Anchor Charts - Part Two

For best results, teachers should plan ahead.  Use pre-made materials, look online for pictures of anchor charts or plan with a colleague but remember anchor charts do need to ultimately be made with your students. 

To make anchor charts as effective as possible anchor charts should:

·        Have a single focus – the noun and verb of the standard.

·        Be co-constructed with students – when the visual represents a learning event that includes the students it becomes an artifact of the learning experience.  It has meaning for the students because they participated in its construction.

·        Large Text – Write in letters large enough to be read easily from anywhere in the classroom.

·        Examples – Include student ideas and teacher – selected examples.

·        Color Use – Highlight crucial information or draw attention to a particular place with bright colors or highlighters.

·        Supportive Graphics – Use pictures, thinking maps, drawings or photographs.  These are beneficial for all your students but especially effective for your English language learners and your special education students.

·        Background of Chart – Use butcher paper or posters with light backgrounds.  This creates enough contrast so that the words can be read.

·        Placement of Chart – Place chart somewhere that is easy to access for quick reference

·        Space Availability – Kids take responsibility for the charts and add more examples throughout the year.  This can be done by having kids write on the anchor chart or with the use of sticky notes.

·        Standard – Put the standard that the anchor chart is meeting in the top corner of the anchor chart.