LWS Check Sheet
Hi Everyone!
Only 4 1/2 more days of school left! 🙂 I’ll actually be really sad when the last day arrives, but it feels nice to say it now, being on this side of it! 🙂
I’ve been working on planning my workshop this summer. We’ve decided to call it, “The Farmer’s Market; Inquiry Based Science through Literacy Work Stations”. Catchy, huh?
I was asked today to present it (okay, more like told that I was going to be!) presenting at the ISRA (Indiana State Reading Association) Conference in March 2010! 🙂 What an honor!
Okay, on to the reason for this post…
I made several sheets to help me get organized so I thought I would share them with you and see what you think. Now, you can only have them if you promise to leave me a comment! 🙂 Honor system here! I want to know if you would use them, if they are user friendly, and if they make sense!
Here they are in no particular order:
LiteracyWorkStationsPlanningSheet (this one I posted a few days ago…but here it is in the same post with all the others!)
MonarchplanningsheetLWS (this one is the sheet that is posted above, however I filled this one in-at the workshop, this will be given; along with several others to the teachers to help them plan/get started planning and it will also show them the activites they will complete during the workshop)
sciencethemegrid (I created this sheet to show when I teach particular science themes throughout the year, some overlap from month to month)
LWS Check Sheet (This little beauty I created about 5 minutes ago–I wanted to have a sheet that would not only help me make sure that I had materials for every station this summer during our workshop, but also throughout the school year as well. It makes the planning sheet above seem a little redundant, but think of this one more of a quick check sheet that you could use when getting materials out/storing them away. I envision myself putting this sheet into a large Ziploc with the materials that are checked so that they are ready for next year and I know what stations can be open/closed during that theme)
Anyway…there you go! Remember HONOR SYSTEM–I want comments here people!!! 🙂 If you leave me a comment, I might be persuaded to send 4-5 people a copy of all the handouts given out at my workshop–and I know from the daily hit counter that there are more than just 12 of you out there! SO LEAVE ME A COMMENT, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???!! 🙂
Kristen 🙂
Posted on May 20, 2009, in Building Blocks/Language Arts, education, Inquiry Based Science, Kindergarten classrooms, Language Arts/Writing, Literacy Work Stations, Monarch Butterflies, The Farmers' Market. Bookmark the permalink. 34 Comments.
Kristen's Kindergarten 
Hi there! I am a 1st year kdg. teacher in Minnesota. I just came across your blog and it’s a great resource! I am wondering more about your ideas for incorporating the farmer’s market into literacy centers. We do a unit on farms and another on apples. I made a Farmer’s Market in the dramatic play center but it was not as amazing as I had hoped…so, I am looking for more some more ways to incorporate the unit into our centers.
Also…I think I read that you use Scott Foresman for reading. We have use it almost EVERY day for guided reading and shared reading but it gets a bit boring/mundane…..any ideas to spice it up a bit?? How do you use it in your room?
Thanks in advance for any ideas you might have!
-Kelly
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Our Farmer’s Market theme will eventually grow to encompass Economics in our classroom, so that’s why we went with that title for our workshop. All of the Science themes we will teach this summer at our workshop will all be farm/harvest/fall related so they will all tie in nicely! We plan to have some sort of another brainstorming session before our workshop so I’ll have a better idea then of how my partner and I will get that all squished in! 🙂
As far as the reading component goes (Scott Foresman), as a district, our Kindergarten teachers choose not to “adopt” a reading curriculum each time we are able. Instead, we opt for the Big Books, retelling materials, and any hands-on materials that we can get from the curriculum. We (I) use the Building Blocks framework MUCH more than the SF program. Having said that, the SF Big Books and their activities from their teachers manuals fit in nicely with the BB framework. I will use a SF Big Book when it fits with my theme (4-6 times in the year), but other than that, I choose other Big Books that fit better with my theme (which is usually chosen around my Science theme) and use the Shared Reading With Big Books book from Carson-Dellosa. The kids enjoy it much more and once you use the book enough, you can come up with a format that will fit just about any Big Book you can find! 🙂 Hope this helps!
Kristen 🙂
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I may be in love!!! I’ve always wanted to try true Literacy Work Stations, but none of the teachers at my school do it this way, and I’m the type that needs examples. I think I can do this next year! Do you do math centers in the same way?
