Classroom Ideas: Center Style!


It's time for a #TexasSizeLinkUp!  I've linked up with The Little Ladybug Shop and Planet Happy Smiles to bring you an idea about managing your reading or math centers.


The first day of school is just around the corner and many of you are already planning and organizing.  Reading and math stations are an important part of the day, but are often hard to manage.  I have the perfect solution...Super Centers!  It is a print-and-go management tool that works for reading or math.  




With Super Centers you group your students into four ability level groups.  I love that I'm able to see all of my groups during Guided Reading or during my math small groups.  

Each group is easily identifiable by a colorful banner at the top of the card.

The center cards and grouping are flexible!  It is easy to change a student to a different group or even a different partner.  All they have to do is change cards!  There are enough center cards for up to 32 students and eight students in each group.    

Every day students will go to small group, two different centers, and seat work.  Only two students will be at each of the eight centers at a time.  Those two students are center partners.  The partners are paired Low with a Med/High and then a Low/Med with a High.  This is great because your lower students have a higher student during centers for support!  

These two students would be center partners.  They each have Card 2.  They go to Teacher Table and Seat Work with their own groups, but are partners during the eight centers.
Having only two students at each center makes prepping centers a breeze!  There are so many options for games in both math and literacy that are for two students.  I know having limited technology is a common issue in classrooms - and only having two students at a center solves that problem.  

A group/partner planning sheet is included in the download.  It allows me to place students into groups and a partnership that works best!  
If you have an odd number of students you can always print an extra copy of a card and have 3 students in a partnership or have a student that works by themselves (you know that ONE student who NEEDS to be by themselves).  It really is a flexible system that you can manipulate to fit your classroom needs!  

The file also comes with large (full page) or small (half page) heart signs to hang around your room to label your centers.  I like to print and laminate the signs so I can write and wipe if I want to change the center.
Half Page Signs
My favorite way to set up these cards is to give each student a center folder (or binder) with a page protector.  I just slip the card in the page protector.  Students put center work in their folders.  If I need to change a student's group or partner - all I have to do is switch out the card in the page protector. 

Card in a binder
Alright...so that is the basic gist of Super Centers!  Now you can enter the raffle to win this great management system.  Just sign in with your email address or Facebook to enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you want to know more information about Super Centers or how I run them in my class, please feel free to send me an email (click the contact me tab at the top) or leave a comment!  If you do not win the raffle or if the raffle is over, go to my TpT page to find Super Centers.  They are currently on sale right now to help teachers prep for Back-to-School.

To see more wonderful ideas for back to school hop on over to The Little Ladybug Shop's blog.



14 comments

  1. wow! Allison is fantastic! I love it!!! THANKS for linking up!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww..Thanks, Jacqueline! I'm so excited to be a part of this link-up! Thank you for hosting it!!

      Delete
  2. Work Stations are such an important part of our reading and math block. You have done a fantastic job of organizing the process and making it much easier for the teacher. Smart idea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Organized work stations are a total MUST! Thanks!

      Delete
  3. This is a great item! Someone is going to be very happy when they win it! Thanks so much for linking up with us!
    Karen
    Planet Happy Smiles

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice resource! It is nice meeting you and visiting your blog as part of the Texas link up! Julie ( Green Apple Lessons )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, I'm headed over to read your blog post!

      Delete
  5. I'll be teaching self-contained next year so I know it's even more important to get organized with my rotations!! THANKS!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! I'm going back to self-contained next year (yay!!) and LOVE this system being self contained.

      Delete
  6. Fantastic organizationand so much included! This is an amazing packet!

    ReplyDelete

Back to Top