writing a book review anchor chart

EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G3:M3:U2:L9

Writing a Book Review: Drafting the Introduction

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Universal design for learning, closing & assessments, you are here:.

ELA Grade 3
ELA G3:M3:U2

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

RL.3.2: Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
W.3.1a: Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.
W.3.4: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
W.3.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
I can write an introductory paragraph for my book review including a brief recount of the story. ( W.3.1a )
Introduction to book review ( W.3.1a )

Agenda	Teaching Notes
A. The Painted Essay(r): Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of an Introductory Paragraph (10 minutes) B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes) A. Forming an Opinion (10 minutes) B. Shared Writing: Writing an Introduction (20 minutes) A. Independent Writing: Writing an Introduction (15 minutes) A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.	In this lesson, students write the introductory paragraph for their book reviews. Since this paragraph is very similar for all students, the first part is written as a group and students add their individual recommendations at the end ( ). In Work Time B, students are introduced to the Opinion Writing Checklist ( ). Since this is the first time students have seen this checklist, only four of the criteria are included. More will be introduced over the next few lessons. Recall that throughout the school year, students are provided with checklists for their writing, which outline the key criteria that the CCSS require of the writing type. These checklists are closely aligned with the teacher rubrics used to grade student assessments. An empty column is provided on each student checklist for students to add criteria for the specific characteristics required by the writing prompt, and time, directions, and examples for this process are built into the relevant lessons. In this unit, the habits of character focus are working to become ethical people and working to become effective learners. The characteristics students practice in this lesson are respect and responsibility, as they voice their own opinions and hear the opinions of others. Students who require an extension can write their own introductory paragraphs rather than using the one generated by the class. In the previous lesson, students analyzed the structure of the Model Book Review: . In this lesson, the introductory paragraph is analyzed in detail to help students write their own. Continue to use Goals 1-4 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation. Some students may find it challenging to identify their own opinion, as the ideas suggested may not resonate with them. Group those students for a teacher-led discussion that guides them to identify their own opinion. If this is still unsuccessful, pair those students with another student who has a clear opinion to write the review from the partner's perspective with the ideas he or she suggests. Students may require additional support writing their introductory paragraphs. Consider using technology to provide these students with the student-generated introduction, so that they only have to add the focus statement and reasons they will be writing about. Review students' introductions to ensure that they have included all the necessary information. Use common issues as teaching points for the whole group. Consider using the Writing Informal Assessment: Writing Process Checklist during students' planning and writing throughout the lesson (see the .) In the next lesson, students will write the first proof paragraph of their book reviews.

Agenda

Teaching Notes

A. The Painted Essay(r): Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of an Introductory Paragraph (10 minutes)

B. Reviewing Learning Target (5 minutes)

A. Forming an Opinion (10 minutes)

B. Shared Writing: Writing an Introduction (20 minutes)

A. Independent Writing: Writing an Introduction (15 minutes)

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt and respond in the front of your independent reading journal.

In this lesson, students write the introductory paragraph for their book reviews. Since this paragraph is very similar for all students, the first part is written as a group and students add their individual recommendations at the end ( ). In Work Time B, students are introduced to the Opinion Writing Checklist ( ). Since this is the first time students have seen this checklist, only four of the criteria are included. More will be introduced over the next few lessons. Recall that throughout the school year, students are provided with checklists for their writing, which outline the key criteria that the CCSS require of the writing type. These checklists are closely aligned with the teacher rubrics used to grade student assessments. An empty column is provided on each student checklist for students to add criteria for the specific characteristics required by the writing prompt, and time, directions, and examples for this process are built into the relevant lessons. In this unit, the habits of character focus are working to become ethical people and working to become effective learners. The characteristics students practice in this lesson are respect and responsibility, as they voice their own opinions and hear the opinions of others. Students who require an extension can write their own introductory paragraphs rather than using the one generated by the class.

In the previous lesson, students analyzed the structure of the Model Book Review: . In this lesson, the introductory paragraph is analyzed in detail to help students write their own. Continue to use Goals 1-4 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Some students may find it challenging to identify their own opinion, as the ideas suggested may not resonate with them. Group those students for a teacher-led discussion that guides them to identify their own opinion. If this is still unsuccessful, pair those students with another student who has a clear opinion to write the review from the partner's perspective with the ideas he or she suggests. Students may require additional support writing their introductory paragraphs. Consider using technology to provide these students with the student-generated introduction, so that they only have to add the focus statement and reasons they will be writing about.

Review students' introductions to ensure that they have included all the necessary information. Use common issues as teaching points for the whole group. Consider using the Writing Informal Assessment: Writing Process Checklist during students' planning and writing throughout the lesson (see the .)

In the next lesson, students will write the first proof paragraph of their book reviews.

Strategically pair students for work in Opening A.
Peter Pan Recommendations anchor chart. Use the template in the supporting Materials and student responses from the Recommending Peter Pan homework collected in Lesson 8 to complete the chart with student suggestions. Ensure that all student recommendations are recorded, but combine those that are similar when possible, while providing all of the text examples suggested as evidence. Some suggestions have been added to the template should student homework not yield sufficient options. Use those most relevant to your student population.
One part of the parts of the Model Book Review: Introductory Paragraph for each pair (see supporting Materials). If possible, ensure the correct amount of parts to make complete paragraphs. This may involve giving some pairs more than one part.
Review the Opinion Writing Checklist and the Book Review Examples: Peter Pan (for teacher reference) to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students over the course of the rest of the unit (see supporting Materials).
Post: Learning target and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-2 to create anchor charts to share with families, to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families, and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 3.I.B.6 , 3.I.C.10 , 3.I.C.11

Important points in the lesson itself

The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to work closely with essay structure, building on their understanding one paragraph at a time. In this lesson, students focus exclusively on the introduction to their book review. Students continue to benefit from the color-coding system established in previous lessons for visual support and from shared writing of the introduction.
ELLs may find the abundance of language in the Peter Pan Recommendations anchor chart overwhelming and also may find it challenging to determine an opinion within the allotted time. Consider adding visuals to this anchor chart, corresponding to each piece of evidence. Additionally, consider working with a small group after working with the class, encouraging students to orally process the evidence as they determine their opinion.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

Encourage students to vary their focus sentence and reasons across two sentences in Work Time A, as done in the model book review. Challenge them to use linking words ( additionally , although , despite ) to connect the reasons for their recommendation. (Example: I would recommend the book to a friend with some cautions. Although the story has some interesting characters, the violence in the story is troubling.) Consider providing a word bank of linking words for students to refer to.

For heavier support:

Use the interactive model of the Painted Essay(r) template introduced in Lesson 8 to organize the introduction paragraph during Opening A. Invite students to attach each color-coded Introductory Paragraph strip to the template in the correct order as they check their work against the model book review. Encourage students to refer to the Book Review anchor chart to explain the purpose of each Introductory Paragraph strip as they organize it.
Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students write the introductory paragraph for their book review. This requires drawing on several tools such as the Painted Essay(r) template, the model book review, and their Opinion Writing Checklist. When possible, use think-alouds, visual displays, and/or peer models to make this thought process explicit. This allows students to see the model visually and also understand the thought processes behind it.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): This lesson includes writing time, during which some students may need additional support building their writing stamina. Continue to support them in building their persistence and effort by providing scaffolds that build an environment that is conducive to writing.
Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Support students in feeling successful with writing by allowing them to celebrate writing goals. Consider chunking the writing block into smaller blocks with breaks at specific intervals. Celebrate students who meet their writing goals, whether for length of text or sustained writing time.

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

brief, introductory paragraph (L)
Organizing the Model: Introductory Paragraph strips (one strip per pair)
The Painted Essay(r) template (from Module 1; one per student)
Colored pencils (red, yellow, blue, green; one of each per student)
Model Book Review: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (from Lesson 8; one per student and one to display)
Book Review anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Opening A; see supporting Materials)
Book Review anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II Prompt (from Lesson 8; one per student and one to display)
Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
Peter Pan Recommendations anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see Teaching Notes)
Book Review Planning graphic organizer (one per student)
Book Review Planning graphic organizer (example, for teacher reference)
Opinion Writing Checklist (one per student and one to display)
Opinion Writing Checklist (example, for teacher reference)
Book Review Examples: Peter Pan (for teacher reference)
Timer (optional; one per pair)
Paper (lined; one piece per student)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New materials.

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
: Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of an Introductory Paragraph (10 minutes) Move students into pre-determined pairs and invite them to label themselves A and B. Distribute . Tell students that each pair has been given only one part of the introduction, and later on they will find the other parts to create a complete introduction. Invite students to refer to their to remember the parts of an introductory paragraph: Invite pairs to use the Painted Essay(r) template and to underline their part in the correct color: red for introduction, green for focus statement, yellow for point 1, and blue for point 2. Invite pairs to find pairs with the other parts of the introduction and put them together in the right order. Model an example as necessary. Tell students that when they have finished, they will check their work against the . Invite students to begin and circulate to support them in reading and sorting the strips of the introduction. After 5 minutes, refocus whole group. Invite students to help you record the parts of an introductory paragraph on the new . Refer to the as necessary.	For students who may need additional support: Provide differentiated mentors by purposefully pre-selecting student partnerships and meeting with mentors in advance. (MMAE) For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Modeling) Consider thinking aloud and modeling the process for organizing Introductory Paragraph strips before students do so in pairs. Consider using the teacher introduction to the Reading Contract from Module 1 as a familiar model. Color-code the text on the strips to represent each part of the introduction paragraph. (MMR, MME) For ELLs: (Concrete, Corresponding Examples) Display the interactive model of the Painted Essay(r) template (see "For heavier support" in the Supporting English Language Learners section) next to the Book Review anchor chart, providing students with concrete, corresponding examples to refer to for each part of the introductory paragraph.
Direct students' attention to the posted learning target and select a volunteer to read it aloud: and review what this means (short). and review what an introductory paragraph is (the paragraph that opens a piece of writing and helps the reader understand what the writing will be about). and follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the prompt aloud.	For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Check for comprehension by asking students to summarize and then to personalize the learning target. (MMR, MMAE, MME) For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Activate prior knowledge and help students generalize by connecting the learning target to previous lessons (e.g., the Painted Essay(r) template and fluency reading). (MMR)

Opening

Meeting Students' Needs

: Sorting and Color-Coding the Parts of an Introductory Paragraph (10 minutes)

Move students into pre-determined pairs and invite them to label themselves A and B. Distribute . Tell students that each pair has been given only one part of the introduction, and later on they will find the other parts to create a complete introduction. Invite students to refer to their to remember the parts of an introductory paragraph: Invite pairs to use the Painted Essay(r) template and to underline their part in the correct color: red for introduction, green for focus statement, yellow for point 1, and blue for point 2. Invite pairs to find pairs with the other parts of the introduction and put them together in the right order. Model an example as necessary. Tell students that when they have finished, they will check their work against the . Invite students to begin and circulate to support them in reading and sorting the strips of the introduction. After 5 minutes, refocus whole group. Invite students to help you record the parts of an introductory paragraph on the new . Refer to the as necessary.

For students who may need additional support: Provide differentiated mentors by purposefully pre-selecting student partnerships and meeting with mentors in advance. (MMAE) For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: (Modeling) Consider thinking aloud and modeling the process for organizing Introductory Paragraph strips before students do so in pairs. Consider using the teacher introduction to the Reading Contract from Module 1 as a familiar model. Color-code the text on the strips to represent each part of the introduction paragraph. (MMR, MME) For ELLs: (Concrete, Corresponding Examples) Display the interactive model of the Painted Essay(r) template (see "For heavier support" in the Supporting English Language Learners section) next to the Book Review anchor chart, providing students with concrete, corresponding examples to refer to for each part of the introductory paragraph.

Direct students' attention to the posted learning target and select a volunteer to read it aloud:

and review what this means (short). and review what an introductory paragraph is (the paragraph that opens a piece of writing and helps the reader understand what the writing will be about). and follow along, reading silently in their heads as you read the prompt aloud.

For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Check for comprehension by asking students to summarize and then to personalize the learning target. (MMR, MMAE, MME) For students who may need additional support with comprehension: Activate prior knowledge and help students generalize by connecting the learning target to previous lessons (e.g., the Painted Essay(r) template and fluency reading). (MMR)

Work Time	Meeting Students' Needs
Direct students' attention to the and focus them on the characteristic of respect. Then direct their attention to the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and focus them on responsibility. Recommendations anchor chart. Tell them that these are the recommendations they came up with for homework and that you have put them on this chart for their reference. Invite volunteers to read aloud each of the options. Write on the board: Focus students on each option, one at a time, and Think-Pair-Share: Distribute and display the . Select volunteers to focus question at the top of the graphic organizer, and the headings and questions in each box. Clarify as need. Focus students on the Proof Paragraph 1 and 2 boxes. Tell them that they are going to review the options on the Recommendations anchor chart and choose two options that they agree with. They will then record those options and the evidence on their planning graphic organizer. Model a think-aloud and complete the Proof Paragraph 1 and 2 boxes on the displayed planning graphic organizer. Refer to the as necessary: Help students understand how the options they have chosen determine their opinion for the book review and focus students on the three options in the Introduction box: Model a think-aloud for the options recorded on the displayed graphic organizer and circle the appropriate opinion in the Introduction box. Refer to the Book Review Planning graphic organizer (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. Invite students to circle the appropriate opinion on their planning graphic organizer for the options they have chosen.	For students who may need additional support in self-regulation: As they Think-Pair-Share, remind students that disagreement means that disagreement can be positive and productive. (MME) For ELLs: (Visual Recommending) Provide visual cues for each option. (Example: thumbs-up for , thumbs to the side for , and thumbs-down for ). Consider sketching these cues next to each option, as well as having students give a thumbs-up, thumbs to the side, and thumbs-down as each option is read. For ELLs: (Practice with Something Familiar) Invite students to orally practice each option by discussing something familiar to them. Provide sentence frames for support. (Example: I would recommend salad for lunch because it is healthy for you. I would recommend green curry with cautions because it is delicious, but also spicy. I would not recommend candy for lunch because it isn't good for you and can make you feel sick.) For ELLs: (Discuss Reasons with a Partner) Consider inviting ELLs to discuss each reason in the Book Review Planning graphic organizer with a partner, deciding which ones they will use to support their opinion.
Distribute and display the . Tell students that they will use this checklist whenever they write opinion pieces. Students may notice that this checklist is similar to the Informative Writing Checklist. Read aloud the following criteria, pausing after each to invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner to restate the criterion in their own words: I state my opinion clearly, and my writing stays focused." I have an introduction that gives the reader the information needed to understand the topic or issue." I list reasons for my opinion." My words and sentences follow the rules of writing." , , The words and sentences I use are appropriate for this task and purpose." Invite students to mark/highlight these criteria on their checklist. Tell students they will focus on different criteria as they write each part of their book review. Focus students on the empty column of their checklist. Remind them that although every piece of opinion writing should include the criteria listed, each piece of opinion writing will have specific criteria according to the content. Focus students on the criterion: I state my opinion clearly, and my writing stays focused." Peter Pan to a friend) Model how to record this (by sketching or writing) on the displayed Opinion Writing Checklist and invite students to do the same. Refer to the as necessary. Repeat with the other criteria students have marked, referring to the Opinion Writing Checklist (for teacher reference) as necessary. When students focus on , encourage them to consider the skills they have practiced in the previous modules: using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and producing simple, compound, and complex sentences. Review these skills if students need a reminder. Invite students to use the Model Book Review: , the criteria recorded on the Book Review anchor chart, and the Opinion Writing Checklist to help you write the first part of the introduction as a whole group. Refer to the (for teacher reference) for how the first part of the introduction should look. Remind students that they recounted the story of in Lesson 6, and if necessary provide for them to practice again, starting at a minute, then 45 seconds, then 30 seconds, then finally 15 seconds. Invite students to record notes about what they will include in their introduction in the Introduction box on their planning graphic organizer. The end of the introduction outlining the opinion and two reasons will vary from student to student, so provide the following sentence starter for this, but do not complete it: Tell students this will be their focus statement, and invite them to record it on the appropriate spot on their planning graphic organizer. Point out the Conclusion box on their Book Review Planning graphic organizer. Tell students that in their conclusion, they will restate their focus statement. Invite students to record ideas in this box of how they can restate their focus, or say it in a different way.	For students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: While reviewing the checklist criteria, some students may need additional clarification about the language of each criterion. Ask: For students who may need additional support with writing: Create a partially filled-in template with a cloze version of the introduction. Reduce the complexity of the task by allowing students who need prompting or who may be overwhelmed starting from scratch to use this version. (MMAE) For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Concrete, Corresponding Examples) Provide a concrete example for each criterion listed on the Opinion Writing Checklist as it is introduced. Consider displaying these examples next to the Opinion Writing Checklist for students to refer to as they consider the characteristics of their own book reviews. (MMR, MMAE) For ELLs: (Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement) While writing the introduction, direct students' attention to the pronouns and their antecedents in each sentence. Circle the pronouns and underline the nouns with which they correspond, explicitly pointing out their agreement. (Example: , )

Work Time

Meeting Students' Needs

Direct students' attention to the and focus them on the characteristic of respect. Then direct their attention to the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and focus them on responsibility. Recommendations anchor chart. Tell them that these are the recommendations they came up with for homework and that you have put them on this chart for their reference. Invite volunteers to read aloud each of the options. Write on the board: Focus students on each option, one at a time, and Think-Pair-Share:

Distribute and display the . Select volunteers to focus question at the top of the graphic organizer, and the headings and questions in each box. Clarify as need. Focus students on the Proof Paragraph 1 and 2 boxes. Tell them that they are going to review the options on the Recommendations anchor chart and choose two options that they agree with. They will then record those options and the evidence on their planning graphic organizer. Model a think-aloud and complete the Proof Paragraph 1 and 2 boxes on the displayed planning graphic organizer. Refer to the as necessary:

Help students understand how the options they have chosen determine their opinion for the book review and focus students on the three options in the Introduction box: Model a think-aloud for the options recorded on the displayed graphic organizer and circle the appropriate opinion in the Introduction box. Refer to the Book Review Planning graphic organizer (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. Invite students to circle the appropriate opinion on their planning graphic organizer for the options they have chosen.

