All that frustration with anchor charts ended when I walked into a teacher’s room and saw her anchor charts being hung on command hooks. I immediately knew this was a brilliant way of organizing anchor charts. It was one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” and “I have wasted hours of my life I can never get back” moments.
See what I mean here with some of my literacy anchor charts:
Organizing Anchor Charts on Command Hooks
Now, as you can tell from the pictures, some of my charts are still hung on the wall. Here is how I decide what gets hung on the wall:
- Charts my students will need all year (Editing and Revising Charts for example)
- Charts of skills or concepts my students struggle with on a daily basis
Everything else goes on the command hook after we make it together. I label the anchor charts with the subjects (I have more not shown in the pictures), so the students can easily find the one they need. The students know to go to the charts they need, lift the charts up till they find the correct one, and voila: instant review of a lesson. (Warning: I did have to teach proper lifting and care procedures. 5th grade hands are not the most graceful.)
With this method, I am minimizing the space I am using on the walls (Perfect for small rooms or fire code restrictions). I am also maximizing their use because I can hang ALL my charts up for future student use. Their organization allows the students to use them easily and efficiently.
Want to read more about how I organize? Click here to read about how I organize student papers, here to read how I organize papers to be graded, and here to read how I organize math centers.
How do you manage your anchor chart displays? Let me know in the comments.
Wow! It seems so obvious, but I never thought of that. Thank you for posting this idea. I am very short. I have wires strung across my room for displaying the charts. Unfortunately, I CAN’T REACH THE WIRES! This will solve both the storage and the display problems.
I too love my anchor charts. I used to stick them to coat hangers and hang them on my class washing line – until it broke from the weight!
Love this idea so simple and it looks fab. Thanks for sharing
I am glad I found your blog. I really like your title! It is so thorough!
It really shows how much you love your job.Thank you for posting so much helpful information. I am from Georgia too!
Rebekah
After so many years of teaching, I had quite the collection of anchor charts.. I decided to create a binder filled with my anchor charts…..not by creating a huge big book to hold them. Instead, I took color photos of each anchor chart. I then created a binder in Google docs to hold my collection. I can now easily display them via my ELMO for the class to use. I know what you’re thinking….but they’re not on display. I also created a binder containing the same colored photographs of each anchor chart. This binder is kept in my Reading/Writing center for students to use if they need a refresher on a certain concept or skill. In addition, I made a second binder of all of my anchor charts to keep at the reading table so that I can use it during individual or small group reading/writing lessons or individual conference times. It’s been a perfect solution! As I create more anchor charts, I simply add a color photograph to my binders. I can display those for the year in the classroom, but I still add the photo to my binders.
Our team created a google slide of each unit we teach. Students take notes on these slides that will help them study. Besides hanging then on my walls, I take a picture, of the anchor chart and the kids insert it in their slides for reviewing or helping with homework at home. Love the idea of the command hooks!
Love those ideas!
Love this idea. I use Command strips, and I put the strips onto clothespins and stick those to the wall. The clothespins a) hold the paper much more securely; and b) are much cheaper. You can hang several charts with one set of pins (stacked like you have them).
What are command hooks?