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A Beginner’s Guide to Incredible Anchor Charts

If you’ve spent any time on Pinterest, you’ve likely been inundated with images of stunning classroom anchor charts. If you’re like me, you’ve probably scrolled through the eye-candy wondering how anyone has time to make these charts look so pretty and still cook dinner for their kids, grade papers, write lessons, do the laundry… you get my drift.

For many new teachers, the pressure to have a Pinterest-worthy classroom can feel overwhelming with all the other things being thrown your way. If this is you, don’t stress! Many first-year teachers walk into the classroom eager to take on the new challenge, but without much understanding of how best to get the most bang for their buck out of instructional tools, like anchor charts.

Today I wanted to share a little background information on what anchor charts are and how best to use them to support learning in your classroom. Whether you’re a brand new teacher or a returning veteran, I hope you’ll find some helpful tips and new information as you read.

This post may contain affiliate links.

What is an anchor chart?

An anchor chart is a teaching tool that helps visually capture important information from the lesson. They are created, at least in part, during instruction to help emphasize and reiterate important information, procedures, processes, or skills being taught. 

For example, if you’re teaching students a problem-solving strategy to help them approach multi-step word problems, your chart might include the steps in the process so that students can refer to this as they work through problems. 

Some anchor charts are interactive, meaning that students help to fill them in as a part of the lesson by writing directly on the chart or using post-it notes. This can be a great tool for formatively assessing student understanding during instruction. 

You can use anchor charts for any subject, and they are commonly seeing in reading , writing, and math classrooms. After the lesson, the chart should remain visible for students to refer to during independent practice and across future lessons.

Why are anchor charts valuable tools in the classroom? 

Using anchor charts is a fantastic way to get students actively engaged in lessons. You can use these charts to teach vocabulary, explain concepts, illustrate examples, and make the learning process fun and visually engaging for students.

Anchor charts serve as a great scaffolded support in the classroom offering a visual reference that you and your students can look back at as you work through guided and independent practice.

While charts are great for all learners, they are especially helpful for several groups of at-risk learners. They offer students who struggle with attention a visual of the steps to guide them through a process. They can also offer English Language Learners a reference for vocabulary and key academic language .

You can also use charts to help students retain key information and make connections between prior knowledge and new information. Research shows this is a key to helping students build a stronger understanding of new material. 

How To Make An Anchor Chart With Your Students

As you’re preparing to make a chart for your class, you’ll want to have a plan for what information you want to include and how you anticipate it being laid out prior to teaching the lesson.

Since your students should be involved in the actual creation process (whether in a hands-on or verbal participation format), you don’t want to fully create the chart in advance.

However, that doesn’t mean you want to start class with a blank slate! 

You can prep certain parts of your anchor chart – like headers, graphics, or questions you plan to have students respond to – in advance. This can allow you to focus on the instructional pieces more fully during the lesson instead of trying to get everything on the page while your students watch you write. 

Here’s what you’ll need: 

The great thing is that you don’t need a ton of supplies to make some really amazing anchor charts for your classroom. There are really only four things you’ll need:

• Large chart paper – I love the Post-It Easel Tablets (affiliate link) because I can peel & stick.
• Markers – I prefer the wide Crayola markers & the Mr. Sketch markers (affiliate link)
• Projector (optional) – great for pulling up images to trace vs. trying to freehand graphics

During your mini-lesson, you can either record student responses or allow students to record their ideas on sticky notes to add to the anchor chart. You can also have students record answers directly onto the chart if you’re feeling really brave. 

Okay, but how do you make an anchor chart pretty? 

When you’re new to making anchor charts, the prospect of wanting everything perfect can be a bit overwhelming. First off, no one is expecting Pinterest-level perfection like some of the examples you’ll see below. This is especially true with interactive anchor charts, which are meant to be completed by the learners.

Here are a few simple tips to help keep things neat and organized while making your charts: 

• Use your projector. Special fonts, graphics, etc can be displayed directly onto your chart paper as you prep your chart. Use a pencil to lightly trace the design to get you started. 
• Start with a pencil. For charts that will be 100% teacher-written, create a light roadmap of where all the information will go. You can then write over this with a marker during the lesson as you complete each portion with your learners. 
• Stick with simple. Trying to put too much information on a chart can create a huge mess. Focus on just the most important details and write big enough that the student furthest away from the chart can still refer to the information. 
• Use Post-It notes for student responses. While you can have students write on the chart, you can use the same chart multiple years if you have students respond with sticky notes. 

That being said, if your anchor chart doesn’t quite turn out how you hope it would during your lesson, you can always re-write it at a different time to make it pretty or more organized. However, I’d save your time and only do this if it is an anchor chart you plan to use consistently across time because your plate is already WAY too full. 

How do you hang an anchor chart in the classroom?

This can be an issue depending on the types of walls you have in your classroom. Cinder block walls tend to be especially tricky. More than once I’ve come back to my room after a long weekend to find all my posters and anchor charts have fallen while the air conditioner was turned off.

That being said there are several ways to display anchor charts that can help maximize their use. First, try to select an area that you’ll consistently use across time for each subject. That will help students develop a habit of referring to that area when they are seeking support or need to double-check for the information from the lesson.

Here are a few options for hanging your anchor charts:

Use a curtain rod. A thin curtain rod with two metal hooks can be a great way to display anchor charts. Add new charts to the ring across time for easy reference.

Try hooks. Command hooks and magnetic hooks can both be great options depending on your walls and board space. If you’re in a portable classroom, magnetic hooks can keep things really neat and easy to move when necessary.

Poster Frames can be a great choice, too. If you like things to look a little neater, cheap poster frames can be a great alternative. Just be sure to get the right size so they fit your chart paper correctly.

Use a pants hanger. You can easily clip the poster inside the pants hanger. Then hook it to the top of a whiteboard, on a cupboard, or on a nail. Most stores would be happy to give you one for free if you tell them you’re a teacher.

Use hot glue to help with cinder block walls. Hot glue clothes pins or hooks to your cinderblock walls. You can easily remove these later, but they won’t fall down like tape or the putty.

Dedicate bulletin board space by creating a focus board. Create a subject-based focus board that includes vocabulary, standards being covered, etc. Leave space to display your anchor charts after you create them. This creates a one-stop-shop for students when they need to reference something for more information.

The 4 Most Popular Types of Anchor Charts

While there are lots of different kinds of anchor charts out there, as Pinterest can plainly show us. Most anchor charts you’ll create for your classroom fall into one of four main categories. These four types are interactive charts, vocabulary charts, strategy charts, and procedures charts.

Here’s a little more information about each type.

1. Interactive Anchor Charts

Interactive anchor charts are designed to be completed as a part of the lesson process. They are a way of students showing their learning. These anchor charts are commonly designed in a way that they could be used multiple times within a unit.

For example, when teaching a skill like main idea and supporting details, the anchor chart might include the graphic organizer where students can add a main idea and supporting details using post-it notes from a reading the class did together.

Interactive anchor charts can be a great tool for formative assessment .

2. Vocabulary Anchor Charts

This type of chart focuses on content area vocabulary. It commonly includes visual examples, definitions, and details that can help the students apply the term to their learning and in academic conversation.

Here’s a great example:

3. Strategy Charts

This type of chart is common in classrooms. They provide the steps and strategies students can refer to when working through assigned tasks. Designed as a way to scaffold instruction, strategy anchor charts lay out the step-by-step process the student should go through to implement the material taught in the lesson.

This often includes worked examples done as guided practice and graphic organizers, acronyms, or other tools that students were taught to use during the mini-lesson time.

4. Classroom Procedure Charts

These charts remind students of the expectations in the classroom. This can include the routines and procedures of the classroom . It might also include how student work is expected to be structured or completed prior to being turned in.

Sometimes teachers create anchor charts to show expectations for notetaking or adding headings to assignments. The goal of these charts is to make it easier for students to organize their assignments and materials in a way that helps them successfully accomplish the classroom tasks.

The Positives & Negatives of Visual Supports

While the idea of creating a chart in front of your learners may make you shiver, anchor charts offer a number of important benefits for student learning.

