Learning Centers

                Yesterday in class, we discussed the different ways that Social Studies can be taught. Whether it be playing a fun game or simply having a class discussion, Social Studies is one of those subjects that should always be fun and engaging in order to promote learning. We were each asked to bring in a learning center that could be played by students in the classroom. This activity should be a way for students to learn on their own or apply what they know instead of having a teacher lecture to them. Everyone brought in a center that they thought would be appropriate and we had a fun night “playing” in each of them.

                I decided to bring in a learning center where students can be creative and use their imagination. In my center, students are supplied with crayons or colored pencils and a stack of blank postcards. The idea is for each student to write a postcard to a friend about what they are learning in Social Studies class at that time. Students should pretend to live during that time period or event as they write the postcard, explaining everything from the weather, what people wear, and anything else they see around them. By doing this, the students can get a feel for specific time periods and actually apply what they are learning in an artistic setting. After they have written their message, they can draw a picture on the back depicting a specific scene. Pictures of my learning center are displayed below.

 

                With a variety of games, activities, and even challenging quizzes, each learning center had the same underlying purpose to get children learning through different methods. However, there is one very important element to think about as a teacher: how do you assess children to see what they learned or if they learned anything after they play in the centers? One good way is to have a class discussion where the students can explain how each center is played. Here, the students can respond to specific prompts and questions that the teacher or other students may have. Then, they can journal about the experience they had while playing in the centers. Another good form of assessment is by designating one person in each learning center group to be the representative. The teacher then asks him/her to say one thing that they learned while playing in the center. Whether it be a new state capital or a new definition, the students are learning even if they do not realize it. When I have a classroom of my own in the future, I hope to have a variety of good learning centers to get my students excited about learning as they engage in different activities.

Games Around the World

              A fun activity that our class got to participate in was “Games Around the World.” On this particular day, everyone was asked to bring a game from a different country. We all came together and got to let loose and have fun as we played all the games. From outside to inside, we were all over the place acting like kids again. It was a fun experience but also a great learning experience. By playing these different games, we got to learn about various cultures from around the world. Whether it was variations of games we have here in the United States or new games that we have never heard of, we got to experience how other kids play and have fun. Is it different than how kids here have fun or what we did to entertain ourselves as children? No. Children are children no matter where we live. We have more similarities to them than differences. This was the message and lesson we took from class that day, and it is something that everyone must come to realize.

             I brought in a game from Chile called “Corre, Corre la Guaraca.” Similar to “Duck, Duck, Goose,” children sit in a circle while another walks around the circle with a handkerchief. The person on the outer circle then drops the handkerchief on another person to tag him/her. If it is felt, the person gets up and tries to tag the other person before he/she can sit down in the open spot. It was a lot of fun playing this game and we all had a good laugh! A picture of us playing the game is below.

  Doing an activity similar to this one where different games from different parts of the world are played is a good way to teach children about different cultures. Children are able to experience the similarities that they have with children they have never met before by participating in these activities. As part of a geography lesson, they can compare and contrast these games to more familiar games that are played here in the United States. Many times they may find that the method of playing is the same and just a different variation of another game. Furthermore, as a teacher, we can show children where these countries are located on a map and even watch YouTube videos of children playing these games in their country. It is a great way for children to learn and grow as they make connections with people in different parts of the world.