Learning Centers – or Let Us Play II

Our session last evening was an interesting one, to say the least. In our Seminar, we learned that there would be some changes in the manner in which we would have to complete the Program. Some disruption in class schedule, but doable. Now, that is not the purpose of this blog, that is as the title implies.

The use of Learning Centers is a wonderful way in which to engage our students in the learning process. In fact, using Learning Centers gives them ownership of a piece of their education. Centers can be set up in many ways. One of the most popular programs that  uses a learning center approach is Read180™. In this program students who are not at level are divided into groups and move through three stations to enhance their reading ability. Normally, there is a mini-lesson on a Language Arts topic for the entire class, perhaps a writing prompt, or something else to get their juices flowing. Then the move off into their groups, typically: silent or partner reading, a reading computer program and, a small group for a read-along with the teacher. I have worked in several Read180™ classes.

Our centers were Social Studies based, and included games and small group activities. Gladys presented a citizenship game for Civics where you took several quizzes to see how well you knew about how the government works, with a little history thrown in.

 

Nada brought in a wonderful game about the United States. Well suited for fifth grade and above, where hey have already acquired the knowledge, students would identify the states on an  unlabeled map after being given a random state name by using a spinner. A variation would have the student also name the capital of the state.

My contribution was related to the History of a city in the Middle Colonies, specifically, New Amsterdam. There would be three centers; The first center would be would consist of definitions of the various types of jobs available in New Amsterdam, such as trapper, trader, logger, etc. there would also be a brief video history of colony and City.



 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG17tztQYNQ

 

 The second center would be about shelter and housing in 17^th Century New Amsterdam. This would be an activity center, where the students could look at pictures and read books or articles about the types of housing members of this Colony might live in. After doing their research, the students would make sketches or drawings of what they thought the houses might look like, or use Lincoln Logs™ or Lego™ blocks to make their own building. 



The final center would focus on the types of leisure activity that was available in New Amsterdam. Two of the more popular activities for children were trundle hoop (rolling) and ninepins. Ninepins is a forerunner bowling. Using nine pins set in a diamond pattern. Hoops and sticks as well as two ninepin sets will be available for the students to play theses games.

 

 

 

Let Us Play.

       Some time ago our class researched games from around the world to give us an idea of how children from different cultures played. Individually, we found games from places like Australia, Chile, and Italy. As a group we learned about the games, and had the opportunity to play them; an exciting and educational experience. Essentially this is an exercise in diversity, something we must all understand and embrace. Our class itself is somewhat diverse, with members from Saudi Arabia, the American Mid-West and Mid-Atlantic, and Cajun Country.

One member, Nia (standing in the photo) brought in a game from Chile called Corre, Corre, la Guaraca which is similar to Duck, Duck, Goose. The participants sit in a circle facing one another.  One participant circles the group with a handkerchief, and drops it gently on one of the people in the circle. When that child feels the handkerchief, he or she must get up and try to tag the other before the handkerchief dropper can sit in the open place.

Greg S. brought us a game from Mexico called Colorina. Colorina. This is a two part game using beans and something to catch them in, such as a hole in the ground, or a bowl. To play, everyone takes a certain number of beans, enough to hold in one hand. You then take turns trying to throw your handful of beans into the hole (or bowl). THEN you take the beans that actually made it into the hole, place them in your hand, quickly toss them into the air, flip your hand over nad see how many land on the back of your hand. Frustrating! The winner is the who caught the greatest number of beans.

My contribution was a little game from Italy called Lupo delle ore. This game requires a minimum of 3 players, although groups of 7 players are ideal. One player is the "lupo" ("wolf"), and stands with his back to the others, who form a line at a designated distance from him. The players call out "Lupo che ore sono?" ("Wolf, what time is it?"), and the wolf answers with a number. The players can then take that many steps toward him, and ask again. If, instead of a number, the wolf responds with "Ho fame!" ("I'm hungry!"), he can turn around and try to tag as many of the children as he can before they make it safely back to the starting line.

Change.

The more things change, the more they remain the same. Life is cyclical; eventually what has come before will come again, good or bad. The Cosmos is cyclical as is this world/Earth is also cyclical. Look at the phases of the moon, the orbits of the planets. Like the old adage says… “What goes around comes around.”

In the Temperate Zone, where we live (HA Temperate?) we have a wonderful display to remind us of that change. In our part of the world as winter approaches the colorful flower displays fade, but the trees treat us to a riot of color.

                            
No matter what path we take, we are confronted by the variegated colors of the fall leaves, even if they lay on the ground.

Even through these changes, we can still see the greenery that will last all year, especiaoly if you lay on your side..

 

 

Foliage notwithstanding, many things change, and many things are cyclical. History shows us how cyclical life actually is. War is a terrible thing. No one really wants to fight or die in a war, do they? The carnage is an outrage, everyone says so but….. there has never been a time in recorded history where there has not been a war, of some kind. Little wars abound, and we have big ones at least once a century, even though we abhor them. Interesting… the more things change; the more they remain the same. The same thing happens with educational philosophies; they come and go, and come back again as the pendulum swings.