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Writing
Center | Language Arts Center| Picture Prompts: (Materials: basket/box/container, coloring book, crayons, pencils, different types of writing paper, construction paper) Buy a coloring book that contain pictures and no words. Students choose a picture, rip it out, and write a story based on that page. Once they have completed their story (using the writing process) and have colored their picture, they can mount both pieces of work onto a folded construction paper to give it the look of a "book". Teachers can laminate each completed work and create a class book (once the whole class has had a chance to create a story) to be put in the library. Story Packets: (Materials: clasp envelopes, list of words based on a topic, writing paper, pencils, erasers) Make a list of words based on a topic, such as baseball, Christmas, homework, etc. Staple that list on the front of a large, clasp envelope. Add paper and pencils inside the envelope. Place packets in a basket. Students choose a topic and write a story using the words listed. Busy Teacher's Cafe now has these writing packets for you to download! Click here for more information! Alphabet Activity: (Materials: drawing paper, pencils, stencils) Students use stencils to write messages, letters, or make banners, book covers, etc. This allows students to be creative in writing and designing as well as a great way to practice writing the letters of the alphabet! Paragraph Order: (Materials: envelopes, sentence strips) Copy the sentences of a paragraph on individual sentence strips and place them in an envelope. On the envelope, write directions that explain how to do the activity. The goal of this activity is for students to learn how to put sentences in order to form a paragraph. Book Center: (Materials: construction paper, blank paper, markers, crayons, scissors, pencils, erasers, stapler or any other supplies to bind their books) This center allows students to create their own books by using construction paper as covers and the blank paper as pages. You can also have multiple copies of these blank book pages so students can illustrate and write books in a more structured format. Poetry Center: (Materials: Pencils, crayons, markers, poetry books, stationary paper, binder *optional*) In this center, students can copy or create their own poems on stationary paper in their best handwriting. You can have students build up their own individual collection of poems or keep a binder in which a class collection can be built.
Sentence Center: (Materials: sentence strips, zip-lock bags, pocket chart, paper, pencils) On small sentence strips, write sets of subjects, verbs, and predicates [or just subject and predicates]. Make each set the same color. Place the sets in zip-lock bags and keep in a basket/container. Students create sentences from the strips and copy them onto paper. ABC Order Center: (Materials: list of high frequency words, index cards, paper, zip-lock bags) Create sets of cards using high frequency words. Create leveled sets for all different abilities. Place sets in zip-lock bags with an answer sheet. Students take out a set of cards and place the words in ABC order. Then they copy onto paper their answers. As the year continues, increase level of difficulty or incorporate dictionary skills into this center. Dictionary Center: (Materials: Dictionaries, list of sight words or any other words, copies of dictionary page, binder, pencils) Students choose a word from a list, look it up in the dictionary, and fill it out the dictionary page. Once the page is completed, students place them in a binder. Easter Egg Activity: (Materials: plastic eggs, basket, fake grass, egg carton, plastic bag) Program plastic eggs for different grammatical skills such as verbs, nouns, adjectives, compound words, synonyms, antonyms, etc. Students need to match a word with its component. The plastic eggs are separated and stored in a plastic/ziplock bag. The students take the separated eggs out of the bag and try to match the parts. For example, the egg piece with the word car is attached with the egg piece that says noun. Each egg that is put together is placed in the basket. When they are done, they can check their work by 1) showing the teacher or 2) checking an answer key. I also use an egg carton instead of a basket with grass so that it is not considered a "holiday" activity. Word Search Bulletin Board: [This great activity was created by a colleague of mine, and I found it to be a great hit with the students.] (Materials: copy of a word search, bulletin board, dry erase marker, eraser or wipes) Enlarge a copy of a word search (Kinkos or any other copy center can do this for you) and laminate the enlarged copy. Staple it to a bulletin board. Add a dry erase marker, an eraser or wipes. As long as students keep it clean, this activity will last a long time and you can reuse it year after year. Spelling Activity: (Materials: plastic/magnetic letters, basket/container) This activity requires two students. Using the spelling words of the week, one student says a word and the second student must spell it correctly using the plastic letters. If you have magnetic letters, the students enjoy spelling on the board. The students switch when the spelling list is completed. Word Wall: (Materials: brightly colored index cards) Using a large space such as a wall or windows, place the letters of the alphabet going across. On the index cards, write a word and tape the card underneath the letter it begins with. Try not to put the words in alphabetical order--- that will drive you crazy rearranging the cards. The words that go up on the wall are usually ones that do not follow phonetic rules or ones that the students have a difficult time reading/spelling. I use the Dolch List, which contains about 300 words that every 2nd grader should know by June, to post words on the word wall. You can also use spelling words, articles (the, an,and). I have also created word walls on the solar system, Election Day, and other subjects. Here are some activities you can use with word walls: 1.Have students read a word and spell
it in order to get on line (for lunch, for a special, or for dismissal)
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