Smarter Charts K-2: Optimizing an Instructional Staple to Create Independent Readers and Writers

"Your charts don't need to be perfect, just thoughtful. You don't even have to be able to draw. Just put the child before the chart."

Listen to an interview with Marjorie and Kristi, the Chartchums, on Education Talk Radio.

Commercially available charts leave you hanging? Want the secret to jump-off-the-wall charts that stick with kids? Trust Smarter Charts.

Did you ever want to know:

• What do great charts look like?
• How many is too many?
• Where are the best places for them in my classroom?
• How long do I keep them?
• How do I know if they are working?

Then you'll want to meet Marjorie Martinelli and Kristine Mraz, the Chartchums. They struggled with the same questions, and Smarter Charts shares not only the answers, but the best practices they've discovered as well. Amp up the power of your charts with tips on design and language, instructional use, and self-assessment. Even better, discover surprising strategies that deepen engagement, strengthen retention, and heighten independence--all by involving students in chart making.

Packed with full-color sample charts from real classrooms, Smarter Charts shares simple, brain-based strategies proven to make your classroom an even more active, effective space for literacy instruction and classroom management.

Marjorie leads the art and design team at The Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower. Her gorgeous anchor charts and one-day charts grace the walls of classrooms around the world and travel home nightly with students in their writing folders. Her art helps make complex and abstract concepts accessible for all kids. She is the lead artist for the Units of Study in Reading, Writing, and Phonics series, and she's played an especially significant role in developing tools and resources for Writing Pathways.

Marjorie has extensive experience as a staff developer, senior research associate, and co-director of Reading Rescue at the Reading & Writing Project. In those roles, she has led numerous leadership groups and presented at many national and international educational conferences. Marjorie is a co-author of titles in the Units of Study in Writing Series for K-2 and for 3-5. In addition, Marjorie is co-author of Smarter Charts and Smarter Charts for Math, Science, and Social Studies, two books which teach teachers what they need to know about creating their own charts for their classrooms. Prior to her work as a staff developer, Marjorie was a New York City public school teacher, a teacher-researcher, and an adjunct professor at Bank Street College of Education. She has a MA in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from New York University, and she is the author of two Brain Quest Math decks for first and second grade.

Kristine Mraz is coauthor--with Christine Hertz--of Kids First from Day One, which provides a practical blueprint for increasing the child-centeredness of your teaching practice. She and Christine previously teamed up for the bestselling A Mindset for Learning (coauthored with Christine Hertz), which provides practical and powerful strategies for cultivating optimism, flexibility, and empathy alongside traditional academic skills.

Kristi has also coauthored--with Alison Porceli and Cheryl Tyler--Purposeful Play, the book that helps you make play a powerful part of your teaching. She and Marjorie Martinelli wrote Smarter Charts and Smarter Charts for Math, Science, and Social Studies ​to get the most out of this classroom staple. Their popular blog Chartchums keeps teachers in touch with ongoing and relevant classroom issues and ways to use charts as a support. Chartchums is also on Facebook and on Twitter @chartchums!

Kristi is a recent transplant to southern California, where she will be writing and consulting until the classroom calls again. You can follow all of her adventures on Twitter @MrazKristine or on her blog, found at kristimraz.com.