You probably already know that conferring and working in small groups is the most organic and effective way to differentiate your instruction AND meet your students' needs. However, that requires YOU to be working with them. What about when you're not working with them? You want meaningful, rigorous writing opportunities that are skill-specific. That is precisely the purpose of these writing centers.
There are 5 Types of Writing Centers with 5 of each writing center. That means you've got 25 Writing Centers to help your students grow! Each writing center also includes an Answer Key so that students can self-check or you can use as a grade if you prefer. The centers are available as color-coded or black and white. This particular set of Writing Centers are based on Scientific concepts.
✋🛑 The materials in this resource are the same ones included in The Literacy Loft Membership. If you are a monthly or annual member, please do not purchase! If you'd like to learn more about the membership, click here!
You can grab the Narrative Writing Centers here.
💻Google Slides
🖨Printable Pdfs
Click here for Writing Centers Volume 2 (Narrative)
What centers are included?
1. Fix it Up! Editing - Students edit a paragraph. The number of mistakes is located at the bottom so students know when they have found them all OR if they need to keep looking. An answer key is included so students can self-check.
Topics:
- Cool Critters! (Ants)
- Sluggish Situation (African Land Snail)
- Amphibians
- Salamanders
- Poison Dart Frog
2. Transition Mission- Students use a transitional words and phrases chart to add transitions to a paragraph. An answer key is included so students can self-check.
Topics:
- Crocs & Gators
- Metamorphosis
- Animals Impact Their Environment
- Oil Spills
- Endangered Species
3. Elaboration Station - Students are given a few sentences with facts about the topic. After the facts/evidences, students use elaboration strategies to add on to the paragraph. Sample responses are included.
Topics:
- Volcanoes (Informative)
- Grizzly Bears (Informative)
- Drought (Informative)
- College Athletes (Opinion)
- Physical Education (Opinion)
4. Paraphrase Practice - Each center has a paragraph. Students practice paraphrasing the paragraph. A chart for the STP (Stop! Think. Paraphrase) strategy is provided.
Topics:
- Indicator Species
- Pollinators
- Tracking Twisters
- Invasive Species
- Animals in Zoos
5. Sort + Write - This center includes 5 different science-based sorting activities. Students have directions for each sort. They are given words and phrases to sort for a specific purpose. After they have sorted, they write a multi-paragraph essay using the details and the sort to organize and write their essay. There are a total of 5 sorts. These could also double duty as a science center.
- Writing Rocks! (Classifying Rocks)
- Life Cycles (Complete + Incomplete)
- Heat Energy (3 Types)
- Writing Matters! (Solid, Liquid, Gas)
- People & Their Environment: Helpful or Harmful?
The centers are included in color + black and white. Ideas for storage and organization are included. Please see the preview for more information and to get a better look at these centers.
If you have any questions as to how you can use these in your upper elementary classroom, please email me at jessica@theliteracyloft.com.
- Jessica
🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.
These centers are the perfect supplement for our writing units and the monthly text sets.
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Email: Jessica@theliteracyloft.com