Divergent Thinking Centers for May and Summer

We are on the final countdown until summer!  I can't believe how quickly this year has gone!  When I look back at things we were doing at the beginning of the year and the things that we are doing now, I am amazed at the growth of my students.  We practice  a lot of skills during the year in reading centers but the reading centers that I wrote for May/June are a little bit different.  I designed them to encourage students to use their divergent thinking skills.  I'll just tell you before hand, they don't like this as well.  They have to really think and they would just rather ask me what the answer would be....One student today had the question in her reading center that asked her to list three things you could do with a stick...the centers are camping themed...Seriously, as a kid, I probably thought of AND did hundreds of things with a stick!  The kids today are different though.  These center activities encourage them to think on their own, and I like that! We have spend a lot of time this year learning to answer questions in complete sentences and give evidence for our answers.  We have solved addition and subtraction problems using base 10 blocks, number lines and expanded form.  We have solved more word problems that I care to remember.  So, now is the time to be creative.  Let's brush the cob webs off of those creative abilities and encourage our kids to think!!!!  Here is a look at a few of the center ideas.

This activity is called "What Am I."  Students read the clue card, match it to the answer card and then write their answer onto their answer sheet. 

Another activity is called Summer Camp List It.  Students draw a card and then list the three things that the card is asking them.

 

There is a "Fishing for Fact and Opinion" center activity.  Students sort the cards onto the "Fact" or "Opinion" mat.  Later, students choose a topic and write their own facts and opinions. 

 

This unit has 5 literacy and 5 math centers that your students will love!  The entire unit looks like this:

 

You can see it in my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking HERE! 

 

Just a few more days until Summer Vacation!!!!!  I would love to hear from you to see how you plan to relax this summer!

Take Care....and Hang On!

Sharon