Pocket Chart Uses

I worked with a lady during my student teaching who used pocket charts for almost everything. She used small shaped note pads and made pocket charts for:
States and capitals
Homophones
addition and subtraction
ABC order
match a word with its plural form
synonyms
antonyms
nouns/verbs/adjectives
puncutation mark with the word
I can think of hundreds. She did pocket charts for everything she taught. She also did pocket charts for discipline. The students had a bird on the bulliten board and then small pocket chart had different levels like: warning, loss of five minutes free time, note home, and office. She loved pocket charts. The students worked on pocket charts when they finished work early.
I loved the use of pocket charts to review.

One other idea that I like to share is that we used a poem a week in class. We put a poem on a poster and posted it in the class. Every morning we read the poem as a class to teach choral reading. We then looked for blends, diagraphs, punctuation marks, rhyming words, etc. We did this everyday and the kids would look at the poem during free time and read it to each other and mimic what we did in class that morning. Just a fun thought that I would add.. I hope I helped.

I teach a two-year K4 and K5 class. I use pocket charts for all sorts of things. My new discovery is a small 12-pocket jewelry organizer I found at the 99 cent store. I have 6 of them set up at various spots in the room. They are only about 12" x 18" and I use sticky-backed velcro to adhere them to the front of my desk, the side of a cabinet, the closet door, etc. I put sets of skill cards out with each one for a workshop (center). For example, in one I put 12 capital letters and the child inserts the matching lowercase letter in the appropriate pocket. One chart has lowercase letters and the skill is to insert a card with a picture that begins with that letter or has that vowel sound in it. In math I put number cards in the pockets and the match-up cards hves a number sets on them. The possibilities are endless. Hope these ideas help. Good luck!

I teach Kindergarten and have alot of pocket charts that I use all of the time -- especially for center activities. In fact, I just brought 3 more for next year to use for graphing -- lunch count, milk count, and regular graphing activites. I read where someone uses velcro to hang their pocket charts. I have used the 3M hooks on my walls in the past, but have had trouble with some pulling off -- so think I am going to try the velcro on one to see how it holds.

I use pocket charts in the following ways:

1. When the children come in they, move their name card on the chart.
2. Each week, I choose a thematic poem to display on the chart. Later, during center time, they can copy the poem(or other fun activities)
3. I use the pocket chart to post how to instructions for an art project.

These are just a few ideas. A great book, and pretty cheap, is THE POCKET CHART, by Valerie SchifferDannoff.

I have many more ideas. If you are interested in more, check back.

I also use pocket charts daily. This week I have students match months of the year with their abbreviations. Last week the students matched two words with their contraction. I also have students match words with the different sounds that the ending "ed" makes. Across the top of the pocket chart I have a letter T, a letter D and the chuck ED. Then I have a pile of words with the past tense (ed) ending. For instance, the word STOPPED goes under the T. The word WAITED goes under the ED. The word RAINED goes under the D. The possibilies for pocket charts are endless and you can save your supplies and have them for many years to come if you laminate them. It only takes a few minutes to make the pocket chart center and you will have it to use again and again.

I use pocket charts with interactive poems. I write a poem on sentence strips relating to our theme and include an interactive element. For example: A Kite

A________ kite is lots of fun
so grab the string and run, run, run.
Watch it go up in the sky,
Because a kite is meant to fly.

pretty silly big red little rainbow funny

(These words are on cards for the children to fill in the blank in the first line.) We then read the poem together. I ask the person who selected the missing word how did they know that word was....
Hopefully they can tell me becxause it begins with b, or r etc,.

Hi! I love the idea about putting pocket charts on the floor! I'm going to try that! I keep my cards/pictures in the bottom of my pocket charts for centers, and store them in an envelope or ziploc bag there.

For listening center, I put mine in the front of the classroom and give just 3 choices for hte kids to listen to. I don't have head phones, but they just listen quietly during reading rotations. I was surprized that they didn't create a noise issue, but they sure don't seem to.

Michele

I was a substitute in a class once where the teacher used a pocket chart to display photos taken throughout the year. As a center or free-time activity, the kids would choose a photo, glue it on a sheet that had a space for the photo and lines underneath, and then write several descriptive sentences about the picture. They were then turned in and added to a class book. This happened to be a first grade but it would work for any grade and what a great display item for Open House in the spring!!