Not only do they offer a visual that helps keep students engaged during the lesson, but they also provide help to facilitate self-directed learning. Instead of being reliant on the teacher to answer every question that arises, students can refer back to the anchor chart to clarify and reassure them that they are on the right track.

However, it is important to remember that there can be too much of a good thing. It is important to prioritize what information you’re putting onto a specific chart, but it is also important to prioritize how many charts are on display at any given time.

Too many visuals in the classroom can be a major disruption to learning. This means that instead of helping your struggling learners by providing visual cues on how to complete the task at hand, you might actually end up making the task more difficult because they’re being overwhelmed by too much visual stimuli.

Therefore, it’s important to find a balance. As a new teacher, you may feel pressure to make an anchor chart for everything. Take time to assess whether this is something that your students will use again and again. If not, feel free to let that pressure go!

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Anchor Charts to Improve Writing Skills

 WHAT ARE ANCHOR CHARTS?

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.

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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

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 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 .

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

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13 Literary Devices to Supercharge your Writing Skills

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Elements of Literature

Multiliteracies

Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers

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6 strong anchor charts for opinion writing.

Opinion Writing may seem like the most simple of the writing standards, but without adequate modeling and practice, students won’t be able to fully develop their opinion writing skills. Today, I am going to talk about 6 strong anchor charts for opinion writing. Anchor charts are always a great tool for instruction, especially when introducing a new skill. They are visual, interactive, and they can help students organize their thoughts!

Introducing Opinion Writing Structure

When introducing opinion writing, you will want to preview the overall structure. Students need to know what they’re looking for in writing examples and modeling. This is always one of my 6 anchor charts for opinion writing because the “OREO” acronym is very helpful! This is an easy way for students to remember what to include in an opinion writing piece. The first O is the introduction (which we will talk about later in the post). The introduction will need to include the writer’s opinion. This is followed by the R, reasons, and E, examples, or evidence. Finally, students will need to restate their O, opinion in the conclusion. If they can remember OREO, they can remember the Opinion Writing structure!

Teaching How to State an Opinion

After introducing the structure, students will need to start developing their own opinion statements. This simple anchor chart can be an interactive lesson, with your students’ involvement in the process. Students will need to have a collection of Opinion Stems in their mental writing toolbox so that they can develop strong opinion statements. They will need to learn to include an opinion stem in the statement. So, instead of saying, “cats are the best,” they will say, “In my opinion,” or “I believe that cats are the best type of pet.” Providing examples for the students to reference will help them state their opinions across all content areas, too!

Anchor Charts that Teach Supporting Reasons

Next, comes another reusable anchor chart for opinion writing. Students are going to benefit from learning how to supply reasons within their opinion writing and throughout the rest of their skill development. Not only with they use this skill in writing class, but across all content areas and in their real lives. When teaching this skill, you will want to focus on the question: Why? I also like to reference the phrase: Prove it. Provide plentiful examples for reasons and evidence so that students are able to pick out quality over quantity.

This easy, reusable anchor chart allows students to think about reasons and evidence. When discussing an opinion topic, record two solid pieces of evidence or reasons, written in strong opinion statements. If you laminate it, you can have students record their own examples throughout your opinion writing unit. The more they practice, even when seeing other student examples, the more they learn!

Teaching Introductions and Conclusions Explicitly

Now, just because opinion writing follows more of a formula than the other types of writing, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be interesting. Hooking your reader and reminding them of your purpose is going to improve any type of writing. So, it is important to have explicit instruction and practice for introductions and opinions. These anchor charts could be reused and referenced for opinion writing pieces throughout your year.

Create an anchor chart with different examples of interesting introductions. Again, these can be changed throughout your unit. In fact, as a positive reinforcement tool, when you read a great introduction from one of your students, stop and call attention to it. “Wow! I have just read a great introduction by _______. It hooked me! ________ would you like to add that to our introductions poster?”

With conclusions, students will need to learn solid conclusion stems. So, another simple anchor chart with sticky notes should do! Keep the focus on redirecting the reader. Students will want their readers to finish the piece knowing exactly what their opinion is.

Don’t Forget Linking Words and Transitions

Finally, the last of my 6 anchor charts for opinion writing! We can’t forget linking and transition words. Use an anchor chart like the one above to create a collection of strong linking and transition words. Students will most likely need plenty of modeling and examples for this part of the process. It is very easy for students to get stuck on a few transition words that they end up repeating again and again. These can be taught or revisited in the editing and revision process to clean up their pieces. Then, keep the anchor chart accessible so that it can be easily referenced and added to.

Interested in Ready-Made Lesson Plans for Opinion Writing?

If you’re interested in getting your students to master opinion writing without having to spend hours on planning and prep, I have all-inclusive units for you! These no-prep units have everything you need to teach opinion writing in your classroom!

Opinion Writing Units come complete with anchor charts, lesson plans, graphic organizers, writing prompts, and more! Click the button for your grade-level below:

Want a free set of Narrative Graphic Organizers?

Want to learn more about opinion writing.

• How to Teach Opinion Writing
• Mentor Texts: Opinion Writing
• Read more about: Anchor Charts , Common Core Aligned , Writing Blog Posts

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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.

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.

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!

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.

Looking for more Creative Ways to Enhance Classroom Learning?

Check out these posts below!

Character Analysis Activities for Middle School

Teaching Characterization with Bridge to Terabithia

Using the RACE Strategy in ELA

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Shared Teaching

Systematic Teaching for First and Second Grade

Essential Opinion Writing Anchor Charts

January 18, 2023 | Leave a Comment

Opinion writing anchor charts are a must-have in my classroom. While I don’t usually feel I have the time in my day to make a cute anchor chart, I like to project my charts during lessons. 

The opinion writing anchor charts that I'll walk you through today are posted in my room during my opinion writing unit for students to reference frequently. I just simply print them from my computer rather than hand make them.

Understanding Facts and Opinions

When introducing opinion writing, I like to go over what makes an opinion. For me, that is teaching my students to recognize a fact versus an opinion. Although it seems like a simple concept, the majority of my second graders struggle with this. 

Reviewing my opinion and fact charts each day during my lessons, helps them grasp the difference. Every time I review these opinion writing anchor charts, I provide specific kid-friendly examples. 

• I believe slime is horrible.
• I feel there should be longer recess times.
• I think second grade is the best grade.

Using these examples are always guaranteed to get my students joining in on the conversation.

Stating an Opinion

After I teach my students how to identify between facts and opinions, the next step is to teach the introduction. In my second grade class the introduction and stating their opinion is taught as the same thing. I tell them, “When you state your opinion, you are introducing it.” 

As I move through my opinion unit, we expand on the introduction to be part of a paragraph. Like most of my lessons we take small steps to get to our end goal. My opinion writing anchor charts are kept simple so students can focus on the one skill I want them to learn for the lesson (or lessons).

Proving Reasons for an Opinion

Are you noticing a pattern? My recommended opinion writing anchor charts are taken from the Common Core Standards. Each poster is based on one of the necessary skills that the standard requires students to learn and this next anchor chart is no different.

After we talk about what our opinion is and stating it, we move onto providing reasons for our opinion. This is perhaps my most simple anchor chart where students learn the answer to the question “Why?” is providing the reason. I like to put the linking words on the chart to help students get started in providing multiple reasons.

Using Linking Words

Now of course my second graders need a bit more discussion and practice with linking words than the previous opinion writing anchor chart. For second grade I am pushing my students beyond first, next, and last linking words they hopefully learned in first grade. First grade teachers, take note!

Using the linking words anchor chart during my opinion writing unit, I am wanting students to learn that different linking words are used for different parts of the writing piece. I designed this anchor chart with that in mind and labeled the linking words for reasons and conclusions. 

Writing a Conclusion

The last of the essential opinion writing anchor charts is writing a conclusion. I actually have a series of anchor charts for conclusions as they can be a difficult concept for second graders. I like to be explicit in my lessons that the introduction and conclusion are closely related sentences.

My initial anchor chart for conclusions shows students a visual of where they can find a conclusion. The second anchor chart I introduce references an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence so I can point out the different word choices between the sentences. I really want students to see this relationship between the two sentences.