For students who may need additional support in self-regulation: As they Think-Pair-Share, remind students that disagreement means that disagreement can be positive and productive. (MME) For ELLs: (Visual Recommending) Provide visual cues for each option. (Example: thumbs-up for , thumbs to the side for , and thumbs-down for ). Consider sketching these cues next to each option, as well as having students give a thumbs-up, thumbs to the side, and thumbs-down as each option is read. For ELLs: (Practice with Something Familiar) Invite students to orally practice each option by discussing something familiar to them. Provide sentence frames for support. (Example: I would recommend salad for lunch because it is healthy for you. I would recommend green curry with cautions because it is delicious, but also spicy. I would not recommend candy for lunch because it isn't good for you and can make you feel sick.) For ELLs: (Discuss Reasons with a Partner) Consider inviting ELLs to discuss each reason in the Book Review Planning graphic organizer with a partner, deciding which ones they will use to support their opinion.

Distribute and display the . Tell students that they will use this checklist whenever they write opinion pieces. Students may notice that this checklist is similar to the Informative Writing Checklist. Read aloud the following criteria, pausing after each to invite students to turn and talk with an elbow partner to restate the criterion in their own words: I state my opinion clearly, and my writing stays focused." I have an introduction that gives the reader the information needed to understand the topic or issue." I list reasons for my opinion." My words and sentences follow the rules of writing." , , The words and sentences I use are appropriate for this task and purpose." Invite students to mark/highlight these criteria on their checklist. Tell students they will focus on different criteria as they write each part of their book review. Focus students on the empty column of their checklist. Remind them that although every piece of opinion writing should include the criteria listed, each piece of opinion writing will have specific criteria according to the content. Focus students on the criterion: I state my opinion clearly, and my writing stays focused."

Peter Pan to a friend)

Model how to record this (by sketching or writing) on the displayed Opinion Writing Checklist and invite students to do the same. Refer to the as necessary. Repeat with the other criteria students have marked, referring to the Opinion Writing Checklist (for teacher reference) as necessary. When students focus on , encourage them to consider the skills they have practiced in the previous modules: using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and producing simple, compound, and complex sentences. Review these skills if students need a reminder. Invite students to use the Model Book Review: , the criteria recorded on the Book Review anchor chart, and the Opinion Writing Checklist to help you write the first part of the introduction as a whole group. Refer to the (for teacher reference) for how the first part of the introduction should look. Remind students that they recounted the story of in Lesson 6, and if necessary provide for them to practice again, starting at a minute, then 45 seconds, then 30 seconds, then finally 15 seconds. Invite students to record notes about what they will include in their introduction in the Introduction box on their planning graphic organizer. The end of the introduction outlining the opinion and two reasons will vary from student to student, so provide the following sentence starter for this, but do not complete it: Tell students this will be their focus statement, and invite them to record it on the appropriate spot on their planning graphic organizer. Point out the Conclusion box on their Book Review Planning graphic organizer. Tell students that in their conclusion, they will restate their focus statement. Invite students to record ideas in this box of how they can restate their focus, or say it in a different way.

For students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: While reviewing the checklist criteria, some students may need additional clarification about the language of each criterion. Ask:

For students who may need additional support with writing: Create a partially filled-in template with a cloze version of the introduction. Reduce the complexity of the task by allowing students who need prompting or who may be overwhelmed starting from scratch to use this version. (MMAE) For ELLs and students who may need additional support with Vocabulary: (Concrete, Corresponding Examples) Provide a concrete example for each criterion listed on the Opinion Writing Checklist as it is introduced. Consider displaying these examples next to the Opinion Writing Checklist for students to refer to as they consider the characteristics of their own book reviews. (MMR, MMAE) For ELLs: (Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement) While writing the introduction, direct students' attention to the pronouns and their antecedents in each sentence. Circle the pronouns and underline the nouns with which they correspond, explicitly pointing out their agreement. (Example: , )

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
Distribute and invite students to use the class-generated introduction and their Book Review Planning graphic organizer to write their own copy of the introduction. Remind students that they need to add their own opinion and reasons at the very end. Remind students also to leave a line between each line of their writing. Invite students to begin writing. Circulate to support students, particularly in writing their own opinion and reasons at the end. Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the learning target. Repeat, inviting students to self-assess how well they showed respect and responsibility in this lesson. Invite students to take out their Opinion Writing Checklist and record "Y" for "Yes" and the date in the final column if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists in this lesson have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.	For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Offer options for writing tools. (MMAE) For students who may need additional support with strategy planning for writing: Create a scaffolded template with sentence frames or prompts for the introduction. Reduce the complexity of the task by allowing students who need prompting or who may be overwhelmed starting from scratch to use this template. (MMAE)

Closing

Meeting Students' Needs

Distribute and invite students to use the class-generated introduction and their Book Review Planning graphic organizer to write their own copy of the introduction. Remind students that they need to add their own opinion and reasons at the very end. Remind students also to leave a line between each line of their writing. Invite students to begin writing. Circulate to support students, particularly in writing their own opinion and reasons at the end. Use a checking for understanding technique (e.g., Red Light, Green Light or Thumb-O-Meter) for students to self-assess against the learning target. Repeat, inviting students to self-assess how well they showed respect and responsibility in this lesson. Invite students to take out their Opinion Writing Checklist and record "Y" for "Yes" and the date in the final column if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists in this lesson have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.

For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills: Offer options for writing tools. (MMAE) For students who may need additional support with strategy planning for writing: Create a scaffolded template with sentence frames or prompts for the introduction. Reduce the complexity of the task by allowing students who need prompting or who may be overwhelmed starting from scratch to use this template. (MMAE)

Homework	Meeting Students' Needs
	For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: (Oral Response) Read aloud, discuss, and respond to your prompt orally, either with a partner, family member, or student from Grades 2 or 4, or record an audio response. (MMAE)

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Writing Workshop: Everything You Need To Know To Create an Anchor Chart

1. writing workshop: anchor charts 101, 2. everything you need to know to create an anchor chart for writing workshop, 3. writing workshop: everything you need to know to create an anchor chart.

“I don’t have room for all these anchor charts in my classroom.”

Does this sound familiar?

I often found myself repeating this over and over again as a classroom teacher. And then, I’d wonder:

What kind of anchor chart should I make? How can I elevate the level of my anchor charts? How long should I keep an anchor chart up?

Keep reading for the answers if you’ve ever asked yourself these questions.

Anchor charts are an essential tool used to support instruction.

As you teach, you use your anchor charts to capture strategies that students can refer back to during mini-lessons , small groups, and independent writing time . Anchor charts also help build a culture of literacy by making the thinking visible as well as supporting all different learners within your classroom (i.e., visual, auditory, ELLs).

Anchor charts are typically created in real-time with students during a mini-lesson. They can display both student and teacher thinking by including teacher and student writing samples.

Then, you can display them on the wall for students to refer back to. Make sure to update them throughout the school year. Read more below about the many different anchor charts you can create to enhance your teaching and student learning.

Types of Anchor Charts

1. Procedural Anchor Charts

Use procedural anchor charts to highlight routines and systems within your Writing Workshop block. You’ll likely introduce these charts at the beginning of the school year when launching the workshop. You can create a chart for each new routine or system you want to teach or revisit old ones that need extra practice throughout the school year. You can use the anchor chart in the image for primary grades (K-2) to establish a Writing Workshop set-up routine.

2. Writing Behaviors Charts

Writing behavior anchor charts highlight behaviors we want our writers to build into habits. As your writers become more sophisticated throughout the school year, you want to make sure that your behavior charts match the level of your writers. You can use the anchor chart below to help establish stamina. Students can visibly see their goal as well as their progress as they work on building their stamina.

EXPERT TIP: Once your students build a writing habit, you can retire the anchor chart.

3. Individual Strategy Charts

Individual strategy charts focus on a single writing strategy. They aim to break down the strategy into clear, bite-sized steps that you’ll model during the teach section of a mini-lesson. Each unit of study cycles through the writing process (generating, choosing/developing, planning, drafting, editing, revising/elaborating).

Along the way, you introduce your writers to different strategies within each part of the writing process. The right anchor chart focuses on the writing process’s generating portion. It introduces a single strategy students can use when generating ideas for a true story. While you teach using your anchor chart, it’s key that the words you use match what’s on the anchor chart. Example: Saying true stories on your chart but using the term ‘small moments’ while you demonstrate.

4. Menu of Strategies Charts

If you’re introducing several additional strategies within that same part of the writing process, you can build a menu of strategies anchor chart. Unlike a zoomed-in strategy chart, a menu of strategies chart has several methods to select from. These charts give students the power to make their own decisions as to which one they want to use in their writing. The anchor chart to the left has five different strategies that

students can choose from when generating ideas for a personal narrative.

EXPERT TIP: Once you’ve introduced a strategy to add to the menu chart, you can retire the individual strategy chart.

5. Process Charts

Process charts are an excellent way to set your students up for independence by supporting them in understanding where to go next in their writing. These types of charts highlight a certain part of the writing process within a genre and can be displayed throughout a unit of study.

EXPERT TIP: Make small samples of anchor charts for students to keep in their writing folders.

6. Characteristics of the Genre Charts

Genre charts highlight characteristics of a genre, such as topics, text features, structure, tone, and author’s purpose. You can make these charts during the immersion week when highlighting craft moves and techniques of a specific genre. The anchor chart to the right highlights the characteristics of narrative writing.

7. Exemplar Piece Charts

This chart is a key lever during immersion week. You can also create it with your writer’s input. It highlights the characteristics of a strong writing piece. The chart is a living, breathing document which students can revise as they learn more about the genre and develop their level of sophistication. The anchor chart below highlights certain characteristics of an informational writing piece, such as catchy subtitles, pictures, and captions.

EXPERT TIP: While students are editing and revising, it can be helpful to reintroduce this chart and remind them what they can approximate from other writers!

8. Checklists Charts

Editing checklist charts help students monitor their progress during the revision and editing process. Make copies so students can refer back to them in their folders. Often, students will be in different stages of the writing process, so it’s helpful to have something to reference. These charts can be revised as students learn more throughout the unit and learn more sophisticated skills.

Expert Tips for Effective Anchor Charts

There are many different ways to improve your anchor charts. Below are three ways you can elevate your anchor charts.

1. Add visuals: One way to raise the level of your charts and support your learners is to add visuals. This is essential for our primary readers and writers to be more independent when using charts. These visuals ideally match your teacher demonstration piece. For example, if you are writing about using a big feeling, such as being excited to generate small moments you can write about, include a visual of those feelings on the anchor chart. You can also include drawings, print out clipart, or add photographs of your student doing the steps or process.

2. Include examples from mentor texts: You can include examples from mentor texts that have already been introduced and read to your class. These examples can be photocopied and placed directly on the chart.

3. Include writing samples demonstrating the writing strategy: Writing samples can be either teacher or student created. These can be used on anchor charts to show a model example of the strategy.

Anchor Chart Maintenance

Anchor charts are most helpful when students see and use them! Make sure you have a designated place in your room to display your workshop charts. It’s useful when all writing charts are together in one area. When using anchor charts during Writing Workshop, make sure to display them in a clutter-free space in your gathering area.

Once you have introduced your chart during your mini-lesson, you should be referencing it consistently throughout and every time you state the teaching point. Following your mini-lesson, keep the anchor chart visible for all students to reference as they work independently. This also allows you to reference the charts while conferring, in small groups, and during partnership work. You can also refer to the chart at the end of the workshop during the teaching share.

Decide if you’ll display or retire the chart by surveying your writers. If you retire a chart and you have the space, keep it. If not, take a picture of it. If you continue to display the chart, place it in a clutter-free, prominent spot designated for workshop charts. You can create smaller versions for students to put in their folders or keep them at the writing center.

EXPERT TIP: A great way to know when to retire a chart is to survey your students and ask, “who uses this chart?” If a small number of students use the chart, you can make smaller individualized copies for those students and take down the original.

Whether you’re just getting started with creating anchor charts or have been doing them for a while, hopefully, some of these ideas might be helpful for you as you think about which type of anchor charts you can make, how to elevate your anchor charts, and how long you should keep an anchor chart up.

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Setting Up a Writing Center: 8 Basics
The Writing Process for Primary Grades
Supporting English Language Learners in Writing Workshop

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Persuasive Writing Unit of Study

This free persuasive writing unit of study is designed to fit into your 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade writing workshop.

Download this persuasive writing unit of study to help you plan an engaging and effective unit in your classroom.

This unit contains anchor charts, graphic organizers and lessons to help you create the perfect unit for your students.

This is another free resource for teachers and homeschool families from The Curriculum Corner.

This persuasive writing unit of study is just what you need to make your planning easier.

Within this newly updated unit, you will find both colorful and black and white anchor charts. This will help you conserve color ink if needed.

The unit contains anchor charts, graphic organizers & more. All resources are provided in a single PDF download.

What is persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing can be an important part of the primary writing curriculum. It encourages students to use their opinions and knowledge to influence others.

Persuasive writing can be thought of as extension of opinion writing. It differs in that the author’s opinion is followed by reasons for the opinion along with an attempt to persuade the reader.

This unit on teaching children to write persuasive pieces was designed with second grade in mind. However, you will find many mini-lessons that can be used for other grade levels.

This unit was written with the help of Cathy’s student teachers (Joel Larrison, Kellie Wood and Amanda Rush.)

A writing workshop typically begins with a 10 to 15 minutes mini-lesson.

Some of the ideas for lessons below could run beyond the 15 minutes. Because of this, you might choose to spread some of the lessons over multiple days.

You will want to reinforce some of your mini-lessons with reviews or follow-ups as needed. The types of writing being done by students will often times require more than one day to complete.

This free persuasive writing unit of study is designed to fit into your 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade writing workshop. Created by The Curriculum Corner.

Persuasive Writing Mini-Lessons

The first two days of this unit are designed to expose children to different types of persuasive writing. It is important to have a good stack of mentor texts so children can explore the unique features of this type of writing. This stack is different than other mentor stacks you might have created for other units because not all of your texts will be books. You can add book & movie reviews and other types of persuasive writing that fit.
We start many of our units by having our students “notice” various things about certain types of texts.
In this case give small groups of two or three students two mentor texts.
Then provide post-it notes and ask them to “notice” features of the writing by recording their observations on the post-its. You may also choose to use our Group Noticings graphic organizer.
After students have time to explore, gather them together and share their observations. Discuss the texts and their similarities.
You can use the blank chart so that you can create your own anchor chart with your students. You will find an already completed anchor chart to help you start.

What is Persuasion?

Read aloud the book I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff.
After reading, discuss the term “persuade” and what it means. Talk about how the main character in the story is trying to persuade another character in some way.
Use the Persuasive Text Story Map to show what is happening in the book. After completing the story map, discuss the Persuasive Writing Anchor Chart.

FREE Persuasive Writing Unit of Study from The Curriculum Corner | The Curriculum Corner

Choosing Persuasive Language

Younger students often need help choosing the correct persuasive language.
A lesson where you create an anchor chart with powerful word choices for this type of writing can be helpful. We have an anchor chart with some possibilities you can introduce. Your students might also think of new words to add to it.

Supporting Our Opinions

Read the book aloud and then complete the Persuasive Text Story Map (same as from lesson 2) as a class.
Next, give the students a chance to create their own supporting details for a persuasive piece. Together, choose a topic of high interest. Perhaps it could be “Why the class should have a longer recess” or “Why teachers should give less homework”.
Fill out the Persuasive Planner with the class to help guide children in creating strong supporting details for the opinion topic.
Doing this will also give the students a model for planning when they begin to create their own opinion pieces.

Writing a Persuasive Paragraph

Model how to write a persuasive paragraph using the Persuasive Planner the class created in lesson 4.
You can show and discuss the Opinion Sentence Starters anchor chart and use it to help you begin your writing in front of the class.
Be sure to “think aloud” as you write in front of the class. This will help them understand how you are using your planner and making writing choices as you go.
Next, show the students the list of 16 persuasive writing topics provided. You can have each choose their own topic from the list of ideas (or think of a new one).
Pass out Persuasive Writing Planners to everyone. Students can begin by writing their opinion topic at the top, and thinking of three supporting details to add below. Once students have completed their planner, they can begin to write their own persuasive paragraph. This is where the previous modeling comes in handy! You will find a lined page in the download for students to use. Some students might need more guidance so be sure to conference with students during independent writing.

