Using CLAMS Cards
in Centers
Theme Examples:
Bugs
Circus
Goodnight Moon
The Color Green
Ice-Skating
Pirates
Things we See in the Sky
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Theme: Bugs
Center: Dramatic Play
Description of Activity:
1. Students draw names to determine whose turn is
first
2. The first student dresses up for the “Bug Hunt”
puts on bug scientist gear (can also have another
student turn off lights so that the bug scientist uses
a flashlight to search for bugs)
3. Student explores around the room and finds a bug
(or more than one bug) to pick up with tweezers
and place in his collection jar
4. Student returns with his bug to the table and he
and his classmates categorize the bug(s) (#, colors,
type)
5. More advanced groups might graph the number or
types of bugs, etc.
CLAMS
C-Communication
Early Learner Goal
Identifies objects and colors by
pointing at or labeling them
(“bug”)
Materials Needed:
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Bug scientist gear
(magnifying glass,
flashlight, hat, butterfly net)
Gardener gloves
Collection jar with lid
Tweezers
Plastic bugs of various kinds
and colors
Index cards with bug names
written on them (and
pictures)
Graphing chart
Transitioning Learner Goal
Labels particular types of bugs
(e.g., “ladybug”); requests
materials (tweezers, magnifying
glass)
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Reads name card to identify turn Matches bugs with written index
(may use picture to identify self.) cards with type of bug labeled
(ladybug, butterfly, ant, spider)
A- Academic
Categorizes/sorts bugs by type or Matches and discusses by
color
characteristics or categories;
counts to create graph
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
S- Socialization
Uses tweezers to pick up bugs;
opens jar (screw-top lid) and
places bug inside
Uses tweezers to pick up bugs;
opens jar (screw-top lid) and
places bug inside
Turn taking; waiting
Turn-taking; waiting; asks friends
“what bug is your favorite?”,
“How many did you find?”
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Theme: Bugs
Center: Art Center
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
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Assemble paper lady bug
Paint plate red
Draw vertical line in middle of plate and attach ½ circle to
plate for head.
Glue black dots on paper plate body
Glue wiggle eyes
CLAMS
C-Communication
Paper plate
Black paper
Red paint
Glue
Wiggle Eyes
Early Learner Goal
Requests supplies (glue,
paintbrush); receptively
identifies ladybug body parts
(head, eyes, spots)
Transitioning Learner Goal
Names ladybug body parts
Answers “wh” questions (“where
is the ladybug?” (under the table),
“whose ladybug is this?)
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Follows visual with pictures of
steps in the activity; writes or
traces highlighted name on back
of ladybug
Follows visual with pictures of
steps in the activity; writes name
on back of ladybug
A- Academic
Counts spots on ladybug
Counts spots, names colors
Draws vertical line; traces name;
uses pincer grasp to place eyes
on ladybug; clips project to
drying rack
Draws vertical line; traces name;
uses pincer grasp to place eyes on
ladybug; clips project to drying
rack
Holds up finished ladybug to
show friend when prompted
Finds friend or teacher across the
room and shows finished project
“look what I made!”; asks friend
about their project
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
S- Socialization
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Theme: Bugs
Center: Sensory Table Relay
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
1. Identify the starting point for the relay by placing the
“START” card somewhere across the room from the
sensory table; identify two teams
2. Two children from different teams draw cards from the
action word pile, then they demonstrate that action as they
“race” across the room to the sensory table (e.g., “swim”,
“hop”, “fly”)
3. At the sensory table, the children use tongs, pincer fingers
or tweezers to pick up a bug and bring it back to the other
side of the room
4. Children place bugs on their pattern cards, one per team
(other teammates can help them put it in the right
location)
5. Other children take turns (choose a new action word and
bring new bugs back to the start line)
6. A team wins when the whole pattern matching card is
complete
CLAMS
C-Communication
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
A- Academic
M- Motor (gross, fine)
S- Socialization
 Easter grass, real grass or sand in the
sensory table
 Toy bugs (in the sensory table)
 Tongs or tweezers
 Pattern cards for matching bugs
(butterfly, butterfly, ladybug, butterfly,
butterfly, ladybug)
 Cards with pictures of “crawl”, “hop”,
“fly”, “tiptoe”, “swim” or other action
words
Early Learner Goal
Says or indicates “my turn”; labels
action in picture (or receptively
points to picture when asked “point
to hopping”)
Reads “START” card (with
prompts) or points to card upon
request, patterns left to right
Transitioning Learner Goal
Says “can I go next?”; labels action in
picture, labels actions demonstrated by
peers, describes bugs
Matches bug to picture
Describes pattern, models action in
picture, verbally describes actions, names
other animals that show those actions (fish
swims, bunny hops)
Uses pincer grasp or tongs to pick up
bugs; mimics action pictures (e.g.,
hopping, swimming, etc.)
