Creating activities is pretty simple once you get down the basic of stations. Generally speaking we create assignments with the goal of practicing a single skill. Then on the next skill, we create an entirely new activity. The problem here is that we’re waisting our energy because in reality the activities that we’ve created aren’t really focused on one skill. Many of the grade level expectations outlined by states are a conglomeration of skills, expectations that students will take what they’ve learned and apply it to new situations. This, of course, is the ultimate goal of our teaching but not the purpose for centers. Centers takes those overall skills and breaks them down into smaller tasks.