[Faithloris]

This year, I will be teaching 5th grade Language Arts & Social Studies (American History) to two groups of students. I want to ensure that I have a strong system for when students finish their work early (since my system wasn't as strong in the past). I was thinking about having centers that students could do (after finishing up any other work that is in progress). Here are my center ideas:

*U.S. Geography Center: I got these nifty laminated placemats from the Target $1 aisle that have a map of the United States with blank lines to fill in the state names on one side, and a completed map with the names of the states and capitals on the other. The placemat comes with a small dry erase markeer with an eraser on the cap, so students can practice labeling the states on one side and easily check their answers on the back.

*World Geography Center: Another type of placemat that I got from Target is one that has a world map with blank lines to fill in the continents and oceans on one side, and a completed map with the names of the continents and oceans on the other. This placemat also came with a dry erase marker that students can use for practice.

*Cursive (Handwriting) Center: Yet another type of placemat that I got from Target is one that has lower and upper case letters written in cursive for students to trace over and practice cursive writing. This, too, came with a dry erase marker.

*Creative Writing Center: Target also had these small flip books for $1 that can be used for creative writing purposes. Basically, when you open up the flip book, it is divided into three sections with a phrase on each section. Students can flip through the different sections to create different creative writing topics (for example, "Explain what would happen if your family found a car that could fly to the stars"). I made a Creative Writing Sheet on which students could write a creative story based on the topic that they flipped. MY QUESTION IS...what should I have students do with their stories once they are done? Like the other centers described above, I don't want this to be graded or anything like that. But it''s different from the other centers in that it's something that students would need to write on paper as opposed to a dry erase surface. I was thinking of having a bin labeled "Read my story!" (or something to that effect) where students can place their completed creative writing stories for their classmates to read. Or perhaps having a creative writing binder that students can add their stories to for their peers to read. The writing put in the bin/binder would only be a first draft since it's "early finisher" work.

Is the bin/binder a good idea? What else could I do? Any ideas or suggestions about what to do with the creative writing center work would be greatly appreciated!!!!

[SubTeacher123]

Maybe extra work folders. Each month give each student a new packet and collect the old ones. The packets can include some monthly fun theme sheets as well. As an added incentive, you may want to inform students depending on how many correct and completed sheets inside their extra work folder is completed by the end of the months, depends on how many extra credits points they will get, or any other award.

[n8484]

Hi! I also have centers availble for early finishers. During my math session, for example, I set up my lessons so that there is a time of modeling / guided practice, then independent practice, then once they are finished with the worksheet/activity they go to their assigned center. Management wise this works well because students always finish at different times. I have a rolling cart that holds 24 bins and each bin is a different center (literacy centers used in the morning and math centers in the afternoon). Each of the cubbies holds all of the supplies and laminated directions.

Here are some of my language arts centers:
(I teach 2nd grade...but I'm sure you can adapt them for 5th grade)

* Pen pal letters
* Sticker story - select 3 to make a picture scene then write a story ( you could do a collage of magazine pictures instead)
* Squiggle - change a squiggle on a sheet into a drawing and then write a story about it using new vocab or spelling.
* Word Hunt - look through books or around the room to find words with certain features
* Listening center
* Roll a story - roll cube a cube with different possible characters, another one with different settings, and another one with different events then write a story about what you rolled.
* Variety of Grammar centers
* Variety of spelling centeers
* Fantastic facts - pick a non-fiction book and write the top 5 most interesting facts
* All about animals - just like fantastic facts, just with animals ( I keep a basket of animal library books)
* Art center (I switch this out every month)
* Thank you letter center (I pick someone in the school and then give the letters to that person after a couple of weeks)
* Star student letter (connected to the Student of the week)

Ok thats what I can remember...hope that helps!