Anchor charts are a great way to make thinking visual as you teach the writing process to your students. We searched high and low to find great anchor charts for all age levels. Here are some of our favorites. Hopefully they help you develop strong writers in your classroom.
1. Why Writers Write
Source: The First Grade Parade
First and second graders will draw inspiration from this fun-filled anchor chart about why we write. Make this chart applicable to older students by expanding on each aspect with a specific audience or goal. “To share experiences” can become “to share experiences with friends, in a postcard, or with readers of a memoir.”
2. Personal Narrative
Source: Rachel’s Reflections
Personal narrative is a style that all students will practice in elementary school. This website has some great worksheets to use with your students to prepare them to write their personal narrative. Then all your students can reference this anchor chart to keep them on task.
3. Organized Paragraph
Anchor Chart: How to Write an Organized Paragraph
So fun! Check out our other favorite anchor charts to teach writing. –––> http://bit.ly/2xwtyNZ
Posted by WeAreTeachers on Wednesday, September 20, 2017
The video shows how this stoplight anchor chart can be used to help early elementary students understand and write clear paragraphs. As students are editing their work, have them read with green, yellow, and red pencils in hand so they can see how their paragraphs are hooking and engaging readers.
4. Practicing Transitions
Source: Unknown
Here’s another stoplight anchor chart, and it’s perfect for helping students learn and practice their transition words. Draw the stoplight first and then invite students to help come up with different words. Then encourage students to put the transition words into practice.
5. Writing Pie
Source: Unknown
This is a quick and easy anchor chart to help students see different types of writing. It’ll also help them do a quick check to make sure their writing aligns.
6. Dig Deeper
Source: Mrs. Hiner’s Headlines
Keep going! Sometimes it’s hard to express what you mean by certain writing and revision requests, so this is an anchor chart that shows exactly what you mean. Now students can get a good look at what it means to dig deeper.
7. Alternatives to Said
Source: ESL Amplified
If your students are learning about writing dialogue, an anchor chart like this could really come in handy. Encourage students to try other ways to have their characters respond.
8. Understanding Character
Source: Teacher Trap
Before you can write about character, you first have to understand it. This anchor chart will help your young writers understand the difference between inside and outside characteristics.
9. Diving Deeper into Character
Source: Crafting Connections
Now that your students understand the difference between inside and outside characteristics, dive deeper into describing a specific character. This anchor chart is a wonderful idea because students can write their idea(s) on a sticky note and then add it.
10. Six Traits of Writing
Source: Working 4 the Classroom
This anchor chart is jam packed with things to help fourth and fifth grade writers remember the six traits of writing. Use the chart as a whole-class reference or laminate it to use in small groups. When it’s laminated, students can check off each aspect they’ve included in their own writing. Meaningful dialogue? Check! Problem and solution? Check!
11. Writing Realistic Fiction
Source: Two Writing Teachers
This anchor chart reminds upper elementary students how to create realistic stories. It really walks your students through the process, so they have all the elements they need to create their own story.
12. Sequence of Events
Source: Life in First Grade
Help early elementary students stay organized with an anchor chart that’s focused on order-of-events language. Tactile learners can write their first drafts on sentence strips and use this format to put the events in order before they transcribe their work onto writing paper.
13. Informational Writing
Source: Teaching with a Mountain View
Focus upper elementary students on the most important aspects of informational writing while keeping them organized. This chart could be used to support paragraph writing or essays.
14. OREO Opinions
Anchor chart, I'm in love. 😍 Find them all here: http://bit.ly/2xCx0qL
Posted by WeAreTeachers on Monday, September 25, 2017
Here’s another how-to video! This deliciously inspired opinion anchor chart can be used by students in grades 3–5 during writers workshop or when developing an opinion for discussion or debate. To build out student writing, have them “double-stuff” their Oreos with extra E examples.
15. Student Reporters
Source: Joyful Learning in KC
This anchor chart, best for K–2, is made relevant with examples of student work, in this case a fantastic ladybug report. Keep this chart relevant by updating the examples with student work throughout the year. In kindergarten, this will also showcase how students move from prewriting and pictures to writing words and sentences.
16. Write from the Heart
Source: First Grade Parade
Sometimes the hardest part about writing is coming up with whom and what you should write about. This is the fun part, though! Use this anchor chart to remind your students that they have lots of good writing options.