Introduction to Persuasive Letters

For this lesson it is best to read aloud a book that has persuasive letters within the story itself.
Discuss with students what the animals want in the book and the supporting arguments they give.
As a class, pick a topic that students could use to write a letter. They might write to the principal, cafe manager or other important adult in the building.
Write a class letter trying to persuade the adult of the class’ opinion. (A letter writing template has been provided if you wish to use it.)
For example, students might try to argue that they should be allowed to watch a movie because of their hard work and good behavior. Another idea is persuading the cafe that they should serve a new favorite food.
As the class participates in this guided writing activity, be sure to point out punctuation that letters should have.

Writing a Persuasive Letter

Begin this lesson by gathering students to reread and discuss the letter that was written in lesson 6.
Once again, emphasize the importance of supporting their opinions with details. Also remember to review punctuation.
Next begin brainstorming topics and audiences to whom they might write a persuasive letter.
As students are thinking, briefly meet with each one to discuss what topic and audience they choose to write for. They should be working to complete the Persuasive Writing Planner.
As they finish their planners, have students meet with peers to talk about their supporting opinions before they begin to write their actual letters.
We have provided a simple letter template if you would like for your students to use one.

Introduction to Commercials & Ads

Your students will probably love this lesson! Start by sharing some of your favorite commercials with your class from your computer screen, SmartBoard, or tablets.
After each commercial, discuss what was being advertised, as well as one fact and one opinion from each commercial.
Discuss the purpose of commercials and ads – to persuade people to purchase a product or service. Emphasize that commercials and ads are most definitely a form of persuasive writing in our every day life.
We have created a recording page, Finding Facts & Opinions in Commercials” to accompany this lesson. Students can record their ideas as they work if you would like.

Planning a Class Commercial & Ad

For this lesson you will need to bring in a product that you think the students will enjoy creating a commercial and advertisement for. (The crazier the product the more fun the class will have!)
Show your students the product and discuss its characteristics and strengths.
Together fill out the Commercial Advertisement Planning pages to fit the specifics of the product you brought in.
We have provided two types of planners for each one so that you can choose which works best.
These will serve as the model for students to plan their own commercials or advertisements in the next lesson.

Writing Individual Commercials or Ads

Using the planning pages from lesson 9, model for or explain to the students how you would like them to write their own commercials or design their advertisements.
Refer back to the Words for Persuasive Writing anchor chart to remind students of persuasive language they will can use in their writing. Also be sure to include specifics about opinions and facts within the advertisements that you want them to include.
Then, have students choose one form of persuasive writing they would like to do – a commercial or an advertisement. You might even decide to have them work with partners.
Have students brainstorm products (or give them an extra day to bring something in) and fill out their respective planners.
We have created pages where students can draft a commercial script and/or design an ad. After a few days of writing and working, have students act out their commercials or create a hallway display of the advertisements they create.
Discuss the persuasive nature of the ads and point out the facts and opinions contained in each.

Introduction to Writing a Book Review

Another form of persuasive writing is a book review. Students will attempt to persuade their peers to read a particular book they have enjoyed.
First spend some time reading book reviews as a class. You will find some great examples (mentor texts) of book reviews here: Spaghetti Book Reviews .
Read some aloud with the entire class and also provide some time for students to read a few with partners. Gather students to discuss the purpose of a book review – persuading others to read or not to read a particular book.
Spend time discussing the importance of providing strong opinions and reasons so that the piece will truly persuade the reader.

Writing a Class Book Review

Use a book that you have already read aloud to the class to model for students how to fill out the Book Review Planner.
Once the class has completed the planner together, model how you would like for them to format their actual book reviews.
There are many formats that book reviews can take – written reports, brochures, posters…even the commercials and ads your students learned in the previous lessons.
You make the decision on the format for the book reviews based on the standards you are teaching. If you choose a writing-only format, we have several different styles of papers to choose from at the end of the download.
Again, be sure to “think aloud” as you are writing so students know what to include and why it is important. This also allows you to model good grammar, punctuation and other rules (book titles, indenting, etc).

Writing Individual Book Reviews

Students now have the tools and knowledge to write their own book reviews.
After choosing and reading a book they would like to write a review on, have students fill out Book Review Planners.
You may want to choose one format for all of the students to use to write their reviews. Or you can show several options (models) and let students use their own creativity to write the book review.

Celebration

We always suggest some type of writing celebration at the ends of writing units of study. The celebration for the persuasive writing unit can simply be a gathering of people for students to share their writing with. Or, you could have students present their commercials, ads and book reviews. The intent is to make students feel proud of their learning and the writing process.

You can download this free unit of study here:

Writing Unit Download

Below we have included links to our favorite books to use when teaching a persuasive writing unit of study (contains affiliate links)

Looking for other free resources to add to your study? Try these:

As with all of our resources, The Curriculum Corner creates these for free classroom use. Our products may not be sold. You may print and copy for your personal classroom use. These are also great for home school families!

You may not modify and resell in any form. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Focus on: Video Games - The Curriculum Corner 4-5-6

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

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Wednesday 11th of July 2018

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Friday 27th of May 2016

I love it~ do you think this will be appropriate for 3rd grade?

Jill & Cathy

Tuesday 31st of May 2016

Hi Kathy! We try to create most of our resources so that they can be adapted for the range of grades the website is intended to address, so our immediate answer is yes, but of course it will depend on your particular students and their capabilities - as with all of our resources. Hope you are able to use some of the persuasive unit ideas & resources in your 3rd grade class! If you have other ideas, don't hesitate to email us!

Sunday 1st of November 2015

Your site is amazing! I could spend the entire week on this site and still not get through all the amazing units! I am currently working on Persuasive writing with my students and your resources have been beneficial. Unfortunately I am unable to see the list of mentor texts that you mentioned were at the bottom of the page. All I can see is an advertisement. Any possible way you can send me your list of texts? Thank you!

Monday 8th of February 2016

Hi Lou! We had some troubles with Amazon links, but are working on getting them all fixed. If you click on the book titles within the post text it should take you to the Amazon links of the books we suggest. Sorry about that!

4th Grade Emergency Sub Plans

Friday 13th of February 2015

[…] so you can write in your own prompt. (You will find additional persuasive writing resources here: Persuasive Writing Unit of Study. This post includes an anchor chart and list of words used in persuasive […]

The Ultimate Guide on How to Create Reading Strategies Anchor Chart

Have you ever walked into a classroom and were immediately drawn to the anchor chart hanging on the wall? Reading strategies anchor charts are a staple in many classrooms, serving as a visual aid that helps students engage with the material being taught. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the steps on how to create an ELA anchor chart that’s both visually appealing and educational.

Anchor charts are used as a learning tool. They help students recognize learning goals, review concepts, and establish learning expectations.

Step 1: Choose Your Topic

The first step in creating an ELA anchor chart is to choose your topic. This will vary depending on your grade level and the concepts you’re covering in class. Some popular ELA anchor chart topics include reading comprehension strategies, grammar rules, and literary devices. Once you’ve selected your topic, you can begin brainstorming the key ideas you want to include on your anchor chart.

Step 2: Determine Your Design

The next step is to determine the design of your anchor chart. This includes selecting the font, color scheme, and graphics that will be used on your chart. When choosing your font, make sure it’s large enough to be read from a distance. Additionally, using a variety of fonts can help draw attention to key ideas. For your color scheme, consider using bright colors that will catch students’ eyes and make the chart visually appealing. Finally, graphics can help reinforce the concepts you’re teaching, so consider incorporating images or icons related to your topic.

Reading Strategies Anchor charts are used as a learning tool. They help students recognize learning goals, review concepts, and establish learning expectations.

Step 3: Plan Your Layout

Now that you’ve chosen your topic and design, it’s time to plan the layout of your anchor chart. Determine the size and orientation of your chart based on the available wall space in your classroom. Then, divide your chart into sections that correspond to the key ideas you identified earlier. Use headings and subheadings to clearly label each section and make the chart easy to read.

Step 4: Create Your Reading Strategies Anchor Chart

With your topic, design, and layout in place, it’s time to create your ELA anchor chart. Start by creating a rough sketch of your chart on paper, then transfer it onto a larger piece of chart paper using a ruler and markers. Make sure everything is aligned and legible, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed. Once you’re satisfied with your chart, hang it up in your classroom for all to see.

Step 5: Engage with Your Chart

The final step in creating an ELA anchor chart is to engage with it. Encourage your students to interact with the chart by filling out information, adding their own ideas, and referencing it as they complete assignments. As students engage with the chart, they’ll be reinforcing their understanding of the concepts being taught.

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ELA anchor charts are a powerful tool for engaging students and reinforcing key concepts. By following these steps for creating an ELA anchor chart, you can ensure that your chart is both visually appealing and educational. Remember to choose a topic, determine your design and layout, create your chart, and encourage interaction with your chart. With a little creativity and planning, you can create an anchor chart that will become a valuable resource for your students throughout the year. Happy charting!

Reading & ELA Anchor Charts – Reading Strategies Posters – Reading Planograms

Ready for gorgeous anchor charts? This pack contains 25 anchor charts. The charts useful for grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6!

Anchor charts are used as a learning tool. They help students recognize learning goals, review concepts, and establish learning expectations.

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The Ultimate Guide to Anchor Charts and How You Can Use Them »

The Ultimate Guide to Anchor Charts and How You Can Use Them

Ever feel like you and your students are all over the place during a lesson? If that’s the case, an anchor chart can help because it keeps everyone’s attention in one spot.

An anchor chart is a helpful tool for teaching in all grades. It assists with lesson plans, gets students more involved, and gives extra details about classroom procedures.

Whether you’re a new teacher looking to boost student learning or an experienced one wanting something fresh in your classroom, an anchor chart is a great choice.

In this article, we’ll talk about what exactly an anchor chart is and ways it can make your classroom a better place for everyone.

Quick Links

What are Anchor Charts?

Anchor charts are like helpful posters in the classroom that show important information visually. They can be one big chart for the whole class or smaller ones in students’ notebooks. These charts are super flexible and easy to use, especially for students who find some things challenging or have different ways of learning.

Anchor charts can make learning more enjoyable as they are more interactive than just a regular list. Teachers can make a special anchor chart for a particular lesson and put it up where everyone can see it, like on a bulletin board or whiteboard. You want to put it in a spot that’s easy for students to check whenever they need.

Teachers all over the world really like and use anchor charts. They use them in classrooms for lots of different subjects. Let’s explore how using an anchor chart in your classroom can be really helpful.

Benefits of Anchor Charts

Guides students to work better.

Sometimes, students find it tricky to work by themselves or in small groups. It might be because they struggle to stay focused or don’t fully understand the lesson. Anchor charts can be a great fix for these challenges. Teachers often use anchor charts to explain what students should do when working alone. These charts guide students through their independent work. For example, in an English class doing close reading, an anchor chart can remind students of important reading strategies when they feel stuck.

You can also make use of their visual appeal to serve as a constant cue during tasks such as reading or engaging in writing exercises. The chart, with helpful info on things like phonics or basic grammar, can save teachers from answering easy questions by jogging students’ memories.

Makes Lessons Fun and Memorable

If you’re teaching about something that’s easy to show with pictures, make an anchor chart! For example, if you’re teaching plants, draw a big flower and point out all its parts as you talk about them.

Provides Practice

To really remember new ideas, students need to see them more than once. Some studies say it takes 7 or more times of seeing or practicing a concept to remember it for a long time. By keeping the anchor charts up in your classroom for the whole week (or even longer), students get more chances to see and remember the information.

Aids in Classroom Management

Anchor charts can help with managing your classroom, especially in the earlier grades. While it might not be as useful in middle school, it works well for elementary school and younger kids.

Since anchor charts use pictures, they’re perfect for little learners who are still learning to read. They act like reminders for rules and steps before the teacher can write them down. A good example is a chart showing the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for active listening.

Helps to Recap Lessons

You can use the anchor charts as a starting point for your next lesson. Quickly going over what was covered in the previous day’s or last lesson’s anchor chart at the beginning of your new lesson helps students remember what they learned. You must start your lessons with phrases like “yesterday we learned…” or “if we think back to…”. This gives students a chance to refresh their memories and connect different lessons.

Facilitates Student Engagement

Getting students interested is really important when trying out a new teaching method . Making sure your class is actively involved in a lesson helps them really understand the material. You can use anchor charts in a fun way to increase student involvement.

One way to do this is to ask a question or give them something to think about, then have them write their answers on a sticky note. They can then stick the note on the anchor chart. When your students are actively taking part in these activities, you can see if they really understand the topic.

Improves Understanding With Visuals

Anchor charts are like visual guides that make tricky ideas easier to grasp. They show important skills and concepts in a clear and visual way. This helps students remember the information better because they can see how different parts connect. For instance, a chart about story elements can break down the different pieces of a story, making it simpler for students to get the idea.

Serves as Quick References

You can also use anchor charts to make helpful reference materials for your classroom. If students find a concept tough, you can create a cheat sheet that they can quickly look at when needed. For example, in math, it might be important formulas. In English, it could be new words. And in art, you might have a chart showing how colours mix to create different ones.

Develops Critical Thinking Skills

In the classroom, anchor charts also help students think better by making them analyse and put together information. This is because these charts often ask students to find connections between different things and see how information fits together. When students do this, they get better at looking at information and understanding it, which is a big part of thinking critically .

Helps to Stay on Track

When we’re teaching, it’s easy to go off track and talk about one thing, ending up with something completely different. Personally, you might begin with concept A and end up with concept C. Anchor charts help you stay focused and set yourself up for success right from the start of our lesson. When you gather your students for lessons (for both reading and math), a brief look at the anchor chart tells them what they’ll be learning in that lesson. It gives them a goal for the lesson and helps them stay on track.

How to Create Anchor Chart Ideas?

Have an objective.

Begin by figuring out what you want your students to learn. What’s the main thing you want them to get from your lesson or unit? Often, this goal will match a standard or a specific skill. For instance, if your focus is on understanding the beginning, middle, and end of a story, that becomes your goal.

You can also create charts that highlight classroom rules and expectations. We usually make these at the beginning of the school year , and they stay on display all year. If you see that students are forgetting a rule, you can point to the chart to remind them.

Create a Visual Plan

Outline or frame your chart to make it visually appealing. This is a simple step that you can do in advance. Get some markers because they have vibrant colours and a great smell! This visual framing helps direct attention to the key points inside the anchor chart.

Title and Headings

Planning titles and headings for your anchor chart can be done in advance. You can write them out or have them pre-printed and ready to use. Personally, a lot of people prefer having them printed in bright colours, which makes them stand out. If you laminate them, you can use them for other anchor charts later in the year.

Be Creative and Get it Done

Add color and words. Use different colours and bullet points to help students see the different strategies easily.
Keep it simple and clean. Use easy-to-read graphics and organize information clearly. Avoid distracting details or extra marks, like arrows or too much underlining.
Draw simple pictures with the words. Complement words with simple drawings. The more ways students can learn about a topic, the better.
Use them wisely. While anchor charts are helpful, you don’t need one for every lesson. Choose carefully to make a bigger impact.
Feel free to borrow ideas. Teachers often get great ideas from each other. If your colleague has already made a chart on a topic, use the same style. Just be sure to create your own version.

Student Feedback & Improve

This step is super important! When your students join in, it makes the objective really stick. They should help you make the main part of the anchor chart. It’s a great way to get them interested!

There are different ways to do this. One way is to write down exactly what your students say on the anchor chart. Basically, they’re telling you what to write. Another way is to use Post-it notes, which we like. Post-it notes come in lots of sizes now, so you can write something down and then stick it on the chart. Even better, let your students do this!

The main idea here is to get your students involved. If they help make the anchor chart, they’ll feel a connection to the objective. They can look back at it if they need to and are more likely to remember what the chart is all about.

Right Placement

After you finish making your anchor chart, put it up in a spot where your students can see it easily and go back to it whenever they need it.

Popular Anchor Chart Types and Examples:

Interactive anchor chart:.

An interactive anchor chart is something students work on during a lesson. It’s a way for them to share what they’ve learned. These charts are made so they can be used many times in a unit.

For instance, if the lesson is about finding the main idea and supporting details, the anchor chart might have a diagram where students can stick post-it notes with the main idea and details from a class reading.

Procedural Anchor Charts:

Procedural anchor charts are there to help with classroom routines. They show how to do things like use an MP3 player at a listening centre or borrow a book from the classroom library. These charts might stay up for a longer time than other charts because they help with everyday tasks.

Vocabulary Anchor Charts

This type of chart focuses on important words in a subject. It usually has pictures, meanings, and details to help students understand and use the words in their learning and when talking about school stuff.

Strategy Charts

Strategy charts are common in classrooms and give students steps and strategies to follow for assigned tasks. They’re designed to help students by breaking down the process into steps. Strategy anchor charts often include examples done together in class, as well as tools like graphic organisers or acronyms that students learned during the lesson.

Classroom Procedure Charts

These charts remind students about the rules and expectations in the classroom, covering routines and procedures. They might also show how student work should be organised or completed before turning it in. Teachers often design anchor charts to clarify guidelines for note-taking or incorporating headings into assignments. The goal is to make it simple for students to organise their work and materials in a way that helps them successfully complete their tasks in the classroom.

Content Anchor Charts

Content anchor charts show important information about a topic. They help students remember key details and concepts. For example, if students are learning about animals, a content anchor chart might have important facts about different types of animals.

Background Knowledge Anchor Charts

Background knowledge anchor charts help students connect what they already know to new information. These charts remind them of what they’ve learned before and how it relates to the current lesson. It’s like building on what they already understand.

