Graphic organizers can be a great tool for helping students get started on writing projects.\u00a0 They give students a visual representation of their topic before they start writing.\u00a0 Being able to see what they\u2019re trying to say before they start drafting can help them create more focused and organized drafts.<\/p>\n
Graphic organizers also have many applications beyond writing projects.\u00a0 They can be valuable tools for students learning new concepts because they allow students to create a visual schematic.\u00a0 These representations can increase comprehension and retention of new concepts.\u00a0 They also work as a great heuristic for critical thinking.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 The visual format makes it easy to understand the task at a glance.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, the web is full of free graphic organizers. \u00a0A simple Google Image search for \u201cgraphic organizers\u201d yields plenty of great results.\u00a0 \u00a0Below is a sample of some of the websites that provide free graphic organizers.<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.greece.k12.ny.us\/academics.cfm?subpage=478<\/a><\/p>\n One of my favorites from this site is called the \u201cCEI,\u201d or \u201cClaim-Evidence-Interpretation.\u201d\u00a0 I encourage students to fill in the \u201cevidence\u201d box first\u2014this can be statistical data, personal experience, a quote from a poem, etc.\u00a0 Then I have them fill in the \u201cinterpretation\u201d box by explaining how the example would be significant or meaningful to a reader.\u00a0 After they\u2019ve filled out these two boxes, then I have them fill in the \u201cclaim\u201d box.\u00a0 The paragraphs they write after they\u2019ve drawn out a schematic are often much more focused than if they just started writing and let the idea develop as they draft.<\/p>\n Another favorite from this site is the \u201cconflict dissection\u201d organizer.\u00a0 It has four columns titled \u201csomebody,\u201d \u201cwanted,\u201d \u201cbut,\u201d and \u201cso.\u201d\u00a0 This organizer is a great heuristic for helping students think critically about how conflict works in literature.\u00a0 Students choose a character, identify that character\u2019s desires and motivations, note the events or circumstances that thwart those desires, and then address the consequences of the conflict.\u00a0 I\u2019ve 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.\u00a0 Students grasp it more intuitively, and their responses are often more in-depth and insightful.<\/p>\n http:\/\/aim.cast.org\/learn\/historyarchive\/backgroundpapers\/graphic_organizers<\/a><\/p>\n I like this site because it delves into some of the research supporting the value of organizers for increasing students\u2019 comprehension of class material.\u00a0 An example of the type of organizers you\u2019ll find here include the \u201cHuman Interaction Outline.\u201d This organizer works as a heuristic to help students analyze the causes and consequences of interactions between people.\u00a0 This would be useful for analyzing literature, historical events, sociological concepts, etc.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.educationoasis.com\/curriculum\/graphic_organizers.htm<\/a><\/p>\n I like the \u201cWord Chart\u201d organizer on this page.\u00a0 It asks students not just to define terms but to contextualize them by providing examples and \u201cnon-examples,\u201d envisioning scenarios where they may encounter the word, and thinking of ways to pair the word with other concepts.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n I hope you find some of these resources useful!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Graphic organizers can be a great tool for helping students get started on writing projects.\u00a0 They give students a visual representation of their topic before they start writing.\u00a0 Being able to see what they\u2019re trying to say before they start Continue reading Graphic Organizers on the Web<\/span>