Uses pincer grasp or tongs to pick
up bugs; mimics action pictures
(e.g., hopping, swimming, etc.)
Turn taking, waiting
Reads “START” card, patterns left to right
Helps friends match bugs to pattern;
cheers for friends as they go to the sensory
table to collect their bugs, says “we did it”
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4
Theme: Circus
Center: Games
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
One child is designated as the “ringmaster” to begin the
obstacle course. The child holds up a sign or says “go” to
begin the course. Children go through obstacle course one
at a time and complete various circus-like activities (e.g.,
(1) walk on a balance beam (tightrope), (2) crawl through a
hula hoop, (3) stand on a balance board, (4) crawl into an
“animal cage” (box filled with animals), (5) draw two
cards, one with a picture of an animal, and one with a
number on it. The child takes the specified number of
“peanuts” and must find the pictured stuffed animal to
feed. Children may re-sequence the pictures for these
activities before or after their turn
Stuffed circus animals
Balance beam (or substitute)
Balance board
Hula hoop
Microphone or costume for the
ringmaster.
 Box painted or decorated like an
animal cage
 Pictures of stuffed animals (or other
circus animal pictures)
 Laminated numbers 1-5
 Peanuts (can be packaging peanuts)
or another substitute
Transitioning Learner Goal
Talks about animals and activities; Roleplays ringmaster, says “Welcome to the
Greatest Show on Earth!” to begin obstacle
course
CLAMS
C-Communication
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
A- Academic
Early Learner Goal
Points to or labels pictures and
animals (elephant, lion, etc.);
fills in “go” for ready-set-go, or
“3” in 1-2-3 to begin obstacle
course; labels number
Follows picture sequence of
obstacle course activities
Matches numbers 1-5 with
picture card sequence (may need
a visual cue or prompt), counts
out number of “peanuts” to feed
circus animal (may need
prompts)
M- Motor (gross, fine) Completes obstacle course
(crawling, walking on a beam,
balancing, etc.)
Gives five to peers when
S- Socialization
finished
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Follows picture sequence of obstacle course
activities
Places numbers 1-5 next to the picture cards
(sequences the numbers), counts out number
of “peanuts” to feed the circus animal;
answers questions with prepositions (what
are you doing? “crawling THROUGH the
hoop” “walking ON the beam)
Completes obstacle course (crawling,
walking on a beam, balancing, etc.)
Cheers for peers as they go through obstacle
course; says “yay, you finished” (may require
prompts)
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Theme: Goodnight Moon
Center: Dramatic Play
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
Camping night with sleeping bag and animals from the
story. Students dress in pajamas.
Sleeping bag, stuffed animals,
Pajamas, moon(paper),
Flashlights, and tent
CLAMS
C-Communication
Early Learner Goal
Names animals/objects (e.g.,
tent); says “good night” to
animals/peers; receptively points
to pictures of the sequence
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Sequences pictures of night
time/camping routine. (Ex.