Articles Anchor Charts

Articles anchor charts provide guidance on understanding and working with articles, like in reading comprehension. They may include tips on finding main ideas, understanding details, or summarising information from articles.

Graph Anchor Charts

Graph anchor charts help students read and interpret graphs. They break down the different parts of a graph and explain how to gather information from it. These charts make it easier for students to understand and analyse data visually.

Diagram Anchor Charts

Diagram anchor charts show how to read and understand diagrams. Whether it’s a diagram in science or a map, these charts help students grasp the visual representation and extract meaningful information from it. They provide a step-by-step guide for interpreting diagrams effectively.

Why use anchor charts?

When is an anchor chart necessary, when are anchor charts made, what to do with an anchor chart after a lesson, how long should an anchor chart stay on the wall.

Last Updated on May 13, 2024

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Anchor Charts 101: Why and How To Use Them

It’s the chart you make once and use 100 times.

Anchor charts are a way to make a lesson stick around long after you’ve taught the skills. The idea is that you create them as part of a lesson or unit, then students have the chart to anchor their work with those skills. Here’s our ultimate guide to anchor charts, from how to make them to when to use them. Plus we offer examples from classrooms just like yours.

What is an anchor chart?

classroom with anchor charts hanging on the walls

An anchor chart is a tool used to support instruction (i.e., “anchor” the learning for students). As you teach a lesson, you create a chart that captures the most important information, the strategies, and content that you want students to refer to later. Then, hang it in a space where students can see it and refer to it when they are practicing the skill.

Types of anchor charts

You can make an anchor chart for literally everything, but there are three main types:

Procedure: Think routines and procedures that you want students to refer to as they work in your classroom.
Strategy or process: These are for strategies you want students to remember and apply in their work. Things like how to create Cornell notes, how to break apart multisyllabic words, or how to solve a geometric proof.
Vocabulary: Anchor charts can also prove helpful in reinforcing vocabulary since students need lots of practice with words for them to “stick.”

How do I create anchor charts?

Making a chart is the best way to put your teaching, creativity, and smelly markers to work.

Start with an outline: You know what you want students to learn, so create the frame ahead of time if you need to. For example, you might create boxes for a process or draw a snowman to write about.
Add a heading: Make sure the purpose is clear.
Fill it out: Work with students to model the strategy or content and take their ideas for completing the chart. While you should know what needs to be included, be open to student suggestions. Filling out a chart may take one lesson or an entire unit.
Hang the chart: Display the chart where students can see it when they need the information.
Refer to the anchor chart: Students need to learn how to use anchor charts just like any other tool in your classroom. So, when students have a question or when giving directions for a task, refer them to the chart.

Some charts may stay up all year, while others are switched out when students have mastered that content. In that way, posting anchor charts keeps relevant and current learning accessible to students, reminds them of prior learning, and encourages them to make connections as new learning happens.

How to maximize anchor charts

Use our tips to learn how to use anchor charts like a pro!

Use color strategically

t-chart with pink and green writing about a topic. t chart is labeled we noticed and we wondered

Use different colors and bullet points to help students quickly access the information you want them to see.

Keep them simple and neat

Use easy-to-read graphics and clear organization. Don’t allow distracting, irrelevant details or stray marks, such as too many arrows or overemphatic use of underlining that undercuts your message.

Use visuals

chart about waves with pictures and text

Use drawings and other visuals to show what happens in a process or procedure, like this example that explains how sound waves travel.

Don’t over use them

While anchor charts are a super-useful tool, don’t feel as if you need to create one for every single lesson. Choose carefully so the ones you create have the greatest impact. ADVERTISEMENT

Have students do the work

Create a living anchor chart by having students add to it with sticky notes of examples from what they read or research they do.

Get inspiration

Teachers always get their best ideas from other teachers. If your teammate has already tackled a topic, use the same format. Just make sure you create your own version from scratch so your students experience the learning as you go.

Aim for maximum engagement

chart with antonyms written on ant images

When students are involved in the process of creating learning tools, they are more likely to comprehend more deeply and remember more of what they learn.

Bring lessons to life

If you are studying a topic that lends itself particularly well to a visual aid, create an anchor chart! If you are studying how animals develop, for example, draw a visual of what happens inside an egg when there is and is not a chick.

Support independent work

Anchor charts provide students with a source to reference when working on their own, like this model of how and when to round.

Use anchor charts as classroom references

To help students keep information straight, create charts for each topic. For example, if you’re teaching math concepts, create a chart for geometric shapes, the difference between perimeter and area, and how to multiply and divide fractions.

Reinforce classroom procedures

anchor chart hanging on a window with independent reading routine

Provide students with a visual to remind them of routines, like these anchor charts about how to do independent reading and get new books. The poster doesn’t have to be huge, but it does have to be helpful.

Use anchor charts as a companion to read-alouds

chart for read aloud book snowman at night

While you’re reading, stop, observe, and record. At the end, you’ll have a chart to remind students about the main vocabulary, ideas, and structure of the story.

Helpful Anchor Chart Resources

Inspired? Check out these anchor chart compilations for ideas:

Fraction Anchor Charts for Your Classroom
Anchor Charts That Nail Reading Comprehension
Fantastic Sustainability and Recycling Anchor Charts
Anchor Charts To Teach Place Value
Classroom Management Anchor Charts
Must-Have Anchor Charts for Teaching Writing of All Kinds
Fabulous Fluency Anchor Charts
Close Reading Anchor Charts That Will Help Your Students Dig Deep
Get Your Facts Straight With These Nonfiction Anchor Charts
Perfect Anchor Charts To Teach Phonics and Blends

Share your favorite anchor chart tips in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out awesome ideas for anchor chart organization and storage ..

Anchor charts are a must-have in classrooms from K through 12th grade. Here's everything you need to know about this amazing tool.

19 Classroom Management Anchor Charts

Check out these fun ways to display your classroom rules! Continue Reading

Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills

WHAT ARE ANCHOR CHARTS?

Anchor Charts | what is an anchor chart 1 | Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills | literacyideas.com

Anchor charts are tools that support learning in the classroom. They can be used to support everything from classroom management strategies to the teaching of writing.

Essentially, they are visual prompts that provide students with information regarding their prior learning on a given topic. These visual prompts are used to provide a scaffold to support the students during guided practice and independent work.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ANCHOR CHARTS FOR WRITING AND READING?

Anchor charts are becoming increasingly popular in classrooms for some very good reasons. They offer a wealth of benefits for students and teachers alike.

Here are just a few of the great benefits of using anchor charts as writing tools in the classroom.

Anchor Charts Provide Increased Student Engagement

Anchor charts are an effective way of encouraging student engagement. Not only do they increase student confidence when engaged in a writing task, but they help to keep students on task by offering support in the form of visual prompts that help unstick the stuck! These anchor chart examples below provide students with a great visual point of reference to learn from.

Anchor Charts | ElementsofPoetryAnchorChart | Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills | literacyideas.com

101 DIGITAL & PRINT GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS FOR ALL CURRICULUM AREAS

Anchor Charts | digital graphic organizers 1 | Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills | literacyideas.com

Introduce your students to 21st-century learning with this GROWING BUNDLE OF 101 EDITABLE & PRINTABLE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS. ✌ NO PREP REQUIRED!!! ✌ Go paperless, and let your students express their knowledge and creativity through the power of technology and collaboration inside and outside the classroom with ease.

Whilst you don’t have to have a 1:1 or BYOD classroom to benefit from this bundle, it has been purpose-built to deliver through platforms such as ✔ GOOGLE CLASSROOM, ✔ OFFICE 365, ✔ or any CLOUD-BASED LEARNING PLATFORM.

Anchor Charts Deepen Comprehension

Often, students get involved in the actual production of the anchor charts themselves. When helping to produce the anchor charts, students will have opportunities to reconstruct their learning and thereby deepen their comprehension of the material in the process.

As they construct their charts, students begin to make new connections between the various aspects of their learning as they organize these aspects in a visually comprehensible manner.

Anchor Charts Supports Independent Work

Anchor Charts | 1 reading anchor chart | Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills | literacyideas.com

Learning to write well can be one of the most challenging things a student learns to do at school.

As students learn to navigate the demands of various writing genres , seemingly endless questions arise at word, sentence, and whole text level.

This, in turn, makes heavy demands on the teacher’s time as individual students struggle with the various challenges of a given task.

Fortunately, anchor charts can help alleviate some of that burden by providing a visual resource and reference point that help students to answer many of the more commonly asked questions for themselves. This frees up the teacher from having to repeatedly answer the same questions throughout the course of a lesson, making more time to offer support where it’s most needed.

WHAT DO ANCHOR CHARTS LOOK LIKE?

Anchor charts come in all shapes and sizes and can be commercially bought or produced collaboratively by students and teachers in class.

Commercially bought Anchor Charts are great for permanent displays within the classroom.

Usually well-presented in bold lettering using dynamic colors, professionally-produced charts work well for topics that recur throughout the course of the year and are complex enough to require ongoing reinforcement.

When anchor charts are self-produced, they are usually handwritten in large print and displayed in a prominent position in the classroom for easy reference.

Usually, a co-creation between the student and the teacher, the charts should contain only the essential information regarding the topic.

When deciding what to include on a chart, think about the concepts, strategies, and prior learning that will most help students to work independently when engaged in their work.

HOW ARE ANCHOR CHARTS CREATED IN THE CLASSROOM?

To produce an anchor chart in the classroom requires very little in the way of resources other than some chart paper and some colored markers. Other than these, and defining a clear purpose and focus for your anchor chart, there is no specific preparation required.

However, there are a number of common elements to consider when producing anchor charts for use in the classroom. Some of these include:

● Paper: Decide whether you are using adhesive paper, lined paper, blank paper, colored paper etc

● Font-Size: This should be large enough to see from the various working areas of the classroom

● Collaboration: Is it teacher-produced or a collaboration? What is the level of student involvement?

Where Anchor Charts are to be co-created with students, generally, they will be produced in collaboration with the students as you teach the lesson.

The chart will include the most important content and relevant strategies. In the case of the various writing genres, a list of the main criteria that must be included works well.

The anchor charts can then be used by the students as a checklist to refer to as the writing is produced. They can also serve for a final check when the work has been completed.

Here are some general tips to help ensure you get the most out of Anchor Charts in your classroom:

● Keep things simple

● Be sure the writing is well organised and easy to read

● Use headings and bullet points to help display the main points

● Use different colors for headings, bullet points etc

● Use simple pictures, graphs, illustrations etc to help reinforce points

● Don’t fill with lots of distracting details or graphics

Anchor Charts as Writing Tools – Examples

Anchor Charts | 1 retell anchor chart | Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills | literacyideas.com

Anchor charts can be used very effectively to break down many of the more complex aspects of writing.

From punctuation use to the specific criteria for various writing genres, Anchor charts are a fantastic way to visually reinforce student understanding of these diverse processes.

The content of each chart will be dependent on their focus. But, let’s look at the possible content of two examples of Anchor Charts to help serve as models for what might be contained in an anchor chart produced in your classroom.

1. Point of View Anchor Chart

The Point of View Anchor Chart can be used both to help guide students in identifying the point of view in a text as well as to help in the creation of the student’s own texts. We have an excellent guide on point of view that can be found here.

Looking out for keywords is an effective way to determine the point of view in a piece of writing. Point-of-view keywords are generally centred around the pronouns and the level of insight and perspective we are offered.

Let’s look at some of the more common points of view used, first in a little detail and then at how they might appear on an Anchor Chart.

First Person – a character is telling the story (narrator), and we often gain insight into the characters’ thoughts. Clues that indicate a first person will be the use of pronouns such as I , my , me , mine , we , us etc.

As bullet points, this might look like this:

● First Person

○ Character narrates the story

○ Narrator is in the story

○ Narrator’s thoughts are revealed

○ Uses pronouns: I , my , me , mine , we , us etc.

Third Person Limited – the narrator is outside the story and telling the story. In third-person limited, the writer sticks closely to the point of view of a single character, so we are usually only privy to that one character’s thoughts and experiences. The narrator does not know everything about the events that occur in the story. Indications that the third person is being used may be the use of characters’ names and pronouns, such as he , him , his , himself , she, her , hers , herself , it , its , itself , they , them , their , theirs , and themselves .

● Third Person Limited

○ Narrator is outside the story

○ Narrator tells the story primarily from one character’s POV

○ Only the main character’s thoughts and feelings are revealed

○ Narrator has limited knowledge of events

○ Uses pronouns: he , him , his , himself , she, her , hers , herself , it , its , itself , they , them , their , theirs , and themselves .

Anchor Charts | 1 writing anchor chart | Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills | literacyideas.com

Third Person Omniscient – the narrator tells the story and is privy to everything. Not only all the details of every event in the story, but the interior life of each character, such as emotions, opinions, and feelings, whether expressed or not. The usual third-person pronouns are used along with the character names.

● Third Person Omniscient

○ Narrator tells the story from ‘above.’

○ Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of every character

○ Narrator knows everything that happens

2. Instructional Writing Anchor Chart

The criteria for writing clear instructions can be very handily displayed as an anchor chart.

When writing a set of instructions, students can refer to the chart to help organize their writing. The same chart will also serve as a checklist for self-assessment at the end.

An instructional writing anchor chart may include information such as:

Instructional Writing:

● Includes an explanatory title, e.g. ‘How to…’

● Laid out in bullet points or numbered instructions

● Uses time connectives to organise, e.g. ‘first’, ‘then’, ‘finally’ etc.

● Uses imperatives to instruct the reader

● Use straightforward, functional language

● Supported by illustrations or diagrams

● Diagrams and illustrations contain captions

In Conclusion

As we can see, anchor charts can serve as useful writing tools that support the development of student writing skills in the classroom.

When displayed prominently in the classroom, they can help students efficiently bridge the gap between being emergent writers lacking in self-confidence to becoming self-assured, independent writers.

It is important to remember, too, that though anchor charts are great tools that support students, ultimately, the intent is for the students to internalize the knowledge and information they contain. So don’t allow them to become a permanent crutch!

USEFUL VIDEOS TO EXPLAIN ANCHOR CHARTS

Other great articles related to anchor charts for writing.

13 Literary Devices to Supercharge your Writing Skills

The Writing Process

Graphic Organizers for Writing and Reading

Elements of Literature

Multiliteracies

Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Anchor Charts

Teacher confession: Creating anchor charts gave me anxiety for the longest time! I knew they were important, I just couldn’t figure out a way to keep them useful for students, easy for me to create and, well, cute.

Get the most of your anchor charts… without losing your mind or wasting time!

I conducted a poll on Instagram to gain a little insight into how other teachers are creating and using anchor charts in their classrooms.

The most surprising result to me was 80% of teachers creating anchor charts in advance instead of with students. My personal philosophy is the chart serves the students best when students have a hand in creating it.

In addition, 100% of teachers feel their school is more concerned with below level students instead of helping to advance high level students. While I understand the knee-jerk reaction to keep all kids on grade level, I also feel strongly that we cannot let our high achieving and gifted students go unserved.

I wonder, what would happen if we shifted our mindset from a defensive “catch them up” philosophy to an offensive “reach for the sky” philosophy?

3 Anchor Chart Ideas You Can Try Today

1- use color with purpose.

Color can add brightness and interest to any classroom. But color is especially useful when used to emphasize important information for students. There are many ways to utilize color on your anchor chart, but my three favorites are to divide ideas, categorize information, and code information for independent materials.

dividing ideas
categorizing information
coding information for independent materials

Examples of Color On My Anchor Charts

2- 1 Chart, Multiple Additions

I started my teaching career in upper elementary, which means I have always had more than one class. If you are teaching upper elementary, there is a good chance you are departmentalized. This means one teacher is responsible for one or two content areas.

While I love being able to focus on only literacy content in my classroom, there are somethings not suited to a rotation schedule. One of these is anchor charts. If you follow the “student created” philosophy, as I do, then it’s important that students actually have a hand in making their charts.

I struggled my first couple of years to create functional, supportive charts because I wasn’t sure how to organize our class creation time or our charts to be helpful for all my classes. I didn’t want my first class to always be the ones creating anchor charts for all classes to use.

Maybe the answer is obvious to you, but it didn’t hit me until my third year teaching. What if I limit the information added to the chart so all classes can contribute? Whoo! It was game changing. Now, when I create my charts, I create sections for each class to fill in.

The best part is, my students know that’s what I’m doing and they’re all for it. They have become more thoughtful with their contributions and love to see what other classes added. Plus, it doesn’t take nearly as long for us to create an anchor chart!

Examples of Anchor Charts with Multiple Class Submissions

3- Pre-chart the Information

Finally, we come to the best discovery in the history of anchor chart creation (at least for me)! Pre-writing the information you want on the chart.

We’ve all been there… you ask the class to give examples of the letter “P” and 10 minutes later there is an in-depth debate on Poppy Troll verses Branch. No? Just me? Must have been my time in kindergarten.

One of the most efficient things I’ve done is add information to the chart in pencil before my students start giving me ideas. Using this method keep my chart from getting sloppy, keeps me focused on what exactly should be listed and gives kid who wouldn’t normally share support if they’re sitting close enough to see the pencil.

Examples of Anchor Charts with Pre-charted Information

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Writing Anchor Charts

If you have seen my classroom then you will notice that anchor charts are clearly a huge part of my classroom and a great way to support instruction. I use writing anchor charts to help support younger learners by providing visuals and guides, as they work independently with writing partners, or with the teacher.

