The Best Ever Literacy Centers Routine!

So one aspect of teaching that took me a LONG time to figure out and perfect is how I run my literacy centers.  Now that I have established my "center routine," my small group reading instruction is not only one of my favorite parts of my day, it is the time where I feel I make the most impact on reading progress with my students.  My students independently work through their center routine while I meet with 4 reading groups for 15-20 minutes each.  So here's how it works.

Right after morning announcements, students take out their center folders, a dry-erase marker, and their 5-minute sand timer.

Here is what is inside their center folder: reading log, writing journal, math fact fluency packet, and their center checklist.

We (my job-share partner and I) spend the first couple of weeks modeling and providing time to practice this routine.  It is so worth our time and efforts because it establishes such a clear routine for our students and gives us invaluable small group reading instruction time.  But it doesn't just happen. We have to really work at modeling and then providing time to practice the routine with support.  So worth it though!

The students begin the routine by choosing one of three activities: 10 minutes of  reading, 10 minutes of writing, or 5 minutes of math facts.  The students love that they get to decide which order they would like to do the activities.  Giving them a little bit of choice whenever possible gives them more ownership and keeps them motivated and on-task.  They each have a laminated center check-list so that they can monitor (and me too!) their progression through the routine.

There is a link later in this post for a FREEBIE centers checklist!

Reading Log: Students read a book of their choosing (library book, classroom library etc) and read anywhere in the room for 10 minutes.  They may get up only one time to exchange their book for a different one.  (Before I had this rule, some students spent more time looking for books than actually reading:)  They start their timer when they begin reading and since it is a five-minute timer, when the sand runs out, they know they need to flip it over again to complete the 10 minutes.  At the end of the ten minutes, the students return to their seats and write the title of the book in their reading logs.  If  they read two books, they are only required to write down one title.  Then they color in the number of starts to rate the book.

Students selecting books for 10 minutes of reading

Writing Journal:  Every month students receive a monthly writing journal.  The journal is simply composed of a cover page, a writing menu, and lots of writing paper.  I can't take credit for the writing menu.  This was my job-share partner's awesome idea (I believe her daughter had them in her classroom).  I totally love the writing menus!  It is a page of writing ideas/prompts for the students to select from.  I have them write down which number they choose on their journal page so when I'm reading their "invented spelling," I can  tell what topic they were writing about:)   I'm in the process of creating my own writing menus and coordinating writing paper with a spot for the date and prompt number.  Here is what I came up with for October.

I will put this in my TPT store soon.  I plan to make one for each month.

I plan to help students brainstorm some ideas for topics during our writing workshops.  This way they aren't always using the choice menu.  I think it's important that they also come up with their own topics sometimes too.

I have place for name and the journal number at top of this writing paper I created.

The students use their timers again to write for ten minutes.  (In first grade, this also includes a picture of course!)  During our IE time, we often pull students over and conference with them using their writing journal.  We discuss what they are doing well and set a goal for their writing.  We collect them at the end of the month and use them as an assessment piece.  We have an additional block of time in our afternoon for writing instruction.

Math Facts Fluency: I know, this is not a literacy center!  But I can't resist an opportunity to give math fact practice!  Students are provided with a math fact fluency packet.  Since school just started, all of these packets are the same for our first round of centers.  Now that we are completing some diagnostic assessments, we will be able to differentiate the packets so students are working on skills that are appropriate just for them.  Currently, the packet is all addition with sums to 10 (remember, first grade:)  Students can work on any page in any order in the packet.  They may choose to use manipulatives.

The timeframes for each activity are the mininum amount of time the student needs to be working on the activity.  I let the students know that if they are in a writing mood, they can write longer.  If they are feeling like reading, keep on reading.   Same for math.  Again, more ownership and control over what they are doing means more motivated students!

 Now the fun part!  After the students complete all 3 activities, they go to an assigned center.

The centers are on the left.  (The right is our MATH rotations).

Nothing fancy, but we keep our centers in these blue bins with a tag that coordinates with the one on the board.

