Literacy Centers~ Newspaper, Poetry, Spelling

Practice with Purpose: Literacy Work Stations for Grades 3-6

I talked about the management of my centers {here}. I will now talk about Newspaper, Spelling, and Poetry Centers.

 I usually introduce these first as the procedure stays the same through out the year for these centers. I usually change out the materials and don't have to teach a lesson from these centers.

Newspaper: 

Last year I subscribed to Scholastic News for my newspaper center. Now that I have the old magazines from last year, I will use those for my newspaper center. The students are expected to read the article and answer the questions on the back of the paper. Once this is completed their is a skill activity provided by Scholastic that they complete. This center only needs to be explained once, then students are able to independently practice on their own.

Poetry:

Last year the students made acrostic poems, shape poems and a couple of other poems. This year I will be using a poetry book called Read and Understand Poetry, Grades 2-3. I started using this book in the mad scramble before state tests and it was very successful! My students will now start with poems from this book and the accompanying multiple choice and extended response questions. YES, This is built in test prep! Each rotation I simply change the poem, but  I will quickly teach the kind of poem before we start new centers each rotation. Once again, student usually know how to do this center after one round.

Spelling:

My district uses Sitton Spelling so I take activities from the Sitton Spelling chapter we are working on and incorporate it into this center. An easy way to do this is to take the activities that are similar each week but the words change and create a master form. I then take this form put it in a sheet protector and write on it with dry erase marker.  I then put this sheet protector into another sheet protector so the students cannot erase my writing! They fill in the worksheet provided, and BAM! I have another spelling grade!

I will talk about the rest of the centers in the next few days!