Anchor charts are an awesome way to quickly display key concepts. They are versatile visual tools that can be used across all subject areas. Most likely, you and your students have put in a lot of time, energy, and brain power to make an anchor chart that truly captures the process, strategy, or results of your lesson. But teachers, you know the feeling. Anchor charts can start to take over the wall space in your classroom. Don't let the anchor charts weigh you down! Luckily, we have plenty of creative ideas about how to display, store, and organize anchor charts. Keep reading to find out new ways to keep your anchor charts as the essential part of classroom learning they are.
How to Organize Your Anchor Charts
Anchor charts are tools for learning. You will want to be able to access them easily, but how? Check out these creative ideas for anchor chart displays and organization
1. Clothes Rack
Use pants hangers to clip together anchor charts. Then hang them on a garment rack. Students can easily slide the pages and flip through to find the chart they need.
2. Magnetic Curtain Rod
Use a magnetic curtain rod and sliding rings. Punch holes in the top of the anchor chart o you can easily flip to the chart you need.
2. Strong Magnetic Hooks & Clips
Use a single strong magnetic hook. Clip the anchor charts together with binder clips or a pants hanger, and hang it from the hook. The great thing about hooks is that they can be easily placed all around the classroom, so you always have a spot ready for anchor charts (front of the room, small group table, center space, reading corner, etc.).
Use magnetic or heavy-duty clips to create an anchor chart bulletin board, and organizing anchor charts by subject.
Off the Walls! Creative anchor chart display ideas
Get the anchor chart off the walls and into the hands of your students with these tips for organizing anchor charts in out of the box ways.
1. Print & Paste
Take a picture of the anchor chart and print it on a smaller scale. Then have students paste the mini anchor chart into their notebooks for future reference.
2. Anchor Chart Binder
Take a picture or print out a digital anchor chart, and keep it in a 3-ring binder. Students can access these binders any time they need.
3. DIY Mini Anchor Chart Stand
We love a good DIY, and how cute is this mini anchor chart stand? Use it during small groups, centers, or place on individual student desks when needed. We love to use it for I Can statements, writing cues, and math strategies. For more on how to use mini anchor charts with students, click here.
Fun Ideas for Creating Anchor Charts
Need a refresher on creating an anchor chart with your class? Check out these helpful tips:
1. Print Poster Size Anchor Charts
Did you know that you can print poster-size anchor charts with a regular ol' printer? Find the how-to here, and watch our quick video tutorial here.
2. Make Ahead Anchor Charts
Make the outline of your anchor chart ahead of time. We love this short vowel anchor chart that students can use to fill in short vowel words. Or, use your projector or smart board to show a digital anchor chart. No place to print? Place a piece of chart paper over the chart, and trace. Then you can move the anchor chart around the room as needed.
Lucky Little Learners Anchor Charts
It's true, we love a good anchor chart. We have hundreds of digital anchor charts available for download through our All Access Membership. Here are just a few of our favorite anchor chart resources!
1. Lucky to Learn Math
Did you know that our Lucky to Learn Math curriculum comes with an anchor chart for every unit lesson? That's right – no more planning, prepping or drawing. We've got everything you need to make a classic anchor chart. Check one more thing off your list!
Get Lucky to Learn Math 2nd Grade
2. Lucky Little Toolkit
Our Lucky Little Toolkit has anchor charts for almost everything! Math, literacy, phonics, small group rules – there are so many anchor charts to choose from, you'll be glad you read this post on how to keep them organized!
Get Math Graphic Organizers & More
3. SEL Curriculum Anchor Charts
Our SEL curriculum includes blank anchor charts for character traits, as well as classroom expectations. You can check them out here.
What are your best tips for displaying and organizing anchor charts? We'd love to hear your tips and advice. Tell us in the comments below!
My students are 1-1 iPads so when I need to take an anchor chart down to make space, students take a picture of it with their iPad and store it in a folder by subject
Great idea! I usually print the anchor chart for their binder. We are not 1:1, but they could take the picture and then file the chart on their google drive. I want to go away from binders next year and teach them how to organize their drive.
ideas for using a bulletin board – nonmagnetic to hang ring to hold anchor charts?