Want Ready-to-Use Opinion Writing Anchor Charts with a Full Curriculum?

You can be one of the first to get my Second Grade Opinion Writing Unit when it is ready at the end of January 2023. I am pre-selling it in my store now. This unit includes over 300 teacher slides walking you step-by-step through all the mini lessons, student worksheets in print and digital formats, and printable anchor charts (including the ones in this post). 

Check it out by clicking on the picture below.

Related Post: How to Teach Opinion Writing in Primary Grades

What anchor charts do you feel are essential when teaching opinion writing? Feel free to share below!

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Teaching with Jennifer Findley

Upper Elementary Teaching Blog

Persuasive Writing Anchor Charts for Struggling Writers {Lots of Pictures}

Here are some of my favorite persuasive writing anchor charts that I have used to help my struggling writers write strong, detailed persuasive papers. These charts contain a lot of sentence stems and step by step directions for each paragraph. It may seem a bit formulaic in nature, but once the students feel comfortable, they will branch out and add their own style and unique voice.

Here is a brainstorming poster. A Yes/No chart is one way that I teach students to organize their thoughts before they begin writing. This particular prompt showed a picture of an old, abandoned house and had the students determining if the local children should be allowed to play in the house.

After the students brainstorm several reasons for each side of the argument and they choose a side, we move into writing a clear and strong position statement. Here are some of the stems I offer the students as options.

After the students have a solid position statement, we move into our introductory paragraph (nicknamed Top Bun from a hamburger model). I instruct the students to explain what the situation or problem is then to state their position. Finally, they finish their top bun by listing out their three main reasons in a sentence.

Before writing the body paragraphs (or Juicy Middle), we make a chart together with opinion words and phrases to link reasons and details together.

Next, we move into different details that the students can use to support their reasons. This is a chart that I print for the students to glue in their interactive notebooks. Click here to download this printable. At this point, I tell my students about the Power of 3: 3 reasons with 3 supporting details for each reason. Using the charts to guide them, they write their body paragraphs (using transition words and phrases and varying details).

If you want the prompt pages that go along with this download, click here to subscribe to my newsletter to have access to my freebie library. The prompt is an an older newsletter freebie that is now available in my exclusive freebie library for email subscribers only.

Finally, we discuss the concluding paragraph (Bottom Bun).  This is where I tell my students to mention the “nod to the other side” or counter argument and prove it incorrect. Then they restate their main point and end their essay. I also offer a few suggestions with ways to end the paper.

These anchor charts and scaffolds have worked wonders with my struggling writers in the past. Do you have any charts or scaffolds that help your students write persuasively?

Share the Knowledge!

Reader interactions, 13 comments.

November 22, 2015 at 10:13 pm

November 23, 2015 at 7:18 pm

You are very welcome, Collette!

February 12, 2016 at 12:41 am

Hi Jennifer I just subscribed to your blog and pages but cant find where to download the persuasive writing prompts from last year

February 13, 2016 at 9:30 am

Hi Elizabeth, you can access it by signing up for my newsletter at the link below. Once you sign up, the first email you get will have directions for accessing the freebie library where you can find the prompt. it is a Halloween Persuasive Writing prompt but can be used at any point of the year.

http://teachingtoinspire.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3277466fc24e8e08f8d489936&id=939cf54793

February 13, 2016 at 8:26 pm

Ok. Thanks. I got that but was interested in the poster type help which I first saw on Pinterest. Is that available to print.

February 15, 2016 at 11:21 am

Oh I am sorry. I was confused by what you were asking for and still am a little. Are you referring to this poster? https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8DtIUhMGc9qMG1nalRmNWhMaWs/view

February 15, 2016 at 2:29 pm

Oh dear. Going round in circles. I think you call them anchor charts. Or brainstorming charts. There are 5 I believe , relating to the hamburger bun poster. Yes/no, statement etc. they’re above on this page. Handwritten on large sheets.

February 15, 2016 at 3:54 pm

Okay, I understand now. Unfortunately, I don’t the anchor charts available in a printable form. You are free to print the pictures from the blog for reference or retype them for your own use. Glad we were able to finally get on the same page. 😀

December 7, 2016 at 9:01 am

Hello, Jennifer. I’m a Third Grade teacher and am loving your blog. Thank you for reaching out and supporting us. I am looking for better ways to teach Information Reading and Writing, specially Text Structures. Do you have any tips?

October 25, 2017 at 6:46 pm

I’ve tried 3 times now, with 2 different email addresses to sign up for you freebie newsletter and it is not working. I am not receiving an email. Is the freebie library not an option anymore? Or has it changed in some way?

Thanks, Jessica

May 12, 2020 at 9:04 am

Hi Jennifer! I just subscribed to your blog and started following your TPT account! I am loving the amazing resources I am finding here! I am currently teaching 6th grade math at a middle school, but am changing schools after this year because of changes I don’t agree with (Who knows what education will look like with the pandemic though.). Anyway, I have accepted a position at an elementary school and will teach 5th grade. Even though I have K-6 licensing, I have have always taught departmentalized in my short career. I say all that to say THANK YOU for this blog! It is already easing my fears as I look through many of your posts. I am already starting to work through how I might teach the core subjects and what items I want to purchase through TPT.

October 25, 2020 at 6:49 pm

HI, I had a question about your abandoned house writing slide. I am new to teaching fifth grade and writing and was wondering if it is asking students to write five paragraphs or just three.

September 25, 2021 at 2:07 pm

This was super awesome! I just did a quick write on persuasive writing to see where my students are at…CLEARLY, they need these anchor charts. THANK YOU!

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I’m Jennifer Findley: a teacher, mother, and avid reader. I believe that with the right resources, mindset, and strategies, all students can achieve at high levels and learn to love learning. My goal is to provide resources and strategies to inspire you and help make this belief a reality for your students.

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Opinion Writing Anchor Charts for Upper Elementary

January 16, 2021 by Cristy

Teaching new writers how to gather evidence and plan for text-based writing can be challenging. Transitioning them over to actually writing the essay where they must weave those ideas into a well developed and organized essay is just as big of a task. Below, are some ways you can use opinion writing anchor charts to give 4th and 5th grade students tangible examples of how to make their writing focused, well-supported, and engaging.

1. Opinion Writing Hooks

Once students have a plan of action for their writing, introducing a writing “hook” is a natural place to begin when starting instruction of actually writing the essay.

Start off by explaining that a “hook” captures the reader’s interest and makes them want to continue to read. It should relate to and tightly tie into the topic that will be discussed.

Introduce the four most commonly used (and easiest to use) hooks.

• Interesting Fact

2. Introductory Paragraph

Now that students know how they will start their essay, they are ready to complete their introductory paragraph. For this quick lesson, tell students to start with their hook. Then, specify that writers need to include words from the prompt. This helps the reader know what the paper will be about and also helps the writer stay focused as they write. They can also include a preview to their answers in this paragraph.

3. Introduce the Components of Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs are the heart of the essay. This is where the writer needs to provide the reasons they agree or disagree with the prompt. They also need to support their reasons with text evidence and elaborations.   

Many teachers are familiar with the acronym R.A.C.E. as a form of responding to a question. I like to use the acronym T.R.A.C.E. because it reminds the writer to use transitions within the essay and within the paragraphs.

During this step of instruction, it is beneficial to break down the acronym for your students. Introduce what each letter stands for. Explain that this is not a specific formula, but a guide that shows what should be included throughout the paragraph.

As you explain each letter, have students create an anchor chart and color code the text . Later in the writing process, this will help them identify what they are doing well and what they may need to add more of in their paragraphs.

4. Writing the Body Paragraphs

Now that you’ve discussed the components of a body paragraph and have taught students how to color code each letter, it’s time to model the writing.

Write the first body paragraph along with your students. It is best to write it on the board where they can all see it. Have students copy the sentences as you write them. Think aloud as you write. This will help students understand why you are including and excluding certain information.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and cross words or phrases out. Have students copy a few of these errors too. This will allow them to see that they can change their mind or fix errors.

Once you have completed the paragraph, color code the text. This will allow students to visually see the components of a body paragraph.

