Recommended Materials for Third Grade Classroom Learning Centers
Classroom learning centers provide meaningful activities that students can work at individually or in small groups. The centers relate to recently taught concepts or skills, using mostly inexpensive materials. Modeling each step for the students -- so they can complete the activity independently -- proves key to a successful learning center.
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One Project, Many Activities
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A poster board, adhesive Velcro tabs and a set of index cards are the only materials needed for a versatile learning center. The Velcro tabs go on the poster board in two columns and on the back of each index card. The cards -- labeled with concepts or vocabulary chosen by the teacher -- attach on the left column of the poster board. The students match the remaining cards, which hold the answers, to the correct term on the poster. Examples of matching activities include story elements, states and capitals, math facts, historical events and dates, the scientific method and corresponding steps from a class experiment, and transitional words, such as "first," "next," "then," "after that," and "finally," for a sequence of events.
The Classroom Computer
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The classroom computer can provide many purposeful activities for a learning center. To help students reach an educational website on their own, the teacher must first go through the site and take a screen shot of each step. Printed out screen shots, posted by the computer, assist students in reaching the website independently. The teacher shows the students how to reach a bookmarked learning site and appoints a student as the classroom expert for that center, to help other students as needed. ReadWriteThink offers many literacy activities, such as creating character trading cards and story map interactives, while Starfall provides early literacy activities and 4Kids has games for language arts and math.
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File Folders
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Laminated file folders meet two important requirements for learning center materials: they're cheap and durable. Inside each folder, the teacher glues down graphic organizers, math fact sheets, a summary template or other activities that students can complete independently. After the folder has been laminated, students can do the activity with a wet-erase marker, and then wipe it clean for the next student.
Books and Magazines
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To build fluency, the teacher should stock the literacy learning center with books for buddy reading or containing simple poetry. Supplementing a current area of study with books from the library helps students gain background knowledge about the topic. Reference books such as a thesaurus, an almanac or an atlas give third graders a chance to explore on their own, as do kid-friendly magazines.
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References
Resources
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