1. Graphic Organizers EDUC 307

2. Graphic Organizers  Graphic organizers are mental maps that represent key skills like sequencing, comparing and contrasting, and classifying and involve students in active thinking. Graphic organizers also provide tools to help students organize and find patterns among the overwhelming amount of information available today.

3. Graphic organizers also: 1. represent abstract or implicit information in a more concrete form 2. depict relationships between facts and concepts 3. generate and organize ideas for writing 4. relate new information to prior knowledge 5. store and retrieve information 6. assess students thinking and learning

4.  Graphic organizers such as the

5. Introducing Graphic Organizers  1. Introduce the new organizers and model how to use it with the whole class by selecting a topic that is easily understood by all of the students.  2. Allow students to practice using the graphic organizer in small groups. Let them select a topic of their choice.  3. Ask individual students to complete a graphic organizers on their own in class for homework.  4. Encourage students or groups to create an original organizer to share subject content with the class.

6.  Why Should We Use Graphic Organizers?  Many students cannot connect or relate new information to prior knowledge because they have trouble remembering things.  Graphic organizers can help them remember because they become "blueprints" or maps that make abstract ideas more visible and concrete.

7. How Should We Assess Graphic Organizers?  1. Include graphic organizers on quizzes and tests.  2. Require groups to complete an assigned graphic organizer and topic on newsprint. Give a group grade for the final graphic organizer and oral presentation.  3. Assign students to select one graphic organizer to use to analyze a lecture, video, book, piece of fiction, piece of non-fiction, speech, news story, or textbook reading. Grade the assignment on accuracy, originality, and creativity.  4. Allow the students to select one or two graphic organizer assignments from their work to include in portfolios.

8.  5. Assign students work that requires a graphic organizer to be completed by cooperative groups. Ask each student in each group to complete an individual writing or speaking assignment based on the ideas included in the graphic organizer. Give a group grade and an individual grade.  6. Ask the students or the cooperative group to invent an original graphic organizer. Grade the assignment on the basis of originality, creativity, usefulness, and logic.  7. Require students to utilize a graphic organizer in a project or oral presentation. Grade on the quality and effectiveness of the graphic organizer to enhance the presentation.  8. Create a picture graphic organizer that includes outlines of objects rather than circles or lines.