5. Introduce Types of Elaborations

Once students have seen you model a body paragraph, focus on the elaboration within the paragraph.

Introduce the four types of elaborations most frequently used within text-based writing.

• Definition: tells the meaning of an unfamiliar word
• Anecdote: a short story inserted into the text
• Example: provides specific cases, samples, or instances
• Scenario: a description of a possible event 

Provide Students with Opportunities to Practice

Although this is not a specific step in teaching writing, it is included because it is important to give students multiple opportunities to practice.

Depending on your students, you may want to focus on certain areas of a text-based writing lesson when you offer opportunities to practice. Do not feel the need to have students complete an entire prompt each time they write, especially at the start of the school year. 

Starting off with an overview, then moving on to certain parts before moving on to a complete essay can be a great way to scaffold this process for students. Offering students the opportunity to refer back to their opinion writing anchor charts as they write is also a key component to helping them become proficient writers.

Looking for More Support with Opinion Writing Anchor Charts?

Hopefully, these tips have helped you organize your beginning opinion writing lessons. 

If you would like the opinion writing anchor charts discussed, you can click on the image to take a closer look.

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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. And, check out examples from classrooms like yours.

What is an anchor chart?

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 students can see it and refer to it when students 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 multi-syllabic 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, if you need to, create the frame ahead of time. 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

Take our tips to use anchor charts like a pro!

Use Color Strategically

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 to undercut your message.

Use visuals

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.

Have students do the work

Create a living anchor chart by having students add to anchor charts 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

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 to 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

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

Use them as a companion to read-alouds.

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 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 18 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 ., you might also like.

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Anchor Charts 101: Why and How to Use Them

• Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Anchor charts are a valuable tool in the classroom for both teachers and students. They are visual displays that capture important information and concepts for easy reference. In this article, we will explore why anchor charts are important and how to effectively use them in the classroom.

The main purpose of anchor charts is to serve as a visual reminder of key concepts and information. They help students remember important details, processes, or steps by providing a visual representation. By having the information displayed in a prominent location, students can easily refer to it throughout a lesson or unit. This visual support aids in comprehension, retention, and application of the material being taught.

One of the benefits of anchor charts is that they promote student engagement and participation. By involving students in the creation of the charts, they become more invested in the learning process. Students can contribute their ideas, thoughts, and knowledge to the chart, making it a collaborative effort. This active participation encourages critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the content.

Furthermore, anchor charts serve as a reference tool for both teachers and students. Teachers can use them as a teaching aid during instruction, directing students’ attention to key points and concepts. They can also serve as a checklist or reminder for teachers to cover all important aspects of a lesson. For students, the charts provide a resource to refer back to when reviewing or completing assignments. They can be particularly helpful for students who benefit from visual aids or have learning differences.

To create effective anchor charts, consider the following tips:

• Keep it simple and visually appealing: Use clear and concise language, along with simple visuals, to convey information. Avoid clutter and excessive decoration that may distract from the main message.
• Use color coding and emphasis techniques: Highlight important information using colors, bold letters, underlining, or other visual cues. This helps draw attention to key concepts and makes the chart more visually engaging.
• Organize information logically: Arrange the content on the chart in a logical and sequential manner. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to structure the information and make it easier to navigate.
• Make it interactive: Allow space for students to contribute to the chart. This can be done by using sticky notes, markers, or other interactive elements that can be added or removed as needed.
• Display the chart in a visible location: Place the anchor chart in a prominent location where students can easily see and refer to it. Consider positioning it near the whiteboard or in a designated learning area.

In conclusion, anchor charts are a powerful teaching tool that supports student learning and engagement. By using simple visuals and concise information, these charts serve as a visual reminder of important concepts. Remember to involve students in the creation process and make the charts interactive. With effective use of anchor charts, educators can enhance instruction and help students internalize key information.

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Dianna Radcliff

Teaching Upper Elementary & more

The Best Anchor Charts

February 6, 2018 by Dianna Radcliff

The Best Anchor Charts for your ELA classroom all together in one place! You will find outlines to utilize in Reading Literature, Reading Informational, Writing and Language. 

Explained in this blog post is about the purpose of utilizing anchor charts in your daily instruction. Along with tips to organize your charts.

Below is a collection of anchor charts that have been used during instruction in my classroom. The goal of putting this blog post together is to help fellow educators.

The Purpose of Anchor Charts:

To being, anchor charts are a non-negotiable addition for my instruction. These visuals are looked at as a learning tool for my students and myself, ultimately becoming an instructional and learning strategy. Also, charts are a tool that not only supports the instructional goals of a lesson, but support students’ ongoing learning of the lesson.

These outlines are created to capture the content delivered in instruction. Along with building upon strategies and previous standards taught.

Finally, visuals created in lessons need to be accessible to students throughout the school year. They also help to create a visual imprint for students to refer back to when needed.

Anchor Chart Organization Tips:

• Labels – In the top of each anchor chart, label them by standards, category, skill, strategy, etc… This allows students an additional reference point.

• Always make ACADEMIC LANGUAGE stand out to help immerse students in the formal language. For example, use bold letters, capital letters, red markers, underline… Doing so allows you to slip in ACADEMIC LANGUAGE  instruction which benefits students on future assessments. 
• Anchor charts are meant to anchor a lesson, therefore to save time you can always create the outline, but leave open spaces to complete with students during lesson.

• Create images and sections in your anchor chart to organize information. 

Anchor Chart Examples:

Here are the anchor charts I have created in my 5th Grade ELA Classroom:

(Side Note: I use my own ideas, my students ideas and online ideas for these charts. Credit to all the fabulous teachers who have posted images of classroom visuals online, there are so many fabulous teacher-authors to give credit to, along with the shared ideas within my school buildings. Thank you for helping me instructionally and my students.)

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EL Education Curriculum

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• ELA 2019 G8:M3:U2:L1

Write an Informative Essay: Analyze a Model

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

• Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Materials from previous lessons, new materials, closing & assessments, you are here:.

• ELA 2019 Grade 8
• ELA 2019 G8:M3
• ELA 2019 G8:M3:U2

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Focus Standards:  These are the standards the instruction addresses.

• RL.8.5, W.8.2, W.8.4, L.8.1a

Supporting Standards:  These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

• RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4, RL.8.10
• I can identify the parts of a model literary analysis essay and explain the purpose of each. ( W.8.2 )
• I can determine criteria for an effective literary analysis essay. ( W.8.2, W.8.4 )
• I can explain the function of gerund and infinitive phrases. ( L.8.1a )
• Opening A: Entrance Ticket
• Work Time A: Annotated, color-coded Model Literary Analysis Essay: Relationship of Structure to Meaning ( W.8.2, W.8.4 )
• Work Time B: Annotated Informative Writing Checklist ( W.8.2, W.8.4 )
• Work Time C: Selected and Constructed Response Questions: Gerund and Infinitive Phrases ( L.8.1a )

• Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1
• Model Literary Analysis Essay: Relationship of Structure to Meaning
• Informative Writing checklist
• Read the Paint an Essay lesson plan to review the color-coding and purpose of each choice of color.
• Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 at each student's workspace.
• Review the anchor charts used in this lesson: Structure anchor chart and Characteristics of a Literary Analysis Essay anchor chart.
• Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

• Work Time B: Convert the Model Literary Analysis Essay: Relationship of Structure to Meaning, and invite students to complete it in an online format—for example, http://eled.org/0158 .
• Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules 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 8.I.B.6 and 8.I.B.8.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

• To support ELLs, this lesson includes scaffolded work with analyzing a model compare and contrast essay that uses the Painted Essay® format and analyzing the structure of texts. Students will consider the structure of Maus I and the way in which the author uses dialogue, chronology, and flashbacks to tell his father’s story. Students will participate in a mini lesson on the form and function of gerunds and infinitives and the relationships between words and phrases in sentences (L.8.1a, L.8.5b). The lesson includes collaborative discussion and familiar routines to help students navigate both the writing and language content and skills that they will encounter.
• ELLs may find it challenging to navigate the breadth of concepts and tasks presented in this lesson. Students will be exploring a number of things for the first time: structure in texts, a compare and contrast essay format that identifies similarities and differences in structure within texts, and the grammatical concept of verbals. Encourage students to consider all that they already learned that will inform their work in each portion of this lesson and refer back to content and concepts from Modules 1 and 2 where possible.
• gerund, infinitive (A)

