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Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers, Mind Maps, Concept Maps are a pictoral or graphical way to organize information and thoughts for understanding, remembering, or writing about. Graphic organizers, mind maps and concept maps are powerful tools that can be used to enchance learning and create a foundation for learning. More ...
Five main types of organizers
Graphic organizers are valuable instructional tools. Unlike many tools that just have one purpose, graphic organizers are flexible and endless in application. One common trait found among graphic organizers is that they show the order and completeness of a student's thought process - strengths and weaknesses of understanding become clearly evident. Many graphic organizers show different aspects of an issue/problem - in close and also the big picture. Since many graphic organizers use short words or phrases, they are ideal for many types of learners, including English Language Learners with intermediate proficiency.
Although five main types of organizers are mentioned in this piece, many others exist, or will soon be created. See examples below. More ...
- Star/web: Use to show definitions, attributes, examples, and brainstorming
- Chart/Matrix: Use to show attributes, comparing and contrasting, and evaluating.
- Tree/Map: Use to show classifications, pedigrees, analysis, structures, attributes, examples, and brainstorming.
- Chain: Use to show processes, sequences, causes and effects, and chronology.
Sketch: Use to show physical structures, descriptions of places, spatial relationships, concrete objects, and visual images.
Graphic organizers, SCORE
While this site is intended for K-12 teachers, it presents several good examples of how to use graphic organizers as instructional strategies.
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