Last year I used a pocket chart that held my classroom discipline cards (the stop light idea) and then there was one that held the weekly spelling words or vocab from science or social studies. You can also use one like they suggest in four blocks for kids to put words together from letters on cards or they can hold sentence strips. Enjoy your year!
Dawn

Use them for games like jeopardy(great for site words). I have also seen them used for center rotations, to put name badges(if your school requires students to wear them. I used mine for the card system classroom management. Each pocket was numbered, each student has a number. If a rule is broken, a colored card is placed in the numbered pocket.

Roll them up and use them on the floor. How about scrambled sentences. Use different colored sentence strips for each sentence so they don't get mixed up. Stamp coins and have them put the right amount in each pocket. It would be quick for you to check before they roll it back up. ABC order words. We can do it to the second letter.
As for listening center. They will probably be able to tune out the room better than you. Ask library to find out how you could get a technology grant for the listening strip for your earphones. Also check your rectangular table, it may already have the recepticles underneath. Have fun.

Last year I used my book club points (Scholastic) to order 2 long red pocket charts that I used to collect papers. The pockets were deep enough to hold the student's paper (landscape style) with about an inch or so showing. It also had a place to put a label on each pocket. (I put the students' numbers instead of names, with number 1 at the bottom.)

When the students arrived in the morning, they put their homework papers in their pocket and I could tell at a glance who, if anyone, was missing their work. It took me about 30 seconds to record missing assignments, then I pulled the papers out by starting at the bottom of the chart working my way up. When I was done, I had the students' papers in alphabetical order and the whole process took less than a minute!! My rate of homework returned increased dramatically because it was so easy for me to track returned papers (and I also think there was a little bit of peer pressure because everyone could see who was missing their work).

I orginally intended to just use the pocket charts for homework, but it was so easy to use, that I ended up having them turn in everything by using their pockets. I could keep an eye on the charts, and once I saw everyone had their assignment turned in, I pulled the papers so the pockets were ready for the next assignment. There were a few times when assignments overlapped, but I found it was still easier to go through the pockets and pull out all of one assignment, then pull out the other, than it was to have students turn papers into a tray.

The charts I got from Scholastic had 12 pockets. I just tried to find them online for you, but Scholastic has redone their site and I couldn't get to the Bonus Catalog. I found similar charts, but they only have 10 pockets and the ones I got have 12. You can find the 10 pocket version by searching for "file folder pocket charts" on google.

As far as checking homework, I do try to check everything the kids do and keep track of completion, but I don't record scores. I have read many good ideas online this summer and I am going to make some changes next year. I am going to give a homework grade by taking the number of assignments each child returns and dividing it by the number of assignments given. I am also going to do more checking of homework in class (especially math). There are 2 reasons I don't take grades on homework. First, homework is practice and I don't believe practice should be graded. Second, you will always have some kids whose parents tell them whether every answer they write is correct or not, and those kids who parents do everything they can to make it next to impossible for their kids to even get a chance to do their assignment, much less help them with it. I prefer to give grades on assignments that are completed in school, and only after the kids have had a chance to practice the skill.

Hope this helps!

Pocket charts are quite useful in the middle grades( and in so many subject areas!). You can use a pocket chart as you talk with your whole group or your students can use them in small groups.Here's a whole group/small group/whole group activity I like:>)( I have 5 or 6 pocket charts in my room every year.)
prep for your lesson by using colored markers(any one color)to write categories on index cards. For instance , for the 5 themes of geography, you would write "location' on a card and put it on the top row. Then write "place" on the next card and put it on the top row also, about 4" apart. Write"regions" and place it about 4' further apart on the top row. Continue with "interaction" and "movement" the same way. Now you have the beginnings --your 5 columns. Discuss each and briefly define, perhaps looking at the text together as you do.( I usually do.) On other prepped cards, using a new color of marker,you will have both defining words(like longitude, which which should be placed under location and irrigating which will go under interaction, etc.) You also can have pictures glued on the cards . Divide your clas into 5 groups and (METHOD # 1...) assign them a category. (I say groups of 5 because of the 5 columns in this activity.)Give them a baggie with various category words...shuffle well! Give your signal and start the timer. Your students all are going"hither and yonder" trying to find words from fellow classmates that fit their category.First team finished could have a little reward if you like such as leaving first,etc. Kids love it.( METHOD # 2)If you like it a bit CALMER(ha!)just set the timer and have each group categorize their words at their table or area.Play "beat the timer".It won't take long! Then as a whole group put the words/pictures in the correct columns. You can keep them involved by having the kids say "choose it" or "loose it" before you place the word(s) or pictures in the correct column.Or let them come up and support their answer. This works well for "Who am I?" , fact/opinion, word problems..add/divide/ or multiply?, anologies, etc.