Getting PJ’s on, saying
goodnight to animals);
Creates a picture book of the
sequence, orders pictures or
matches picture to picture
Matches different
animals/objects to picture cards
(e.g., “sleeping bag” “kittens”)
A- Academic
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
S- Socialization
Transitioning Learner Goal
Talks to peers; says “good night” to
animals/peers; talks about what you
see and do when camping; answers
questions about his own experience
camping
Matches captions to pictures (e.g.,
“tent”, “marshmallow”, “good night”)
sequence; creates picture book of the
sequence, orders pictures and
describes order, identifies picture that
is out of order
Categorizes pictures (animals,
camping food)
Practices rhymes with camping
vocabulary (“tent”, “fire”, “moon”,
“sleep”)
Crawls in and out of tent; dresses Zips sleeping bag; turns on and off
self (puts pajamas over top of
lights; crawls in and out of tent;
clothes)
dresses self
Plays with peers
Learns conversational skills; practices
affect (scared of Ghost Stories, happy
roasting marshmallows)
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6
Theme: Green
Center: Art Center
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
Each child finds a cookie that is shaped as the first letter
of his/her first name; the children mix blue and yellow
food coloring to make green frosting. Children frost their
cookies and decorate them with various green sprinkles,
m&m’s, etc. Students find a paper plate with their name
on it and place their completed cookie on the plate for
snack time
Food coloring
Frosting
Cookies (pre-made or made
during a previous cooking
activity)
 Sprinkles, cookie toppings of
various colors, including green
 Paper plates with children’s
names written on them
Transitioning Learner Goal
Says, “please pass the _____”
(spatula, frosting); says
“Thank you.” Talks about making
cookies, answers questions
Identifies all cookie letters; finds his/her
own name on the placemat, reads peers
names
CLAMS
C-Communication
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
A- Academic
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
S- Socialization
Early Learner Goal
Requests items (knife, spoon),
chooses toppings (may use
pictures to make requests)
Receptively locates the cookiethat is shaped like the first letter
of his/her name (find the “J”
cookie) (may use a picture cue),
finds paper plate with his/her
name on it
Practices concept that blue +
yellow = green; labels or
receptively identifies colors,
counts specified number of
M&Ms to decorate cookie
Stirs the two colors of frosting
together; uses spatula to spread
frosting
Passes sprinkles and other
toppings to peer on request
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Practices concept that blue + yellow =
green; labels colors, counts specified
number of M&Ms to decorate cookie
Stirs the two colors of frosting together;
uses spatula to spread frosting
Passes sprinkles and other toppings to
peer on request; walks across the room
to show completed cookie to another
peer or adult, says “look what I made”
(may require verbal or visual prompts)
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Theme: Ice-Skating
Center: Dramatic Play
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
Children remove their shoes, put on scarves and hats and “iceskate” in their socks on a shower curtain that is laid out on the
floor (you can also place string lights around the outer edge of
the “frozen pond”). After they ice-skate, the children put their
shoes back on and buy hot chocolate or other drinks/snacks
from another peer who manages a snack stand. (Can also play
music while ice-skating and practice “stop” when the music
stops).
