October Provocation Centers | October STEM Challenges

What are Provocation Centers?

Provocation centers is Reggio inspired learning through play. It provokes learning, questioning, creativity, conversations and interest based learning. It is a more guided play than free choice play time as the student engage in challenges at each center.

How do I implement Provocation Centers in my classroom?

It is a mix of STEAM centers and provocation centers related to the content that we are currently learning about. These centers are a great for building stamina and teaching students that mistakes are proof that we are trying.

Here are some ideas for October:

Can you make a monster?

Your students will love this play dough center. I put out play dough, pipe cleaners, goggly eyes, straws, and gems. I cut the straws and pipe cleaners into thirds.

The black tray is from the dollar tree, but it is also available

Click here to find the items you need for this center on Amazon.

Can you make a sticker story?

This is a favorite center among my students this year. Student can use the stickers to practice sounding out words. They can also choose another paper and write a story about the sticker.

You can check this center out in my store by clicking on the picture or click here

Click Here to check out my sticker writing resource

Can you be a picture writer like Todd Parr?

This center is super simple and goes along with our writing workshop lessons. I included Todd Parr Books, paper, smelly markers and black markers.

To check out some of our favorite Todd Parr Books click here.

Can you find the monster?

I glued large googly eyes to plastic cups and put on adhesive letters. The monsters are from Creative Clips Cookie Monster pack. The students have to guess where the monster is hiding by saying the letter name and the letter sound.

Can you make a haunted house?

We love the light boxes in our room. I made mine using clear storage containers and Christmas lights.

The students can use magnetic tiles to build the haunted house.

To check out our favorite things for our light boxes click here.

Can you use smaller shapes to make bigger shapes?

This is a Common Core Standards K.G.B.6 Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes. We used the light boxes, magnetic tiles and transparent pattern

Can you decorate a calavera?

Even though, the Day of the Dead is on November 1st and 2nd. We are learning about in October because we learn about Diwali in November.

First, we read books about Day of the Dead, Daniela's Day of the Dead was great book to introduce Day of the Dead. Then, we read another nonfiction text about Day of the Dead. This center is a part of my Global Awareness STEAM packet. Click here to check it out.

Bonus Idea:

Your students will love this Day of the Dead activity. we spent the past couple of days reading nonfiction texts and this beautiful book learning about Dia de los Muertos. My students who celebrate also shared their traditions with their families and how they celebrate.

We made Calaveras by using the salt painting method. We first added the glue by tracing the black lines on the Calaveras using bottled glue. Then, we sprinkled a lot of salt. Last, we added water colors. they turned out so cool! I definitely recommend using card stock.