’ve noticed them having in that center
This strategy has helped my students and me by:
- Preventing “information overload,” since only one activity is introduced or reviewed at a time
- Giving students something new to look forward to EVERY day
- Ensuring that we have time for re-teaching procedures and expectations when the need arises (and we all know the need WILL arise! ;-))
Of course, you can still prep all of your centers for the next week on Thursday, Friday, or the weekend before. You just wait to introduce certain materials rather than putting everything out on Monday.
Pretty simple, right?
If you’d like to use the planning calendar I showed in the video, click on the image below to receive it. (You’ll get other literacy center planning freebies in the download, too!!)
AND one last thing — In last week’s post, I described another important change I made to improve student engagement and learning in centers. If you haven’t read it yet, click HERE.
Happy teaching!
I love this idea, but in my class my students only go to one center/station a day. Do your students go to every center everyday?
Hi Pam! They go to 3 different centers a day, usually. I typically have about 6 centers, so they get through the centers every 2-3 days. 🙂
Alison
My students only do one center a day as well!
That’s awesome! 🙂
As a new teacher I love your posts!
I’m so glad they’re helpful, Jill! 🙂 Thanks for reading!!
Alison
One good thing about using the daily 5 stations is that it doesn’t require frequent switching out of materials… Even with Word Work, there are multiple choices and it’s just the words that switch each week.
Yes! That is definitely a plus!
Alison
Hello. I had a question. So if they are all doing the same center each day then do you have enough materials for all of them ready? Do you have amount listening centers for all of them to be doing it at the same time? Maybe I am not understanding the process. Thank you.
Hi Sasha! They are actually not all doing the same center each day – sorry if I wasn’t clear about that! They are working in different centers, but I just introduce the new materials for one particular center on a given day of the week.
Alison
Ok I understand. So the one you introduce that day has new materials and the other ones have the same materials already practiced, is that correct? So you are just waiting to introduce the new material for that one day? Also what does your center rotation look like? How long do they stay in each station? Thank you!
Hi Sasha, correct! They stay in each station for about 15 minutes. Stay tuned for many more posts and a free workshop (Sept.) with more details about literacy centers! 🙂
Alison
Thank you for this great idea. Implementing Learning Centers has always been a struggle for me. Your posts have been helpful.
I’m so glad, Colleen! I think implementing literacy centers is one of the toughest parts of the literacy block. It has been something I’ve struggled with, too!
Alison
Alison,
I am a first grade teacher at a rural school district in Ohio.
How often do you suggest students visit each center throughout the week? Also, how many times a week do you suggest to meet with each small group? Thank you for your input!
Hi Amy!
I have students visit each center 2-3 times each week, but it depends on the total number of centers, class size, etc.
I usually meet with 3 small groups per day. But I tend to see the lower groups more often than the higher groups. You can email me if you’d like to see some schedules for guided reading rotations; happy to share those!
Alison
Alison,
I am also interested in how you plan your rotations and who is in what center. I have had my students rotate as groups and also freely rotate as they finish a center. I am curious as to how you have it set up. Thanks!
Hi! Sorry a bit confused, so for example if you have 22 students typically how many groups and centers are you running. Just need clarification. I am with you on information overload and loss of engagement.
Hi Melanie! If I have 22 centers, I usually have 5 groups and 6 centers total (plus the teacher station for small groups). I’ll be doing a super detailed post (specifically about grouping) in a little over a month. I’ll also be doing a free workshop about this topic (Sept 2017), so keep an eye out for those!
Alison
Thank you Allison!!
Hi Alison,
I really enjoy your PD sessions, they’re very helpful and help me to plan my own curriculum. I’m wondering how long each of your literacy centers last?
Jim Rojas
Hi Jim! So glad they are helpful! My literacy centers typically last about 15 minutes (it might vary a little depending upon grade level and point in the school year).
Alison
Hi Alison,
I love this idea about only introducing 1 or 2 new centers a day. I am curious about a few things.
1. How do you have the kids rotate through the centers?
2. How do you make sure they all get to every center each week? What if some kids did an “old” center (before you introduced the new one that week). Do they get a chance to do the new one? When?
