A Bright Idea of Reusable Anchor Charts!

I'm joining the Bright Ideas Blog Hop with a Bright Idea for creating Anchor charts you can use year after year!

I love daily five's structure. I like the way you practice routines WITH the students. I like to create the anchor charts WITH them, so they have some buy in to the whole process. BUT - I also want them to look nice. I have been creating the charts for a few years and always struggle to decide if I should make the charts myself, printing them, and go over them with the class before displaying them - or making them with the students even though they don't look the best.

I've always had great results creating them with students so I have stuck with it. However I have been trying to come up with a way that I can create charts I love, look nice, and I don't have to recreate every year. I think I finally figured it out!

I purchased these blank charts to match my classroom decor

  and some full page label paper by 3M

I typed the headings for each chart in a font that I liked and printed it onto this label paper, along with some cute clip art that I wanted to add to the charts.
I cut out the words and the clip art, then placed it on the chart where I wanted it to go.

This allowed me to move them around and get them on the chart just the way I wanted them. Then I peeled the backing off the "stickers" and placed them on the chart.

I wanted to make the T-Chart so I used decorative tape I picked up at the Dollar Tree. I used a pencil and ruler to make a straight line across the chart.
Then put the tape down on the line
I love how these turned out and can't wait to add to them WITH my students...I haven't put the line down the middle yet but I plan to.


I am going to laminate them so that I can write on them with dry erase markers and erase them at the end of the year! Then I will be able to use them over and over again!

For more Bright Ideas, check out the blogs below!






21 comments

  1. As a high school teacher, it isn't often an idea is PERFECT for me without modifying it. THIS one is a game changer! THANKS!!

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  2. Great idea! I love this and why have I not thought to use decorative tape for my lines on chart paper??? It's the little things, right? Thank you for sharing this!
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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  3. Where did you get the charts? I love this idea!
    ☮Monica
    The Schroeder Page

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    1. I got the charts from Creative Teaching Press and Barker Creek.

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  4. Such a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
    Arlene
    LMN Tree

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  5. What a great idea! I always want my i-charts to be cute too! :)

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  6. Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVE this idea!!!!! I guess I'll be running out to our teacher supply store this week :)

    Briana
    Sun, Sand & Second Grade

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  7. Incredible solution! You win, the kids win, and the planet wins!

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  8. I LOVE this idea!!!!! Especially when using Daily 5 for Reading and Math. I'm changing grade levels; however, they could be reused not matter what! THANKS!

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  9. I LOVE this idea! Those charts are adorable!

    Sally from Elementary Matters

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  10. Love this idea! What is the font you used? And where did you get the cute clip art?

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    1. Hi Erika, the font is KG Defying Gravity http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/KG-Defying-Gravity-Font-Personal-Use-1197600 and the clip art is from Kari Bolt http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-and-School-Employees-Clip-Art-Bundle-1224169 - I love both of them :)

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  11. That is a fantastic idea. I have so many blank posters that I get from Scholastic . This is a great way to use them. Thank you so much.

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  12. Fabulous idea, but write with a sharpie over your lamination, then "erase" it with a dry erase marker at the end of the year. That way you won't keep losing your dry erase marked ideas from your posters!

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  13. Such a great idea! I love getting as much use of things as possible!

    Amanda
    Mrs. Pauley’s Kindergarten

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  14. I LOVE this idea. I just bought one of those charts and now wish I'd grabbed a few more. I really like the style of the labels you made- love the blocked background behind the letters.. Can you tell me if that is a font or clipart behind a font?
    ✿Tiffani
    Time 4 Kindergarten

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  15. Terrific idea! I have a student teacher this year, and I can't wait to try this and share it with her! Thanks for the bright idea!
    First Grade Bangs

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  16. This is certainly one of those "And why have I done it any other way but this way?" ideas. Thank you for such a clever and resourceful idea!

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