This picture represents the "Heart Words" that our students are learning. Heart words are learned through repetition and memorization, as students cannot sound them out because they are not phonetic.
In the picture shown, please notice the circle time area where students practice their counting skills, calendar skills, and speaking/listening skills. Also in this picture is the "Housekeeping Area".
These two tables represent the colored stations for Writer's and Reader's Workshop. Students use these times to apply their writing/illustrating skills as well as their reading/turn-taking skills. Workshops are students' favorite times of the day.
This area is used for circle time. Please notice the grid formation on the carpet. Students are each assigned a square, and each square corresponds directly with the Star Chart (mentioned previously) for tracking student participation/behavior.
The picture above represents student assessments. Each month, students complete an assessment (self portrait, counting skills, writing skills, etc) and at the end of the school year, students will be able to easily track their improvement.
This area is for student book boxes. Each student has a book box will leveled texts to meet their needs/abilities. After two or three weeks, student are given the opportunity to "shop" for new texts. During reading times, students read to self and to a partner, so that they can develop their fluency and comprehension skills.