3. How do your students react to doing a center more than once?
4. Do you use recording sheets for accountability?
Hi Shani! 1. The kids rotate through the centers about every 15 mins. They usually go to 3 centers per day. 2. I use a fixed rotation schedule, so they all get to the centers eventually. It’s a-okay if kids do an “old” center – I’ve found that if I’m constantly introducing new things, it’s too much for them. Repetition helps with getting them to follow directions. 3. I try to make my centers somewhat open-ended, so they are totally fine with doing a center more than once. The centers aren’t worksheets, so the task will be a little different… Read more »
Love your ideas!
Thank you, Sharon!! 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Alison
I love this idea! The next time I change out centers I think I will change out one at a time. Less stress for me! Thank you!
Yay for less stress! 🙂 Thanks for reading!!
Alison
I love the idea of introducing a new skill every day. I teach at a private school and only have 13 students in my class. I have the 8 colorful drawer rolling cart that I use for centers. I have three focus skills for that week; writing, word work and computer program. Each group is a different color. Each group has a different skill they are working on that day. For example, red group will be working on writing on Monday while green group will be working on word work on Monday. The groups will switch activities for the next… Read more »
Hey, Hannah! Yes, I would pull small groups as they are working on their center work. Then, as you said, once you are finished pulling that small group, you can send them back to work on their center for the day. That way, as you are pulling groups, your other students can be working on center activities that reinforce previously taught skills. I hope that helps! 🙂
Do you have a video with explaining how you introduce centers in the beginning of the year? That is one thing that I have always struggled with. I always feel like I have to start centers within the first two weeks. If you have a video that shows how to introduce centers that would be helpful. Thank you in advance.
Hi Hannah!! I don’t have a video of how I start literacy centers at the beginning of the year, but I do have a series of blog posts that you may find helpful! I included the topic of the most relevant blog posts and their corresponding links. Please let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
1. How to get started with centers: https://learningattheprimarypond.com/blog/how-to-get-started-with-literacy-centers-for-the-very-first-time/
2. A Minute-By-Minute Walkthrough of Literacy Centers: https://learningattheprimarypond.com/blog/literacy-centers-minute-by-minute/
3. Centers Organization:https://learningattheprimarypond.com/blog/literacy-centers-organization/
Managing Literacy Centers: https://learningattheprimarypond.com/blog/how-to-set-up-a-must-do-may-do-system-for-literacy-centers/
I love your ideas and always find them very useful. I have three centers a week ( Word Work, Tablets, Writing/ Spelling). At my school we use a curriculum called Abeka. I have my students complete that worksheet independently and then they go to their specific center for the remaining time. I only have my students do one center a day. How can I implement your idea of only introducing a new center a day when my students only stay in one center for that day? I want to try your idea out but I don’t feel like I fully… Read more »
Hi Hannah! All great questions! When I taught, I had 5 centers that students rotated through – a listening center, a word work center, an independent reading center, a partner reading center, and a writing center. It isn’t always possible for students to get through each center every day. It of course depends on how much time you have for your literacy block. If you have 90 minutes, then it’s definitely doable to have students rotate through every center every single day (they’d spend about 15 minutes at each center and also have the opportunity to meet in a small… Read more »
This is a great idea, I would like to implement it this year. I do have a question, if you are not introducing all new centres on Monday will the students continue to work on the same centre as last week until it is changed out?
Great question! Yes, that would be my recommendation if you’re using this method.
Hi there. So if you introduce a new word work activity on Tuesday’s, those students who were at the word work on Monday miss out on it on Tuesday? Or do they get to do it on Wednesday because they go through the same centres twice a week? If this is the case, do you need to review the word work on Wednesday so they remember what you explained for the word work from Tuesday?
Thanks
Amy
Hi there! If I’m understanding your question correctly, those students would do that activity the following Monday when they go back to that center. But yes, it depends on how often you have students doing that particular center per week. With anything, a quick review at the beginning of the day might be helpful just to avoid that “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing!” dilemma from any students 🙂