I use the Mountain Math program and I keep all of the pieces in the pocket charts I use on my bulletin board. I used two full size basic pocket charts. It is very easy to then rotate front to back or back to front. Did your kit come with pictures of how to set it up with pocket charts? If not you may be able to find some on their website. I purchased some very inexpensive basic pocket charts from WalMart and I use some push pins to help hold up the extra heavy pockets. In math there are a few pieces that don't fit well in a pocket chart pocket by itself, so I have page protectors cut to fit those pieces and then I place those into a pocket.
I hope this helps. I'd love to hear how you like the Mountain Language program after you have used it for awhile.:)

I keep finding more ways to use pocket charts. I have one for calendar, one for my teaching easel for large displays and guided reading teaching, and several small ones.

I use the smaller pocket charts-currently in the dollar bins at Target- for my classroom job chart. I used plastic tape (colored electrician's tape) to divide the bottom 7 pockets in half and the left the top pocket long for the title. I then put each job on an address label and had the children's names on address labels that I could move to a new job each week.
I taped 2 of the Target charts together side by side and divided each into thirds with tape-creating a six column graph. Children could indicate their place on the graph with the address label name tags. Last year a PT post gave me the idea to print a page of lables for each child-they were great for labeling artwork, writing journals, math folders, etc all year long.
Today I bought a bunch more of these dollar charts-for my word study center-children can create words using letter cards, sentences using word cards, etc.Last year I got the idea on PT to print each a page of labels for each child. They were great for labeling artwork, journals, folders, etc.

I use my big pocket chart to post my schedule. Out next to the times, I write our classwork per subject on a sentence strip (keeps me from having to keep checking my plan book all day). I have another one that I'm going to try to turn in to a lit station rotation chart, but for some reason, I'm having a hard time figuring out how I want to do it!

I use a pocket chart for the students to show which stage of the writing process they are working on as well. I cut apart a poster that had the stages and placed one stage on each line. Then I took pictures of my kids and cut them down to a 2"x2" square and that is what they move within the pocket chart. Does that make sense? :)

Do you have Accelerated Reader in your classroom? I use my pocket chart to keep track of who is next in line to take tests on the computers. At the start of the year I make them a name card and laminate it. When they have finished a book they put their card in the pocket chart. (I have it on one of those metal stands in the back of the room by the computers.) After they take their test they remove their card and it serves as a bookmark in their next A.R. book. It works for me because I can read the names from the front of the room and I can help remind them if they forget it is their turn.

My most valuable pocket chart helps the kids to come into the room and take charge of their day. When they come into the room, they pass a pocket chart that is large with 4 inch sections on each row. Each child has a name card that is placed in spaces along the right side. They move their name into the column that records if they are eating hot lunch, salad bar or cold lunch. There are two columns used for hot lunch. One column is used for salad. Another column is used for cold lunch.

If the name is not moved, I can see at a glance who is absent or tardy.

I write what is on the menu for hot lunch on a stickie note and put it on the hot lunch card. My column cards are placed along the bottom, near the left side of the pocket chart.

For math lessons, I have replaced the names with shapes. I can easily write a key that helps the kids to alter the lunch chart into something that we are practicing...collecting data, making graphs and reading graphs.

Hope this helps!

I teach 5th grade and use my pocket chart for classroom jobs. I have cards with each classroom job on it and a card with each students name. I just slide the name card next to the job the student will have for the week and store the extra names in a pocket.

I am also going to use pocket charts this year to hold folders for each group when we do centers. I purchased one of the long pocket charts used to store file folders.