| Puppet Theater Center provides opportunities for dramatic retellings of favorite stories, fingerplays and songs that have been shared during group time. Writing and reading naturally enhance the experience. A changing collection of puppets is kept in a box inside the wooden theater. Children are encouraged to write on the chalkboard portion of the theater to introduce their puppet show. One child performs and one child listens. Then roles are reversed. |
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Puppet Theater Responsibilities and Rules:
- Do your best speaking and listening.
- Make a sign to announce your puppet play.
- The audience does not touch the puppets during the performance.
- The puppets do not hurt each other.
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We recognize that learning is social. Open-ended literacy centers facilitate literacy work through literacy play. Motivation is high when children are invited to take initiative, be creative and cooperate with their friends.
This photo essay is taken from the seminar and resource book, Joyful Learning in a Child’s Garden: Celebrate Language and Accelerate Literacy, by Becky Leber and Nellie Edge. ©2006 |
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The Book Making Center invites children to make a simple book bound with a rubber band, draw animals from models and label their drawing. Children love to illustrate, write and read their own “rubber band books.” They decide on a title for their book and on the last page often write “the end” or use the “I can read. Listen to me.” stamp.
Center contains:
- Pre-cut (8.5" x 5.5") paper, folded in half with a V cut from the top and bottom
- Cover pages in assorted colors
- Rubber bands to hold books together
- A variety of writing and illustrating media
- Step-by-step, labeled and laminated models of how to draw animals
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| Sometimes animal stamps and children’s name cards are added to the center. Becky occasionally models new ideas such as how to make a fold-a-book or create a book related to a new class study. |
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Children dialog and interact at this center, often proudly sharing their work with each other. They learn how to encourage and help their friends without actually doing the work for them.
When children are all teachers
and learners together in a joyful learning environment, the levels
of learning soar.
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| Write a Message Center empowers children to use writing for real purposes. Here they develop efficiency in writing high-frequency words and phrases: to, from, Mom, I love you... Children get to create a message for a friend or family member. The requirement is that they write who the piece is “to,” who it is “from,” and a message for someone to read. The center tote contains everything needed for this engaging writing activity. The message can be decorated with personal drawings, stamps or stickers. Children deliver their messages to friends or take them home. The messages to Mrs. Leber are tacked on her special message board. |
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This center tote contains:
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Picture/name cards of classmates
- Assorted paper and writing materials
- Message idea cards
- Sample “Kinder-created” messages and cards
- Stamps, stickers, old greeting cards
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Children are encouraged to assist
any new student or less experienced
writer by demonstrating how to use
the center writing prompts. |
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| I love you. |
Grandma |
| I like you. |
Grandpa |
| You are my friend |
Mom |
Dad |
| Happy Birthday |
to |
from |
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ABC/Phonics Center:
Practicing for the ABC Challenge is Collaborative and Fun |
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| Within 4 to 6 weeks of multisensory ABC and phonics immersion, children are eager to take the “ABC Challenge” and see if they can identify each letter (A-Z), make the corresponding sound and read the key phonics word – complete with American Sign Language (ASL). Hooray for the ABC champs! |
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| To accelerate ABC knowledge, one consistent ABC song/sign/phonics approach is used throughout the curriculum: The ABC Sign Language and Phonics Song by Nellie Edge. A copy of the chart and CD is sent home so parents become partners in ABC/phonics learning. At the beginning of the year, we immerse all of the children in multisensory ABC activities: we sing, sign, read, play games, clap, handjive and march to the rhythms and language of our ABC song. Children often choose the ABC/Phonics Literacy Center to proudly perform their new skills for each other. |
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This center needs:
- Multiple copies of The ABC Sign Language and Phonics Song book
- The corresponding laminated ABC chart at floor level
- Reading the room pointers (dowel with an eraser attached)
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| Kinders read, sing and sign The ABC Sign Language and Phonics Song book. ABC champions, or “experts,” help others who are “making good progress” in developing these vital ABC/phonics skills. |
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