Skill Tubs

Skill Tubs are a much anticipated part of our 90 minute literacy block.  These tubs contain a variety of activities (many of them by Mailbox) that allow students to practice important skills with a partner or on their own.  I started using these last year in an attempt to utilize all of the wonderful activities and games I owned.  With a little training in how to work independently or with a partner my Kinders are able to use these tubs.  They love them, and are disappointed when something interrupts our schedule. 

Skills Partners pocket chart.  I use this chart to pair students for Skill Tubs and other partner work.  The duos change daily; the left side moves down, with the bottom name moving to the top, and the right side moves up, with the top name moving to the bottom.  This way the kids get a new partner each day, and by keeping the names in columns, I can keep students who can't/shouldn't work together apart.  The photos on the right side are of "Skill Spots" - spots around the room where students can go when finished with their work (or instead of their assigned Developmental Center if so desired).

I bought the wire storage unit and plastic dish tubs at Target.  Each Skill Tub holds 3 - 4 activities that students can do with a partner or alone.

Each tub is labelled with a photo and written instructions that guide student where to work.

A peek inside of one of our Skill Tubs.  This tub includes several activities from Mailbox, decodable readers from our reading series, and laminated shapes with sight words written on them.  (If something is laminated, you can write on it with a Sharpie marker.  Use rubbing alcohol to remove the ink.)

What would I do without Ziploc bags and clothespins?  I have found wooden clothespins to be a great way to keep things together.  My students are easily able to open and close them to attach bags of activity pieces to the correct work mat.

A word family activity from Mailbox.

I think this is from Carson Dellosa.

I put words from previous months into the Skill Tubs.  Students enjoy reading the seasonal words.  They also use these cards as a reference when writing.

Working on beginning sounds

Counting bugs and reading number words.

Shape sorting turkey activity from The Mailbox.