Learning Stations

Sorry about two posts on the same day.  I never seem to have enough time to get everything done that I want to do.  (Sounds familiar, huh?)  So I figured I should get this posted while I still have time...
My kinders have been working so hard to be able to work in small groups and pairs, and they have really done a great job!  Last week we did a trial run, and now we are all set for the real deal next week.  I am lucky to have some helpers on most days - an eighth grader comes in on Tuesday and Thursday (we are a K-12 building), and two  moms have promised to come in on Wednesday & Friday.  That just leaves Monday without extra help.  Even so, I am very happy to have help four days a week!

We (my two fabulous teaching partners & I) plan our Learning Stations together.  Usually we try to do the same activities, but sometimes we trade off - rotating three activities.  We allot a half hour for Stations, and our shared aide comes into each of our rooms to help run an activity.

Mrs. S's Station.  Read, Write, Stamp!  Sight word practice.

Word Word Station.  Spelling their, and classmates', names with magnets. 

Writing Station.  Rainbow names - roll the color coded cube and write your name using that color crayon.  Simple, but a great way to help them to practice writing their names!

Listening Station.  I got my new jackbox and headphones!  Yay!  Now everyone will hear the story well.

My station.  We will arrange these little (Saxon) number cards in order, and place the appropriate amount of counters below the cards.  I do have some leveled practice pages to use after working with the manipulatives, but I forgot to photograph them - sorry!

My nifty new stacking counters from Nasco.  I was looking for something *cheap* and fun to use instead of always using teddies, linking cubes, or foam counters.  We've used them once so far, and the kids like them.  I did let them play with them for a while - they had to get the sticking them on the end of their fingers out of their system before being able to get to work.  In fact, I usually do allow the Kinders to play with manipulatives before asking them to work.  I've found that by giving them even two - three minutes to play helps them to focus when I need them to work.