centers (2nd grade)

What centers do you have in your 2nd grade classroom. I did them last year but wanted to maybe change them up a bit.

I had math, ss, writing, reading, poetry and computer.

Re: centers (2nd grade)

Making words Center
take a word, (I usually use a holiday or a theme we are doing) So let's say LABOR DAY, I spell it out with magnetic letters, then the kids have to make small words with the letters. For an extention I will make them write a sentence for each word they find.
Squiggle Center
I read this book in the beginning of the year THE SQUIGGLE It about a girl who sees different things in a string. So for the center the kids get a paper that has a "squiggle" on it and they have to finish the drawing. Then they write a story about it. I have a whole folder filled with squiggles, just random lines. Its really amazing the pictures the kids turn the squiggles into. It really gets their creative juices flowing!!
Listening Center
Listen to a story on tape, then the kids do a follow up activity, like a story map

Re: centers (2nd grade)

I'm not a classroom teacher (special area), but I have seen both the listening center and the making words center that katie mentioned.

Re: centers (2nd grade)

FYI: Two great sites for ELA centers are:

Florida Center for Reading Research


Santa-Maria Bonita School District

Re: centers (2nd grade)

what about adding a "games" one too? I was in k but we had games that weren't silly but rather reinforced skills we were working on - what about like math bingo (you can make boards of addition, subtraction/etc. or even buy flash card types at dollar tree or teachers stores), scrabble jr or something like it (I have bananas - its hysterical and my kides loved it, it would work in 2nd grade too!), vocab flash cards you could make with meanings or just words), even mailbox has paper games from time to time you can copy and have them play (and fyi - most local libraries get subsciptions, you can take them out and copy the pages you want for your grade level!)

Re: centers (2nd grade)

We use Everyday Math and they have tons of games to supplement skills so I use them as a center. I also usually do a poetry, listening, spelling, science, computer, language arts, art (theme) and writing center