Learning Tubs

In 2007 I moved to San Jose, CA for a year and took a leave of absence from my current district.  Although I was not happy in San Jose I was lucky enough to teach with some amazing kindergarten teachers.  I learned so much from the teachers at Sakamoto and still use all their wonderful ideas every day.  From them I got the idea of "Learning Tubs."  I already used literacy centers in my room, but I love the term "Learning Tubs."  This is the system I learned from them...

These are my tubs.  Two rows are filled with language arts activities and two rows have math activities.  

This is the learning plan.  All students have one and carry with them during our learning tub time.  As students finish an activity a parent checks the activity, guides them to correct any errors, and signs them off.  Once they complete an activity they cannot go back to it unless they have completed all activities.   During this time I am pulling my reading groups and I have students on iPads as well.

Here are a couple current tubs.

Math and fine motor - students count out the correct number of pony beads on the pipe cleaner.

Silly band letter matching - the silly bands were on clearance on Oriental Trading and the mat was found on Pinterest.  I am not sure of the site.

Fine motor - I bought the large fuse beads at Michaels and have students use the tweezers to put them on the board.  They love this activity and it's great fine motor.

The mats are from Heidi Butkus.

In and Out Sight Words (another great idea from the fabulous Sakamoto teachers).  I have sight words written on popsicle sticks.  Students read the words and try to drop them into a thematic cup, tennis ball container with a thematic sock covering it, or pumpkin candy basket.  Some will go in and some will go  out.  After they finish reading and dropping the words, students record all the words that fell out of the container of the outside of the pumpkin on the recording sheet.  If the words fell in, they record the words on the inside of the pumpkin.  This has always been a favorite in my room.  I just keep changing the sock on the tennis ball container to match my theme. 

 I found some letter dice and made recording sheets to roll and write the letter.