Anchor Charts for Friday Flashback

Every year I struggle with anchor charts. I think anchor charts are AMAZING and really help students. BUT I am such a perfectionist that the creation of an anchor chart is well...out of control! :) I would always make an anchor chart to hang up- we shall call that one "The Pretty One". I can't tell you how many times I have used several pieces of chart paper before I got the anchor chart to look the way I wanted it to. Can we say expensive and wasteful!!!!  Then there was the anchor chart that I would create during class. That was the "Quick, Hurry Up Before My Little Friends Stop Paying Attention Version"- which was not so pretty. The other thing that I struggled with was the amount of anchor charts I would create, and the limited amount of space that I had to display them. For many lessons in reading, writing and math I would create an anchor chart almost daily. That is almost 15 anchor charts a week! I just don't have wall space to hang/ display the anchor charts.

 

So what I have started to do this year is to create many of my anchor charts electronically. These anchor charts are much smaller, printed usually on regular letter size paper. I struggled with the idea that not all students would be able to see the anchor charts from all parts of the room, so I came up with a plan...

Anchor Charts Galore

 

 

First, all anchor charts are displayed in a way that they are easily moved. None of the anchor charts that I am using are up for the whole year (taped to the wall). They are either hung up with clothespins or magnets. This way I can easy go get an anchor chart and take it any where in the room at any time to reference it. Also, this makes it easy to switch out anchor charts as I am starting new units of study or new concepts. 

 

During lessons I reference the anchor chart that I will display. I also display the anchor chart on my large screen at the front of the room. This way while students are working independently on the new skill taught they can look at the anchor chart on the large screen.

 

Next, as I am teaching a unit of study I think about the anchor charts that I would want my students to have. Then I create a page for their journal/folder. This eliminates the problem of all students not being able to see the anchor chart from anywhere in the room. Each of them will have their own copy to reference in their journal/folder.  

 

Last, after I am done with an anchor chart I place them in a binder with plastic sleeve protectors. This way if later in the year I am teaching a lesson that I need an old anchor chart, I can just go get the binder and ta-da I'm ready!

 

What I have noticed...

1. Probably the first thing that I have noticed is that before the lesson the students see the anchor chart and "guess" what we are going to learn about that day by the illustrations and words that they see on the anchor chart...it gets them thinking.
2. The students remember each anchor chart better because of the colorful clipart and fonts.
3. I see students referencing their anchor charts in their own folders/journals.
4. I am not using my teaching time to create anchor charts, rather I am really teaching and allowing students to apply the skills being taught. 
5. The time spent preparing anchor charts is eliminated and I have more time to prepare meaningful lessons and hands-on lessons.

I have created a set of anchor charts for the beginning of the year and small moments unit of writing. Included are 22 anchor charts to get you started. Click here to check them out! The first 2 people who comment on this post can have a set for FREE! :)

 

I know I am a day late...but I wanted to participate in this linky party because I am really excited about how this is working in my classroom!  Go check out what is working in other teachers classrooms!!



 

 

 

 

 

9/11

Wow! It has been FOREVER since I last posted! Time is flying by! Every day when I get home I am tired exhausted! My class is amazing this year. I am so blessed! My little friends are filled with spunk and personality! I love it! :) For some reason this year it is hard for me to get in my "routine", both at school and at home! What is wrong with me!?! It is getting better though! I looked back at some of my "School Resolutions" that I had made earlier this summer and well, let's just say that I haven't stuck to them very well. Today is a new day!

I know that September 11th has already passed, but I wanted to post a little activity that I did with my class. We talked a little about September 11th yesterday. I didn't go into detail of the events of 9/11, but we talked about our country and why are country is GREAT! We talked about how we are thankful to be free and how there are men and women fighting to keep our country safe. We also made this little craftivity.

 

Click on the picture to get your FREE copy!

 

I will always remember.

 

Busy Week & Planning Calendar

What a busy time of the year! My to-do list is getting longer by the minute! :)

I have now met all my little friends. I am amazed how every year the kids are so different...and so wonderful! It is impossible not to love your job when you hear things like "I love this school!" and "This is the best day of my life!". How awesome is that! I love how in kindergarten we have the priveledge of shaping each child's learning adventure and helping to develop their love of learning! It is so great to see how excited and eager they are to learn, and it is my goal to keep them this dedicated the whole year!

So on that note I sat down to start planning. I started thinking when I want to teach what theme and what concepts in science, etc. I think that planning can be the most overwhelming part of teaching. How do you plan? Do you have a method to make it an easy process? Do you plan with your team? I am trying something a little different this year. I made a detailed calendar(scope and sequence) with what I am planning to teach when, for all subjects with standards. I hope that this tool will be useful and make planning a little less time consuming! I wanted to share this with you! Go get your copy for FREE! Please leave me some feedback or a comment!  While you are at my TPT store, make sure to follow me! If you utilize my planning calendar throughout the year I will be posting units to correlate with the calendar and you will have everything lots of resources for the year!

While at my TPT Store check out my new All About Numbers 0-10 Unit!

Pictures & Open House 2012

Wow! What a busy week...but it has been so fun! I have loved getting my classroom ready for my new little friends and finally meeting them today! Today was Open House, and the students got to come and explore the classroom! It is so cute to see what they are interested in and what catches their eye. Everyone is sweet and I am really looking forward to this year! It was also great to see many of my friends from last year!

I definitely felt more organized this year for Open House. I set up my stations for parents to visit just a little bit differently than I have in the past.



Having the students names pre-printed out on the Transportation List was helpful. It was also helpful to have parents respond with how their child will go home on the first day of staggered start, the first whole class day, regular schedule days and early release days all on one piece of paper!

Oooo another thing that went really well at Open House was having examples out for parents to look at of what my Take Home Folder, Dismissal Tags, Take Home Books, etc look like. When a parent asked me a question about one of these things, I could give them a very specific response and they could visually see an example!

I feel like a dork because I am so excited about this, BUT I printed on post-its for the first time...and I think it is awesome! I just hope now I don't turn into a freak and think I can only type on a post-it!

How did your Open House go?

The other week I posted "before" pictures of my classroom, and so I just wanted to give some updated pictures!

Check out my TPT store for my What is Science? Mini- Unit. It is all about science, being a scientist, the science process, science safety and science tools! This unit is a great tool to use to integrate science into reading and writing!

Have a relaxing and happy weekend!

Teaching the Five Senses

Today I was getting my book lists ready for the start of the school year. I love using picture books to teach throughout the day! (I am sure there are times that the public library hates me! And times that Scholastic loves me! :) ) I was looking for new books to teach about the five senses and I found a book called Forest Friends' Five Senses. Have you read this book to your class before? I read the book's description and I had to order this book! It seems like a great and entertaining tool to teach the five senses. I just wanted to pass on my "new book find", it is the little things that get me so excited! After I actually read it, I will be sure to let you know what I think!! Do you have any great books that you use to teach the five senses??

If you are looking for other tools to teach the Five Senses, make sure you check out my TPT store for my new unit! Don't forget  Back to School centers and activities are on sale this week!!

Happy Monday! :)