CLAMS
Early Learner Goal
Requests food items by pointing
C-Communication
to menu pictures or using PECS
(hot cocoa, marshmallows, other
snacks, spoon for stirring);
requests songs
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Shower curtain or slippery surface
String lights
Hot cocoa or other drinks
Coins
Menu with snack item prices
Scarves and hats (various colors
and designs)
Transitioning Learner Goal
Verbally requests food items; sings songs
while ice-skating; requests particular
songs
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Reads menu items at snack stand
(use pictures paired with words)
Creates menu prior to dramatic play
activity by matching words with pictures;
reads menu to peers
A- Academic
Matches coins with pictures of
coins on menu; identifies
receptively or expressively the
color of hats/scarves
Matches coins; identifies color and
features of scarves (striped, colorful,
long)
M- Motor (gross, fine)
Ice-skates on slippery surface;
takes off shoes; puts shoes on;
puts on hat/scarf; stirs hot
chocolate
Ice-skates on slippery surface; takes off
shoes; puts shoes on; puts on hat/scarf;
stirs hot chocolate
Holds hands with peer while iceskating (use picture cue);
interacts with peers at snack
stand (e.g., hands cup to peer)
Chooses peer to verbally invite to come
ice-skating; interacts with peers at snack
stand
S- Socialization
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Theme: Pirates
Center: Block Center & Dramatic Play
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
Building a pirate ship out of a variety of boxes and blocks; Treasure map
playing pirate ship
Flags
Eye patches
Treasure chest
Gold coins
Boxes or large blocks (to build
ship)
CLAMS
Early Learner Goal
Transitioning Learner Goal
Receptively responds to
Child acts as leader and gives
C-Communication
directives using concrete
directions to peers using positional
descriptors, “Give me the blue
words and object descriptions
block”, “Find the red flag,”);
(“put this block on the red one”)
reads name on the flag
Uses visual model to “build”
Locates flags with student names
L- Literacy/
ship; adds flag with his name on and passes them to correct children
Pre-literacy
it to the pirate ship
A- Academic
Counts the flags; identifies own
name on flag; counts coins in
treasure chest (matches coins to
picture cards)
Counts flags and coins
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
Stepping over blocks/boxes to
get in/ leave pirate ship; picking
up coins; stacking boxes
S- Socialization
Turn taking; playing roles such
as captain or crew member;
teamwork to build the ship
Rowing motions to row the pirate
ship; stepping over blocks/boxes
to get in/ leave pirate ship; picking
up coins; stacking boxes; play
acting sword fights (without
swords!)
Turn-taking; playing roles (and
following directions of others
while playing the role); building
together
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Theme: Pirates
Center: Game-Treasure Hunt
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
Children follow a map – “go to snack table and find the
clue”, activity is run like a scavenger hunt with pictures
and numbers on puzzle pieces or pirate ships at each
location in the scavenger hunt; can use important
locations in the room that the children should learn
(bathroom, sink, circle time, book area); children go as a
group from clue-to-clue, or take turns
Puzzle pieces or pirate ships
with pictures and numbers on
them (pictures depict various
locations around the room)
 Pirate costumes for children
to dress up in as they go on
the treasure hunt
 Treasure box with coins or
prizes
Transitioning Learner Goal
Answers “wh” questions at each
location (“where did you find the
clue?”); “who found the clue?”)
CLAMS
C-Communication
Early Learner Goal
Labels pictures (either
receptively or expressively)

L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Follows picture sequence map;
orders pictures by numbers
Adds words to the picture sequence
map
A- Academic
Matches picture clues to map;
counts number of clues
Follows picture map sequence;
counts clues; adds numbers; talks
about order (“first, next, last”);
describes where clue was located
“next to, inside”
Children tip-toe, crawl, or
jump from clue-to-clue
.
Children tip-toe, crawl, or jump
from clue-to-clue; children “walk
the plank” (balance beam) to get to
the clue
Wait for another student to
find the clue; share treasure
with pirate friends
Children work with a partner to go
through the scavenger hunt; wait for
other students to find the clue;
comment and congratulate others for
what they found
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
S- Socialization
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Theme: Things We See in the Sky
Center: Art Center
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
“Glittery Stars”
Each student will make and decorate a construction paper
star with glue and glitter.
Picture cues of the steps,
construction paper, tag board star
template, glue, glitter, scissors,
pencils, hole punch, string.
CLAMS
C-Communication
Early Learner Goal
Points to objects when requested
(“where are the scissors?”)
Transitioning Learner Goal
Teacher provides limited materials
(not enough scissors, glue, etc.);
student verbally requests missing
items
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Finds name sticker to place on
back of project or traces
highlighted name
Student follows picture cues to
complete task (follows left-toright); student writes name on
back of project
A- Academic
Counts stars
Sorts stars by size/color; counts
stars
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
Traces name; swings star from a
string; uses glue/scissors; pours
glitter
Hangs up star (ties); writes name;
uses glue/scissors; pours glitter
S- Socialization
Fills in words in song, “Twinkle,
twinkle, little ______.”
