literary essay anchor chart 5th grade

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Dianna Radcliff

Teaching Upper Elementary & more

The Best Anchor Charts

February 6, 2018 by Dianna Radcliff

The Best Anchor Charts for your ELA classroom all together in one place! You will find outlines to utilize in Reading Literature, Reading Informational, Writing and Language. 

Explained in this blog post is about the purpose of utilizing anchor charts in your daily instruction. Along with tips to organize your charts.

Below is a collection of anchor charts that have been used during instruction in my classroom. The goal of putting this blog post together is to help fellow educators.

The Purpose of Anchor Charts:

To being, anchor charts are a non-negotiable addition for my instruction. These visuals are looked at as a learning tool for my students and myself, ultimately becoming an instructional and learning strategy. Also, charts are a tool that not only supports the instructional goals of a lesson, but support students’ ongoing learning of the lesson.

These outlines are created to capture the content delivered in instruction. Along with building upon strategies and previous standards taught.

Finally, visuals created in lessons need to be accessible to students throughout the school year. They also help to create a visual imprint for students to refer back to when needed.

Anchor Chart Organization Tips:

• Labels – In the top of each anchor chart, label them by standards, category, skill, strategy, etc… This allows students an additional reference point.

• Always make ACADEMIC LANGUAGE stand out to help immerse students in the formal language. For example, use bold letters, capital letters, red markers, underline… Doing so allows you to slip in ACADEMIC LANGUAGE  instruction which benefits students on future assessments. 
• Anchor charts are meant to anchor a lesson, therefore to save time you can always create the outline, but leave open spaces to complete with students during lesson.

• Create images and sections in your anchor chart to organize information. 

Anchor Chart Examples:

Here are the anchor charts I have created in my 5th Grade ELA Classroom:

(Side Note: I use my own ideas, my students ideas and online ideas for these charts. Credit to all the fabulous teachers who have posted images of classroom visuals online, there are so many fabulous teacher-authors to give credit to, along with the shared ideas within my school buildings. Thank you for helping me instructionally and my students.)

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40 Must-Have Anchor Charts for Teaching Writing of All Kinds

Writing information and inspiration for all!

When it comes to writing, many kids struggle to get their ideas down on paper. That’s why we’ve rounded up all the best writing anchor charts, to help your students master narrative, transitions, punctuation, editing, theme, and so much more! Try some of these ideas in your classroom to give your kids the writing support they need.

1. Why Writers Write

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.”

Source: Cara Carroll

2. Expanding Sentences

Show students how a simple sentence can become a real powerhouse by exploring when, where, how, and why, along with adding adjectives. So powerful!

Source: Upper Elementary Snapshots/Expanding Sentences

3. Personal Narrative

Personal narrative is a style that all students practice in elementary school, and writing anchor charts can help keep them on track. Visit the link below for great worksheets to use with your students to prepare them to write their personal narratives.

Source: Rachel’s Reflections

4. Hook Your Reader

Want to know how to draw the reader in and make them eager to continue? You need a hook! Teach students how to grab a reader’s attention from the get-go, pulling them in with facts, questions, or even sound effects.

Source: Little Minds at Work

5. Point of View

Learn the differences between first person (I), second person (you), and third person (narrator), and talk about when each type is effective.

Source: Oh Boy … It’s Farley!

6. Organized Paragraph

Use a stoplight 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. See a video of this chart in action here.

7. Practicing Transitions

There are more stoplight writing anchor charts, and this one is perfect for helping students learn and practice their transition words. Draw the stoplight first and invite students to help come up with different words. Then encourage students to put the transition words into practice.

Source: A Happy, Hungry, Healthy Girl

8. Author’s Perspective

Sometimes, an author’s opinion comes out strongly in their writing, even if they don’t state it up front. Use this chart to help students find the clues to an author’s perspective.

Source: Crafting Connections/Author’s Perspective

9. Author’s Purpose Pie

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.

Source: Literacy Ideas

10. Dig Deeper

Keep going! Sometimes it’s hard to express what you mean by certain writing and revision requests, and writing anchor charts can show exactly what you mean. Now students can get a good look at what it means to dig deeper.

Source: Pinterest

11. Alternatives to “Said”

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.

Source: ESL Amplified

12. Understanding Character

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.

Source: Teacher Trap

13. Diving Deeper Into Character

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.

Source: Crafting Connections/Teach and Task Lessons

14. Six Traits of Writing

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!

Source: Working 4 the Classroom

15. Writing Realistic Fiction

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 stories.

Source: Two Writing Teachers/Realistic Fiction

16. Sequence of Events

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.

Source: Life in First Grade

17. Informational Text Structures

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.

Source: Teaching With a Mountain View/Informational Text Structures

18. OREO Opinion Writing

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. See a video featuring this chart here.

19. Features of a Great Report

Use examples of outstanding student work to make this anchor chart. Keep it 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.

Source: Joyful Learning in KC

20. Write From the Heart

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.

Source: First Grade Parade via Cara Carroll

21. Argument Writing

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.

