Fourth Grade Learning Centers

Learning centers can help fourth graders practice skills independently.

A teacher can always use a few more minutes each day to work with small groups of students in need of help. Learning centers can provide that time. Though commonly used in lower grades, learning centers are adaptable for upper elementary grades too. Investigate your local or state learning objectives to find suitable topics for independent inquiry, such as writing process practice, animal habitats or world exploration.

Writer's Workshop

Create a writer's workshop that reflects the office of a professional author by providing students with an adult desk and real office supplies to use. Turn the desk so the side is against the wall, if possible, to allow for it to be used by more than one student. Hang portraits of famous authors and brightly colored writing tip posters on the wall. Give students baskets of novelty paper, pens, pencils and markers to use in creating their masterpieces. Place a small bulletin board or whiteboard over the desk and post a choice of writing topics weekly so students have some ideas and guidance when using the center.

Science Station

Teach students the steps of the scientific process and hang the steps at this learning center. Provide students with the materials to perform simple experiments, such as investigating what happens to dirty pennies placed in different solutions like salt water and vinegar water. Investigate a source such as sciencetoymaker.com to locate simple experiments and other activities for children. Leave step-by-step directions for completing tasks. Tell students that they must take each experiment or investigation through the scientific process, recording steps such as creating a hypothesis.

Journals of Fame

Locate short biographies about historical figures that kids might enjoy reading. Create a bulletin board that looks like the cover of an old journal. Provide manila or parchment-style paper on which students can write. Have students read the biographies at this learning center. After reading a biography, students use the parchment or manila paper to write a journal entry as if they were the person they read about. The journal entry should read as if the person wrote it on the day of one of their biggest successes. Hang the entries on the wall and, if possible, provide a printed picture of each historical figure alongside the journal entry.

"What if..." Art

Help students use their imaginations and think creatively with this learning center. Create a "What If" poster with choices that cause a student to think about the world differently. The student creates a piece of artwork illustrating the answer to the "What If..." question. Write questions such as "What if nothing were the color it was supposed to be for a day?" or "What if animals could talk and people could not for one week?" Student illustrations should show what they feel would be the result if the "What if...." were to come true.

References

• Palo Alto Unified School District: Fourth Grade Curriculum

Resources

• Reading Rockets: Steps in the Scientific Process
• Science Toy Maker: Easy Toys