Sings Twinkle, Twinkle little star;
shows completed project to
student/teacher before hanging up
“look what I made!” (may use
picture to cue the behavior)
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Theme: Things we see in the sky
Center: Dramatic Play
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
Children engage in dramatic play to simulate going on an
airplane flight; students role play a pilot, a flight attendant,
and passengers; passengers take off shoes and place them
through a scanner machine before entering the plane with
their luggage, they hand tickets to the flight attendant, find
their seats and put on “seatbelts”. The flight attendant
brings snacks to passengers, and the pilot makes
announcements. (May want to have children read a book
about or watch a video about flying in an airplane prior to
initiating this dramatic play activity).
CLAMS
Early Learner Goal
Waves “bye” when leaving
C-Communication
airplane, points to objects
outside the window while
“flying”
Chairs, tickets, pilot chair, uniforms:
apron for flight attendant/pilot hat,
pretend seat-belts, luggage/bags, pretend
scanner for shoes and bags (e.g., large
box open on both ends).
Transitioning Learner Goal
Pilot asks passengers to “fasten your
seatbelts”, announces where the plane is
going; passengers label objects outside
the window while “flying”
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Shows “passengers” to their
Reads other children’s names on seats;
seats (identifies seat by matching reads names or numbers on tickets
the passenger with a picture
placed on chair, or matches the
number on ticket with number
on the chair)
A- Academic
Counts how many people are on
plane.
Answers more elaborate questions:
“What seat is ______sitting in?” Uses
positional words – next to, in front of,
1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
Puts on seatbelt; opens bag of
pretzels for snack; points to
items outside the window while
flying; wheels luggage onto
plane
Waves goodbye, hands ticket to
or collects ticket from others
Puts on seatbelt; uses hole punch to
punch ticket; opens bag of pretzels for
snack; wheels luggage onto plane
S- Socialization
Introduces self as pilot; asks if
passengers need anything when roleplaying flight attendant
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12
Theme: Pirates
Center: Sensory Table (filled with water)
Description of Activity:
Materials Needed:
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Each child has his own treasure map (somewhat like a
bingo card) that contains pictures of the different coins he
needs to find. Some treasure maps might have shapes,
numbers or letters (or a combination of these) on them.
Children take turns scooping up coins with a net and
matching the coins they retrieved from the sensory table to
their laminated treasure maps. Additional coins in the
sensory table have children’s names on them, and when a
child’s name is found in the treasure, s/he gets an extra
turn. After they complete the Treasure map game,
children can play in the water table with boats, pirates and
other water toys
CLAMS
C-Communication
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Pirate ship (or boats)
Coins or a substitute (e.g., goldpainted checkers, foam board)
that either float on the water or
sink to the bottom of the sensory
table, the coins have various
shapes, letters or numbers drawn
on them
Laminated “treasure maps” for
each child
Something to scoop coins from
the water (e.g., net)
Early Learner Goal
Requests net for turn
Transitioning Learner Goal
Requests net for turn, labels the shape,
letter, number on his treasure.
L- Literacy/
Pre-literacy
Matches letters, numbers and
shapes to those on maps;
identifies name
Creates words from letter coins, or
orders the numbers from 1-5; reads
other children’s names
A- Academic
Counts coins, identifies shapes,
numbers, etc.
Counts coins, identifies shapes,
numbers, Answers questions “how
many did you get?”, matches to patterns
M- Motor (gross,
fine)
Uses net to scoop coins; pincer
grasp to place coin on treasure
map
Uses net to scoop coins; pincer grasp to
place coin on treasure map
Hands net to peer for turn.
Hands net to peer for turn; comments on
peer’s action “wow, you got 3 coins”
(may require prompts); shares coin with
peer
S- Socialization
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