centers Archives - Mrs. Winter's Bliss

Teaching Story Retell and Sequence Writing

Hi Friend! From very early on in life kids learn that one thing follows another. Young children come to recognize patterns and routines that help make the world more predictable for them. Parents establish routines at home for bedtime; first we brush teeth, then we read a book, and finally lights out! (it’s that easy, right??😉) Teachers set routines for… Read More

Literacy Centers for Primary Students

Hello Friend, This is my final post in the series on literacy centers and today I’m excited to share with you some of my favorite center activities! My students and I both agree that literacy centers are the best part of our day and I believe it is because I carefully choose consistent, differentiated, rigorous activities that keep them engaged… Read More

How To Introduce Literacy Centers and Build Independence

Hi Friend! Now that we have determined how to group students, choose literacy centers and organize classroom space and student materials, (see this post if you missed it) in this second post I’ll explain how I introduce new centers and share strategies I use to keep my students accountable for doing their best work while I am busy teaching small groups. Don’t… Read More

How to Launch Literacy Centers in the Primary Classroom

Hello Friend! Does the thought of planning literacy centers overwhelm you? Do you wonder how you’ll manage your students or prep and organize all the materials? Are you unsure of how to best group your students? These are all very common concerns that many teachers have when they think about starting to implement centers. Yes, establishing literacy centers can be… Read More

A Teacher’s Guide to Fine Motor Skills for Young Learners

Hello Friend! Are your students struggling with basic skills such as buttoning or zipping his or her coat, building block towers, or cutting and pasting? These are all signs that their fine motor skills aren’t as developed as they should be. Fine motor abilities help children coordinate their hand movements and are critical to building other learning skills. Children start to develop… Read More

Hip Hip Hooray for the 100th Day of School!

Hello Friend! The 100th day of school is soon approaching and I can’t wait! There is so many wonderful things about the 100th day…For one, there is nothing more adorable than seeing little kids dressed up like 100 year old men and women! It also means we are more than half-way through the school year- yippee!! But most importantly, it… Read More