Sharing Kindergarten

  • Home
  • Read More
    • Literacy
    • Math
    • Phonics
    • Sight Words
    • Teaching Tips
  • Newsletter
  • FREEBIE Email Series
  • Professional Development
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Downloads
    • Cart
    • Checkout
  • About Me
  • Digital Learning Boot Camp
  • Teaching Top 5 Virtual Conference
    • Downloads
  • Shop
  • My Account
  • Checkout
  • Cart

How to Make and Manage No Contact Skill Centers

September 16, 2020 By Mary Amoson Leave a Comment

How to make and manage no contact skill centers.

My students returned to school and they had one thing in mind… interacting with their peers! Although I wish this was possible as it was when they left school in March, it is not. We were able to start our face to face school year with some play.
You can read all about our no contact center here.

My students LOVE the ability to play, even if they can’t play with each other. I don’t keep them from talking to each other, I actually encourage it. I want them to love each other and interact as much as they possible can. First, My students had to learn how to use this method to play… then we can stretch this a little bit to learning.

This is my skill center set up for Covid restrictions.

What are Skill Centers?

Skill centers are activities students engage in to review skills they have already been taught and practice the skills. This is so important for Kindergartners because they need to practice their skills so they don’t loose their skills.

Right now, skills are critical. We need to be working with what we know so we can build on the missing gap. I knew last week that we needed to be playing BUT we also need to be skill building. Let’s merge playing and learning.

Centers Before

I had a great system for centers that I have used for years and that I loved. My students LOVED it as well.
You can read all about my tried and true system here.

Essentially, 4 students could go to one color coded table to do a specific skill building activity. Once done, they would get check off by the teacher. Each week, they would have 6 work centers to complete.

  • No Contact Center Bins
    $5.00
    Rated 4.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating
    Add to cart
  • Monthly/ Themed ELA Activities Bundle
    Sale Product on sale
    $88.00 $50.00
    Add to cart
  • Monthly Math Activities BUNDLE
    Sale Product on sale
    $80.00 $64.00
    Add to cart

Don’t Reinvent The Wheel, Just Make a Few Changes

Let’s be honest. This year has been an exhausting start of the year of trying to reinvent the wheel and I just didn’t want to redo something else. I wanted to take the same structure, same format, BUT make it no contact. Why? Because I don’t want to have to tweek and perfect things so they work. I would rather take a structure that works and tweek it to make it no contact.

Label the Bins

First, I used the same center topics I used before. I have 6 work centers; math, writing, phonics, reading, social studies, and science. Working with the core subjects is a great way to balance out students and keep them engaged.
You can grab my no contact center bin labels here. They are in the same pack as the PLAY center labels, all for the same cost.

Label the bins for easy student use.

Next, I have to get bins to the students individually. Each center I used before could hold 4 people, just at one table. Now, it has four separate bins per subject that students take to their individual tables or desks.

I did this because I would typically have enough materials for four students and this would not cause me more work. (Anyone else simply treading water… because I sure am!!!)

I wish I had color coded boxes, but I went for $1 bins from Dollar Tree so I got what I got. I labeled the outside of the bins to make sure my students knew what they were getting.

How to Check Skill Centers

Next, I had to figure out a way to make sure students go to the variety of activities I have selected for them. I usually have cross off sheets inside the center baskets, but this doesn’t work for individual bins.

Check off student work as they go! It is fast and simple.

Instead, I made a table to check students off. All my students names are on the left side, then the color coded columns stand for each center. Once laminated, I can easily check off students using a visa via marker.

Laminate the sheet and use a wet marker to check off student progress.

Student Choices with No Contact Centers

Allowing students to make self selected choices is not only a behavioral standard in Kindergarten, but it is also something I am passionate about. Giving students the ability to to choose what they work on required a little rethinking as well.

Who goes where? I give them each a clip and let them choose.

Instead of students putting clips on them to signify what center they are on, I wrote my students’ names on clips for them only. The students place the clip onto the circle for the center they are working on.

How Skills Work in No Contact Centers

The choice board for centers match the bins they grab. Pictures match pictures. So far, my students are doing WONDERFUL at placing their clip on the circle and grabbing the skill center that matches. When each student is done working, they raise their hand for me to check them. Then, that work center goes to a specific area to be cleaned and then into a waiting period before anyone else can use it.

Math skill center

Examples From This Week

What do we do at our skill centers?
Handwriting Help packs they already have in their bins.
Hands on learning in action.
Learning Resources Alpha Pops
Lakeshore Learning Locks for letters and sounds.
Letter and sound matching Letter Mm

Muffin Pan Math

Virtual Learning Print & Play

https://sharingkindergarten.com/preparing-for-face-to-face/

Related Posts

  • Dollar Store IdeasDollar Store Ideas
  • Must Dos for Mid Year PlanningMust Dos for Mid Year Planning
  • School Prep is NO Monkey BusinessSchool Prep is NO Monkey Business
  • Classroom DecorClassroom Decor
  • One Engaging Moment Every DayOne Engaging Moment Every Day
  • Making it Better!Making it Better!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
«
»

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Looking for Something?