17. Get Argumentative
Source: Literacy & Math Ideas
Use this anchor chart with middle schoolers to make sure they’re considering all sides of an argument, not just the one that matters the most to them. One way to adapt this chart, as students develop their understanding of argument, is to write each element—claim, argument, evidence—under a flap that students can lift if they need a reminder.
18. Writing Process
Source: Mrs. Skowronski
This is an anchor chart you’ll likely direct your students to again and again. The writing process has several steps, and it’s good to remind students of this so they don’t get frustrated.
19. Writing Checklist
Source: Kindergarten Chaos
For those young writers in your class, these cover the basics in a clear way.
20. It’s a RACE for Writing
Source: Mrs. Puffer
Mrs. Puffer on Instagram writes that she uses this with her fifth grade students. She says it’s a good strategy to help give her students a mini checklist when they’re writing.
21. Cause and Effect
Source: Mrs. Sandburg
Cause and effect will always be an essential part of any story. Help your students come up with different scenarios for cause and effect. In many instances you could have multiples effects, so challenge your students to identify three to four at a time. This will really give them something to write about!
22. A Strong Lead
Source: Miss Klohn’s Classroom
This sixth grade anchor chart gives students lots of ways to start their writing. It could be updated midyear with strong examples of leads that students have written or that they’ve found in books. Students could also copy this chart into their notebooks and keep track of the different ways they’ve started their own writing, seeing if they’ve developed a signature lead.
23. Power up Student Sentences
Source: Teaching My Friends
Inspire students to get crafty and creative with their sentences. Update the moods or keywords with every writing assignment so students are constantly refining their clauses, verbs, and descriptions.
24. Show, Don’t Tell
Source: Upper Elementary Snapshots
“Show, don’t tell” is a cardinal rule of writing. This anchor chart, best for upper elementary writers, can be used to strengthen scenes in fiction and narrative nonfiction works. Build this chart out for middle school writers with additional ideas and more complex emotions.
25. Narrative Organizer
Source: Working 4 the Classroom
Leave this chart up in your classroom for your students to reference often when they’re writing. It really takes them through creating a successful story.
26. Expository Writing
Source: Adventures of a Future Teacher
This anchor chart really brings together the elements of a story in a creative, color-coded way.
27. Peer Editing
Source: Taleof2Teachers
If you’re teaching writing, then chances are you’re teaching some form of editing, too. If you do peer-to-peer editing, then this is a great anchor chart for you.
28. Strong Sentences
Source: The Good Life
Get early elementary students to write longer, more descriptive sentences with this chart. Bonus: Use sentence strips to switch out the examples of strong sentences, based on student writing.
29. Figurative Language
Source: Unknown
As you teach your students about figurative language and how to use it, you’ll want to have examples. This anchor chart dives into five different concepts. Each of these could actually be their own anchor chart. Perhaps have your students come up with examples on Post-its and then place them on the chart.
30. Forms of Poetry
Source: Unknown
If you’re on a poetry unit, try an anchor chart like this. It’ll help your students start to understand the different types before they dive in to write it themselves. While it’s a really basic start, it’s a good option for younger kids.
31. The Internal Story
Source: Totally Terrific in Texas
This second grade chart gives students the language to add their own thoughts into their writing. Modify this chart by highlighting key phrases for students with special needs. Or have students create different thought-bubble icons to represent each internal dialogue sentence starter.
32. Evidence Supported
Source: History Tech
Upper elementary students will benefit from reminders on how to refer to and cite text evidence. Use this anchor chart during writing and discussion to help connect the language that we use across domains.
33. CUPS and ARMS
Source: Unknown
Pick an acronym when revising and editing. These charts are great for third, fourth, and fifth graders. Older students can get more targeted with editing marks.
34. Spicy Edits
Source: Unknown
Have students choose one element, or “spice,” to add to their work as they revise. This chart works for students in elementary and middle school, depending on which elements they include.
35. Writing Buddies
Source: Unknown
Sometimes students can get stuck when working with writing buddies. This anchor chart will help, encouraging students to be positive and make good, thoughtful suggestions.
36. Publishing Guidelines
Source: Juice Boxes and Crayolas
Third and fourth graders can easily see if they’re finished writing with this publishing checklist. Consider making an anchor chart that shows how students can determine if their digital writing is ready to publish (or print) as well.
What are your favorite writing anchor charts? Share your ideas in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, check out 25 anchor charts that teach reading comprehension.
