Friends, the back-to-school season is upon us and it's time to get your September math and literacy centers ready. Now is the time to teach your students your learning center rules, expectations, and how to do your classroom centers rotation. Starting off your year with some fun and engaging math and literacy activities will get kids excited for this new classroom routine!
What Are Learning Centers In The Classroom?
Learning centers are specific areas in the classroom where students can practice skills that they've already been taught in class. They usually have hands-on games and activities that students can use alone or with a friend. The purpose of learning centers is to give students the opportunity to practice math and literacy skills.
September Math & Literacy Centers
1. September Math Center
Organizing math centers is easy with some simple math activities for counting, subitizing, and addition. Grid games are a great game to put at your kindergarten or first grade math center because students can play them alone or with a partner. Students roll the dice and cover that many spaces on their board. Use mini erasers to cover your board and differentiate by using two dice and adding them together, then covering the same amount of spaces that equal the sum.
Can your students subitize? Subitizing is when a child can recognize the number in a small group of objects without counting them. If your students need practice with this skill, use subitizing mats like these. Students look at the number on each mat and then choose the objects that match. Make it fun by adding a timer. How fast can they match the pictures to the numbers?
If your students are ready, introduce some simple addition games at your math center. Students roll the dice and move along the game board in this game. When they land on the space they can use the apple tree work mat to help them solve for the sum.
When students are first learning how to add they usually need some visual clues to help them out. Another idea for math centers are these simple addition mats that are perfect for the beginning of the year. Students count the objects to solve and then find the matching sum card.
Finally, help students compare numbers with simple clip cards. Students will look at the number and clip a clothespin to the number that is more or less. This activity is perfect for first grade or kindergarten centers.
2. September Art Center
Fine motor practice is so important at the start of the school year! An easy craft for your September art center is this shape school bus. Teach your students' about school bus safety rules and then they can make this cute school bus craft. Students can practice cutting out circles and squares and then gluing them together to make a bus.
3. September Writing Center
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to start building a classroom community. One of the ways to do this is by encouraging kids to simply be nice to one another! Add some nice notes to your September writing center for kids to write happy notes to each other. They can tell their friends one of the reasons they like them and want to be their friend. I liked to have a wall in my room where we hung nice notes to each other!
If you're ready to get your writing lessons started on the right foot, September is a great time to begin a daily journal routine. You can also keep students' journals at your writing center for extra practice. Students can practice making lists, labeling pictures, and writing captions for pictures. Head over here to see some easy ideas for your September writing lessons.
4. September Word Work Center
How can you make your kindergarten or 1st grade literacy center more engaging and fun? Add puzzles and games with hands-on manipulatives to make the learning feel more like play. This build-a-word activity is perfect for your September literacy or word work center. Students can grab a task card and some magnetic letters and practice sounding out and building CVC words.
It's important that the activities you choose for your September math and literacy centers are easy enough for students to complete on their own. Another simple task card activity for your beginning of the year centers is matching beginning sounds. Students can look at the picture and clip a clothespin to the starting sound for each word.
Kids love playing games together so why not add a simple game like this Football CVC Words to your word work center? Students can work with a partner to practice CVC words and have fun at the same time!
5. September Spelling Center
It's not too soon for students to start practicing spelling in September. Kids love stamps so add them to your Spelling center and students can practice stamping the alphabet or simple words.
Another favorite way to practice spelling words is with play dough. Rolling play dough snakes is great for fine motor practice and kids will love to practice spelling words with these CVC word mats. If you have kids who aren't quite ready for words, differentiate your spelling center by having kids simply practice making letters.
6. September Library Center
When you open your library center for the first time in September be sure and have a special tub for your seasonal books. You can change this out every month to add some interest and variety to your classroom library. September is a great month to add books about fall, back to school, and friendship.
Another great idea for your library is to have an author study each month. Make a special bulletin board where you can announce your author of the month and have a basket of books written by that author at your center. You can change this out each month to introduce students to new authors all year long.
Back to school is upon us, friend! Grab these September learning centers made easy for you with fun games and hands-on activities that your students will love. Head over here to take a look at this bundle.
Want to know more about how to use math and literacy centers in your classroom? Check out these posts.
