If I can only have one pocket chart, which one should I have?

Tough question. Let me give you three possible answers.

First answer: get the Original Pocket Chart, which gives you pockets all across the front, but get it in red so you can tell it apart from your neighbor's blue one. The original will hold sentence strips, word cards, index cards, and most everything else you'll want to put into the pockets. Since the pockets are not divided, you are not limited to items of a particular size. There are ten pockets, which gives you enough room for poetry, charts, and even quizzes.

It'll fit on your pocket chart stand, too.

The original also comes in yellow now. If you have your heart set on blue, think about going with the Original Plus -- it has storage pockets on the back.

Second answer: go with a graphic organizer.

Which graphic organizer you choose depends on what you use most often. Likely options include the graphing pocket chart, the web organizer, the hamburger sequencing chart, and official graphic organizer pocket chart, which has both a Venn Diagram and a T chart.

With any of these, it is possible to use the spaces as you would the original pocket chart, but you also have your graphic organizers ready to hand whenever you need them -- what a time saver!

The third answer may sound a little frivolous: get a cute one.

The star shape, the big apple, the crayons pocket chart, or the new farm chart can all be used in lots of different ways, but they also add fun to your classroom. If you can only have one pocket chart, you might want to go with something bright and playful.

The best possible answer? Go ahead and get your one pocket chart, but then start working on rearranging the budget or the classroom so you can have more. There are hardly any other classroom resources that are as versatile and useful as pocket charts.