Literacy Center Map & Explanation

Above, I include several different literacy stations, which are differentiated by the colors on this map. The first area is in light blue. Here, I can give instruction to the class as a whole. Students are seated at tables in a half circle formation. An essential part of using literacy work stations is teacher instruction. We must model positive behaviors, encourage students to share their work and what they have learned at each station, and be able to instruct the class as a whole.

The next station (red) is for Guided Reading. This takes place at the teacher's desk, and is a great opportunity to cater to students' needs face to face. The students in this rotation will be grouped based on their skill level in the particular subject matter.

The Computer and Listening Station (green) will function as an area in which students can practice their typing, do research, or play educational games.

The Writing Work Station (orange) will function as an area where students can work on their writing skills in a creative way. There will be craft supplies and writing materials available at this station, which students can use for a variety of activities; including writing stories and letters, and making cards. Writing prompts will also be available to students. Materials and prompts will be changed on a regular basis to keep students engaged.

The Poetry Work Station (dark blue) is a table where students can pick from a variety of poems. An 'I Can' list will also be on this table. Students can choose to illustrate a poem, write their own, or even practice preforming one for sharing time.

In the Drama Work Station (yellow), students will be able to retell a familiar book, script, or play. They can do this orally or use sock puppets and popsicle stick faces to assist them. These materials will be located in the prop box.

The final two stations are part of the Classroom Library (purple). This area can be used for teaching and story telling, as well as independent work. At the classroom library, students can read familiar books, write a response, and even share their favorite part. On a nearby wall, students can write down their book recommendations on a recommendation pocket chart. At the Big Book Station (purple) next store, a familiar book will be displayed, and students will have the option of answering a prompt about this book or simply reading it. The Big Book will be a book associated with the curriculum.

A Third Grade Virtual Classroom Tour Reflection

I completely relate to this teacher's philosophy. She teaches third grade and strives to make her classroom fun, engaging, and to use lots of repetition! She believes that all students should be engaged from the top of the list to the bottom.

I watched the virtual classroom tour for third grade. When I first clicked on the virtual tour, I looked around the classroom and noticed these little red dots. Actually, the first thing I noticed was the couch, which I thought was pretty awesome! But after that I noticed the dots, and naturally, I clicked on one. This opens to a YouTube video describing the particular function of that visual in the classroom. I was so fascinated by the variety of different activities that happen in one day and the creativity that goes into them. It is so exciting to see the creative use of these visuals in a classroom. They can act as an enforcement of positive behavior, make learning more exciting, or even give students activities to do that free up the teacher to work in smaller groups of children.


I loved the poetry club idea! Not only do the kids get used to being fluent when reciting something, but it also makes public speaking fun. I think it is so important to have children do these oral presentations at a young age so they won't have such strong fear of it when they're in middle and high school. This activity also gives the students the opportunity to express themselves; maybe by acting out the poem, making other students laugh, or simply just getting the opportunity to be the loudest person in the room!



This classroom is a huge inspiration for innovation within a classroom, and inspire me personally to think outside of the box in order to be an effective and efficient teacher. I definitely plan to use this website as a resource in the future.

For more information: Teacher Literacy Website: Classroom Tours (3rd and 4th Grade)

Memory of Language Arts

I have various memories of language arts; very few of which are pleasant. One of the memories that stands out to me for some reason is getting into small groups in elementary school, and discussing elements like character and setting. This would usually happen in a group of five or more students which would be moderated by a teacher. We would then record our findings in those small blue notebooks that professors sometimes use for test or finals. 

A more positive memory of language arts was having to journal all throughout eight grade. We could either write about a specific topic/ question or just write about whatever we wanted. I chose to write about what was going on in my life. It was therapeutic, interesting, and fun for me to reflect on my daily life. In addition, I can now look back on this journal, which I still have, and see what I was like and/or what was going on at this time in my life.

What Type of Reader and Writer am I? | Glogster Poster