Anchor Chart Parts & Independent Reading Mats

-Anchor Charts- It's a love hate relationship for me...I love the value they add to my lessons and I hate making them!

Sometimes I use these anchor charts, which I love.

They are great because they are already prepared and they are bright and colorful with illustrations for the students. However, sometimes I need my anchor charts to be just a bit larger, and unfortunately I don't have a poster maker available to me.

For a while I tried to write out my anchor charts, but I can't lie- that just became a hassle and a major waste! Maybe this sounds familiar...there you are at the end of your reading mini lesson, the lesson was fantastic and you are creating an amazing anchor chart. It's the home stretch, all you have to do is write the word "independently". That's when it happens. You spell "indepdently". You attempt to squeeze in the missing "en" but of all times that is just not an option. Ahhhhhhh! You finish the lesson and know that during your planning period you will use another piece of your precious chart paper and create the chart ONE.MORE.TIME! :( If that has never happened to you, then you are just amazing...and I'm jealous.

On the days that I wasn't spelling words incorrectly on my anchor charts, my carpet looked like a circus by the end of my lesson. Ineffective.

After wasting too much of my precious time and chart paper, I started creating “Chart Parts” for my anchor charts. Here’s what I do…I print out the chart parts and laminate them. This way I can reuse the chart pieces each year. Next, I lay out the anchor chart and assemble (with tape) the “skeleton” of the anchor chart. I leave a space for the few important parts  of the anchor chart off, so that those pieces can be added in front of the students. To create my anchor charts, I like to use large (24x18 inch) construction paper or chart paper. *You can use and assemble however works best for you!* With everything laid out, I am able to finish the anchor chart with the students present in a snap! Sometimes I build the anchor charts piece by piece for multiple days.

If you are interested you can check out the first set of anchor chart parts {everything you need to create 8 anchor charts} and independent reading mats HERE!