Use magazines and reproducible teacher resource books to make EASY centers!
At the beginning of each school year, I receive a free sample copy of Highlights magazine and two other kids' magazines published by Highlights, PuzzleMania and MathMania. I rip out some of the pages, glue them to construction paper for durability, and laminate. Students then use crayons or wipe-off markers to write on them and erase with felt squares.
This is a set of games called Dot Dice from a reproducible book. Students choose a task and roll the dice to complete various skill building activities. The answers are written backwards on each page, so a small compact mirror is provided for students to check their work. Wipe off pens and crayons are also included for writing on the pages and a felt square for erasing.
There are lots of reproducible file folder game books available in teacher resource stores. A co-worker photocopied the pages for me and a parent volunteer took them home to color and then cut out after I laminated them. (It can be very difficult to get parent volunteers in the classroom, but you would be surprised how many are willing to do things like this at home in their spare time- send out a survey at the beginning of the year to see who's interested and rotate among your volunteers). I like to add velcro to file folder games to make the pieces stick, and also include a plastic baggie to keep the pieces together. The baggie sticks to the folder with velcro, as well, so it does not get lost.
These art activities were taken from ideas found online. (Check the links page for good free printables.) A co-worker adapted them for our grade level, typed up simple directions, photocopied, and laminated. Kids always cut out laminating materials for us. We have found that making grade-level sets of things we use in the classroom, from worksheets to centers, really helps the whole team. If we each implement one new idea like this once a month and share it, we'll get four new activities, centers, and/or lesson materials monthly. If you're going through all the trouble to make something for your own classroom, it's really not that much more work to make a few more sets for every teacher in your grade level. Many of the best ideas and resources I have came from my co-workers.
For great language arts centers and games you can download and print for FREE, check out Adrian Bruce's website!
Below are just a few of the things I made this summer using his resources.
(Sorry, they're not my materials so I can't provide close-ups, downloads, or instructions- check out his site!)
Click below for "Math Tub" center ideas!