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I am working on Math Work Stations later this summer (the end of June is when I have it scheduled in!!), so be watching for ideas that come from that brainstorming session with my co-workers! 🙂
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It’s really not that hard to get the LWS started…FIRST and most important you HAVE to read Debbie Diller’s book and gather your thoughts. Then, it’s pretty easy, just designate areas in your classroom (just do what you can with the space that you have–for example, 7 of my stations occur at the tables that the children sit at), and then collect materials that you already have to go in each station. The observation sheet I’ve created for LWS (just search for it on my blog) is great for tracking what the students need and where they are at. You can track what skills they are ready for and know when you need to change or differentiate materials at each station to appeal to each level of your learners. I’ve tried to post pictures/entries here periodically through out the year so you can see as my stations have changed. Again, just do a search for LWS and they will come up!
You CAN do this!!
Kristen 🙂
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Your checklists are fantastic! I love your monthly science theme check…..I am always trying to make sure I cover it all so that is a good way to organize it. Also, I do literacy centers similiar to you, and your monarch planning is how my colleague and I try to integrate our lessons. The set up is awesome!
Thanks for always sharing so many great ideas…..your web site is wonderful!!
Lucky you starting vacation soon……we go till June 24th! 🙂
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p.s. I would greatly appreciate any other conference ideas you want to share…..and thanks again.
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I’m coming clean….I am a long time stalker-from-a-distance. I love reading your ideas and have stolen/borrowed several. I love love the science theme grid. I plan on printing it and using it for a guide to create my own. It’s great! Have you made any for any other subject? 🙂
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Kristen…I LOVE IT!!! I am from South Georgia and we do Literacy Centers instead of “play” centers like blocks, house keeping, etc.. I will for sure use what you have created. This has been my first year in Kindergarten ( I have two days left!!!) and I have struggled with LC. I am okay at getting my reading and writing centers, but have struggled with fitting Science and Social Studies. This will help out!!!!
Where have you been my last 4 years of college? 🙂 You should think about writing a book with all of your ideas or even becoming a part time instructor at a college and share your ideas.
THANKS again!!!!!!
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Make sure that you pick up Debbie Diller’s book “Literacy Work Stations” (the one for k-2). It is a WONDERFUL resource for getting Literacy Work Stations up and running. Also, make sure to do a search on my blog for LWS or Literacy Work Stations and you can see what they look like at different points in the year and how to get them and keep them running! I think that the biggest difference for me was that I started calling them LWS instead of Literacy Centers. Because “centers” in my classroom implies play, I wanted the children to understand that they needed to WORK during this time. It is fun, engaging work, but they are working nevertheless! 🙂
Kristen 🙂
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Kristen, I just found your blog recently but I have to say you are amazing! I love your approach to kindergarten and I have spread your blog around to my fellow kinder teachers. I am currently doing a long term subbing position in a kindergarten but hope one day to teach it permanently.
I love the forms, especially the literacy station planner!
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I love hearing all of your ideas, however I’m usually a little jealous. This is my third year teaching kindergarten, however my district still has half day kindergarten. Therefore there isn’t a lot of room in the schedule for science/social studies or much else besides reading for that matter. We spend much of our time teaching the students to read that it doesn’t leave time for much else. I do have Debbie Diller’s books (learning centers and her small group reading one). They are great and extremely helpful. Now to figure out how to fit it all in! I wish I had all of your organization skills. The science themes and organizations charts will help this summer in changing how I do some things hopefully. However, we do use Scott Foresman for reading so we are sort of stuck with some of those things. Any other ideas, you would like to share would be wonderful! Thanks!
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I like the LWS grid – it seems like it would be a good tool to see at a glance what some of the options are. I am hoping to really get things organized this summer and come up with a plan for really integrating them. Has anyone integrated math at the same time as literacy..? Congrats on presenting at the Reading Association Conference – early literacy skills ROCK!
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Kristen,
You are the best!!!! I’ve been in love with your site this entire year. I teach kindergarten in north dakota. You’re generosity providing teachers with such valuable resources is amazing! I check your site almost daily. I’m so excited to see how your farmer’s market science LWS workshop goes. Man, I wish I could be there! I’m a teacher that thrives on learning, growing and gaining more and more each year! Thanks for all you do!
Christy
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I love your blog. I have been reading it all year and borrowing ideas. I’ve taught kindergarten for many years, but have the challenge of teaching what the district now requires for kindergarten and what I know is right. Your ideas for centers are inspiring and I love your organizational tools.I wish I could attend your workshop!
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I really like the forms you created. I am a preschool teacher. I am always looking for systems to help me with organization. There is so little time in the classroom itself. I plan to incorporate your science theme page. It’s terrific! Thanks so much for sharing your terrific ideas! It is appreciated!
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Love your ideas. I am trying my best to work literacy into every aspect of my home daycare. Thanks for the science ideas- very great! Good luck at your presentation!
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I would love a copy of these handouts! I very much enjoy looking at your literacy workstation postst!
