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LEARNING CENTERS: WHAT ARE THEY?

We are all familiar with literacy centers that focus on skills

for reading.

However, we are not as familiar with centers that take place

in other subject areas.

Learning centers are stations focusing on a one topic that

are located throughout the classroom.

Students rotate between the centers to gain complete

understanding of the topic (such as economics).

WHY USE LEARNING CENTERS?

Children learn by doing.

Learning centers can help meet the diverse needs and skill
levels of young children.

Provide a wide variety of learning activities

Learning centers can facilitate learning by providing

opportunities that challenge students to accept and share
responsibility for their own learning.

By writing, speaking, and drawing what they did and what

they learned, students develop a deeper understanding of
all content areas.

HOW TO USE LEARNING CENTERS

All content area

Varied levels of difficulty

Independent or small groups

They can be structured activities with a specific sequence of

tasks, or open-ended materials that stimulate student
creativity and oral vocabulary.

TEACHERS ROLE

Teachers introduce materials and how to use any tools.

Assess the needs of the students and let those needs

dictate the learning centers.

Teachers must be able to articulate key skills being learned

at each center and to evaluate the success of that learning
center in promoting key skill development.

A learning center is governed by rules that students are

well aware of and requires students to be responsible and
accountable for their own learning. The power of learning
centers lies in the fact that students who "didn't get it the
first time" or need information presented in a different light
receive a more individualized lesson than a whole-class
lesson could ever provide. Centers provide time for you as
the teacher to spend time with students individually or in
small groups, helping students learn curriculum materials in
their own way and style.
-Scholastic

MATERIALS

http://www.uen.org/k-2educator/learning_centers.shtml

STANDARDS
Standard - CC.1.2.3.I
Compare and contrast the most important points and key details
presented in two texts on the same topic.
Standard - 6.2.3.D
Definepriceand howpricesvary for products.
Standard - CC.1.2.3.F
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in grade
level text, distinguishing literal from non-literal meaning as well as
shades of meaning among related words.

INTERDISCIPLINARY

Centers can be used in any subject at any grade level.

A center on one specific topic can be related to many other

subject areas and topics being learned in other classes.

It is important for teachers to connect their centers to other

content areas to teach the students in multiple ways.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
And, B. W. (n.d.). Learning Centers - UEN. Retrieved September
21, 2016, from http://www.uen.org/k-2educator/
learning_centers.shtml
https://www.teachervision.com/learning-center/new-teacher/4
8462.html?page=
2
http://www.ourclassweb.com/
sites_for_teachers_new_learning_center_research.htm
http://
www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/new-approach-learning
-centers