What are Writing Anchor Charts? Essentially, they are visual prompts that provide students with information regarding their prior learning on a given topic. Anchor charts provide a scaffold to support students during guided practice or independent writing time.

How can Writing Anchor Charts be used to help your young writers feel successful? Here are a few anchor chart ideas that I use!

1st grade writing anchor charts for writers workshop. Anchor charts to help teach writing to your students.

What do you expect?

Our very first anchor chart that we create together is what I expect writers to do when they go off to write independently, with a partner, or with a teacher. Teaching the writing process steps will help in each and every unit we study during the year. This is a chart that we create together, as we work to slowly transition from “we do” to “you do”.

Transitioning from One Genre to the Next

Early learners (Kinders – Second) really struggle shifting from one genre to the next during writing units. In particular, once they have a firm knowledge in writing about small moments or personal narratives, they struggle with shifting to teaching books that are full of facts. You might notice they still want to include introductions like, “One day I saw a spider…”. Creating a “t-chart” together and talking about the specific differences between the genres, is very useful. You can point and go back to this same chart throughout the unit to quickly reteach students who still struggle with this concept. This same chart can be recreated for all genres you teach to provide a smooth transition from one unit to the next.

Teaching Book - 1st grade writing anchor charts for writers workshop. Anchor charts to help teach writing to your students.

Step by Step Directions

Many first graders and primary writers just need to know exactly what you want from them. Providing step by step directions for them to follow during independent writing time will be very helpful. Remember to add visual pictures or clues for younger students who can’t read. It also helps if you focus on ONE step at a time when kicking off the writers workshop.

OREO Opinion Anchor Chart - 1st grade writing anchor charts for writers workshop. Anchor charts to help teach writing to your students.

Provide Catchy Visuals

Food or snacks will always hit home with most students. If you can relate a writing process to food, you will find success during writers workshop. Any mnemonic device tends to stick with students rather than memorizing a set of directions. We use OREO each time we teach opinion writing as a way to help remember the steps. Also, providing sentence starters or sentence stems at the bottom of the chart is very helpful for those that need more support.

Text Features Anchor Chart - 1st grade writing anchor charts for writers workshop. Anchor charts to help teach writing to your students.

From Books to Our Writing

Our final anchor chart type that we use in our classroom is pulled from our observation of books that we read. We learn about writing even during readers’ workshop. As we read, we notice craft moves, text features, genre characteristics, etc. and we jot them down on a chart. This allows higher level learners who are ready for a challenge to try these observations in their own writing. I might encourage a small group, “ Have you tried adding headings or keywords to this book that you wrote? Why don’t you give that a try today?” or “Could you include some sort of map to teach us more about your backyard?”.

No matter what type of anchor charts you use for your writers workshop, these visuals can be used to support the development of writing skills, and to bridge the gap between emergent writers to independent writers. Off you go! Grab some markers and chart paper and make a few for your classroom.

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The Ultimate Guide to Anchor Charts

By MARISSA DESPINS Updated March 19, 2024

All About Anchor Charts

Are you curious about what anchor charts are and how you can use them to enhance classroom learning? You have come to the right place! Anchor charts are vibrant, visually engaging posters that are hung on the walls of the classroom. They not only beautify your classroom space but also serve as powerful learning tools. These handy charts display lessons, strategies, and key concepts in ways that are easily accessible to all students. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting out, learning how to make and use anchor charts can transform your teaching and enhance student learning.

Ultimate Guide cover depicting a teacher using anchor charts in a classroom setting.

In this ultimate guide to anchor charts, we’ll explore everything you need to know to get started with using them in your classroom.

(This post contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!)

What is the Purpose of an Anchor Chart?

Anchor charts serve as visual reference tools that support classroom instruction. The charts summarize and highlight key concepts, strategies, and processes discussed during lessons. After creation, students can look back to the chart to clarify their understanding or review information throughout the school day.

Part of what makes anchor charts are so effective is that they are co-created with students during the learning process. This helps to solidify understanding and allows students to actively participate in their own learning – and, as teachers, isn’t that one of our biggest goals?

How do you Make an Anchor Chart?

To make an anchor chart, you first need to gather materials. This will include chart paper and markers.

Next, you need to plan your content around a key lesson or concept you want your students to remember. Choose a layout that clearly and visually organizes the information, such as bullet points, diagrams, or mind maps. Using bright colors and bold letters for headings helps to draw attention to key points and details. Also, make sure the text is large enough to be read from anywhere in the room. The incorporation of symbols and drawings helps to make abstract ideas more concrete.

A smiling educator explains english verb tenses using the ultimate guide anchor chart.

As you create the chart, it is important to remember to engage your students in the process. Co-creating the charts helps to make the learning more meaningful. It also ensures the chart reflects their understanding and questions. Each chart is a reference tool for students to use, and should include the information they need most.

Finally, place the finished anchor chart where it’s easily visible to all students. This collaborative and strategic approach makes anchor charts an effective tool for reinforcing learning and supporting student independence.

What is the Difference Between an Anchor Chart and a Poster?

While anchor charts and classroom posters share some similarities, there are key differences to keep in mind.

Anchor charts are teaching tools that are co-created with students during the learning process. They serve as “anchors” to reinforce student learning by capturing and displaying key concepts and strategies discussed in class. Anchor charts are not just decorations – they are meant to be referred to often, helping students recall and apply what they’ve learned independently.

Posters, on the other hand, are usually pre-made or teacher-created visual aids designed to decorate the classroom or provide information. They might contain inspirational quotes, subject-specific facts, rules, or student work. However, they are not typically created as part of an interactive learning process with students. Posters serve more as background material or supplemental information rather than as an active part of the day-to-day learning process.

How do you use them in the Classroom?

Interested in using these handy charts to help enhance teaching and learning? Follow these steps to help you successfully use anchor charts in your classroom!

Create the Charts with Students : Involve students in the creation of the anchor charts you use in your classroom. This collaborative process helps solidify understanding. It helps make the charts more meaningful to students, as they are active participants in their own learning.
Display Anchor Charts Strategically : Place anchor charts where students can easily see and refer to them. You don’t want to hide them away in a dark corner of the classroom. Students need to refer back to the charts often, so they should be easy for students to spot and use.
Refer Back to the Charts Often : Regularly direct students’ attention back to relevant anchor charts during lessons or when they have questions. This reinforces their use as a learning tool.
Encourage Interactive Learning : Use anchor charts interactively by having students add to them, use sticky notes for comments or questions, or reference them during group activities. I am yet to teach a lesson where a strategically used sticky notes has not brought instant engagement.
Use the Charts to Review and Reflect : Periodically review anchor charts as a class to reinforce learning and assess understanding. This can also help identify areas that may need further review or instruction.

Reinforcing Key Skills in the Classroom

Follow these tips to help you use anchor charts in your classroom to reinforce key skills.

Skill-focused Charts : Create anchor charts that are specifically designed around a key skill you want students to master, such as summarizing, inferencing, or problem-solving. Clearly outline steps, strategies, or processes students can follow. As these are key skills that you will use throughout the year, you can store the charts in your classroom to access when needed, saving you a lot of time.
Visual Cues and Examples : Include clear, visual representations of concepts and skills on your charts, along with concrete examples. Pictures and diagrams can help make the information on the charts easier to understand and remember.
Student Contributions : Allow students to add examples or tips to the anchor chart based on their experiences and successes. This allows students to be actively involved in the learning process, making things collaborative and personalized.
Consistent Reference : Regularly point students back to the anchor charts when the related skill is being used or when a student asks a relevant question. This reinforces the idea that the chart is a tool, not just decoration.
Skill Review Sessions : Dedicate some classroom time to review the anchor charts as a class. This helps to reinforce key skills and ensures that students feel comfortable using the charts as reference tools.

Anchor Chart Examples

Check out some great anchor chart examples below!

Educational poster explaining multiplication with a "multiple monster" theme, featuring examples of multiples and factors, serves as the ultimate guide to anchor charts.

A Few Helpful Tips

To ensure anchor charts are used as effectively as possible in your classroom, consider these helpful tips:

Keep the Charts Clear and Concise : Focus on the essential information to avoid overwhelming students. Use bullet points, numbers, or short sentences to make your points clear.
Use Color Wisely : Colors can highlight important information and help organize thoughts. However, too much color can be distracting. Stick to a few complementary colors to make your chart visually appealing and easy to read.
Include Visuals : Drawings, symbols, and icons can help students understand and remember concepts better than text alone. Use simple illustrations to reinforce the ideas on your chart.
Make Your Charts Interactive : Involve students in creating and adding to the anchor charts. This can include everything from brainstorming ideas to drawing pictures, which increases their investment and engagement.
Display Strategically : Place anchor charts where students can easily reference them during related activities or lessons.
Refer to Them Often : Regularly direct students’ attention back to relevant anchor charts. This reinforces their value as a learning tool and helps solidify students’ understanding.
Create with a Purpose : Before making an anchor chart, identify the key lesson or skill it will support. This focus ensures that the chart serves a specific, meaningful role in your classroom.
Keep Things Flexible : Be prepared to update or modify your charts based on students’ needs and comprehension levels. Learning is dynamic, and so should be your anchor charts.

By incorporating these tips, your anchor charts can become incredibly effective teaching tools, enhancing learning and engagement in your classroom.

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A Closer Look at Anchor Charts

Shari Frost

Peeking into classrooms at the very beginning of this new school year, I was surprised to see that many teachers already had lots of anchor charts (and completed word walls, too — but that's another article) posted in their classrooms. The charts were beautiful, with bright colors and cute illustrations or graphics. Some of them were made on desktop publishing — enlarged and laminated. Some were purchased at a teachers' store. Some were neatly lettered on manila chart paper. How did so many charts get put up so early in the school year? Were these anchor charts that the teacher had used in previous years? Did the teacher make the chart in isolation, completely apart from a lesson, without any student input? It makes me wonder if the purpose and benefits of anchor charts are really understood.

Anchor Chart Basics

An anchor chart is a tool to facilitate student self-regulation and support independence. It is visual evidence of the work done by teachers and students — a scaffold that can later be removed as soon as the students have learned the lessons reinforced by the anchor chart. Anchor charts are temporary by nature. A standard-sized version of the chart (8 ½ x 11) can be affixed in students' learning logs. Is the chart still up after several months? Then it's probably time to rethink the lesson, the chart, or the effectiveness of its location within the classroom environment.

Anchor charts are co-created within the context of a lesson or over a series of lessons. If an anchor chart is not co-created, it is destined to become wallpaper. The teacher and the students negotiate the language of the chart. The teacher acts as a scribe, capturing the students' actual words. An anchor chart purchased at a teachers' store can't ever be as effective as a co-constructed anchor chart. Even if you teach the same concepts each year, you can't really reuse anchor charts year after year because they need to be co-constructed with your current group of students. Hence there is no reason to ever laminate an anchor chart.

Some teachers like to alternate colors to help students differentiate between the lines. However, using more than two colors can actually be confusing, especially for beginning readers. Adding a photo, picture, or graphic can offer extra support in reading the chart for beginning readers. Choosing dark or concentrated colors also makes an anchor chart easier to read. When the chart is completed, it should be posted where the students can see it. Think of how difficult it would be for a six-year-old to read an anchor chart that is hung from a molding near the ceiling. Put the chart in an area of the classroom where it is needed — where students will use it and have easy access to it. The teacher and students should revisit the anchor chart frequently during the first week that it is posted. A teacher might have to remind students to refer to the chart. It is an important lesson on using resources to help students help themselves. Limit the number of anchor charts that are hanging at the same time. You don't want students to have to hunt for the chart that they need.

The Teaching Behind Anchor Charts

The respected teaching practices that are involved in getting an anchor chart launched and used in a classroom include gradual release of responsibility, think alouds, and shared writing. The teacher explicitly states his or her expectations, then models the desired practice (e.g., steps in solving a long division problem, giving an oral report), thinking aloud as s/he goes. Then the class engages in a shared experience of the task. The teacher demonstrates the desired practice with the students talking through the steps or process. The anchor chart can be co-created at this point using shared writing. Then there is a shift to guided practice, with a student modeling the desired practice for the class. The students review the anchor chart before they engage in the desired practice and use the anchor chart afterwards to reflect on how well they have succeeded. The teacher monitors the students as they attempt the desired practice and provides feedback. Finally, the students are ready for independent practice, using the anchor chart on their own to self-monitor or remind themselves what to do next.

Types of Anchor Charts

There are three common types of anchor charts: procedural, process, and strategy . The hallmark of an organized classroom is how well the students follow the classroom routines. Master teachers spend the first few weeks of school teaching routines, and report that this period of instruction is critical to the success of the entire school year.

Procedural anchor charts help reinforce the teaching of the classroom routines. Some examples of procedural anchor charts include how to use the MP3 player at a listening center or how to check out a book from the classroom library. You may find that procedural anchor charts need to stay posted for a longer period of time than other anchor charts.

Process anchor charts remind students of how to work through a process such as how to participate in a peer conference, how to solve a word problem, or how to find a word in the dictionary. In my state as part of the annual assessment, students are required to write a response to a reading passage. Most classrooms have a process anchor chart on the steps for writing a good extended response. Standard-sized copies of process anchor charts are especially useful for students.

Strategy anchor charts support students in developing strategic behaviors such as choosing what to do when encountering an unknown word while reading or how to use the text features of a nonfiction book. Consider sharing standard-sized copies of strategy anchor charts with interventionists who work with your students. It is important that these students hear consistent language.

Reflections

Pay attention to your anchor charts. Are the students using them or asking you for information available on the charts? How long do the students need them? Anchor charts would make a great topic for a grade-level team meeting. Share charts that are working well. Even more important, share the ones that didn't work out and talk about why that was the case.

Shari Frost has enjoyed a rich and varied professional life as an educator. She has served as a classroom teacher, a reading specialist, a staff developer, and an instructor at the university level. Shari has taught kindergarten through fifth grades, and currently assists educators as a professional developer in the Chicago Public Schools. Her latest book is Two Books Are Better Than One.

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Common Core Writing Academy

Facilitating excellence in writing instruction.

Posted on October 8, 2014

All About Anchor Charts

One piece of advice that we give quite often to teachers is for them to make their instruction clearly visible to students. An excellent way to do this is by creating anchor charts, a verbal and visual strategy that significantly enhances student learning in any content area by giving students cues during the learning process. Anchor charts provide information to support a lesson that the teacher has taught, or to remind students of procedures, expectations, and routines in the classroom.

“Anchor Charts are artifacts of classroom learning communities. An anchor, by definition, is an object used to hold something firmly in place. Anchors are a source of stability and security. Thrown overboard, the anchor stables the boat holding it firmly in a desired location. Likewise, an Anchor Chart displayed in a classroom learning community anchors student thinking while offering a source of visual reference for continued support as the learner moves forward. Classrooms with rich anchor support leave little doubt about what a student is expected to learn and offer a “public trail” of thinking, a collection of learning.” (Excerpted from CoachingChronicles.blogspot.com)

Anchor charts, according to Wendy Seger, Cornerstone Literacy Fellow,

Have a single focus.
Are co-constructed with students.
Have an organized appearance.
Match learner’s developmental levels.
Support ongoing learning.
Are prominently displayed in the classroom.
Provide scaffolded support to students.

They are used to:

Define concepts, terms, or strategies.
Review processes, strategies, or operations.
Identify or summarize procedures or sequences.
Problem solve.
Predict connections between new and learned content.
Reflect on what has been accomplished or what has been learned.

Anchor charts can be used with younger students to support their independence with the writing process, writing content, and mechanics.

Academic language
One focus per chart
Openly displayed
Referred to frequently

According to Erin Angelo, eHow contributor, anchor charts are created together by the teacher and students during a lesson or class discussion. They are typically created on chart paper or an interactive white board and both the teacher and the students may assume responsibility for recording the ideas that the class generates.

Our suggested sequence for creating an anchor chart includes:

State the concept and purpose in clearest and grade level appropriate terms.
Guide classroom discussion through the concept.
Take notes/record ideas on anchor chart.
Review notes with students to ensure clarity of anchor chart.
State how and when it will be used in the room.

To see more examples of anchor charts, or to learn more, click on the links below:

Short Article on Anchor Charts

Anchor Charts for Teaching Writing

Anchor Charts for Close Reading

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In order to highlight some of the wonderful work going on in schools, we are asking for writing success stories and samples of students writing to showcase in upcoming newsletters. Please contact us if you would like to be included in one of our newsletters.

51 Reading Strategies Anchor Charts that Get Results

Dylan Callens
September 4, 2023

Introduction to these Visual Resources

Have you ever been in the middle of a lesson, searching for that magic tool to make a concept come alive for your students? Or perhaps you’ve struggled to find a great way to keep important reading strategies at the forefront of your students’ minds? If either rings true, you’re about to embark on a transformative journey!

Enter the world of anchor charts. These visual gems are more than just decorative wall art for your classroom. They’re powerful teaching tools that anchor learning, quite literally. At their core, anchor charts are collaborative pieces of reference material created during the teaching process. They illustrate essential concepts and strategies in an easy-to-understand manner, giving students the reinforcement they need right when needed. Think of them as a reading strategies poster that can become a part of your lesson plans.

But what makes anchor charts truly special is their co-creation. Created in tandem with the entire class, small groups, or individual students, they capture shared understanding, evolving and growing just as our learners do. And the best part? No two anchor charts are the same! They’re tailored to the unique dynamics and needs of each classroom, making them relevant, effective, and deeply personal.

