Mastering Anchor Charts: Setting Up for Success

Can we talk about what it takes to create anchor charts in the classroom? I’m not talking about simply scribbling down notes on a pad of paper while you teach. I’m talking about creating anchor charts that your students will reference and use during and after the lesson.

You can create anchor charts that are both functional and cute, even if your handwriting isn’t great, you can’t draw, or you’re a slow writer.

My natural handwriting doesn’t resemble the penmanship I try to teach my students. I can write neatly…if I write slowly. Unfortunately, when I try to write quickly, my handwriting starts looking somewhat like legible chicken scratches.

I have a hard time teaching and writing a lot at the same time. For a long time, I would write on my chart paper during my lesson and then just throw it out after the lesson, but then my kids would miss out on having an anchor chart to refer back to, or I’d have to remake the chart after class.

I knew I had to find a better way, so over the years I spent in the classroom, I got better at making anchor charts. My anchor charts still might not be as fancy as some, but they do the job—and they’re pretty cute, too! 

Anchor Chart Supplies

I find it helpful to have all my supplies in one place. Here’s a list of some useful anchor chart supplies. (*This post may contain affiliate links.)

• Mr. Sketch Marchers – They just make me happy.
• Sticky notes
• Labeling & Cover-Up Tape – It’s great for hiding mistakes.
• Scissors
• Repositionable glue stick
• Hook & look dots

I like to keep my chart supplies in a basket by my chart paper pad.

Hanging Up Anchor Charts

How you hang your chart paper is important, too. If you want to write on the paper while it’s hanging, you’ll want it to be up against a hard surface or wall. If you always take it down to write on, then you don’t need to worry about having a hard surface.

You might be lucky enough to have an awesome anchor chart stand like this, but if not, there are lots of other ways to hang your chart paper.

Here are several different options for hanging up your pad of anchor chart paper.

1. If you have the space on your whiteboard, you can use magnetic hooks. Marcy at Saddle Up For Second Grade shows how here.
2. Alternatively, you can use binder rings to hang the pad of paper on a curtain rod held up with two Command strip hooks. Sam at Fun With Firsties gives all the details.
3. Another easy option is using an easel like Cassie at Adventures in Teaching.
4. Another easy option is a clothes hanging rack like Carrie at Adventures in Kinder and Beyond.
5. If you’re handy or know someone who is, you can build a PVC chart stand like Maggie at Maggie’s Kinder Corner.
6. Finally, you can use a pants hanger to hang the chart paper on a hook like Sam at Fun With Firsties.

I hope you were able to get some ideas for your own classroom. Check out this post for easy ways to make cute and functional anchor charts, or explore these ideas for easy solutions to hanging and displaying your anchor charts.