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Paint an Essay lesson plan (for teacher reference) (from Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 6, Work Time A)

Painted Essay® Template (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 6, Work Time B)

• Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 (answers for teacher reference)
• Model Literary Analysis Essay: Relationship of Structure to Meaning (example for teacher reference)
• Characteristics of a Literary Analysis Essay anchor chart (one for display)
• Informative Writing checklist (example for teacher reference)
• Gerund and Infinitive Phrases anchor chart (example for teacher reference)
• Gerund and Infinitive Phrases anchor chart (one for display; co-created in Work Time C)
• Selected and Constructed Response Questions: Gerund and Infinitive Phrases (answers for teacher reference)
• Structure anchor chart (one for display)
• Homework: Gist, Theme, and Infinitive Phrases (answers for reference) (see Homework Resources)
• Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 1 (one per student)
• Model Literary Analysis Essay: Relationship of Structure to Meaning (one per student)
• Informative Writing checklist (one per student and one for display)
• Selected and Constructed Response Questions: Gerund and Infinitive Phrases (one per student)
• Homework: Gist, Theme, and Infinitive Phrases (one per student; see Homework Resources)
• Homework Resources (for families) (see Homework Resources)

Each unit in the 6-8 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 students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

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Effective Ways to Use Anchor Papers in the Classroom

Anchor papers. Example essays. Guide papers. Exemplars. Sample essays. Whatever you call them, they are designed to make slightly more objective a subjective process—the evaluation of student writing.

Whom Sample Essays Are For

Anchor sets are designed for the paid readers who are scoring the essays; they are not designed specifically for teachers or their students. The sets are, however, invaluable as classroom tools. They can provide insight into each score point in a way the rubric cannot.

How Anchor Papers Are Chosen

A set of anchor papers can be created in a number of ways, but the methods I’ve experienced pull them from field tests or the actual responses to the prompt given under high-stakes conditions.

I’ve been on several committees that choose these anchor papers, and this is how it typically works: Ahead of time, a coordinator pulls essays that appear to fit a specific score point. A larger group of teachers then debates each choice. We have asked questions like this:

Is this response typical for this score point?

Will the use of this essay create clarity or confusion readers/scorers? (In other words, Is it an outlier?)

What are the specific elements of the essay that make it fit?

Can we articulate to readers why this essay fits?

In other circumstances, a group of teachers will do some preliminary scoring, and a coordinator or question leader will choose from that stack samples that had consensus in scores. (If the readers were all over the place on any given essay, that one won’t make the guide set.)

Advisory committees will come to blows over certain issues, and the issue that I’ve seen the most is conventions. Rubrics need to be crystal clear with guidance on usage and mechanics; if they aren’t, a sentence-diagramming stickler is going to be at the table with a teacher who believes that usage requirements are racist and classist, and the process is going to get ugly. The conventions element on a rubric can be as simple as “Usage and mechanics contribute rather than distract” or as detailed as line items about comma splices and homophones.

When I was a secondary ELA curriculum specialist, I served on the North Carolina Writing Advisory Committee for our Grade 7 assessment. There were twenty or so teachers and specialists seated in a large square with the testing company suits at one of the tables. A representative of the company would pass out a paper copy of an actual student response to the prompt. We would read it and debate the characteristics of that essay and where we thought it fit.

If we could not come to agreement, that response did not make it into the anchor set.

How Anchor Sets are Used in Scoring

Student samples are for initial training and refresh calibration. When readers are learning how to apply the rubric, they get a lot of practice with scoring. By the end of initial training, a reader can usually grade accurately and quickly (and by quickly I mean more quickly than pre-calibration).

I’ve scored online for the SAT and live for the AP Language exam, and the training processes were drastically different. For the old SAT writing section, we were shown examples at each score point and then given fresh responses and asked to apply the rubric, what at the time was a fairly straightforward six-point tool. Once we were scoring accurately with consistency, then we were set free to score. If, during the scoring, a reader’s evaluations began to stray, that person would be kicked off the live reading and sent into a re-calibration process. Being “off” meant that the reader was more than one score point away from another reader on the same essay, and the scoring supervisor sided with the other reader.

In a two-reader scoring system, there is a built-in checks and balances mechanism. If I give a response a 4 and another reader gives it a 2, that response would get flagged and re-scored by someone higher up the food chain. This unfortunate circumstance happened to me once during remote a remote SAT reading because I scored just two responses and then answered a phone call without logging out. One of my two scores was off, and I was sent into a tedious calibration process that was intended to get me lined back up to the rubric.

With a one-reader system, calibration is even more important. The AP Language and Literature exam questions get one reader per response.

I’ve done one live AP Lang reading with a rhetorical analysis prompt and the old nine-point rubric. We looked at example after example after example, hashed them out together, and created for ourselves a stack of examples at each score point. During the reading, I had nine paper clipped stacks of student samples at my station. If I ever got stuck on a score, I would go back and read essays at a couple of different score points and decide where the new one best fit. We were trained back then to decide first if an essay would land on the upper section or the lower section of the rubric and then to drill down from there.

Right after being trained, I was pretty good at the initial assignment of upper or lower. I was, however, a little too generous at the top and a little too harsh at the bottom. My table leader—an incredibly patient teacher who was scoring behind me because I was new—came to me and pointed out that I was a little off and asked me to go back and read student samples at specific score points. She needed to get me lined up better with the rubric.

Here’s what I appreciated about our alignment with the rubrics at that reading: Every single time we came back from a break, we scored an essay or two as a whole group of 200 readers. This exercise served to calibrate us so that we were in agreement.

How to Calibrate Scoring

Calibration is the process of keeping a scorer or reader consistent with the requirements of the rubric.

In a former life, I was the writing curriculum specialist for a large school district, and I trained teachers in both writing instruction and scoring on the rubric used for the state assessment. This is how I calibrated my teachers, often in very large groups:

• Give each teacher a copy of the rubric and one student essay. Each teacher scores the essay without any discussion and sets that paper to the side. I do not give the score.
• I have every single teacher give me a score, and I write them all down on chart paper and set that chart to the side. We get a laugh out of how far apart the scores are.

Why are they so far apart? Teachers are coming to the rubric from different writing backgrounds, different expectations for their students, etc. They are often applying their own standards, not those of the rubric.

• We spend time looking at the tool itself, making sure we’re all clear about the language being used and the skills required by students. (One of the terminology issues that almost drove me to drink was the wide variety of ways teachers referred to commentary. Not only were teachers using analysis, evaluation, explanation, extension, and elaboration at the reading, they weren’t even using the same terminology at their grade levels or schools. I do a whole lesson on language consistency in my course The Confident Student Writer .)
• We spend hours looking at student samples, debating their characteristics at tables, deciding on scores in small groups, and then checking in with the large group. By the end of that training piece, teachers at each table are usually within a point of one another and are accurately applying the rubric.
• Now I pull out that original chart paper and have the teachers look at the first essay with fresh (but trained) eyes. We then repeat the original exercise and put all the scores on the paper for all to see. This moment is my favorite piece of the whole workshop. A whole room full of teachers goes from scattered to aligned, and it’s so fun to watch their reactions as they hear the same number called out over and over and over.
• I then talk briefly about being comfortable with any score that is one above or one below, announce the score, and enjoy the cheering.

Fighting the Standardized Rubric

I came up as a classroom teacher during the introduction to writing rubrics. For years and years and years, I would read an essay and say aloud something like, “Eh, feels like a B.” I wasn’t the only one; that’s how we all graded essays in the early nineties. An essay that would earn a B from me might earn a D from another teacher. What a mess. (It makes you look sideways at the awarding of valedictorian honors when students are being judged by different standards, doesn’t it?)

