Anchor Activities/

An Anchor Activity is an activity that is readily available in a classroom at all times. Anchor Activities are one of the most important classroom management techniques because they allow for children to be productive after independent work is finished or if the teacher has to attend to something unexpected. Anchor Activities answer the age old student question, "What can I do now?" The value of having your Anchor Activities established as a classroom routine, is that students should ALWAYS know the answer to that question. They should ALWAYS know what they are allowed to do if their work is finished or if the teacher has to attend to another situation. In my classroom, after I decide what activities would be my Anchor Activities, I make a big poster with the words and pictures of the activity. This is posted in my room so that every student can see it. During the first week of school, we review this procedure and practice it so the students know what it means. The following are some guiding questions that may help you decide what activities you can use as an anchor activity in your classroom: ~ What is the length of time required to complete the activity? ~ Does it require another student? ~ Can each child do it independently? ~ Is it always available? ~ How do students begin and end the activity? ~ Where will students complete the activity? The following are some Anchor Activities I have used in the past: ~ Read a book ~ Write in journal ~ Do a puzzle ~ Draw ~ Bonus Work: "Bonus work" is extra skill worksheets that I keep in a basket on the counter. I use a Sharpie to write "Bonus Work" at the top and just keep them all together in one stack. Students can pick whichever one they want. I think that reviewing a previous lesson isn't going to hurt anyone. :-) The bonus points are recorded for our treasure box day. More resources on Anchor Activities: Anchor Activities Source: http://michellespecialeducation.blogspot.com/2008/07/anchor-activities.html

Anchor Assignment Suggestions (K-6)

Have you ever planned a lesson that didn't need the entire allotted time? Has a student in your class ever finished an assignment early and needed something else to do? Anchor assignments may be the solution to such situations. These are ongoing, constructive activities for students to work on when they have spare time in class. Anchor activities take the form of journal writing, independent reading, educational games, computer time, and more. Use these elementary and intermediate level printables as ongoing anchor assignments in language arts and math for Kindergarten to sixth grade.

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Anchor Activities
Read independently daily for 15 minutes. Journal or select another writing activity at the writing center. Continue working on long-term project. Select and read a book from the "genre of the month." Sketchbooks Doodlebooks Take notes on text chapters or articles. Complete logic problems or puzzles. Study word of the day. Work on creative thinking activities. Work on computer simulation activity. Practice daily oral language. Complete learning center activity. Source: http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/m/mentors0708kechiawilliams/anc horactivities.pdf