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Thanks so much for the goodies Kristen! I printed the monarch butterfly science planning sheet for next year! I love your science checklists – it gives me fresh new ideas for teaching what the kiddos love! I’ve visited your blog quite frequently this year, and love your stuff! Keep up the good work!
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I like your ideas that you have planned. Like all the other great ideas on your page that I have used, I will use these also. Thanks for all you do for the teachers.
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Kristen, You continue to amaze me with your wonderful ideas. The LC grid chart will be great to use and also to explain to administrators who don’t know about Literacy Centers and what happens. I always use your ideas and this grid will be added to the collection! I have been using Debbie Diller’s book.
Mnay thanks and keep up the good work. One question for you, do you have morning activiites when the stuents arrive each day that are related to a reading theme or skill that has been taught? I am hoping that TARGET store wil have more mini pocket charts to sell as they did last summer! Take care and looking forward to receiving your info. Please try to RELAX a bit!
Maryann
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I really admire teachers like you…teaching a kinder class and keeping up with a website is outstanding. Having said that I check your website all of the time…you have wonderful ideas that I am able to use in my classroom. Next year I will be teaching 1st grade instead of Kinder but I expect to still use your ideas on literacy workstations. Please keep up the good work…and thank you for posting your resources. I’ll be checking frequently in the summer. Happy Summer!!!!
Gladys
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kristen,
i like the planning sheet for LWS. i create similiar stations, but i was wondering how you keep track of kids. i have taken debbie diller’s advice and only place 2 kids at each station, which means when i work with 6 kids, the other 18 are in pairs around the room. and i try to make the centers differentiated so that different ability levels are working on appropriate materials… this means that every 12 days students can work at specific centers because i have 12 pairs. (i meet with each group each week, though).
anyway, just wondering what your rotations look like and how you keep track of them!
thanks
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I’m looking for Literacy Work Station icons if anyone has any to share. I found some Debbie Diller ones, but you have to purchase the entire kit. I already have the pocket chart, so I don’t really want to go that route.
Thanks for your help!
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I will be making some new signs in the next couple of weeks, so I’ll try to post them.
Kristen 🙂
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I only discovered your website today and I love it! I just finished my first year teaching 1/2 day kindergarten. I’m usually very organized, but keeping track of center rotations and my own guided reading or skill groups was the most difficult part of my year. This summer I want to map out my curriculum. Your planning sheet for LWS and the science planning sheet will help me a great deal in getting started! I can’t wait to explore all of your site. Thank you for sharing practical materials that we can tweak to become our own.
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Kristin,
I love your website. What a wealth of info for teachers! I’m an independent literacy consultant and always love to share ideas. Looks like being organized is a real key for you. Bravo. Feel free to visit my website and monthly columns on Educationworld.com and Inspiringteachers.com. You might even want to visit my blog for teachers at http://lightthesparkofliteracy.blogspot.com/. It includes ideas for all levels of teachers but you’re sure to find some treasures there for you!
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I enjoyed reading your ideas. I am a forner teacher who homeschools her children. We use workstations and I will using some of your ideas.
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This website is great! I just discovered it a few days ago. I have been teaching for about 8 years, but this will be my first go at Kindergarten. I am very excited to take on this challenge and finding your website was a Godsend!
I purchased your Farmer’s Market program and am anxious to go through it.
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge – I’m sure I will be visiting your website often. I have already found many great ideas!
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Great site. Love all of your resources. Thanks for sharing.
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I love your website! I am so tired of centers in the afternoon. They are loud and feel like wasted time. I wanted to incorporate useful and engaging items but wasn’t sure how to get started. Now I know!! I am the type that needs to be walked through a process with lots of visuals. Thanks for all of your insight and help. I plan on getting some of the LWS up and running this month. Wish me luck!
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Hi,
I just came across your site. I am new to the computer so I have been trying to search great kinder sites. You have many ideas! I am trying to get organized for next year. Do you have any suggestions for getting started.
Next year our district will start in July. We will go from 20 kinders to 30. We are full day.
I have enjoyed reading your ideas.
Thank you!
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I am returning to kindergarten next year after about 8 years in other grade levels. I am so excited, and I am very interested in literacy work stations. I am currently reading Debbie Diller’s book, and I am busily wriitng notes, ideas, and lists to get my mind wrapped around so many great learning experiences that work stations seem to offer. I am also trying to start blogging for the first time. I have a lot to learn, but I hope to be able to share my love of all things primary as I have been able to learn so much from so many. Your blog is great, and I’m so happy to have stumbled upon it. Thank you for sharing so many wonderful recources and ideas!
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Thanks for sharing these sheets!
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