Organizing the Classroom: Activity Centers

A center is a place in the classroom that has an academic focus. I have centers in my classroom that are based on math, reading, writing, S.T.E.M, which S.T.E.M stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. As well as fun centers, like a block center, or a home living center, a library center. There are centers in my room that are locations. So, I specifically set them up, so the kids can go to that center, grab a basket, grab an activity, and do the skills necessary at that center. I also have mobile centers, and that would be something that is put into a basket or a bin, and the kids can move those centers around the classroom. Everyone once in a while I’ll take centers and put them on a tray, move them to my seating area, and have the kids focus on doing those centers as a whole group. Other times during the day, like during stop the world, I have my students pick a center, and they focus on the center just for themselves.