Today on the blog, Kayla from Move Mountains in Kindergarten shares all about how to create mini anchor charts using IKEA frames and how her students use these visuals daily.
Hi y'all!
I am Kayla from Move Mountains in Kindergarten and am currently a Kindergarten teacher from Nashville, TN. This is my third year teaching and recently started an Instagram where I share my ideas on how to incorporate flexible seating, room transformations and my love for Target and IKEA classroom hacks! I was so grateful that Kristina asked me to be a guest on her blog, as she was one of my inspirations for starting my own teaching Instagram!
When I first started teaching, one thing I struggled with was space and independency. Teaching Kindergarten you rarely get either of those. I loved making anchor charts for almost everything because it allowed my students to have a visual to go back too but unfortunately, I needed way more wall space in order to keep them up throughout the year. Anchor charts allow my students to reference past material, but if I couldn’t keep them up how could I help grow their independence?
That’s when my Ikea classroom hack idea began. After seeing everyone in the Instagram teaching world have the IKEA Tolsby .99 cent frames to use as signs in their room, I quickly jumped on board and bought some. Well, like many impulsive buys these sat in the corner. I never changed the picture inside and my students never even looked at what was in the frame.
First, you will take the frame out and attach binder rings. Then, use a hole punch to punch two holes at the top to make a flip book, like I had seen at many restaurants. It is a smart idea to laminate these pages, so that they last longer. Now, students can easily flip through to the page they need.
My mini anchor charts are perfect for my flexible seating classroom as we don’t have name tags on the tables. Most name tags include number, color words, alphabet etc. so I created a set to replace a name tag. These would serve as a visual for them to get and carry around when needed or to check their work. My kids love getting them and using as a reference throughout the day. It clears up my wall space, encourages independency and allows me to focus on helping my students instead of telling and showing them 10 times how to make the number 5. My students now take responsibility in checking their work.
Currently, a phonics bundle is in the process of being completed! This will include the alphabet, r-controlled, special y, digraph/ trigraph, s/l/r blends, vowel teams and long/short word families. These are on separate frames as students can use as mini word walls and dictionaries. Each resource comes with the letters that make each sound and pictures that are labeled. This resource includes 45 different charts to use throughout the year and attach to the frame after you teach the material.
All of these mini anchor charts can be found in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. The frames can be found at Ikea. I use 1 inch binder rings and laminate the papers before attaching to the frame.
I hope this classroom hack was helpful and that your students love their flip books as much as mine do. Thanks Kristina again for allowing me to come share this tip about how to create mini anchor charts to save wall space and create independency!
Thanks for stopping by!
Kayla
