Graphic Organizers
Ria Di Marco
riadimarco@yahoo.ca
Teaching children to become effective
thinkers is increasingly recognized as an
immediate goal of education....If students are
to function successfully in a highly technical
society, then they must be equipped with
lifelong learning and thinking skills necessary
to acquire and process information in an
ever-changing world.
Kathleen Cotton
http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/6/cu11.html
Vee diagrams
comparing and contrasting
Chart/Grid/Matrix
organize thinking for decision-making and choices
Chains/Cyclical
sequencing
Types of
Fish bone Graphical Organizers
Top half for issues
with solutions below Flow charts
sequencing and processing
T-chart
comparing and contrasting
Web/Spider
brainstorming, definitions Concept Map/Map
attributes, classifications
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss98/VisualOrganizers.htm
Selecting Graphic Organizers
Consider:
The information to be displayed key points.
The design that best represents these ideas
and their relationship.
The thinking skills you wish to encourage.
Assisting students in using GO’s
Demonstrate the uses of GO’s.
Create a sample together.
Use one yourself as part of a lesson.
Allow students to create their own.
Allow (novice) students to work together.
Have students present & explain their
Organizer.
Consider Graphic Organizers
for testing
Give students the key words and they generate
their own GO, and add on to it.
Furnish a blank GO with categories and
relationships. Students supply the vocabulary.
Use a GO as a preparation tool for an essay.
Students create a GO and they must put in the
key words.
Marking Graphic Organizers
Consider:
Key concepts
Supporting information
Connecting ideas
Resources - sample GO’s
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm
(samples!)
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Etsdobbs/Graphic_Organizer
s/graphic_organizers.html (student samples)
http://www.smcps.k12.md.us/mbms/writing/graphorg.ht
ml (Samples shown are mainly for writing.)
http://www.providenceschools.org/pdf/scope_sequence/hi
gh/web_physics_2.pdf (Encourages students to use GO’s & they
are also used in the course outline given.)
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/sciencemaps/index.htm
(concept maps - Science)
Resources - sample GO’s
http://whyfiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/educators/activities/200
0_2001/worksheets/elec_concept.html (Electricity concept map)
http://www.studygs.net/mapping/
(How to create a concept map, with excellent examples)
http://www.writedesignonline.com/organizers/ (Description of
GO’s and how best to use them.)
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/
lr1grorg.htm
(Description of GO’s and how best to use them – similar to previous link.)
http://www.peterussell.com/MindMaps/HowTo.html
(Creating Mind Maps)
Resources - sample GO’s ready to print/use
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/6_8/graphorg/ (long list – good
variety)
http://myschoolonline.com/content_gallery/0,3138,55356-121175-
5-5622,00.html (large variety shown –not all are clear for printing)
http://www.op97.k12.il.us/instruct/IArts/Civil%20War/forms.html
(choose & print)
http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/graphic_organizers.php
(easy to use site of printable GO’s)
http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/skills/thinkmaps.html
(grouped according to thinking skills)
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/ (clearly organized list)
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/lesson-plans/lesson-
6293.html?s19&detoured=1 (Registration required.)
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic73.htm (Examples and samples)
Resources – create your own GO’s online!
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/
(a great site!)
http://cmap.ihmc.us/ (free software available to download)
Resources – books & software
Books
http://www.k12teaching.com/browseproducts/Index6.html
Software
Inspiration - http://www.inspiration.com/ (Check out the samples
here.)
Mind-Mapping software
http://www.innovationtools.com/resources/mindmapping.asp (List of
different Mind-Mapping software that is available.)
On-line Aids
http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/studyskills/online.h
tml (Study Skills - aids for all subjects.)