1. Easy Ways to Differentiate With Graphic Organizers

2. Why use graphic organizers?
Graphic organizers (GOs) help students to gather, sift through, organize, and share information.

3. These types of activities help students retain information they’ve learned for a longer period of time.

4. Students with low literacy skills, limited English fluency, and diverse learning styles can often process information in a GO more easily than from traditional text.

5. GOs help students to focus their thoughts for planning, decision making and writing.

6. They allow the mind to see connections, patterns, and relationships (the big picture).

7. They almost always incorporate higher-level thought.

8. And best of all……
They are easy to modify for all types of learners!

9. How can I keep students working in their “challenge zones” with GOs?

10. Intelligences/Interests
Based on students’
Readiness
skill levels
background knowledge
Learning Profile
learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic)
grouping/environmental preferences
Intelligences/Interests
thinking style (creative, practical, analytic or musical, interpersonal, linguistic, etc.)
What topics motivate the students?
you can…

11. Vary the resources used to fill out the GO
For some students, provide information in cut and paste format or with a ‘bank’ of words or pictures.

12. For others, provide information on the GO or in a handout.
Ancient Egypt arose on the Nile River. It was
surrounded by deserts. The Egyptians built
Pyramids which served as tombs for their pharaohs. Egyptian worshipped many gods. Ra was the god of the sun…………...
Students have to process the information to put it in the GO.

13. Direct some students to their notes to find information

14. Use the links I posted on our Fusion page!
Direct others to book(s), magazines, or internet sites to find information (some students may require page or paragraph numbers)
See page 48 for help!
Use the links I posted on our Fusion page!
Don’t just
Google it!

15. Some students could complete the GO without referring to any outside resources

16. Modify the organizer
Students can be given a blank organizer, or copy the GO onto their own paper.

17. Allow students a choice of organizers to display the same information.
Offer a choice
Allow students a choice of organizers to display the same information.

18. Students can use software programs like Inspiration, or download organizers off the internet and type or paste pictures onto them.
Life Cycle Chart
Type here
Type here
Type here
name
Type here
Type here

19. Parts of the organizer (categories, examples) can be filled out for some and not others.
Which was the worst war in history?
Long Term Damage to Society
Damage to Places
Casualties
Vietnam
Example answer
pgs.90-91
World War I
Example answer
pgs.32-35
World War II
Example answer
pgs.54-59

20. The amount of information or detail to be included in the graphic organizer can be varied.

21. You can incorporate higher-level thinking skills, prior knowledge, and real world applications for students who are ready to accept the challenge.

22. Students can be grouped (similar ability or mixed ability) to work collaboratively on graphic organizers. They will be discussing, doing, and teaching!

23. Some students can create their own graphic organizers
Provide examples of graphic organizers for some (filled-out or blank)

24. Optimize creativity for others by minimizing the amount of direction given

25. GOs are not always right for everyone
Students can be given a ‘menu’ of options to demonstrate understanding of a concept – and one of them could be a GO.

26. Some students can be given a graphic organizer to help them complete a specific task, while others complete the task more independently.

27. Managing Learning - Secondary - Differentiation (video)
(1st half of video only)

28. Resources http://www.education-world.com/tools_templates/index.shtml