Hi, I am Amy the teacher/blogger behind Teaching in Blue Jeans. First, before you judge me let me say that I do NOT get to teach in blue jeans everyday. I wish I did, but not so much. But I do love me some blue jeans. One day as I was thinking about my beloved blue jeans I started thinking about why I loved them so much: they are comfortable, oh so comfortable; I can dress them up or down which means they are versatile; and most importantly I just feel like myself in them. When I wear blue jeans I find that I am more willing to try something new or take a risk, more likely to have fun and be silly, more likely to focus and work hard (probably because I am not tugging at hose or thinking about my aching feet (but shoes – that’s another blog post entirely)). Somehow in my brain I went from thinking about all the reasons I love blue jeans to concluding that “the blue jean feeling” is exactly how I want my classroom to be. I want me students to be comfortable and feel like themselves. I want them to be willing to work hard, try something new, take risks, have fun and be silly. So there you have it – my Blue Jean Mentality and the idea behind Teaching in Blue Jeans!
Today I am excited to share with you an organizational tip for storing anchor charts and posters. I absolutely love using anchor charts in my classroom because I teach my students to use them as tools when they are working independently. What I don’t like so much is what to do with them when we are done with them! I have discovered an inexpensive and easy way to store them!
Let me first say that I stumbled on this way because in my storage closet I have one section that is long with a bar – kinda like your clothes closet at home. One day I was walking through Home Depot and I found these awesome humongo zip-loc bags on clearance. Well, I knew I could use them some how so I bought them. This is what they are:ο»Ώ
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You could use these too: |
As I opened the box and looked at the first bag I knew they were the perfect size for storing posters and anchor charts! Here’s what I did. First I laid the bag sideways so that the zipper would run on the side. This makes it super easy to put things in and take things out. Next, I cut a little “V” shape in the top, center of the bag. Then I opened up the bag and put a hanger inside. I put the curved part of the hanger – the part you hang on the bar – through the “V” so it was on the outside of the bag.
Then I filled the bag with posters and anchor charts. I chose to organize mine by subject matter. I wrote the name of the subject on the outside of the bag using a Sharpie.
Once I was done filing away all my posters and anchor charts, I hung them up in my storage closet. I hang them with the zipper facing out so I can easily open the bag without removing it from the closet.
Here they are all nice and neat in my closet at school! The rest of the closet may get unorganized but these stay just like this! |
If you don’t have a tall storage area like I do, you can still use the bags. No need to add the hanger. Just store them on a flat shelf. You can still organize by subject matter which would make it much easier to find than sorting through the entire stack of posters and anchor charts. What I like best about using these bags is that my posters and anchor charts are protected. Some anchor charts I recreate every year, others I reuse. The plastic material that the bags are made of is thick and sturdy. They are super easy to use and much more inexpensive than a poster storage box you can buy at a teacher store. I hope that this was a helpful tip for you and an idea you can use in your classroom.
I hope thatο»Ώ you will come visit me at Teaching in Blue Jeans for more ideas for your classroom. Don’t forget to stop by today to see Corrina’s post in this blog swap!
Thank you Corrina for allowing me to share on your blog today!
Sandy says
I love it….as you say, I have no closet, but theu will be flat on a shelf.
Sandy says
I love it….as you say, I have no closet, but theu will be flat on a shelf.
Christina says
Terrific idea and beautiful closet!!
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