Check Out These

  • The Leprechaun is Loose
    The Leprechaun is Loose
  • How to Make and Manage No Contact Centers
    How to Make and Manage No Contact Centers
  • Rocks Rock! All About Earth's Materials
    Rocks Rock! All About Earth's Materials
  • Must Dos for the First Day of Kindergarten
    Must Dos for the First Day of Kindergarten
  • If You Give a Dog a Donut Activities and Fun
    If You Give a Dog a Donut Activities and Fun

Latest on Facebook

Latest on Facebook

Latest on Pinterest

  • summer math activities
  • how to make watercolor eggs
  • found the Easter Egg Unicorn- four piece Easter Eggs. I didn't even know these existed. Check out these Printable activities.
  • found the Easter Egg Unicorn- four piece Easter Eggs. I didn't even know these existed. Check out these Printable activities.
  • We came up with a fun rainbow color sorting busy bag that is so simple to put together and helps preschool kids learn colors.
  • Kindergarten Easter math activities
  • Start your morning off right with these calming, watercolor March & St. Patrick's Day morning meeting slides! They are perfect for in class learning, distance learning and Google Classroom. Improve classroom community and oral language skills in a quick gathering at the start of your day with a conversation starter. This march package includes monthly discussion questions for spring, St. Patrick's Day and just general discussions with llama pictures.
  • Easter Packet for Language Arts & Math - Spring worksheets for word work and writing. Math games for small groups and/or partner work. Student accountability worksheets for activities. Includes: Word Work /ar/ /or/ /ore/ - printables, word work cards, Wordsearch, word sort, shape words Hippity Hoppity HFW Game Fluency Phrases Addition Math Facts Adding Three Numbers Subtracting Double-Digit Numbers
  • CVC Read the Word for ALL 5 VOWEL SOUNDS Boom Cards This deck contains CVC Read the Word Task Cards for ALL 5 VOWEL SOUND CARDS task cards you use on Boom Cards. This will give your students a fun and interactive way to increase math practice in a super engaging way! Students will interact […]
  • Making Sight Words Hands On! Gel Bags
Follow Me on Pinterest

Latest On Instagram

sharingkindergarten

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 wife & mommy of two girls
📱a little techie
👩🏻‍🏫 Passionate Kindergarten Teacher
🎤 Educational Presenter
💻 #sharingkindergarten

Sharing Kindergarten
This is a craft that was prepped a year ago. We we This is a craft that was prepped a year ago. We were scheduled to complete it in March 13. And it has sat completely prepped until now. I don’t have all my March. April, May things together and organized... since when we e were allowed inside the building it was for very brief times. How about you?
We are behind but we finally finished our unit on We are behind but we finally finished our unit on US Symbols! #sharingkindergarten https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/US-Symbols-3013556
I heard someone share this online... it isn't my q I heard someone share this online... it isn't my quote and I don't know where it actually came from... but woah. It hit me hard. This is the way I want to live life as a teacher... building a longer table. #sharingkindergarten
Love this feedback from our Top 5 Teaching Confere Love this feedback from our Top 5 Teaching Conference. It makes my heart happy to know we are hoping teachers at an affordable price! #sharingkindergarten
Just got my friend @kreativeinlife newest book, St Just got my friend @kreativeinlife newest book, Stuck at Home! Have you checked it out yet? https://amzn.to/3scqaBg
Customize words with Osmo, here's how: https://s Customize words with Osmo, here's how: 

https://sharingkindergarten.com/customize-words-with-osmo-yes-and-i-can-show-you-how/
Prepping for US Symbols. How about you? #sharingki Prepping for US Symbols. How about you? #sharingkindergarten https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/US-Symbols-3013556
50% off all three blend packs! Today and Monday on 50% off all three blend packs! Today and Monday only! #sharingkindergarten https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Blend-Bundle-Print-Play-Packs-6548165
This QR Scan & Learn has been updated to reflect t This QR Scan & Learn has been updated to reflect the current US President, Joe Biden. Redownload it to get the changes. :) #sharingkindergarten https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/QR-Scan-Learn-Presidents-1105478?fbclid=IwAR19mWkWJcwLZ9sOSYEXyBRuFebg1IrE1lDHNBzrNAV8fG7oHhBlZ5gDUlM
Have you ever used a scale to work on addition? It Have you ever used a scale to work on addition? It is super fun and a great visual tool for learning. #sharingkindergarten
Check out this simple and FUN fluency game. All th Check out this simple and FUN fluency game. All the details are in the link! https://sharingkindergarten.com/a-simple-clip-idea-for-fluency #sharingkindergarten
Sunday Night Thoughts. You matter. What you do mat Sunday Night Thoughts.
You matter. What you do matters. Thank you for being you and being a teacher. #sharingkindergarten
This is my fav theme of the year to teach! #sharin This is my fav theme of the year to teach! #sharingkindergarten https://sharingkindergarten.com/more-lights-and-shadows-fun/
I am 100% pumped for next week. It is my fav theme I am 100% pumped for next week. It is my fav themed unit of the year. Light and shadows!!! What is your fav unit? #sharingkindergarten
Instagram post 17902767808702889 Instagram post 17902767808702889
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs · Privacy Policy