Source: Literacy & Math Ideas

22. Writing Process

This is an anchor chart you’ll 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.

Source: What’s Skow-ing On in Fourth Grade?

23. Writing Checklist

For those young writers in your class, these cover the basics in a clear way.

Source: Kindergarten Chaos

24. RACE for Writing

Use the RACE mnemonic when your students are working on persuasive writing. It reminds them to cite their sources and be sure to answer the question being asked.

Source: @mrspuffer

25. Cause and Effect

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!

Source: 2nd Grade Superheroes

26. A Strong Lead

This upper-grade anchor chart gives students lots of ways to start their writing. Update it 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.

Source: Miss Klohn’s Classroom

27. Crafting Power Sentences

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.

Source: Teaching My Friends

28. Show, Don’t Tell

“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 out this chart for middle school writers with additional ideas and more complex emotions.

Source: Upper Elementary Snapshots/Show, Don’t Tell

29. Narrative Organizer

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.

30. Expository Writing

This chart makes it easy for students to remember key concepts, both with color-coding and simple metaphors. Give them colored pencils and ask them to underline the corresponding sections in their essays.

Source: Adventures of a Future Teacher

31. Peer Editing

Peer editing teaches kids a variety of skills, and not just with writing. They learn to read closely, offer (and accept) useful constructive feedback, and get more comfortable sharing their writing with others. This chart helps kids through the sometimes-challenging process.

Source: Taleof2Teachers

32. Strong Sentences

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.

Source: The Good Life

33. Internal Story

This chart gives students the language to add their own thoughts to 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.

Source: Totally Terrific in Texas

34. Evidence Supported

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.

Source: History Tech

35. Publishing Guidelines

Kids are often quick to turn in their papers without making sure they’ve included all the necessary requirements (like their names!). Use this chart to remind them about the important things to check for before they hand in their work.

Source: Juice Boxes and Crayolas

36. Figurative Language

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 its own anchor chart. Perhaps have your students come up with examples on sticky notes and then place them on the chart.

Source: Willow Grove Elementary School

37. Forms of Poetry

Introducing poetry types to your students? This anchor chart covers the basics and helps kids remember that not all poetry needs to rhyme.

Source: ELA Anchor Charts

38. CUPS and ARMS

This is a popular method for teaching kids to revise and edit as well as the difference between the two. Simple acronyms keep the key strategies close at hand.

Source: Amy Lemons

39. Spicy Edits

Encourage your students to think of their writing like a recipe, which they can always tweak and improve. Have them choose one element, or “spice,” to add to their work as they revise.

Source: Beyond Zebra/Pinterest

40. Writing Buddies

Sometimes students can get stuck when working with writing buddies, but writing anchor charts can help. This one encourages students to be positive and make good, thoughtful suggestions.

Source: Apostrophe Books Twitter

What are your favorite writing anchor charts? Share your ideas in our  WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus, find out why the “hamburger” essay has gone stale, and what to try instead ..

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EL Education Curriculum

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• ELA G5:M2:U2:L8

Writing a Literary Analysis Essay: Introduction

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

• Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Universal design for learning, closing & assessments, you are here:.

• ELA Grade 5
• ELA G5:M2:U2

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

• RL.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
• RF.5.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
• RF.5.4a: Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
• RF.5.4c: Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
• W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
• W.5.2a: Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
• W.5.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• W.5.9a: Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]").
• L.5.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
• L.5.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
• L.5.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
• I can work with a partner to write an introduction to a literary analysis. ( W.5.2a )
• I can read aloud an excerpt of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World with accuracy and fluency. ( RF.5.4a , RF.5.4c )
• Introduction to literary analysis essay ( W.5.2a )
• Self-assessment on Reading Fluency Checklist ( RF.5.4a , RF.5.4c )

• Prepare the Literary Analysis Essay anchor chart.
• Review the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol. See Classroom Protocols.
• Post: Learning targets, Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart, Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, Literary Analysis Essay anchor chart, and Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

• Work Time A: For students who benefit from hearing the text read aloud multiple times, consider using a text-to-speech tool like Natural Reader , SpeakIt! for Google Chrome, or the Safari reader. Note that to use a web-based text-to-speech tool like SpeakIt! or Safari reader, you will need to create an online doc, such as a Google Doc, containing the text.
• Work Time B: Students write their introduction in a word processing document, for example a Google Doc using Speech to Text facilities activated on devices, or using an app or software like Dictation.io .
• Closing and Assessment A: Record students reading the text aloud using software or apps such as Audacity  or GarageBand .

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.A.1, 5.I.A.2, 5.I.A.3, 5.I.B.6a, 5.I.B.7, 5.I.C.10, 5.I.C.11a, 5.I.C.12a, 5.II.A.1, 5.II.A.2b

Important points in the lesson itself

• The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to discuss and write an introduction with another student, thereby creating an ideal context for language development. Students will also profit from the oral processing in preparation for writing about the concrete language and sensory details evidence and what it helps them understand about the rainforest.
• ELLs may find it challenging to begin writing the introduction paragraph. Writing an introduction using U.S. conventions may be unfamiliar. Support students by calling special attention to the name and purpose of each piece of the introduction. Example: Highlight and label where the topic is introduced, the title, the author's name, the summary of the text, and the focus statement. Discuss each of the checklist criteria and think aloud an example of each for the introduction. See the lesson for additional suggestions.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

• Invite a particularly enthusiastic student to model the Opening A activity with you. Practice so that he or she can have the mastery and experience of being an expert in class.