In this article, I’m excited to unveil 51 stellar anchor charts focused on reading strategies that have consistently delivered results. Dive in, get inspired, and grab your chart paper. Let’s create some visual magic together!

Anchor Chart Examples

1. predicting outcomes - visual cues to help students make educated guesses about a text:.

Peering into the future of a storyline can be both exciting and educational. The “Predicting Outcomes” anchor chart is a new skill that empowers readers to make informed conjectures about what might happen next. Through visual representations, the chart might display common foreshadowing cues, like recurring symbols, suggestive dialogue, or significant events. Beside each cue, possible outcomes can be suggested, teaching readers how to piece together clues. As they consult the chart, readers become literary detectives, skillfully piecing together hints to anticipate the narrative’s twists and turns.

2. Making Connections - Diagrams Illustrating Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World Links:

Understanding literature is often a journey of linking the unfamiliar with the known. The “Making Connections” anchor chart visually represents three crucial types of links: Text-to-Self (relating the content to personal experiences), Text-to-Text (drawing parallels between different readings), and Text-to-World (connecting the narrative to broader global or cultural contexts). Diagrams, perhaps interconnected circles or webs, can show how these relations intertwine and enrich comprehension. By actively seeking these connections, readers weave literature into the broader tapestry of their lives through their background knowledge. It’s great to revisit this anchor chart throughout the school year.

3. Reading Across Cultures - Embracing Diverse Literature:

Books are passports to worlds far and near, known and unknown. The “Reading Across Cultures” anchor chart encourages readers to step out of their cultural comfort zones and journey into diverse literary landscapes. With a world map or a list categorized by culture or region, readers can track their literary travels. Side notes might offer insights into cultural contexts, historical backgrounds, or traditional storytelling styles. By promoting a diverse reading palette, this chart broadens horizons, fosters empathy, and celebrates the rich tapestry of global literature.

4. Questioning Techniques - Open-ended and Close-ended Question Formulations:

Asking the right questions is a great tool to unlock deeper insights into any text. The “Questioning Techniques” anchor chart categorizes and elaborates on two primary questioning forms: open-ended (which prompts discussion and exploration) and close-ended (which seeks specific answers). Examples for each might include, “How do you feel about the protagonist’s choices?” versus “Who was the main antagonist in the story?” By understanding and employing both types effectively, readers can engage with texts more interactively, fostering reflection, discussion, and detailed comprehension.

5. Main Idea & Supporting Details - Demonstrating How to Discern the Main Theme:

Navigating through a sea of words and ideas, readers often search for the anchoring theme. The “Main Idea & Supporting Details” anchor chart illuminates this central thought and its associated details. Visual representations might include a large central bubble labeled “Main Idea” connected to smaller bubbles with “Supporting Details.” By illustrating the hierarchical relationship, readers are guided to distinguish between the primary message and the subsidiary points that bolster it. This chart becomes an invaluable tool, enabling readers to succinctly summarize and appreciate the essence of a text.

6. Character Traits - Descriptive Adjectives and Examples:

Characters are the heartbeats of stories, and understanding them enriches the reading experience. The “Character Traits” anchor chart is a vibrant palette of adjectives that paint portraits of characters. Organized in columns or clusters, it might list traits like “courageous,” “deceptive,” or “compassionate,” with accompanying examples or symbols. Readers, with this chart as a reference, can delve deeper into character analysis, recognizing nuances and complexities that bring fictional personas to life. These can also make for great graphic organizers.

7. Story Elements - Breaking Down Setting, Plot, Characters, and Theme:

Every story is a mosaic of interlinked components, and the “Story Elements” anchor chart lays out these pieces for readers. Using distinct sections or visual compartments, it details core elements: the setting (where and when), the plot (sequence of events), characters (who’s involved), and the theme (underlying message or moral). Aided by this chart, readers can dissect a narrative systematically, appreciating how each element contributes to the story’s allure and depth.

8. Cause & Effect - Flowchart-style Links Showing Action and Result:

Every action in literature has its ripple effect, and understanding this dynamic is key to grasping narrative progression. The “Cause & Effect” anchor chart, fashioned like a flowchart, traces these action-result trajectories. Arrows might lead from a “cause” bubble to its corresponding “effect,” creating a visual trail of events. For instance, a cause like “The protagonist lied” might lead to an effect such as “Trust was broken with a friend.” By tracing these consequential chains, readers can better anticipate story developments and delve into the intricacies of plot dynamics.

9. Fact vs. Opinion - Sorting Out Objective and Subjective Statements:

Distinguishing between cold, hard facts and personal viewpoints is an invaluable skill in both literature and life. The “Fact vs. Opinion” anchor chart offers a clear dichotomy, likely presented in two contrasting columns or sections. One might list clear-cut facts, statements indisputably grounded in reality, while the other captures opinions, colored by emotions, beliefs, or interpretations. By differentiating between the two, readers can discern an author’s biases, evaluate the reliability of a text, and form their own informed opinions. I like to let students use sticky notes, making these interactive anchor charts.

10. Inference Building - Encouraging Deeper Thinking and Reading Between the Lines:

Not everything in literature is served on a platter; some treasures lie hidden, waiting to be unearthed. The “Inference Building” anchor chart is the perfect tool to foster deeper, intuitive reading. It might present textual snippets, followed by guided questions that beckon readers to deduce what’s implied but unsaid. Prompts like “What can we gather from this?” or “Why might the character feel this way?” guide readers into the realm of inference, nurturing a more engaged and contemplative reading habit.

11. Sequencing Events - Visual Timelines of Story Events:

Narratives unfold in sequences, and understanding this flow is crucial to grasping the plot. The “Sequencing Events” anchor chart might take the form of a visual timeline, marked with significant events in the order they occur. This chronological roadmap can include icons, brief descriptions, or even quotes, allowing readers to follow the narrative’s progression and see the cause-and-effect dynamics at play. As they chart the story’s course, readers can better appreciate its rhythm, pacing, and crescendo. It will help with comprehension skills.

12. Summarizing Strategies - Breaking Down Texts into Concise Summaries:

Diving deep is essential, but so is the ability to zoom out and capture the big picture. The “Summarizing Strategies” anchor chart offers readers a structured approach to condensing vast texts into crisp, concise summaries. It might suggest steps like “Identify the main idea,” “Highlight key events,” “Discard redundant details,” and “Weave the essence into a succinct paragraph.” Through such guided distillation, readers can extract and retain the core of longer texts, making it easier to review, share, or reflect upon their readings while encouraging independent practice.

13. Understanding Themes - Unpacking Central Ideas or Messages:

Beyond the whirlwind of plots and characters lies the essence of any literary piece: its theme. The “Understanding Themes” anchor chart aids readers in identifying and reflecting upon these profound, underlying messages. Divided into sections, it may present popular themes like love, betrayal, courage, or sacrifice, accompanied by defining statements or illustrative examples. With this guide, readers learn to see beyond the surface, connecting the dots between character actions, plot developments, and the universal truths that stories strive to convey.

14. Figurative Language - Examples of Similes, Metaphors, Personification, etc.:

Literature often paints with a palette richer than literal words, and the “Figurative Language” anchor chart celebrates this expressive flair. This vibrant chart showcases various literary devices, from similes (“as brave as a lion”) to metaphors (“the world’s a stage”) to personification (“the wind whispered secrets”). Each entry is illustrated with clear examples, helping readers recognize, appreciate, and even craft their figurative expressions, thereby enriching their literary explorations.

15. Point of View - First-person vs. Third-person Perspectives:

Stories can be whispered in our ears or observed from afar, and the “Point of View” anchor chart explores these narrative vantage points. Central sections might be dedicated to first-person (with cues like “I,” “me,” “my”) and third-person (categorized further into “limited,” “omniscient,” etc.) perspectives. By comparing and contrasting these viewpoints, readers gain insight into how narrative perspective shapes storytelling, influencing our connection with characters and the unfolding plot.

16. Context Clues - Deciphering Unknown Words Using Surrounding Information:

Reading often takes us through uncharted linguistic terrains, with unfamiliar words dotting the landscape. The “Context Clues” anchor chart is the map readers need to navigate these challenges. Demonstrating with sample sentences, the chart guides readers on how to glean meaning from adjacent words, sentence structure, or the overall context. Tips might include “Look for synonyms in the surrounding text” or “Determine if the sentence’s tone is positive or negative.” Empowered by these strategies, readers can demystify unfamiliar words on the fly, ensuring smooth and enriched reading journeys.

17. Nonfiction Text Features - Tips for Tackling Factual Texts:

Journeying through the realms of non-fiction requires a unique set of tools. The “Reading Non-Fiction” anchor chart equips readers for these factual expeditions. Detailed sections might cover strategies like “Identify the author’s main argument,” “Look out for supporting evidence or statistics,” and “Be aware of potential biases.” A special emphasis on the distinction between facts, opinions, and author interpretations can also be highlighted. With this chart as a companion, readers are better prepared to navigate, comprehend, and critically engage with real-world narratives, reports, and analyses.

18. Distinguishing Genres - Characteristics of Various Literary Genres:

The literary world is a kaleidoscope of genres, each with its distinct flavors and nuances. The “Distinguishing Genres” anchor chart serves as a colorful guide to these varied territories. It may display genres like mystery, romance, fantasy, or historical fiction, each accompanied by defining features, common tropes, and perhaps iconic book covers or titles. As readers consult this chart, they not only identify the genre of their current read but also discover new territories of literature to explore, broadening their horizons.

19. Vocabulary Growth - Techniques for Expanding Word Knowledge:

The realm of language is vast and ever-expanding, and every reader can benefit from a richer vocabulary. The “Vocabulary Growth” anchor chart is a treasure map to linguistic gems. It might suggest techniques like “Use new words in sentences daily,” “Engage with word-a-day challenges,” or “Contextualize unfamiliar words in memorable narratives.” Additionally, resources like thesauruses or apps for vocabulary building can be highlighted. Armed with these strategies, readers can continuously enrich their word bank, enhancing both expression and comprehension.

20. Mood & Tone:

The “Mood & Tone” anchor chart serves as a visual guide to help students differentiate between an author’s attitude towards a subject (tone) and the atmosphere or emotion a piece of writing evokes in its readers (mood). Featuring descriptive words under each category, this chart might include examples like “sarcastic” or “objective” for tone, and “eerie” or “joyful” for mood. To further assist comprehension, it could showcase short text snippets exemplifying each descriptor. Such a reference allows students to pinpoint both the writer’s voice and the emotional ambiance of a text.

21. Reading Poetry:

“Reading Poetry” isn’t just about understanding words on a page; it’s about feeling the rhythm, embracing the imagery, and catching the underlying emotions. This anchor chart would simplify the art of poetry by breaking it down into key elements. It might cover structural elements like stanzas, rhyme schemes, and meter, while also highlighting literary devices like metaphors, similes, and personification. A few short examples or lines from well-known poems could be featured to make the concepts tangible. This chart acts as a starting point for students to peel back the layers of poetic texts.

22. Author's Purpose - PIE Chart:

At the heart of every piece of writing lies a purpose. The “Author’s Purpose – PIE” anchor chart helps students understand this by breaking it down into three primary intentions: Persuade, Inform, and Entertain. Using the acronym “PIE,” the chart would display examples of each type of writing. For instance, an advertisement might be used for “Persuade,” a news article for “Inform,” and a short story for “Entertain.” By having this visual aid, students can quickly identify and understand the main goal behind various texts they encounter.

23. Synonyms & Antonyms - Building Word Relationships:

Words are all about relationships, and the “Synonyms & Antonyms” anchor chart visually maps these connections. On one side, the chart might list a word like “happy” and next to it, its synonym “joyful.” On the opposite end, it could feature “happy” again, but this time paired with its antonym, “sad.” By creating a visual linkage, this chart bolsters vocabulary understanding and encourages students to see the intricate web of word relationships. Over time, this recognition can lead to richer expression and deeper comprehension in reading and writing.

24. Homophones & Homographs - Clarifying Confusing Word Pairs:

The “Homophones & Homographs” anchor chart serves as a beacon of clarity in the sometimes murky waters of the English language. With side-by-side comparisons, this chart illustrates the difference between homophones – words that sound alike but have different meanings (and sometimes different spellings), like “two” and “too” – and homographs, words that share the same spelling but have different meanings (and sometimes different pronunciations), like “lead” (to guide) and “lead” (a type of metal). This chart is a go-to guide for students, helping them navigate these tricky terms with ease and confidence.

25. Active Reading - Highlighting, Noting, Questioning While Reading:

“Active Reading” is about making the text your own. The anchor chart dedicated to this strategy is a vibrant visual, showcasing the dynamic interaction between reader and text. It offers tips on highlighting key ideas, making marginal notes to capture personal reflections or questions, and marking unknown words or concepts for later exploration. Pictorial examples of annotated texts might be included to demonstrate these techniques in action. By promoting these habits, the chart empowers students to become more engaged, thoughtful, and responsive readers.

26. Decoding Multi-syllabic Words - Strategies to Tackle Longer Words:

For many young readers, long words can appear daunting. But the “Decoding Multi-syllabic Words” anchor chart turns these intimidating strings of letters into manageable chunks. With a step-by-step breakdown, the chart guides students on how to identify prefixes, root words, and suffixes. It might also provide strategies like looking for smaller words within the larger word or breaking the word down by syllables. Visual cues and breakdowns of sample words, like “unbelievable” or “transportation,” show students exactly how to dissect and conquer these linguistic challenges.

27. Text Structure - Compare & Contrast, Problem & Solution, Description, etc.:

Understanding the layout of a piece is pivotal to grasping its content. The “Text Structure” anchor chart visually organizes different ways texts can be structured. Whether it’s showcasing the similarities and differences in a “Compare & Contrast” format, highlighting the challenges and resolutions in “Problem & Solution,” or breaking down the features in “Description,” this chart uses diagrams, flowcharts, and examples to bring these structures to life. By referencing this tool, students can quickly identify and adapt to the unique framework of any text, leading to more profound comprehension.

28. Reading Aloud Techniques - Tips for Expressive Oral Reading:

The magic of a story truly comes alive when it’s read aloud, and the “Reading Aloud Techniques” anchor chart serves as the perfect guide for this. Highlighting the nuances of vocal expression, pacing, and intonation, this chart is adorned with tips like “Vary your tone to match the mood,” “Pause at commas for effect,” and “Emphasize dialogue with distinct voices.” It might also remind students about the importance of clear articulation and appropriate volume. Using this chart, readers can transform from mere narrators into captivating storytellers, ensuring their audience hangs onto every word.

29. Close Reading - Deep-dive Strategies for Comprehension:

Diving deep into a text can uncover layers of meaning, and the “Close Reading” anchor chart is the snorkel students need. Laid out in a systematic manner, this chart guides learners through multiple reads of a text: first for basic understanding, next for analyzing techniques or structures, and finally, for thematic or critical interpretations. Side notes on the chart might suggest annotating, questioning, and discussing the text to gain further insights. By following this comprehensive approach, students can achieve a profound connection with and understanding of the material at hand by having a closer look at the most important content.

30. Analyzing Illustrations - Understanding Visuals in a Text:

A picture is worth a thousand words, and the “Analyzing Illustrations” anchor chart ensures students grasp every one of them. This chart underscores the significance of illustrations, charts, and graphics in complementing or even challenging the written word. It prompts students with questions like “What mood does the illustration convey?”, “How does it relate to the text?”, or “Are there any contrasting elements between the text and image?” By focusing on color, layout, and imagery, students learn to view illustrations not just as art, but as integral pieces of the narrative puzzle. This can make for very visual strategies posters.

31. Recognizing Bias - Identifying Slants or Prejudices in Readings:

In our information-saturated world, discerning objectivity from subjectivity is a crucial skill. The “Recognizing Bias” anchor chart serves as a compass for this endeavor. It educates students on signs of bias, such as emotionally charged words, omission of crucial facts, or one-sided perspectives. It might feature examples from various sources to sharpen the distinction between unbiased reporting and opinion pieces. By referencing this chart, students are better equipped to navigate diverse readings with a critical eye, ensuring they consume information responsibly and knowledgeably.

32. Discussion Norms - Effective Ways to Discuss Texts in Groups:

Group discussions can turn a quiet reading into a dynamic exchange of ideas, and the “Discussion Norms” anchor chart sets the stage for these lively interactions. This chart presents the etiquette and protocols for effective group discussions: waiting for one’s turn, respecting diverse opinions, asking open-ended questions, and building upon others’ ideas. Reminders such as “Listen actively” or “Stay on topic” can also feature prominently. By setting clear expectations, this chart cultivates an environment where every voice is valued, leading to richer, more inclusive dialogues about texts.

33. Critical Thinking Prompts - Questions to Spur Deeper Analysis:

The “Critical Thinking Prompts” anchor chart acts as a catalyst, driving students beyond surface-level understanding and into the depths of analytical thinking. Populated with thought-provoking questions like “Why do you think the author chose this setting?”, “How does this relate to our world today?”, or “What would you change about the story’s ending?”, this chart pushes students to examine texts from different angles and ponder broader implications. By consistently referencing these prompts, readers can develop the habit of looking beyond the obvious, delving into deeper layers of meaning and interpretation.

34. Comparing Texts - Venn Diagrams and Key Features:

Drawing parallels and spotting differences between texts can provide invaluable insights, and the “Comparing Texts” anchor chart is a visual aid for this analytical process. At its center might be a large Venn diagram, visually representing areas of overlap and distinction between two or more texts. Adjacent lists could outline key features to consider, such as theme, character development, setting, or narrative voice. Using this chart as a roadmap, students can systematically break down and juxtapose various elements of different texts, leading to a nuanced understanding of each work in relation to others.

