Graphic Organizers on the Web

Graphic organizers can be a great tool for helping students get started on writing projects.  They give students a visual representation of their topic before they start writing.  Being able to see what they’re trying to say before they start drafting can help them create more focused and organized drafts.

Graphic organizers also have many applications beyond writing projects.  They can be valuable tools for students learning new concepts because they allow students to create a visual schematic.  These representations can increase comprehension and retention of new concepts.  They also work as a great heuristic for critical thinking.  For a simple example, having students fill out a Venn diagram for two concepts allows them to compare and contrast them in a visual way.  The visual format makes it easy to understand the task at a glance.

Fortunately, the web is full of free graphic organizers.  A simple Google Image search for “graphic organizers” yields plenty of great results.   Below is a sample of some of the websites that provide free graphic organizers.

http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/academics.cfm?subpage=478

One of my favorites from this site is called the “CEI,” or “Claim-Evidence-Interpretation.”  I encourage students to fill in the “evidence” box first—this can be statistical data, personal experience, a quote from a poem, etc.  Then I have them fill in the “interpretation” box by explaining how the example would be significant or meaningful to a reader.  After they’ve filled out these two boxes, then I have them fill in the “claim” box.  The paragraphs they write after they’ve drawn out a schematic are often much more focused than if they just started writing and let the idea develop as they draft.

Another favorite from this site is the “conflict dissection” organizer.  It has four columns titled “somebody,” “wanted,” “but,” and “so.”  This organizer is a great heuristic for helping students think critically about how conflict works in literature.  Students choose a character, identify that character’s desires and motivations, note the events or circumstances that thwart those desires, and then address the consequences of the conflict.  I’ve just found that a visual framework for this type of analysis makes it so much easier to teach than if I were to verbally instruct students to analyze these aspects of conflict.  Students grasp it more intuitively, and their responses are often more in-depth and insightful.

http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/graphic_organizers

I like this site because it delves into some of the research supporting the value of organizers for increasing students’ comprehension of class material.  An example of the type of organizers you’ll find here include the “Human Interaction Outline.” This organizer works as a heuristic to help students analyze the causes and consequences of interactions between people.  This would be useful for analyzing literature, historical events, sociological concepts, etc.

http://www.educationoasis.com/curriculum/graphic_organizers.htm

I like the “Word Chart” organizer on this page.  It asks students not just to define terms but to contextualize them by providing examples and “non-examples,” envisioning scenarios where they may encounter the word, and thinking of ways to pair the word with other concepts.  This approach goes significantly further than just asking a student to define a term, and it will go a long way toward helping the student comprehend and retain the concept.

I hope you find some of these resources useful!