For heavier support:

• Make sure students understand that a draft is only their first try and that it is important for them to write as much as they can. The draft does not need to be perfect, so they should not focus on spelling errors or other minor errors.
• Display four bulleted blanks and ask students to help you label them with the structure for the concrete language and sensory details essay, e.g., Introduction with Focus Statement, Proof Paragraph 1, Proof Paragraph 2, Conclusion.
• In preparation for the End of Unit 2 Assessment, help students identify strategies for reading unfamiliar texts. Invite them to practice these strategies during independent reading and fluency sessions. Strategy examples:
• Chunk the text into manageable amounts, e.g., sentences or paragraphs.
• Circle unfamiliar words.
• Use context or a dictionary to define unfamiliar words.
• Annotate unfamiliar words with synonyms.
• Underline important people, places, and things.
• Read aloud.
• Read repeatedly.
• Become familiar with and use the Explaining Quotes: Concrete and Sensory Language note-catcher, which will be provided on the assessment.
• Silently paraphrase the chunks.
• Summarize what you read for someone else, perhaps first in your home language.
• Multiple Means of Representation: Some students may need additional support accessing the various skills and tools needed during the writing process. Visually capture the analysis of the model essay so that students can reference it as they write. As much as possible, provide varied representations for planning writing. Example: Allow students to orally plan their introduction with their partner before writing.
• Multiple Means of Action and Expression: To enable students to synthesize a large amount of information as they write, allow differentiated methods for writing their introduction paragraph. (Example: Invite students to use colored pencils to "paint" the different sentences as part of the checklist criteria. This will visually reinforce the key components of the introductory paragraph and also promote self-monitoring for students.)
• Multiple Means of Engagement: During a writing activity, provide multiple formats of lined paper. (Examples: Skipping lines by giving lined paper with every other line highlighted or starred. Provide paper that has an empty box for sketching an idea before writing it.) Offer students a choice of format that best suits their learning needs. This will not only help them to accomplish the writing task but also help them take ownership of their own learning. Help students manage their frustration during writing by offering a list of options they can take if they get frustrated or don't know what to do next. This list could include options such as: reference the anchor chart, ask an elbow partner, look at my note-catcher, etc.

Key:  Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

• concrete language, sensory detail (W)
• Concrete and Sensory Language homework (from Lesson 6; one per student)
• Independent reading text (one per student)
• Independent reading journal (from Module 1; one per student)
• Vocabulary log (from Module 1; one per student)
• Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
• Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
• Model Essay: Concrete and Sensory Language in The Great Kapok Tree (from Lesson 7; one per student and one to display)
• Literary Analysis Essay anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
• Literary Analysis Essay anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
• Informative Writing Checklist (one per student)
• Informative Writing Planning graphic organizer (from Lesson 7; one per student and one to display)
• Informative Writing Planning graphic organizer (from Lesson 7; example, for teacher reference)
• Informative Writing Checklist (example, for teacher reference)
• Explaining Quotes: Concrete and Sensory Language note-catcher (from Lesson 6; one per student)
• Lined paper (one piece per student)
• Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart (begun in Module 1)
• Reading Fluency Checklist (one per student)
• The Most Beautiful Roof in the World (one per student)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New materials.

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

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Grammar / Vocabulary

5th-8th grade anchor charts.

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I’ve said this before on my blog, but it is most definitely worth saying again, I work with an amazing group of middle school language arts educators.  There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t learn something from each one that I work with.  I have a special treat for my blog followers, and that is a picture walk through my middle school through anchor charts! 

Purposes of anchor charts include:

• To display routines and expectations throughout different parts of Reading and Writing Workshop.
• To have up as inspiration for ideas in writing or how to select books during reading.
• To chart and summarize the learning of a specific lesson that can be referenced again and again throughout the year.
• To give students ownership in the classroom by displaying their self-generated ideas.

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< Anchor Charts

Text structure anchor chart.

Welcome to our text structure anchor chart resource page. When we analyze a story or any other text, it’s easy to become focused on the characters or information that’s relayed. However, anticipating and understanding a text’s structure is a critical skill that can make approaching genres, especially nonfiction, more meaningful.

Text structure refers to the organization of information within a text. Recognizing these patterns helps readers comprehend content more effectively and can also serve to illuminate an author’s purpose for writing a particular piece.

To evaluate a text’s structure, look for the following clues:

• the text or author’s purpose, goal, or anticipated audience
• text features that support a specific structure
• relationships between events
• conclusions asserted by the text

As always, active engagement with the text can help learners understand different structures more readily. Additionally, learners are encouraged to explore different genres to enhance and diversify their skills.

Text Structure Anchor Chart Printable Resources