35. Annotating Texts - Symbols and Notes for Active Reading:

Active engagement with a text often leaves behind a trail of notes, underlines, and symbols, and the “Annotating Texts” anchor chart demystifies this art. It showcases a legend of common symbols—maybe a question mark for confusing sections, a star for main ideas, or a heart for favorite quotes. Alongside this, there might be tips on making succinct marginal notes, color-coding, or creating a personal annotation key. This chart transforms reading from a passive activity into an interactive dialogue between reader and text, paving the way to comprehend and retain the most important information.

36. Literary Devices - Identifying Symbolism, Irony, Foreshadowing, etc.:

The beauty of literature often lies in its intricate tapestry of techniques, and the “Literary Devices” anchor chart serves as a decoder for these narrative nuances. With clear definitions and examples, this chart spotlights common devices such as symbolism (where an object represents an idea), irony (when there’s a discrepancy between what’s said and what’s meant), foreshadowing (subtle hints about what’s to come), among others. Vivid examples from popular literature could be included to elucidate these concepts further. With this chart as a guide, readers can savor the depth and artistry behind every written word.

37. Reading Stamina - Building Up Prolonged Reading Habits:

Much like building physical endurance, developing reading stamina is a gradual process, and the “Reading Stamina” anchor chart acts as a coach on this literary marathon. It might feature a progress bar or a timeline, encouraging students to incrementally increase their reading periods. Tips such as “Find a comfortable reading spot,” “Eliminate distractions,” or “Set achievable goals” could pepper the chart. By following this step-by-step guide, students can train themselves to remain immersed in reading for longer stretches, enhancing both their enjoyment and comprehension.

38. Tackling Complex Texts - Strategies for Challenging Reads:

Confronted with a dense or intricate piece of writing? No worries! The “Tackling Complex Texts” anchor chart offers a toolkit for demystifying even the most daunting reads. Strategies might include “Break it into smaller sections,” “Summarize each paragraph,” or “Seek out background information on the topic.” The chart might also emphasize the importance of patience and revisiting tough sections multiple times. With these tools at their disposal, readers can approach intricate texts with confidence and resilience, ensuring they don’t miss out on valuable insights.

39. Evaluating Sources - Credibility Checks for Informational Reading:

In an age of information overload, discerning fact from fiction is paramount. The “Evaluating Sources” anchor chart stands as a gatekeeper, ensuring that readers absorb only trustworthy information. Highlighted checkpoints on the chart might include “Check the author’s credentials,” “Determine the publication date,” “Look for citations or references,” and “Beware of biased language or sensationalism.” By regularly cross-referencing with this chart, students can cultivate a discerning eye, ensuring that their informational intake is both credible and relevant.

40. Rereading for Clarity - When and Why to Revisit Passages:

Occasionally, a single read doesn’t do justice to a passage’s depth or complexity. The “Rereading for Clarity” anchor chart emphasizes the power of a second look. Using a series of prompts and visual cues, the chart might suggest instances when rereading is beneficial: encountering unfamiliar terminology, complex sentence structures, or pivotal plot points. Moreover, the reasons for rereading, such as ensuring comprehension, deepening understanding, or savoring beautiful prose, can also be illustrated. By recognizing the value of revisiting texts, readers can maximize their grasp and appreciation of the material.

41. Moral Lessons & Aesops - Understanding Underlying Lessons:

Beyond the surface narrative of many stories lie deeper ethical lessons and universal truths. The “Moral Lessons & Aesops” anchor chart is my favorite way to guide readers to these profound takeaways. Displaying a selection of classic fables or tales, the chart contrasts the story with its central moral. For instance, the tale of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” might be juxtaposed with its lesson about the dangers of deceit. By constantly relating narratives to their embedded morals, readers can cultivate a more profound, reflective approach to literature and its lessons for life.

42. Reading Rate - Balancing Speed and Comprehension:

Reading isn’t just about flipping pages; it’s about absorbing and internalizing content. The “Reading Rate” anchor chart addresses the delicate balance between reading speed and comprehension. Through visual representations like scales or speedometers, the chart could illustrate the sweet spot where speed meets understanding. Tips such as “Adjust your pace based on material complexity” or “It’s okay to slow down for challenging sections” can offer further guidance. With this chart as a reference, readers can fine-tune their reading tempo, ensuring they neither rush nor dawdle but cruise at the perfect pace.

43. Setting Goals - Personalized Reading Milestones:

Personal growth in reading is a journey, and the “Setting Goals” anchor chart helps map out the route. This motivational tool might feature a roadmap or ladder illustration, encouraging readers to set short-term and long-term reading objectives. Whether it’s tackling a challenging novel, increasing reading time, or exploring a new genre, jotting down these aspirations can be incredibly motivating. Coupled with checkboxes or spaces for completion dates, this chart not only encourages readers to set goals but also to celebrate their literary achievements along the way.

44. Text Features - Utilizing Indexes, Glossaries, Headers, Footnotes, etc.:

There’s more to a book than just the main text; the auxiliary elements play crucial roles in enriching the reading experience. The “Text Features” anchor chart offers a comprehensive overview of these supplementary elements. Visually representing each feature—be it an index, glossary, header, or footnote—it elucidates their purposes, such as guiding readers to specific topics, clarifying terms, providing context, or adding supplementary information. By acquainting themselves with these features through the chart, readers can navigate and extract value from texts more efficiently and comprehensively.

45. Understanding Dialogues - Breaking Down Conversations in Texts:

Conversations in literature aren’t just idle chitchat; they’re conduits of character development, plot progression, and thematic exposition. The “Understanding Dialogues” anchor chart aids readers in dissecting these exchanges. By highlighting cues like quotation marks, dialogue tags, and breaks, readers can easily differentiate speakers and follow the conversation flow. Side notes might delve into interpreting tone, subtext, or hidden intentions. Equipped with this chart, readers can tune into the symphony of voices in a narrative, extracting layers of meaning from every spoken word.

46. Evaluating Endings - Reflecting on Conclusions and Their Impact:

Endings aren’t mere wrap-ups; they’re the crescendos or resolutions that leave lasting impressions. The “Evaluating Endings” anchor chart guides readers in reflecting upon and assessing these climactic moments. It prompts them with questions like, “Did the ending provide closure?”, “How did it make you feel?”, or “Were there any loose ends?” A spectrum could also be included, ranging from “predictable” to “surprising”, allowing readers to gauge their reactions. By critically assessing endings with this chart’s guidance, readers can gain a richer appreciation of a narrative’s impact and its author’s intent.

47. Drama & Play Reading - Navigating Scripts and Stage Directions:

Dramatic scripts differ significantly from prose, presenting unique elements like character listings, stage directions, and dialogue-centric storytelling. The “Drama & Play Reading” anchor chart introduces readers to this distinct format. Visual cues could differentiate spoken lines from stage directions, with explanations about their significance. The chart might also underscore the importance of envisioning the stage setup, understanding characters’ motivations, or noting cues for actors’ movements and emotions. With this chart as a reference, readers can transition seamlessly from prose to plays, immersing themselves fully in the world of theater.

48. Role of Narrator - Understanding the Storyteller's Impact:

The narrator is the lens through which readers experience a story, and their perspective can shape the tale’s entire essence. The “Role of Narrator” anchor chart delves into the different types of narrators – be it first-person, third-person omniscient, or unreliable narrators. By highlighting characteristics and potential biases of each, readers are guided to recognize how a narrative voice can influence their perception of events, characters, and emotions. By understanding the nuances of the narrator’s role, readers are better equipped to analyze, critique, and savor the richness of diverse storytelling styles.

49. Book Recommendations & Reviews - Sharing and Sourcing Peer Favorites:

Sharing a good book can be as rewarding as reading one! The “Book Recommendations & Reviews” anchor chart serves as a platform for readers to champion their favorites and discover new gems. Structured with sections for a book title, brief review, genre tags, and rating scale, it becomes a collaborative tool for readers to share insights and top picks. This interactive chart fosters a community of enthusiastic readers, enabling them to swap stories, celebrate shared favorites, and embark on new literary adventures. Afterward, you will have a great reading resource put together by students.

50. Visualizing - Encouraging Students to Create Images in Their Minds While Reading:

Books have a magical way of painting vivid pictures with mere words. The “Visualizing” anchor chart champions this mental imagery. It puts the arts into English language arts, nudging readers to “see” the narrative in their mind’s eye. The chart might display a passage on one side and an illustrative depiction on the other, emphasizing the power of descriptive language. Tips such as “Focus on sensory details” or “Let your imagination run wild” further guide readers. Through visualization, readers not only comprehend better but also immerse themselves more deeply, turning reading into a sensory-rich experience.

51. Book Club Norms - Structuring Effective Book Discussions:

Delving deep into a story becomes even more enriching when done in reading groups. The “Book Club Norms” anchor chart provides key components for fruitful and respectful group discussions. Key norms might include “No spoilers!”, “Respect differing viewpoints”, “Stay on topic”, or “One speaker at a time.” Additional sections could provide guidance on how to structure discussions, recommend topics, or even suggest a rotating leadership system. By adhering to these guidelines, book club members can ensure that their meetings are engaging, inclusive, and brimming with enlightening literary exchanges.

Hopefully it’s easy to see the benefits of anchor charts. From the whole-class lesson to the individual student page, these comprehension strategies will help you reach the full potential of your classroom. They will take children’s current reading abilities to the next level. English language learners will appreciate the tons of important reading skills you’re giving them — even if they don’t say it.

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Professional Development

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February 6, 2016

9 must make anchor charts for writing.

My first few years of teaching I was “given” writing for my team planning assignment. After digging my heels in with writing for a few years and in different grade levels, it ignited a love for teaching writing. I wanted to share with you some of my favorite writing anchor charts that will be WONDERFUL for your students to refer to throughout their time as the blossom into little authors.

My bulletin board below has three anchor charts on it.

On the left is a printable version of Cara’s anchor chart above.
In the middle is an absolute favorite writing anchor chart that I would create every year as I taught Kindergarten. It was so good for them to see the stages of writing and know that we, as a classroom, would be celebrating ALL writing!
On the right is an anchor chart that we created early on in writer’s workshop.

We Are All Writers Anchor Chart for Kindergarten and First Grade

Finally, this writing anchor chart by The Brown Bag Teacher is fabulous! She models for her students the progression of writing and her expectations! The students are able to look at their writing and compare it to the chart she has provided. This is almost like a first grade version of the writing anchor chart I created above to know that we are all writers!

Rating Our Writing Anchor Chart for Kindergarten and First Grade

I hope you are leaving inspired to create more writing anchor charts during your writing lessons for and with your students! If you are looking for anchor charts for math , reading , science , or social studies be sure to check out my posts about those!

These 9 anchor charts for writing make great graphic organizers for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. Students will love implementing them in writers workshop! You can also get great mini-lessons out of them! #writersworkshop #kindergarten #firstgrade

Happy Teaching,

Writer's workshop posters.

Grab these FREE writer's workshop guideline posters and be set for beginning writer's workshop!

Hi, I'm Amanda

I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers. Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!

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7 Responses

Thanks for the great resources

Pingback: 6 divertidas ideas para que los niños escriban sin parar - Elige Educar

Love this!! Do you have a link to print off the pencil anchor chart that says “what do writers write?” 🙂

Hi Lizzie! I do not. You can search on Cara Carroll’s blog–The First Grade Parade. 🙂 She made it many years ago, I believe!

Fantastic ideas! Thanks for sharing!!!! Cintia

On medical leave right now. Lots of pages to print. School does not provide paper and copies must be approved.

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Engaging Resources for Teaching Literacy

Writing Anchor Charts For Writing Workshop

Launching writing workshop or even just setting up your writing block can feel overwhelming, but with the help of these anchor charts, you’ll feel confident and prepared to set your students up for writing success this year. These writing workshop anchor charts and posters are perfect for back to school and will help your students remember all the important writing habits and behaviors they should practice this year.

This set of anchor charts will be your teacher bestie when it comes to launching writing workshop and setting up your writing block. These posters describe and explain key writing habits and behaviors you want your students to embrace. From building the writing process, to collecting ideas, to independent writing to peer review, these anchor charts will help you teach all these key back-to-school writing lessons. With the help of these posters, students will understand exactly what they need to do to become successful writers in your class this year.

Filed Under: *All Non SLC Resources , *Non SLC Resources (Writing) , $5-$10 , 3rd , 4th , 5th , Anchor Charts and Posters , Homeschooler , Printables , Writing

More about this resource

And let’s be honest… back to school can be a stressful and busy season for teachers. Having this set of ready-to-print anchor charts will take the guesswork out of your first few weeks of writing lessons. You’ll be able to print out the anchor chart you need for your lesson each day and will be set for the first three weeks of school!

HERE’S WHAT YOU GET:

In this resource, you’ll get 20 anchor charts to help you launch writing workshop. The posters are formatted in the following ways:

Half-page anchor charts – perfect for students journals
Full page anchor charts – works great for whole group lessons
Digital version – created using Google Slides
FIll-in version – available for both the half-page and full-page versions and are great if you want your students to take notes during the lesson

LOVED BY BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS:

Your students will love having access to these anchor charts during the year. They won’t feel the pressure to remember all the different parts of the writing workshop because they know they can look back in their journals anytime they need a reminder.

You’ll love these anchor charts because they have easy-to-read font and are written with clear and concise language. Your students will understand the objective of each lesson with these anchor charts.

So many upper elementary teachers love these anchor charts because they aren’t cluttered with excess clipart or fonts that are too “cutesy”.

And, you have options. You can choose to print them in half pages for students to glue in their journals… or you can share them with your students in Google Classroom… or you can give students the fill-in version so they can take notes during your lessons. You can pick the version that will work for you and your students.

Prep is quick and easy… Just print the anchor chart option you want to use before your writing lesson and you’re ready to go.

ANCHOR CHART TITLES INCLUDE:

All About Writer’s Workshop
Collecting Ideas
Habits of a Strong Writer
Independent Writing
Looks Like/Sounds Like
Peer Review
Revise vs. Edit
Sharing Our Writing
Show Not Tell
Story Telling
Strong Listeners
Student and Teacher Roles During Writing Workshop
Think I’m Done, Now What?
Using Mentor Texts
What do Writers Writer?
Why Writers Write
Writer’s Notebook
Writing For Your Audience
Writing Process

HOW TO USE THESE CHARTS IN YOUR CLASSROOM:

Use them at the start of the school year to help launch Writing Workshop.
Use them throughout the year to review key writing habits and behaviors.
Use as a model for your whole group lessons.
Give students a copy to glue in their journals.
Send home a copy to parents to keep them informed.
Include a copy with your lesson plans to show your administrators what you’re teaching.
Put posters on a ring or in a binder as a reference for small groups or workstations.

TEACHERS LIKE YOU SAID:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “My students loved using these as a resource during our writers workshop. They helped students stay focused on the lesson.” – Sarah H.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This was a very helpful resource in distance learning, but I also think it is going to be equally as helpful in-person. These are helpful to have on hand digitally and can easily be printed out. Thank you for a wonderful, helpful way to make learning more accessible in these trying times. :)” – Jaclyn Parolin

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Writers’ Workshop is a great method of laying out your writing, and these posters really supported a clear structure to the system. Thank you!” – Jeanine F.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “These writing workshop anchor charts provided so much visual support to my 2nd graders! I was so thankful to have purchased such a resource that I have and will refer to throughout the year!” – Haley W.

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30 Reading Anchor Charts Your Students Will Actually Use

Anchor charts are a great tool for helping students remember routines and apply the strategies you’ve taught in class. Whether they’re helping students activate their schema, recording learning, or outlining strategies that students can use on their own, these visual resources are a must-have for elementary & middle school classrooms. Today I want to share a few of my favorite reading anchor charts that I’ve seen for helping students master skills & recall strategies.

Anchor Charts to Help Students Break Down & Organize Their Thinking

Note-taking anchor charts.

When I worked with older students, I always had trouble with students wanting to highlight EVERYTHING when taking notes from a non-fiction text. I love the first anchor chart from Terra Shiffer because it helps solve that problem. The second anchor chart, from Mrs. O Reads Books , is another great option.

I think it’s great because it outlines WHAT they should look for when reading. It also gives them a way to code the most important information, making it easy to refer back to. I can’t wait to try this one the next time I’m working on notating non-fiction.

It can be easy to forget that annotating text and taking notes is a new skill and requires some serious higher-level synthesis. Students need to be taught how to do this and they need the visual reminders to be able to implement it independently. This anchor chart from Mrs. O Reads Books is a perfect classroom reference.

Responding to Literature – Citing the Text

So many students know what they want to say but struggle to get the ideas out on paper. Sentence stems can be a huge help for struggling readers and writers. They’re also a great scaffold for your students who are learning English. Here are two examples of what this can look like in the classroom:

Even if students don’t need sentence stems, you may consider outlining the steps needed for a high-quality response like this one. It offers a great way for students to check to ensure they have a complete answer.

Anchor Charts to Support Reading Strategies & Skills

While mini-lessons are great for introducing important reading comprehension skills and strategies. However, many students need more than one exposure to master the content. Visuals, like anchor charts, can be a great way to help keep these fresh in your students’ minds.

