The Writing Center, first of all, will include blank formats that can be filled in by students, or accessed from the computer by logging onto the Classroom Web Site. (see appendix for more details). Some examples are Story Frames, Story Maps, Prediction Charts, Venn Diagrams, Concept Maps, and other graphic organizers. Also, programmable lists, outlines, Story Starters and Plot Boosters can be used for independent writing activities. Some other materials that will enhance the Writing Center are charts for comparisons, sentence strips, cards with “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How” questions written on them, cards with rhyming words, “Position Words” cards, “Rhyme” charts, homonym lists, pages of poems, a pocket chart, flash cards, dictionaries and thesaurus, loose-leaf paper,  properties charts, time lines, calendars, blank cartoon grids with dialog balloons, blank grids to make vocabulary word searches and crossword puzzles, classification charts for ABC order, and parts of speech, and different kinds of book reports.

      Creative materials will include the following:  photos, pictures, stationary, stickers, yarn and string for binding student-made books, wallpaper samples, glue sticks, old stamps, hole punchers, shape punchers, stencils, recycled paper, envelopes, construction paper, scissors, crayons, markers, pencils, pens, rulers, triangles, T-Squares, basic shape templates, poster board, stampers with inkpads, used magazines from the Public Library for children to cut pictures and articles from, and a typewriter. Additionally, recycled art materials, like shoeboxes and seashells, will be provided for Reading/Art enrichment activities included in this unit.

     Next, each child will have wide-ruled spiral notebooks for journal writing, “work-in-progress” and “finished work” folders, a mailbox for letter writing, 3-ring binders for ongoing “Picture Dictionary” or “All About Me” books, and small spiral notebooks for addresses, phone numbers, recipes, and reminders.