You Oughta Know About…Organizing Literacy Centers

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Welcome!
I am linking up with my bloggy friends and sharing and idea
that YOU might want to know!

Today my tip is about storing ALL of those center supplies!
Who doesn’t LOVE all of those cute centers!
Holiday centers, reading centers, writing centers, skill centers…
And so on, and so on…
BUT
WHERE DO I PUT ALL OF THEM????
How do I store all of this stuff???
Well…I have a solution.
I LOVE Sterilite drawers!
NO…I mean
 I REALLY LOVE SERILITE DRAWERS!

 I did NOT put the casters on them.
I line them up on my counter…
I TOLD YOU I LOVE My drawers!
I teach 9 months a year ( Approximately )
SO…
9  English Language Arts drawers 
AND
9 Math drawers!
Conveniently they come in stacks of 3! 
These fit nicely on my counter.

9 ELA drawers
I used scrapbook paper to “cover” the front of the drawers.
(Hides the mess  contents  inside…)
9 Math drawers..Math is blue..just for me!
How do I organize it all?
Each drawer has a label on the front:

Each drawer has a month
AND
The skills my MATH PROGRAM teaches each month.
Yes, I have a math program I must follow.
My kids are assessed on these skills.
So I organize them by the skill for each theme taught each month.

 I always, ALWAYS need and ETC drawer!
Who doesn’t have EXTRAS???
I partnered up the first two months of school to get an extra MATH drawer.
Mostly the same concepts for the first two months.

Each ELA drawer has the same.
Each one has a month and the skills taught in my ELA Program!
Yes, we also have an ELA program!
Tested skills… 
So now..my drawers are labeled…NOW WHAT???
As I create or purchase centers,
I laminate, cut apart, and put in GALLON ZIP-LOCK BAGS!
Then…place in the drawer by SKILL!!
What about cutesie ones that are holiday themed, but in the wrong month?
FOR example…
I teach short a & short i in August..
what if I have a cute short a center with SANTA on it?
SO WHAT?
MY KIDS LOVE SEEING SANTA IN AUGUST!
or
Bring it out again in December for review…
It won’t hurt them!
Centers are for independent practice..ALL THE TIME!
When we finish a theme…place them back in the drawer! DONE!

Sometimes drawers get “messy”..
THAT’S WHY WE COVER THEM!
Close the drawer & walk away!
Can you see me SMILE?
So, as you are doing SPRING CLEANING or
this SUMMER when you have “extra” time..
Think about drawers…I LOVE THEM!
( I have another set for Guided Reading…6 drawers for 6 groups!)
Here is a freebie of drawer labels for YOU…
(click on picture)
Leave me a comment.
 How  do YOU organize your centers?
PS… Here is a few LINKS to centers in MY store!
(Click on pictures)
I hope YOU can use them.
Now…hop on over to my bloggy friends and check out their TIPS!


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5 thoughts on “You Oughta Know About…Organizing Literacy Centers”

  3. Ashley Arthur

    It's nice to see another teacher obsessed with organizing. I always pick up storage carts when I see them on sale, you can never have enough drawers. Thanks for sharing.

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