I love interactive anchor charts for reading. It allows me to reuse the same chart across multiple lessons instead of creating something new repeatedly. I also find that students are more engaged when the anchor chart offers some hands-on opportunities for engagement.

Retelling Anchor Chart

I love anchor charts that give a visual but provide a strategy students can use beyond the classroom walls. This retelling anchor chart from The Teacher with the Owl Tattoo is perfect for that! Eventually, students will internalize these steps and can move toward using only their hands or not needing any cueing system.

Main idea is a challenging skill for elementary students. I love that the first anchor chart, from The Animated Teacher , is interactive so you can use it repeatedly. I always have to teach multiple mini-lessons on this skill. The second anchor chart, from Jessica Tobin over at The Elementary Nest , is another great option.

Sometimes it is nice to have an anchor chart that models graphic organizers students might see on assessments or those that they may want to create to help them record their thinking. This interactive anchor chart captures that option perfectly! I really love this one.

Anchor Charts for Summarizing

There are a couple of different popular formats for summarizing. While many classrooms are moving toward the SWBST method, I prefer the three-sentence format because it more closely aligns with what kids see on state testing and it can work for fiction & nonfiction texts.

Cause & Effect Anchor Charts

There tend to be fewer interactive cause & effect anchor charts. However, I do love the idea of making a book-specific version during a mini-lesson. I think some of the other charts might be better for introducing the concept and posting to help students recall the skill. No matter which style you pick, these will all make a great classroom visual.

Point of View

If you’re looking for great anchor charts for point of view, look no further than The Elementary Nest . Both of my favorites were created by Jessica Tobin, the author of the site. I love the visual the first provides, but I am a sucker for interactive anchor charts so I love the second option for allowing students to get hands-on with the chart during reading.

Character Analysis – Character Traits & Change Across Time

I love teaching character traits and analysis. This is one skill that requires an anchor chart, especially if you’re looking at change across time. Here are a few of my favorite anchor charts for this skill.

After my students get the hang of the skill, I love finding ways to incorporate longer texts, like the novel Charlotte’s Web , so that students have to dive into the text to look for causal factors. In fact, I even created some free resources to help with these lessons. Y ou can read more and grab the free character development resources here.

Inferring & Drawing Conclusions

Both inferring and drawing conclusions are SO hard for students to master, and I’ve found anchor charts are an absolute must-have to remind them of the process & give interactive practice.

Here are a few cool anchor charts I found on Pinterest that I want to try the next time I introduce these skills to students.

Identifying the theme can be a challenge for many students because it requires synthesizing an entire story down to it’s most basic idea. These two anchor charts are perfect for helping students remember what the theme is and categorize the books they’ve been reading according to common themes in literature.

Author’s Purpose

Identifying the author’s purpose is taught in many different ways. While some teachers use the P-I-E acronym, other strategies are also gaining traction as students are being asked to think more critically about what the author is trying to convey through their writing.

Need more ELA anchor chart inspiration?

Want to see more amazing language arts anchor charts? Click here to see my Language Arts Anchor Chart board on Pinterest.

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Home » Anchor Charts » 9 Summary Anchor Charts Created By Teachers To Help Your Students Learn

9 Summary Anchor Charts Created By Teachers To Help Your Students Learn

It’s easier to write something longer than something short. We are usually much better at elaborating than getting to the point. This is why summarizing is an important skill for students to learn. You can help them do so with the aid of summary anchor charts.

In this unit, you will learn about using summary anchor charts in the classroom. I have also selected some good, useful examples of charts for you to use or to refer to when you make your own.

The elements that should go into a good summary anchor chart

The point of a summary anchor chart is to indicate to students the steps to take to write a concise version of a text. This means that a good anchor chart must make these very clear.

For all summaries:

Pick out only the main points.
Write in your own words.

For a nonfiction text:

Don’t include extra details and quotes.
Follow the structure of the text.
Give the main idea of the text as the first sentence.

For a fiction text, follow the SWBST structure:

SOMEBODY is involved
They WANTED something
BUT something/someone got in the way
SO this is what they did
THEN this is what happened

A really great summary anchor chart will provide space for students to work with an example on the chart itself.

Different ways of using summary anchor charts

Most summary anchor charts use different fonts and colors to identify the steps to take when writing a summary. Students work from this to summarize a text.

You can turn this around, so that the students begin with a text and work on a summary. They can then report about how they worked. Make an anchor chart with the common steps they took. Then, give them a reference anchor chart to compare their list to. This will help the students to see what they can add to, or take away from, their own method of writing a summary.

One of the anchor charts in the post uses an image of a hand to give the students the tips for writing a summary. This is a great approach, which makes the process more organic than putting the steps in a chronological order. Some students do work better with very specific, incremental steps, which are also used in some of the sample anchor charts.

Examples of anchor charts and how to use them

Summary Tick List By Richard Hillyers

This summary tick list anchor chart is a great way to make sure your students have all the points.

This is an excellent anchor chart to use with any grade. It gives the students a guide to check their own work when they have written the summary. The font and layout look as though they have been taken out of a student’s notebook.

Summarize Fiction From Crafting Connections

Your students can learn to summarize fiction with this chart.

An anchor chart that is color coordinated and set out in point form is easy for students to read. This is a great resource to act as a template. The red and black points and questions remain constant, while the blue (examples) can change. You can create your own anchor chart with only the points and questions. The students then fill in the examples from the text they are reading.

Summarize Non-Fiction From With A Mountain View

They can also learn how to summarize non-fiction with this chart. Students will often be expected to summarize a nonfiction text, especially in the higher grades. This anchor chart is a very important resource. You would use it as a reference from which the students can work on their own summaries.

How To Write A Summary From Teaching Expertise

With this anchor chart, you can teach grade 4s (and other grades) How to write a Summary.

What is valuable about this resource is the integration of an example with the guiding points. This makes it especially useful for students. Techniques have been used to draw attention to the different aspects, such as colors and outlines. You will need to work on different texts with this anchor chart, so that the students learn to apply the points when they work with a nonfiction text.

Writing A Summary From We Are Teachers

With this anchor chart, your students will learn about writing a summary from an example.

This anchor chart contains the same information as the previous one, but uses a different example. The points don’t stand out dramatically, but they are presented clearly and are easy to read. Being able to replace the example on the actual chart is a great strategy. You can guide your students to create their own basic anchor charts, then apply them to different texts.

Summary SWBST From Teacher Karma

This anchor chart is absolutely guaranteed to catch the students’ attention, with the superheroes . It uses the SWBST pattern, relating it to the characters so that it almost looks it is telling a story. The font is simple and clear and the students will not struggle to read the points.

Retell Vs Summary From Think Grow Giggle

Teach your students about Retell vs Summary with this anchor chart. Often students fall into the trap of simply retelling the contents of the text to give what they think are the main points. This anchor chart compares retelling and summarizing, which makes it a valuable resource to teach them the differences between the two.

Writing Summaries From Teaching With A Mountain View

These two anchor charts give a great strategy for writing summaries.

It is the combination of the two anchor charts that makes this such a useful resource. The first gives instructions about how to write the whole summary. The second chart elaborates on the SAAC statement, which is also an important skill to master. You can rework the details of the examples from individual passages. If you develop your own set of anchor charts, I suggest putting the examples on separate pieces of paper, so that you can stick them on, then replace them as the students work.

Summarizing Hand From First Grade Buddies

The summarizing hand technique helps your students remember the stages of summarizing.

Resources that teach students to use something close by to remember approaches and rules are very effective. This anchor chart uses the fingers of the hand to teach students to remember the five points of working on a summary. When you create your own, I suggest using a larger font for the questions. Some color would also make the different points stand out.

Summarizing summary anchor charts

The most important thing about summary anchor charts is that they must clearly and concisely state the basic points to follow when summarizing a text. The most effective charts are those that give space for sample and practice texts to be added. This gives the students the information and examples right next to each other.

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Last Updated on August 24, 2023 by Teach Simple

Book Reviews Anchor Chart Poster | Writing a Book Review | Opinion Writing Unit

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This product includes a one-page PDF anchor chart poster for writing Book Reviews that can be used during Writer's Workshop or for a mini-lesson for an opinion writing unit.

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Guided /Interactive Notebook page
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Teaching Nonfiction Summary Writing

Do your students have trouble deciding what to include when summarizing nonfiction text? Many students struggle with summarizing informational text because they don’t know how to identify the main idea and details. This can make the writing process extremely overwhelming.

If this sounds familiar, you can scaffold the writing process to make summarizing nonfiction a successful experience for all students. Use an anchor chart, graphic organizer, or writing template to break down the process. This will help students identify the necessary elements for their summary. Soon, they will be able to summarize nonfiction text without scaffolding!

Characteristics of a Nonfiction Summary

Before you teach your students a specific strategy for summarizing nonfiction texts, it’s helpful to review the characteristics of a summary. Here are five things students should keep in mind when writing a summary:

Use your own words
Keep it short (one paragraph)
Include the title and author
Clearly state the main idea
Support the main idea with details

The anchor chart below is effective for teaching students to write a nonfiction summary because students can follow the sequencing to write their summary paragraph. In this way, the anchor chart is similar to a graphic organizer.

Here’s an example:

“Golden State Landscapes” by Peter Nguyen describes the geography of California. First, the Sierra Nevada mountain range runs along the eastern part of the state. Next, the center of the state is filled with miles of rich farmland. Finally, the Pacific Ocean creates California’s western border. In summary, “Golden State Landscapes” describes California’s geography.

If students need additional support, add instructional scaffolding with a close paragraph that aligns with the anchor chart. This will give students practice with the format until they can write a nonfiction summary independently.

Make summary writing easier for your students with graphic organizers for specific text types. Click the link below to get 10 editable graphic organizers for summary writing!

Summary Writing Graphic Organizers

“This was a great resource for my students. With this activity, I was able to differentiate and meet each learner’s needs.” -Kellan T.

Want strategies for teaching fiction summary writing? Click here to see strategies you can use to teach students how to write effective narrative summaries.

Anchor Chart for Teaching Nonfiction Summarizing

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

49 Amazing Anchor Charts That Nail Reading Comprehension
To make an inference, students have to differentiate between what's being said on the page and what's not. This anchor chart does a great job of explaining. 34. Writing a Book Review @youngteachmd/Anchor Chart via Instagram. The key to writing a successful book review is being aware of what to focus on during the reading stage.
Writing a Book Review: Drafting the Introduction
Invite students to help you record the parts of an introductory paragraph on the new Book Review anchor chart. Refer to the Book Review anchor chart (example, for teacher reference) as necessary. For students who may need additional support: Provide differentiated mentors by purposefully pre-selecting student partnerships and meeting with ...
Writing Workshop: Everything You Need To Know To Create an Anchor Chart
Below are three ways you can elevate your anchor charts. 1. Add visuals: One way to raise the level of your charts and support your learners is to add visuals. This is essential for our primary readers and writers to be more independent when using charts. These visuals ideally match your teacher demonstration piece.
Persuasive Writing Unit of Study
This free persuasive writing unit of study is designed to fit into your 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade writing workshop. Download this persuasive writing unit of study to help you plan an engaging and effective unit in your classroom. This unit contains anchor charts, graphic organizers and lessons to help you create the perfect unit for your students.
The Ultimate Guide on How to Create Reading Strategies Anchor Chart
Step 2: Determine Your Design. The next step is to determine the design of your anchor chart. This includes selecting the font, color scheme, and graphics that will be used on your chart. When choosing your font, make sure it's large enough to be read from a distance. Additionally, using a variety of fonts can help draw attention to key ideas.
All the Best Writing Anchor Charts for Kids
28. Show, Don't Tell. "Show, don't tell" is a cardinal rule of writing. This anchor chart, best for upper elementary writers, can be used to strengthen scenes in fiction and narrative nonfiction works. Build out this chart for middle school writers with additional ideas and more complex emotions.
The Ultimate Guide to Anchor Charts and How You Can Use Them
Anchor charts were initially made ahead of time with perfect handwriting and pictures. However, the realisation that students weren't using them prompted a change in approach. Now, anchor charts are created on the spot based on student needs and feedback. The students play a crucial role in deciding when an anchor chart is necessary.
Anchor Charts 101: Why and How To Use Them
An anchor chart is a tool used to support instruction (i.e., "anchor" the learning for students). As you teach a lesson, you create a chart that captures the most important information, the strategies, and content that you want students to refer to later. Then, hang it in a space where students can see it and refer to it when they are ...
Effective Anchor Charts for Engaging Classroom Writing
2. Instructional Writing Anchor Chart. The criteria for writing clear instructions can be very handily displayed as an anchor chart. When writing a set of instructions, students can refer to the chart to help organize their writing. The same chart will also serve as a checklist for self-assessment at the end. An instructional writing anchor ...
How to Get the Most Out of Your Anchor Charts
3- Pre-chart the Information. Finally, we come to the best discovery in the history of anchor chart creation (at least for me)! Pre-writing the information you want on the chart. We've all been there… you ask the class to give examples of the letter "P" and 10 minutes later there is an in-depth debate on Poppy Troll verses Branch.
Writing Anchor Charts
Teaching the writing process steps will help in each and every unit we study during the year. This is a chart that we create together, as we work to slowly transition from "we do" to "you do". Transitioning from One Genre to the Next. Early learners (Kinders - Second) really struggle shifting from one genre to the next during writing ...
The Ultimate Guide to Anchor Charts
Consistent Reference: Regularly point students back to the anchor charts when the related skill is being used or when a student asks a relevant question. This reinforces the idea that the chart is a tool, not just decoration. Skill Review Sessions: Dedicate some classroom time to review the anchor charts as a class. This helps to reinforce key ...
How To Make and Use an Anchor Chart
The goal is to make an anchor chart easy-to-use and skimmable. Use pictures —Remember, an anchor chart should help students visualize the material in front of them. Using pictures and drawings can help you illustrate your point with ease. Make copies for your students —Having an anchor chart hanging in your classroom helps students focus ...
A Closer Look at Anchor Charts
The anchor chart can be co-created at this point using shared writing. Then there is a shift to guided practice, with a student modeling the desired practice for the class. The students review the anchor chart before they engage in the desired practice and use the anchor chart afterwards to reflect on how well they have succeeded.
All About Anchor Charts
An anchor, by definition, is an object used to hold something firmly in place. Anchors are a source of stability and security. Thrown overboard, the anchor stables the boat holding it firmly in a desired location. Likewise, an Anchor Chart displayed in a classroom learning community anchors student thinking while offering a source of visual ...
51 Reading Strategies Anchor Charts that Get Results
The "Summarizing Strategies" anchor chart offers readers a structured approach to condensing vast texts into crisp, concise summaries. It might suggest steps like "Identify the main idea," "Highlight key events," "Discard redundant details," and "Weave the essence into a succinct paragraph.".
9 Must Make Anchor Charts for Writing
This writing anchor chart by Karen Jones is lovely because it lays things out, step by step, when it comes to the writing process for our little kindergarten babies. The illustrations she provides as examples are prefect, too! This anchor chart by Rachel's Reflections is a great description of what a personal narrative, or small moment, will ...
Class Anchor Chart for Writing a Book Review, K-3
This chart is designed to accompany WRITING A BOOK REVIEW, K-3. It serves as both an anchor chart for qualities of good books and for recording examples from the book to be reviewed.
Writing Anchor Charts For Writing Workshop
Writing Anchor Charts For Writing Workshop. $4.97. Launching writing workshop or even just setting up your writing block can feel overwhelming, but with the help of these anchor charts, you'll feel confident and prepared to set your students up for writing success this year. These writing workshop anchor charts and posters are perfect for ...
30 Reading Anchor Charts Your Students Will Actually Use
Anchor charts are a great tool for helping students remember routines and apply the strategies you've taught in class. Whether they're helping students activate their schema, recording learning, or outlining strategies that students can use on their own, these visual resources are a must-have for elementary & middle school classrooms.
9 Summary Anchor Charts Created By Teachers To ...
The point of a summary anchor chart is to indicate to students the steps to take to write a concise version of a text. This means that a good anchor chart must make these very clear. For all summaries: Pick out only the main points. Write in your own words. For a nonfiction text: Don't include extra details and quotes.
Book Reviews Anchor Chart Poster
This product includes a one-page PDF anchor chart poster for writing Book Reviews that can be used during Writer's Workshop or for a mini-lesson for an opinion writing unit. Save Money and get the Language Arts Anchor Chart Poster Growing Bundle. How to use this resource: Guided /Interactive Notebook page; Class display poster
Anchor Chart for Teaching Nonfiction Summarizing
Keep it short (one paragraph) Include the title and author. Clearly state the main idea. Support the main idea with details. The anchor chart below is effective for teaching students to write a nonfiction summary because students can follow the sequencing to write their summary paragraph. In this way, the anchor chart is similar to a graphic ...

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This free persuasive writing unit of study is designed to fit into your 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade writing workshop.

This persuasive writing unit of study is just what you need to make your planning easier.

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The Ultimate Guide on How to Create Reading Strategies Anchor Chart

Step 1: Choose Your Topic

Step 2: Determine Your Design

Step 3: Plan Your Layout

Step 4: Create Your Reading Strategies Anchor Chart

Step 5: Engage with Your Chart

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The Ultimate Guide to Anchor Charts and How You Can Use Them

What are Anchor Charts?

Benefits of Anchor Charts

Makes Lessons Fun and Memorable

Provides Practice

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Create a Visual Plan

Title and Headings

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