Enrichment Corner is designed to help your students get the most out of their time in your classroom. Many times students complete work and we may be working at the small group table, talking with a principal, or handling a situation with another student.
Students are told to sit quietly, read silently, or wait until given further instructions. We also have those fast-finishers that are done before some children write their name and date. Enrichment Corner helps engage students, creates a flawless system of purpose in your classroom, and helps students feel proud and successful of their work.
Setting Enrichment Corner up in your classroom from Day 1 will help keep your students learning, having fun, and hold them accountable to higher level thinking!
The best way to set up Enrichment Corner is with two black crates and hanging file folders. Your school probably has hanging folders, but I have given affiliate links for both the crates and the hanging file folders if needed. See the picture below to see how I used the black crates and the file folders.
One crate will be labeled as Enrichment Corner. The other crate will be labeled as Student Progress Folders.
The Enrichment Corner crate will have all of the copies for the activities divided into folders. For example, The Water Cycle Enrichment Activities will be run off and placed in one hanging folder. You can do all 30 folders or just a few at a time.
The student progress crate will have a folder labeled for each student (I do these with numbers) and this is where the students will keep their Enrichment Corner Unfinished Work. Some of the activities for Enrichment Corner will have multiple pieces, if you have to move on before the students complete the activity, they can place their unfinished work in their folder for the next day. The students will use their Student Progress Checklist to check off each activity as their finish it.
You can choose to grade Enrichment Corner Activities or have the students self-paced and move on when finished with an activity.
If you choose to check the activities, I have provided a rubric for you on Page 1.
When my students are done, I have them turn their activities into a basket in my room. At the end of the day, I check them with the rubric and place them in their Enrichment Corner Student Progress Folders. From there, they can check it off their Student Progress Checklist.
Students can do more than one activity a week as long as they are doing them correctly and not rushing. Once the students have completed all 30 activities (this will take most of the year), they will become a member of the #ECMsquad (Enrichment Corner Mastery Squad)
After they have their certificate, they are a Squad Recruiter. A Squad Recruiter helps other students finish Enrichment Corner. They are a guide and should not do the activities for another child.
Finally, each activity comes with a set of standards (TEKS and CCSS) so the administration can see what skills your students are mastering. It also comes with an instruction page so students can be independent. All activity pages are included as well. The Standards and Instructions cards can be laminated.
I would recommend laminated these so you do not have to keep copying them. Then copy a class set of each activity page. While it seems like too many copies, you are making copies for the entire year for all of your children. The organization will pay off big time!
NOTE: Enrichment Corner does USE paper, but is NOT worksheets! The students are creating, writing, and using higher level thinking.
My final recommendation is to make a binder with a set of master copies for all of your Enrichment Corner. I have included a picture of my binder below. Many times students will use the last original. I finally realized it was easier to do this than go back to the file on my computer.
The TEKS included are the NEW adopted Reading and Writing TEKS for 2017. You can start using them now but they are the version that will go into action in 2018!
Also, for your convenience, a CLICKABLE Table of Contents is included!
Student Checklists and Teacher Class Lists are included, as well as an optional Bulletin Board Decor!
If you are interested in purchasing this curriculum for your classroom, head on over to my TpT Shop. I have them available for 3rd, 4th and 5th grades!
Lastly, I would love to see photos in action. My Instagram name is @hillarykiser and when sharing on Instagram, please use #ecmsquad! J
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