Literacy & Learning Centers

Literacy & Learning Centers Tools, strategies, and downloadable lessons adapted specifically for the Literacy & Learning Centers model. Everything you need!

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Learning centers (often known as "rotations") are common in many primary level classrooms. But intermediate, middle and high school teachers have unique challenges, so Dr. Katherine McKnight has developed collaborative learning centers designed specifically for grade 4-12 learners.

Literacy & Learning Centers for Grades

Literacy &
Learning Centers
for grades 4-12

Imagine your classroom as an interactive, collaborative meeting space where learning thrives. Your students actively and willingly participate in activities that develop content area knowledge and literacy skills simultaneously. You facilitate learning and cover more content in less time.

What is the Literacy & Learning Center model for
grades 4–12?

A Literacy &
Learning Centers cycle:

  • Consists of a mini-lesson, guided practices, and centers
  • Is built to develop clearly articulated learning goals and specific content knowledge
  • Provides students plenty of individual and small group practice time.
  • Works in conjunction with gradual release of responsibility
  • Allows students to make choices
  • Integrates formative assessment and individual attention into daily routine
Essential Questions

Essential
Questions

Essential questions are BIG questions that require a student to explore a topic and reflect on the meaning of texts and content. Essential questions are not easily answered. In fact, essential questions often don’t have one right answer.
Group Practices

Group
Practice

Students break up into pairs or small groups to practice and review the lesson that was introduced during the mini lesson. This step can include a brief formative assessment in which the teacher determines if additional examples or extra instruction is necessary.
Topic

Topic

The topic refers to the specific skill or content that will be taught in a Literacy & Learning Center cycle. This correlates to a curriculum. Some examples of topics might include social studies, literature/ELA, science, math, and/or biology.
Mini-Lesson

Mini-Lesson

The mini-lesson is designed to introduce a particular skill or important content information to a large group or whole class. Mini-lessons should be a truly mini; break down the content into the smallest possible “chunk.” Mini-lessons are most effective when they are 10 minutes or less.
Foundational Centers

Foundational
Centers

Centers provide students the opportunity to practice their skills in clearly focused, articulated activities. The teacher-led center facilities formative assessment, tiered interventions, and small group instruction.

Foundational
Centers

In order to develop student literacy and provide adequate teacher support, foundational centers are almost always included in a cycle. Optional supplemental centers include: Grammar, Speaking & listening, and Creative Learning. Content-specific centers should be added as needed.

Reading Together

Reading Together

Writers Center

Writers Center

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Teachers Center

Teachers Center

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Teachers Testimonials

What teachers are saying

Teachers like you describe the difference Literacy & Learning Centers have made in their classroom and talk about how the website helped make this “game changer” easier.

“It is like hours and hours of PD all at a keystroke.”

– J.P., 3rd-5th grade teacher in North Carolina, Learning Magazine evaluator.

“I liked that there are so many activities -- pages and pages and pages! all in one place. And the posters I found are going to make my room terrifically text-rich. I will even use them with my table-top chart stands! It is like hours and hours of PD all at a keystroke.”

– J.P., 3rd-5th grade teacher in North Carolina, Learning Magazine evaluator.

“I could spend hours on this site! Being a fifth grade teacher I often struggle to find good quality activities for my students to do during our guided reading block when they aren't working with me. [The] activities are easily adaptable to my classroom and there are a wide variety of options to choose from.”

– T.C., 5th grade teacher in New York, Learning Magazine evaluator.

“I found the explanations easy to follow and also found a lot of great teaching resources. I can easily find the standards for my state that the lessons meet.”

– A.Z., 5th & 6th grade teacher in Ohio, Learning Magazine evaluator.

Literacy and Learning Centers Implementation Stages

How to begin implementing the
Literacy & Learning Centers model.

  • 01 Adapt the
    Physical Environment     Physical Environment
  • 02 Introduce Activities
    that Increase the
    Cognitive Load     Cognitive Load
  • 03 Assessment
    and Feedback     Assessment and Feedback

I’m really impressed. There was so much more [student] engagement!
I’m feeling like this is a game changer.

– Stephanie Allen, 7th grade ELA teacher in Kennewick, WA

Tools, downloads, and strategies for educators

The Engaging Learners website is your source for lessons that have been specifically adapted to the Literacy & Learning Center model. Here you’ll find:

  • Tools and activities for the supplemental centers
    • Grammar
    • Speaking & Listening
    • Creative Learning
  • Tips for creating your own teacher-led mini lessons and center activities
  • Literacy & Learning Center planning templates
  • Sample mini-lessons for large group instruction
  • Tools and activities for the foundational centers
    • Reading Together
    • Vocabulary
    • Writer’s Craft
    • Teacher-led
Literacy & Learning CentersLiteracy & Learning CentersLiteracy & Learning CentersLiteracy & Learning Centers

Improve student literacy and engagement by incorporating Literacy & Learning Centers in YOUR grade 4-12 classrooms

Contact us for information about bringing an Engaging Learners team member to your school for step-by-step support!

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