Anchor charts help teachers create an engaging learning environment. Teachers alongside students are able to visualize their thinking. Anchor charts also foster independence giving students the resources to check their work and build on their ideas. Reinforcing lessons through creative scaffolding is the foundation of Anchor Charts.
In middle school, it is important to give students the resources of being independent. Although Anchor charts are super beneficial, there are also points to watch out for! Keeping anchor charts co-created and fixed to a specific lesson or unit plan is very important! Check out these literacy-standard-based anchor charts.
1. Fun with Figures!
Figurative language is very important throughout middle school. Figurative language guides readers to understand the text. Through Figurative Language, readers are able to imagine both the characters and events in a text. Don’t let your 6th graders fall behind use this colorful chart to keep them attracted. Allowing them to make their own personal flipbook could add a little extra creativity to learning Figurative Language!
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2. Track Traits of Writing
Traits of writing is a teaching method that benefits both students and teachers. Allowing teachers and students the space to focus on one or two elements of writing. Providing students with a scaffold similar to this anchor chart will allow them independently monitor their own writing success and allow them to do it at their own pace.
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3. Remember the Writing Process
By sixth grade, students have learned and used each phase of the writing process. At this point, students are building on the knowledge they already have. Integrating it into different forms of writing (think research and book reports). This anchor chart is a must-have to remind students and build independent, confident writers! Keep your students engaged and able to independently check in with this anchor chart during writing.
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4. Teaching theme
Differentiating between Theme and Main Idea is such an important aspect of reading, but is EXTREMELY difficult to teach. There are so many activities out there that help teach Theme, but providing a scaffold such as this anchor chart will provide students with a constant reminder. A proper approach to teaching Theme will guide students to understand and find the hidden messages within the books they read. Use this theme anchor chart to display the meaning of the story theme.
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5. Show me the evidence
Using evidence from a story is a foundational skill used throughout a student’s entire life. It’s natural to ask questions and make opinions about reading, but it’s essential to be able to answer those questions and support those opinions. Having students show their evidence demands them to look back in the text and cite the evidence. Use this chart and bring out the sticky notes during your evidence writing lessons!
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6. 6th Grade Book Review
Writing a successful book review is awesome for 6th Grade writers. Book reports and reviews give students the space to build structure and express their thoughts. They also provide teachers with a great assessment tool to track students’ understanding of their independent reading novels. Provide students with the tools like this anchor chart to make sure they are confident and have a full understanding of what is expected.
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7. Elevate the Elements
Story Elements help 6th-grade writers to understand what they are reading and properly comprehend the information. It’s very important for students to be able to pick out the different elements in a story independently. Having an anchor chart such as this at the beginning of a unit will provide students with constant reassurance throughout the entire unit. Sticky notes are also a great way to bring in student collaboration and help students chart during writing.
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8. RACE for Writing
The RACE for writing strategy will enhance student understanding of the rules of writing. Making this anchor chart with students will enhance student writing, while also helping them to better understand the writing process.
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9. Proportions, Proportions, Proportions
Middle school math is a whole new game for our students. Providing students with visuals has never been more important. Proportional Relationships are the answer to many real-life problems. This anchor chart is a great unit starter for teaching them!
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10. Word Cues
Word cues will be something students will use for the rest of their lives. Make sure you engrain those words with some handy visuals, like this chart. Specifically geared towards integers and the number system!
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11. Algebra Prep
Preparing for algebra can be stressful and even a bit shocking for our 6th graders. With this Preparing for Algebra visual students will be able to start off with a strong foundation!
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12. Plant Movement
Teaching living things in 6th grade can be super fun, but can also be a bit daunting with all of the note-taking and memorization. Make it easier on students with visual displays, including this exciting Really Cool Plant Adaptations anchor chart!
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13. Cell Me That one!
This is a colorful anchor chart that easily organizes cells in middle school! It’s great for students to have in the classroom but also great for them to have in their notebooks. Don’t miss a beat this year teaching your kiddos about living organisms.
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14. Firsthand / Secondhand
Social Studies starts to really overlap with English Language Arts (ELA) in middle school. It’s super important for students to have a strong foundation when accounting for different events throughout history. Don’t let your students be fooled by primary and secondary sources! Deck out your classroom and their notebooks with this handy anchor chart.
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15. Understand my Letter Grade
Upper elementary is normally a pretty big change for students. Including some of their first years receiving letter grades! It’s important to teach students in grades 5, 6, and 7 what their letter grades mean. This upper-grade anchor chart does exactly that.
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Conclusion
Anchor charts can be used throughout classrooms for a variety of reasons. Teachers use anchor charts in writing classrooms to help students better understand the plethora of rules for writing. An anchor chart in education is a creative scaffold to support all students in the classroom while also providing students with independence.
Teachers can even have students make their own anchor charts! By using student collaboration and even some sticky notes, students will love to use their creative superpowers in creating an anchor chart of their own. Anchor charts are beneficial for SO many reasons. Especially in classrooms that are focused on fostering all student learning.
While we may get swept up in using anchor charts, it is important to remember to set clear objectives for student outcomes. It’s easy to get lost in the creativity and forget to reinforce the point of the colorful anchor charts throughout your classrooms.
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