We learned how to use and create matrix rubrics, straight point rubrics, and no-point rubrics on which we only marked the skills we were looking for in that particular assignment. Even then we were doing crazy things like not showing the students the rubric until they had completed the work, as if the veiled mystery of grading would be revealed and ruined if we told students ahead of time exactly what we wanted.

So now we know better. Students get the rubric ahead of the production of the piece so that they know what skills the teacher wants to see. Now we’re getting to a pedagogically appropriate use of the tool.

How Standardized Prompt Rubrics Are Created

So how do rubrics work with a standardized test like the ACT or one of the AP English exams? A group of people get together and, using the language of the curriculum being taught, develop criteria to help readers recognize what those skills would look like if being executed.

For example, what exactly does it mean to show evidence? A rubric can reward a student whose evidence is both relevant and of high quality. There also has to be enough of it! A rubric might reward these elements separately, and a group of people—typically people well versed in (and with experience teaching) said curriculum—set the rubric. So we start with a small group of hand-selected people who decided how to reward the demonstration of a set of skills and processes.

Then it’s over. Once a rubric has been codified, evaluated, run through focus groups, strained through a field test, and baptized, it is not to be questioned, at least not at a reading.

SO DON’T FIGHT THE RUBRIC.

When training teachers to score on a rubric, I often hear evaluation of the instrument itself. It runs something like

It puts too much focus on conventions.

This flies in the face of current research.

Do they really expect students to be this sophisticated in their thinking? I know mine aren’t.

By the time a rubric for a standardized writing assessment makes its way to a classroom teacher, it is what it is. It is the standard. When we fight the tool, we just slow ourselves down or mis-score because we know better than the people who created the rubric.

Don’t do it. Waste of time.

Do you teach rhetorical analysis? Could you use a little help with commentary? Grab this anchor chart.

Using Guide Papers in the Classroom

There are so many fun ways to use guide papers with students. Here are some highly effective strategies you could implement tomorrow:

• After students have responded to a prompt, do a full-fledged calibration exercise with the whole class as described above. The activity works quite well virtually if that’s your situation, and you can simply open up Jamboard and write the scores there.
• Later in the year, host a light-hearted Calibration Competition after each timed practice. Put students in pairs, give each team a set of five responses at different score points, and read each essay one at a time. Each team writes down a score and two to three sentences defending that score. They must use language from the rubric! Have each team give a score and write them on the board. Announce the correct score, discuss using any notes provided by the Chief Reader or Question Leader for that question, and award one point to any team within one score point of that number. At the end, the award is something little like a few points on a low-stakes assignment, a homework pass, or some small office supply novelty like a three-prong highlighter. (My students would kill for these!)
• Use the student samples as models for specific skills; for example, students identify the thesis from a strong response and discuss what makes it work.
• Have students back map a response. If you give students a graphic organizer to help with planning, have them fill in that organizer in reverse with a response from the sample set. You might do this to show a balance of evidence and commentary or highlight gaps.
• Get students to compose a letter to the writer explaining what that person would need to do in order to move up one or two score points.
• If using a three-row rubric like that now used for the AP English exams, have students use three different colors to highlight what made a specific response earn a specific score on each row. (I have created student-friendly versions of the AP Lang free response rubrics. Y ou can get those for free here .)

Want to stretch your brain (and your patience with fellow humans)? I need to create an anchor set for a synthesis prompt. Want your students to do the writing? I’ll send you the prompt for free. Just email me at [email protected] . You can read more about my approach to the AP Language Question 1 prompt here:

AP Language Synthesis Review Tips

How to Guide Students Toward Better Image Analysis

I’m a recovering high school English teacher and curriculum specialist with a passion for helping teachers leave school at school. I create engaging, rigorous curriculum resources for secondary ELA professionals, and I facilitate workshops to help those teachers implement the materials effectively.

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Writing with Anchor Text: Teaching Students How to Quote and Paraphrase

What is anchor text?

Anchor text is a piece of text that matches the topic or writing prompt. It’s used for the purpose of supporting the student’s opinions and/or ideas during opinion, argumentative, and explanatory writing.

Where can I find anchor text?

Everywhere! NewsELA and Time for Kids are my favorite for opinion and argumentative writing. For explanatory writing I often use pictures books about the topic that I check out from the library.

How much of the text should students use?

Students should choose 2-3 quotes from the text to support their own ideas. Often when you give students a text about the same topic they’re supposed to write about, they copy as much of it as they can. They just don’t know any better in elementary school, which is why these lessons are so important. Before students even read the anchor text, they should have some of their own ideas for the writing mapped out.

What should students quote?

Students should quote the parts of the text that support their own ideas. The strongest quotes are statistics and data. Since we don’t have the means to go out and poll a large group of people, we rarely have our own statistics to use in our writing.

How do students cite their sources?

The Common Core Standards say that in text citation is all they need in elementary. I do have my 6th grade students fully cite their sources when we do our research reports. It’s a good way to practice the formatting to prepare for high school and college!

We also use sentence starters to quote text. Below is a page from our Reading interactive notebooks that we use for this!

How do students organize the information?

It’s truly about teaching students balance when using anchor text for  their own writing. I tell my students that I LOVE hearing their unique ideas, so the majority of their essay should be made up of those. I get so excited when I see them supporting their ideas with quotes from the anchor text!

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April began her career as a 5th grade teacher in 2008 and quickly developed a passion for creating engaging educational materials to share with fellow teachers. She now works with districts around the country, training their teachers and leaders on how to implement research-based strategies and differentiation techniques that meet the needs of diverse learners.

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Anchor Charts for Persuasive Writing

Children's sense of fairness provides powerful motivation for persuasive writing. In this mini-lesson, an analysis of this genre and a graphic organizer help students succeed. This clip is excerpted from Stenhouse Publishers' "Inside Notebooks."

Home » Anchor Charts » Informational Writing Anchor Charts—What Types There Are

Informational Writing Anchor Charts—What Types There Are

Teaching writing can be challenging. Students have different learning abilities and take more or less time to take in information about writing and various styles. In the early stages, they all struggle with consistency in their writing and often overlap between writing styles and formats, which only practice and repetition can fix.

An anchor chart is a great tool to help you with that. This chart can help them visualize different writing concepts and stay on track while writing. They can use it as a reminder they can always go back to when they get stuck .

In this article, we’ll explain what types of informational writing anchor charts there are. We’ll also show you how to find top-quality anchor charts on Teach Simple.

Table of Contents

What is an informational writing anchor chart, different types of informational writing anchor charts, what you should look for in a good informational writing anchor chart, use teach simple to find informational writing anchor charts easily, informational writing resources from teachsimple, informational writing anchor charts from other sources, thoughts to take away about informational writing anchor charts.

An informational writing anchor chart is a teaching resource that helps students get a visual idea of what informational writing is. It also gives them a reference point during revision . As such, your anchor charts should be colorful and playfully designed so that students can memorize information more easily and find learning about it more fun.

You should use these charts to help your students distinguish between informational writing and other forms of writing. For example, you should show that they need to present facts and information in a specific, unbiased way, while opinion writing should focus on their opinion and feelings.

Depending on your lesson objective , you can use various anchor charts to help you present the information to students. Informational writing anchor charts can focus on different writing formats, ideas to enhance the writing style, or general approaches to writing.

The most common types of writing anchor charts are:

• How-to writing anchor chart
• Adding details anchor chart
• Thesis anchor chart
• Letter format anchor chart

The point of informational writing is to tell the reader something. A good anchor chart must make this clear. It should be stated that the aim of informational writing is to explain something, by giving points and evidence.

The chart will thus make it clear that the content is important. It must also make sure the students know that the way the content is organized is also important. This means that a good informational writing anchor chart must have at least two elements:

• An explanation of what elements should be included in a piece of informational writing.

This can be done by using a text, or giving specific examples on the chart.

• An outline template to serve as a guide to structuring a good piece of informational writing.

A good informational writing chart must also tell the students that the technique is to write the content step-by-step. This can be demonstrated to them using an example. Even more effectively, they can do an activity where they are given a template and the must follow certain steps, or answer key questions.