My goal for the centers is that the students can work independently in them and the expectations are clear.  I don't want to spend an hour at the beginning of each week going over the new centers.  I also can't stand spending hours of my time coming up with new centers so most of these are very easy to switch each rotation (which lasts about 2 weeks).  Most of the centers are the same routine, just with the new skill, sound, or words we are working on.  So here they are!

Listening Center: Students grab their headphones, an iPod Touch, and the listening center basket.  I created QR codes for several books.  (They are available here in my TPT store.)  So, students scan the code with the iPod and follow along in the book.  I have them complete a very simple form about the book when they are done.  So this one is easy for us to change.  Just put out two new books with the QR code tag.

Stamping Words: This might be my personal favorite!  I found these awesome Playdough Trace Stamp Maps by Lidia Barbosa. You can get them on her TPT store here.  I bought play dough letter stampers (I believe from Lakeshore Learning) and some play dough.  Students love to use the play dough.  Who doesn't?!  So, for each word the students can stamp the letters in the play dough.  They also form the play dough into the shape of each letter in the word.

Red Words and Blending: We do Ortan Gillingham for our phonics instruction.  At this center students get to be the teacher and use the blending board.  They will do various kinestic activities with their red words.


Fluency and Sight Words: Our students have their own individual list of sight words.  We have purchased fluency words and phrases.  Students love using the one minute timer to see how many they can read.

Computers, iPads, iPod Touches: Lots of learning apps and websites.  Obviously always a favorite.

Math: Yes, more math in my literacy centers, but it breaks it up:)  This one always changes, but is to easy to update with games we have played during our math lesson or various hands-on activities.

Phonics: Another easy, fun one.  We often have fun, seasonal activities (often purchases from TPT) based on whatever sounds/skills we are working with.

Comprehension:  Honestly, my job-share partner is queen of this center.  She is always putting something together fabulous for them to work on reading comprehension.  Early in the year we have simple things like reading a sentence and drawing a picture to go with it to demonstrate their understanding.

Word Work:  This changes quite a bit throughout the year.  ABC order, synonyms, antonyms, word sorts, etc.  At the beginning of the year, we try to put something out with students' names so their can learn each other's names.


So for me what makes this routine far more effective than other systems I have tried in the past is the beginning routine with the check list.  This gives me an additional 30 minutes to meet with groups, allows students to gradually move to centers, and provides important opportunities for students to work on writing, reading, and math fact fluency.  And of course it also strengthens their work habits as they learn to self-monitor and work independently through the routine.

You can download my checklist here for free!

The timers (and the actual checklist) are a critical part of why I think this block of time is so successful.  The students are monitoring themselves.   Yes, I do keep a timer on my phone just to check them in case I have a few students (especially at the beginning of the year) who say they completed the entire 25 minute checklist in 2 minutes.  It happens every year! But, I find that once they know I am keeping track of the time and that I actually look at their reading log, writing journal, and fact work, that they work hard and don't rush through.  Students know to pause their timers (set it on its side) if they need to use the pass (bathroom, drink), organize materials, or come to the small group table for their reading instruction etc.  If I have a student that isn't able to handle it, I usually adjust the routine for them providing more support.  (I may give them a specific order to complete the routine in and they check in with me after each activity or something along those lines.  I gradually lessen the support until they can complete the routine with the all of the choices.)

Students find a comfortable place to read with their timers

I used to have the students complete independent activities (writing, review sheets etc) and tell them that they couldn't go to their center until a specific time.  I found the problem with that was that they all watched the clock and as it approached the center time, the students become anxious and all bolted to centers at the same time.  It was too noisy and too chaotic.  The routine I use now, keeps these first graders engaged and QUIET for 75 minutes (including their guided reading time)!!  I get a lot of valuable small group instruction done in those quiet 75 minutes!!  Each student is doing something different and on their own timeline.  Instead of 23 students bolting to centers, they gradually trickle to them as they complete their routines.  Seriously, it's peaceful, calm, organized.  I LOVE it!  The other great part is that students love this time as well!  If there is a day where for whatever reason we don't get to do our center routines, they are very disappointed.

Until recently, centers was one of the areas I was constantly trying to find ways to improve.  If you have ever felt the same, I hope that this post gives you some ideas that can help your small group instruction time as well!