Process/Product Centers: What is it?

This a center that once the process is taught, it is Easy Breezy Lemon Squeezy.  I had 2 poems my students do every morning during calendar time.  The first poem was a month poem.  The poems give specifics about the months or hints to what they will learning about.  In November, it will talk about Pilgrims and Native Americans. In February, it will talk about the presidents. In March, it would talk about solid, liquid and gas. It just depends on the standards for that month. We start with an echo and 1-to-1 voice-to-print match.

As the month goes on, they can read chorally and it doesn’t take long at all. There are usually picture supports.  Up until I got a smart board, I had the poems on a chart.  Now, they are in my calendar smart board lesson.

Process/Product Centers: Poem of the Week

Week 1 – Shared Reading

The other poem my students do daily is the Shared Reading Poem of the Week. 

The poems range from nursery rhymes to poems made up specifically for our state standards.  

These poems are typically 4 lines of text, however, some have 5. 

Sometimes the poems have songs…but not always.

Some of the 5 line poems are to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot” (I’m a Little Scarecrow, I’m a Little Snowman, I’m a Little Leprechaun, and I’m a Little Sunflower).  These poems are read each day of the introduction week.  We echo and choral read. We also use the poems to discuss sight words and word family words. Sometimes we can discuss characters, settings, and events all in 4 lines of text.

Week 2 – Poetry Center/Art Center/and Homework

The following week (Week 2) the poems are reviewed in the poetry center.  The poetry center has a large class size poem and highlighter tape.  Each child has a poetry folder that includes the poems for the 9 weeks. This means the teacher prep for this center is as easy as copying 9 poems at the beginning of the 9 weeks, putting them in a folder, and creating the routine.

The students at the center take turns putting highlighter tape on the poems to highlight the word wall words.  After all the tape is used, they find the poem in their poetry folder.  Students circle the word wall words on their poem and color the words with a yellow crayon or a yellow highlighter.  Once all the word wall words are colored, they need to add a detailed illustration of the poem.  (We have previously decided WHAT a detailed illustration includes.)  They are required to read the poem to a friend before they are finished.

Week 2 – Art Center

When this poem is in the ART CENTER, students create a “work of art” to illustrate the poem.  

A small copy of the poem is ALWAYS glued to the art work.  

Students are required to read the poem to a friend and then to the teacher, teacher assistant, or parent volunteer.  

In addition, the poem is sent home for homework during Week 2, as well.

It’s a perfect time to send it home, they have been exposed to the poem for a week, so the parents shouldn’t be “teaching” the poem.  They have a list of choices for that poem.

Week 3 – Pocket Chart Center

The same poem will be in the POCKET CHART CENTER next week (Week 3).  This center allows for small group mix-fix or an individual mix/fix.  Students can order the lines of the poem, glue coordinating strips of the poem on a paper, then illustrate the poem.  Once again, the poems are read to a friend and then read to the teacher/teacher assistant/or parent volunteer.

At the Mid-Term and Beyond

At the mid-term, poetry folders include the poems in a cloze style.  Students use the highlighter tape, then write the word wall words in the poem before they circle and color them. 

They continue to illustrate and read the poem.  

They use the poetry folder for independent reading, vocabulary for writing, or reading comprehension.

Students are allowed to use their poetry folders for Read to Self and Read to Someone.

Process/Product Center

This is without a doubt a Process/Product Center. You teach the process and change the product, but the students know exactly what to do. There is no mystery, so they can be independent with this center quickly.

CLICK the link for a Sample Poetry Set of “I’m a Little Scarecrow.”