How-To Writing Anchor Chart

How-to writing consists of explaining the process of something to the reader. Students should think of the steps the reader needs to take in order to complete something. A how-to writing chart should show students they have to focus on the structure to make instructions clear to readers. This chart can also be split into several charts that explain different text elements, such as introduction, body, and conclusion.

Adding Details to Writing Anchor Chart From Fishy Robb

Students tend to keep their writing minimalistic, but that’s rarely by design. An adding details anchor chart helps them enrich their writing by giving them something they can look to for more details until it becomes natural for them to start writing more colorfully by themselves.

This chart should have several segments to it, including:

• Visual description
• Emotional description

Thesis Anchor Chart From Teaching With A Mountain View

A thesis statement is the main idea statement that lets readers know what they’re going to read about without being too direct about it. A thesis anchor chart introduces various statement starters and examples in which you should use them. You can make these charts interactive by getting students to make up a sentence for each starter.

The most common thesis statement starters include:

• Even though

Letter Format Anchor Chart From Mrs. Ferrari’s Grade 3 Class!

Writing letters has strict rules you should abide by. Every letter has a format it needs to stick to and different sentences you have to use, depending on who you’re sending the letter to and for what reason. A letter format anchor chart lets students remind themselves about different rules, such as when to use faithfully or sincerely , whether they should go formal or informal, and so on.

Creating informational writing anchor charts can be time-consuming, especially if you’re not too familiar with the process. If you’re looking for anchor charts online, you should use a trustworthy source, such as Teach Simple.

Teach Simple offers thousands of lesson plans , anchor charts, and other materials for students from preschool to high school. The platform covers dozens of subjects and topics, including writing. The best part is that all contributors are experienced teachers who know what it takes to keep students engaged and motivated to learn.

Informational Essay Prompt on Hurricanes and Outline Sheet with articles By Educate and Create

This is an informational resource about How are Hurricanes Formed? It is aimed at Grades 5 – 8. You can create your own anchor chart from the content of the resource. The pack includes two articles and a graph that you can use as a reference. There is an outline sheet for the structure of an expository essay, which you can use as a template for the anchor chart. Work with the students to fill this in, then they can write the essay on their own. You can also use the basic pattern as the template to write from other sources.

Trail of Tears Informative Writing Unit By Life Beyond the Gradebook

This Trail of Tears Informative Writing Unit is a whole resource pack. It is aimed at grades 3 – 6. The pack contains a poster that you can use as an anchor chart. The aim of the unit is to teach the students the process of informational writing. Students can work with the three articles that are supplied. Part of the resource is a guide to construct a response to the texts. You can also use the graphic organizer as the basis for a referential anchor chart in your class.

How To Wash A Dog By Simply Schoolgirl

This resource guides the students How to Wash a Dog . It is aimed at Grades 1 – 3. Three anchor charts are part of the contents of the pack. You can display these in the class, or use them as the basis of individual or group work. One of the anchor charts is an editing checklist the students can apply to their writing. You can use the anchor chart on transition words to teach the students the vocabulary, or revise words they already know.

Informational Paragraph Writing Graphic Organizer By The Language of Learning

This Graphic Organizer is the perfect template to teach students to plan and structure an informational paragraph. You can also print the chart as a worksheet the students can use when you give them an exercise to write an informational piece of writing. A good way to use this template would be as part of a group work assignment. Give the students a piece of informational writing to work on in groups. Each student could be assigned a paragraph to work on, using this sheet as a guide.

Informational Writing From Mama Teaches

This chart gives important for Informative Writing. This eye-catching chart is a memorable and engaging method to introduce the idea of informational writing. The image has been used effectively to show the logic of the way an informational text develops logically.

Informational Writing From The Creative Colorful Classroom

This anchor chart on Informational Writing is great to be used in the lower grades, but can be adapted for just about any grade. What is most valuable about the chart is the use of a real idea to work with. This chart and image of a hand were used to assist students with the structure of an informational writing work.

Informational Text Structures From Teaching With A Mountain View

This anchor chart is presented in the form of a game based on Text Structured Sort . The approach is an impressive way of teaching the students about how to structure an informational text. The different columns identify different aspects of a text. There are 20 cards, each with a sentence written on it. The cards work in sets of five that can be put on the chart to create a short informational paragraph on one of the topics. The students can solve the ‘puzzle’ of filling in all the blanks. You can also simply use the basic chart as a template for the students to work on their own topics.

Informational Writing From Ashleigh’s Education Journey

This chart presents the logical structure of a piece of Informational Writing . You can take the students through the numbered steps to teach them to structure their work. Begin by leaving the blocks blank. Then, guide the students through what they need for each stage of the writing. When you have the plan on the chart like in the picture, the students can use it as a guide to write specific informational texts.

Introduce The Topic From Asleigh’s Education Journey

This is a fairly straightforward chart that aids the students in determining how to present their topic. It drives home to the pupils how well-structured informational writing is. This is also made clear and the internal structure of the writing is identified by the steps that are stated.

You can sign up for Teach Simple for free during a 30-day trial and make unlimited downloads free of charge. You’ll find thousands of informational writing anchor charts and other charts for writing.

Check out our top pick:

• Writing With a Purpose Anchor Chart
• Anchor Charts for Writing
• Trail of Tears Informative Writing Unit
• How to Wash a Dog – Writing and Sequencing Activity
• How To Mail a Letter—Writing and Sequencing Activity
• How To Make a Valentine—Writing and Sequencing Activity
• Organizing Writing Paragraphs Worksheet
• How To Carve a Pumpkin—Writing and Sequencing Activity
• How To Wash a Car—Writing and Sequencing Activity
• Types of Expository Writing Worksheet
• How To Decorate a Christmas Tree—Writing and Sequencing Activity
• Tell Us About It Expository Writing Activity
• Story Writing Organizer
• Daily Bell Ringers Writing Prompts for Winter
• Informational Paragraph Writing Graphic Organizer
• Reading and Writing in Cursive
• Comparing Expository Texts Worksheet

Because informational writing needs to be precise and well-structured, anchor charts are one of the best tools to use when teaching this form. A good anchor chart will present an outline for organizing the content of the text logically and efficiently. It will also allow the students to work at writing their own informational texts while using a pattern.

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Jane B has been in education for 37 years, teaching at all levels of school and at university, with extensive experience in developing educational resources.

We have a lot of interesting articles and educational resources from a wide variety of authors and teaching professionals.

What Is An Opinion Writing Anchor Chart And Where To Find One Online

How to use a rounding anchor chart and where to get one online.

Last Updated on September 10, 2023 by Teach Simple

Classroom Freebies

June 23, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Types of Writing Anchor Chart

6-8 · All Freebies

This handy anchor chart reminds students of the purposes of the four types of writing: narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive.

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Comparing & Contrasting: Writing Anchor Chart & Graphic Organizers

Add these compare and contrast graphic organizers and anchor chart to your writing workshop collection.

This is another free resource for busy teachers from The Curriculum Corner.

These compare and contrast graphic organizers and compare and contrast writing stems will help you prep your students for writing.

It is always helpful to work with your students during planning so that writing is less stressful.

Our graphic organizers are designed to help your students identify important points to include in their writing.

When used for writing workshop, completing one of these planners will help students get ready to write. 

As always, be sure to be specific about your expectations. Are a few words ok in each section? Or, is this the final writing product so you would like sentences?

Writing Stems

Once they are ready to turn their planning into writing, share the compare and contrast anchor chart.

The anchor chart contains a variety of sentence stems for compare and contrast writing. 

How else can the compare and contrast graphic organizers be used?

While these were intended to be planners for writing, these might also be a useful tool for close reading.

These can help students synthesize important parts of their reading. 

Writing Tips

Be sure to share your expectations before students begin writing! 

Some considerations might be:

• How many paragraphs should the resulting essay be?
• What is the minimum length for each paragraph? 
• What tools should be used for spelling? Word wall? Dictionary? Sound it out?
• Appearance – writing neatly, evenly spaced words, indented paragraphs. Provide a writing checklist if these are pieces that you want students to pay attention to.

You can download these free compare and contrast graphic organizers and anchor chart here:

Anchor Chart & Organizers

You might also like these other free materials from our site:

• Opinion Writing Unit of Study
• Compare & Contrast Center

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.

