Reading Center 4
Skills Practice
Goal
Students will read a variety of texts to practice skills in context.
Basic Center
Materials
 Tongue depressors labeled with grade appropriate words (names, high
frequency words, content word bank words)
 Jars or cans labeled with numbers one through five
 Counting Syllables recording sheet (optional – see page )
Preparation
Teacher will:
 Write grade appropriate words/pictures on tongue depressors.
 Choose words from shared readings and interactive writings. Model how to
determine the number of syllables in each word by clapping.
Procedures
Students will:
 Select tongue depressors and read words/pictures. Determine the number of
syllables by clapping.
 Sort words by number of syllables into labeled jars or cans.
 Read words in each jar to a classmate.
 List words and number of syllables on counting syllable sheet (see page ), if
appropriate.
Beyond the Basic Center
Additional Center Ideas:
1. Create an “Alphabet Soup” center by filling a large bowl with many magnetic
letters. Students use a ladle to scoop out a serving of letters into a plastic
bowl. The letters are sorted and named.
2. Provide students with a phonic pattern and magnetic letters. Make task cards
featuring the phonic pattern as well as several example words. Students use
magnetic letters to create as many words as possible using the designated
pattern.
3. Students create a page for a class book using alliteration based on the first
letter of their name (Kind Karen kisses kooky kangaroos in Kenya.). Compile
pages into a book and place in class library for independent reading.
4. Create a class bulletin board with flowers and their roots. The root word is
written on the root of the plant. The new words are written on the petals and
leaves of the flowers. Students add to the board by thinking of a different root
Phonics
word and making a flower (friend - friends, friendly, friendless). Provide
necessary materials.
5. Make a large tree out of paper and attach to the classroom wall. During
interactive writing, negotiate class definitions for various parts of speech.
Select several Ellison die cuts that represent those parts of speech (pearshomophones, leaves-nouns, birds-verbs, butterflies-adjectives, antsantonyms). Students read the definitions and the existing tree examples.
Students write new words on appropriate die cuts and attach them to the tree.
Reread all words.
Additional Resources
Clements, A. DOUBLE TROUBLE in Walla Walla. Millbrook Press, 1997. ISBN
0761302751
Estes, K. Silly ABCs. Greene Bark Press, 1997. ISBN 188985127X
Heller, R. Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book about Adjectives. Putnam Publishing
Group, 1991. ISBN 0448031515
Heller, R. Kites Sail High: A book about Verbs. Putnam Publishing Group, 1998.
ISBN 0689112896
Trelease, J. and Prelutsky, J. Read Aloud Rhymes For the Very Young. Alfred A.
Knopf, 1986. ISBN 0394872185
Walton, R. So Many Bunnies: A Bedtime ABC and Counting Book. Lathrop, Lee
& Shepard Books, 1998. ISBN 0688136575