charts · classroom signage · IRA · Kristi Mraz · tcrwp

Interactive Charts

Stacey Shubitz

Taking Kristi Mraz‘s chart-making course at the July Writing Institute was so helpful to me.  Kristi really got me thinking about having a take away item (made with a post-it note) that you can hand to kids if they need a reminder to do something.  In addition, she encouraged the use of illustrations on charts.  Since I always taught upper grade, the idea of putting doodles on my chart seemed so foreign to me.  However, by the end of the time I spent with Kristi, I was convinced that having illustrations on some of my charts could enhance the meaning of them (and therefore help my teaching stick), so it would be worth trying.

Last week, I created a bunch of sample charts for an in-service I’m leading today and tomorrow at a local school.  The in-service I’m leading is not about writing, it’s about launching Interactive Read Aloud.  However, Kristi’s ideas still apply.  So, I gave my sketching (on sticky-notes) a try.  Here are three of the interactive charts I created:

This comes from a book club source I was unable to cite. If you happen to know where the text on this chart was adapted from, please shoot me an e-mail so I can give credit where credit is due. (I found this in my digital files and made it into a chart.)

The sticky notes are visual reminders that can be removed from the chart and handed to a child as a reminder of what they can try/should be doing at a given time.

Like all effective charts, these charts shouldn’t just be posted, as-is, in a classroom.  They need to be created with the children so they are memorable and useful learning tools.

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Published by Stacey Shubitz

Stacey Shubitz is a K-6 literacy consultant and former elementary teacher. She is the author of CRAFT MOVES and other professional books on writing workshop. Her forthcoming book, MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES (Guilford Press, 2026), empowers parents to navigate the special education system.

4 thoughts on “Interactive Charts”

  2. I love sticky notes and so do my 3rd graders. I will be trying this next week. Thanks for sharing.
    In the past I have had my kiddos write 1 thing they learned in class that day and 1 thing that made it a good day. They left them by the door as they left. It was good insight! I did laugh because I had a little boy who wrote 3 days in a row…”I like cake”. 🙂

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  3. Thanks! I love charts and use them lots. I am curious about the use of the sketch diary mentioned on the chart chums blog. Did you get insight on this in your sessions?

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