4 Graphic Organizers to Compare and Contrast - Teach Junkie

Saturday 14th of November 2015

[…] Continue Reading On The Blog […]

Compare & Contrast Center Activity

Friday 10th of July 2015

[…] You will find additional resources here:  Comparing & Contrasting: Writing Anchor Chart and Graphic Organizers […]

Tuesday 4th of February 2014

The organizers are great!! Thanks

What are Anchor Charts for Science and 9 Helpful Ones You Should be Using

What are anchor charts?  Simply stated, anchor charts for science are a tool used to support instruction.  They “anchor” a student’s understanding of scientific concepts.  They capture the most important content or overarching theme within the Next Generation Science Standards.  In short, anchor charts bring a student’s thinking alive and keeps scientific concepts at the forefront of a student’s mind. 

Before we begin our discussion on anchor charts in the science classroom, you may also be on the search for an engaging lab simulation, video, or literacy text to go along with your upcoming lesson. If you’d like to have more time to create your anchor charts, we’ve put together a major time-saving resource:  THE Ultimate Guide of Online Resources for teaching science. The guide is FULL of clickable links to tried and true websites that will help drive home that concept you are teaching. You can grab yours, for FREE, here .

What are anchor charts in Science used for?

Now that you know what an anchor chart is, let’s talk about how you can use them.  Here are some basic uses and advantages in the science classroom:

• Keeps relevant and current learning accessible to students all year long.
• Encourages students to check their work or validate their discussion points.
• Assists students in making connections to new learning.
• Serves as a tool for academic support without direct input from teachers.
• Supports the ELL student by providing a picture along with words.
• Acts as a catalyst to activate students’ prior knowledge.
• Increases the depth and complexity of team discussions.
• Creates a visual reference library for students to engage with.
• Provides an added layer of scaffolding for struggling learners or those under the SPED umbrella.

How to plan and design anchor charts effectively:

When planning the design of your anchor charts, keep the following in mind:

• Plan with a purpose in mind. 
• Use the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to help guide your decisions on what content to incorporate into your anchor charts.  Specifically, look at the Science & Engineering Practice and the Disciplinary Core Ideas.
• Pick out the overarching ideas, concepts, and models that will be used throughout the year.
• Create the anchor charts with your students.  As a teacher, you will need to plan out what headers and graphics you want to be included. Then, have students help you enter the content information.
• Make the anchor charts colorful.
• Keep them simple and neat.
• Use real-world models / pictures.
• They don’t need to be a work of art. They DO need to be content-rich.

How to use anchor charts in the science classroom:

Teacher Facing:

• Model your thinking.  When teaching, use the anchor charts to make connections between concepts.
• Use them to bring a concept to life.  Many of our students are visual learners, and a picture is worth 1000 words.
• Use anchor charts as a daily review before you move on to another concept.
• Remind students to use the anchor charts during independent or teamwork time.  This will save you, the teacher, precious time from having to revisit concepts over and over again.
• Use anchor charts to peak interest.  Keep the current unit up and the upcoming unit up at the same time.   Students will naturally start making connections to an upcoming unit of study as they learn the current one.

Student Facing:

• Exit ticket activity: 1.  Draw a quick model and write a 2-3 sentence summary.  2.  Braindump:  students pick an anchor chart (or you pick one) and write down everything they know.  You can differentiate this by allowing students to draw models that depict the concept.  
• Use them as a review for state testing.  Provide them with the main header (domain) and students work in pairs or as a team to fill in all they know about that topic.  Then meet as a whole class to discuss.
• Allow students to organize their thinking in their science journals.  Have them draw the anchor charts in their notebooks.  If you go this route, you will need to train your students to refer back to these anchor charts during independent practice, homework, or as a review for a test or end-of-year testing.  This helps a student to take ownership.

Here are 9 different anchor charts you should be using:

We are all familiar with anchor charts within the elementary ages.  However, anchor charts in a science classroom can be just as valuable, if not more so to help students grasp a scientific concept, understand a frequently used academic word, or be reminded on how to write a conclusion on a lab report.  

We have talked about having students help in the creation of the anchor chart, and having students reproduce the anchor charts in their science journal.  Below we will be highlighting 9 different anchor charts that we feel are most effective in the science classroom.  As these anchor charts are “done-for-you” examples, having students reproduce them in their science journals is a great strategy to incorporate.

#1: Academic Language

These are 48 of the most highly used words within the NGSS, Crosscutting Concepts and Common Core .  By using academic language, students are repeatedly exposed to both general academic and content-specific words within a discipline.  Repeated exposure and use of such terms help students to be able to remember and retrieve information learned.  Success in a science classroom relies on a student’s ability to understand and use new vocabulary words. You can read more about the importance of academic language here.

#2 Crosscutting Concepts

The Next Generation Science Standards Cross-Cutting Concepts are important to students because they help students form a deeper understanding of science and engineering.  And, it gives them the tools they need to investigate and problem solve.  You can read more about the NGSS Crosscutting Concepts here .  These Crosscutting Concepts posters are broken down into student-friendly definitions and depict the concept in real-world scenarios.

#3: “How-To” posters

Do you ever get tired of answering the same question a bajillion times a day?  Or maybe you see the same mistakes over and over again when it comes to writing a hypothesis or the conclusion on a lab report.  “How-To” posters help alleviate all of that.  

#4:  Word Wall

I can hear it all now…  a wall full of words doesn’t really do much.  In actuality, if it is just a wall full of words — it becomes a distraction.  But think about an INTERACTIVE word wall!  This is a wall that not only has focus words, it also includes a picture and a student-friendly definition.  BOOM!  Differentiation at its best.

This type of word wall is inclusive to our struggling learners, ELL population, and those under the SPED umbrella.  Not only that, when you add a “connection component”, you have now added extensions to all learners including advanced learners.  In the word wall picture above, you will notice there are 3 boxes at the bottom of the page.  Those are there so when students make a connection with the word or see the word in action in the real world, they can grab a sticky note to record their findings.  Students will then place that sticky note on the word wall chart.

#5 Scientific Method and Engineering Design

Students often confuse the Scientific Method and the Engineering Design Process.  By including BOTH kinds of anchor charts on the wall, students can easily differentiate between the two.  Such posters are also an anchor when completing labs or their science fair project.

#6 Variables

One of my favorite items of discussion in ALL the labs we do in class is to figure out the variables.  These anchor charts are by far one of the most used in our class.  Students refer to these daily.  As the year goes on, I see their confidence build as they are able to readily pick out the variables.  

#7 Different graph types

Graphing can be a hard concept to grasp.  Many students struggle with which type of graph is best to use in different labs.  Anchor charts are a great way in helping them to make the decision as to the proper graph.  It also helps solidify their experiment.  Are they seeing growth over time?  Maybe they are needing to compare data or show percentages.  Graph charts are king.

#8  Periodic Table

What is a science room without a periodic table?  As we here @theteachersupstairs stress differentiation in our classrooms, we like to make our periodic table just a bit more awesome!  We include pictures of the elements so students not only get the information to make calculations but can also see the elements in action.  Again, this strategy is perfect for struggling learners, our ELL population, and students under the SPED umbrella.  Here is a quick video giving some more detail.

#9  Lab Rules

Above all, when teaching science, we need to keep our students safe.  What may seem common sense to you may not be so for another.  Having specific rules for lab safety is a must.  If you would like some done-for-you lab safety posters, click here.

What are anchor charts?  In summary…

First, we talked about anchor charts in the science classroom.  Second, we outlined 9 things you should keep in mind when designing and then creating anchor charts.  Third, we discussed 9 ways on how to use them effectively.  Finally, we provided you with 9 different examples that are beneficial in the science classroom.

As a reminder, if you are wanting to spruce up your science lesson with the perfect online simulation, grab our free gift to you.  The Ultimate Guide of Online Resources for teaching science is just a click away.

For those who want to know more:

• Anchor Charts Implementation of the Strategy Research
• Anchor Charts: Making Thinking Visible
• Download your FREE Ultimate Guide of Online Resources for Teaching Science
• July 5, 2021

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