graphic organizer examples for elementary students

#GRAPHIC ORGANIZER EXAMPLES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS HOW TO#

You may be thinking I already know about graphic organizers or may be wondering why we are still writing about graphic organizers. That is why a graphic organizer is such a critical instructional strategy. Learning is a combination of the storage of information and the ability to retrieve information when needed. When we teach, we want students to understand new concepts and skills and remember what they have learned for a long time. The standards really guide these determinations for me.A lesson without a graphic organizer is never as effective as a lesson with one. If I really need my students to know how mechanical and thermal energy area alike, for example, I will focus my time looking at the middle of the diagram and use that to guide my determination for groups and whether we are ready to move on.

#GRAPHIC ORGANIZER EXAMPLES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS HOW TO#

How to use it to assess & plan: When I use Venn diagrams to formatively assess my students, I typically start by deciding whether it is more important that students get the similarities or differences. That lets me get to the bottom of whether they really get the details. For example, if we are studying energy I might have students create a Venn diagram on the two most recent types of energy we studied. I love using Venn diagrams for science and social studies concepts where I really need to be sure students understand the differences and similarities between the topics. I am pretty sure every single testing manufacturer does…or at least the test prep materials look like they do! This means using this as a tool to assess is giving you double the bang for your buck because it is also normalizing the process of using a Venn diagram for your students. This allows me to really guide student-to-student learning in a unique way. I use this to make flexible groups based on shared knowledge or differing gaps (depending on the topic and the activities). Since it is more organized than the mind map, I can quickly use my checklist to determine if students have the key understandings. How I use it to assess & plan: This is the easiest to check of the three organizers I use for formative assessment. Here's a simple example of an anchor chart version of this format from K-Crew Kids Rock: However, I have also seen great ones that use “want”, “believe” for deeper social studies topics with older students. Commonly you'll see these as “can”, “have”, “are”. Students are given three specific categories to qualify their understanding and knowledge of the topic. Topic trees are especially great for smaller, more focused topics. I also make notes on misconceptions that I notice across students to help me plan lessons to fix these areas. They don't need to be in the same place, but I use it as a checklist to help me determine if students really get the concept. How I use it to assess & plan: When I use this strategy for formative assessment, I start by listing out the 3-5 must know concepts that I am going to look for in every mind map.

Here's a great example of a simple mind map from our unit on energy: However, they are a lot more fun to look at than a test. There is no “right way” to organize a mind map which means it can take you a little longer to review. Mind maps can include symbols, words, colors, and pictures that are highly personal to the individual. Often referred to as a web, mind mapping is a great way to get your students to bring their ideas from their brain to the paper. My 3 Favorite Graphic Organizers for Formative Assessment 1. However, many teachers overlook the benefits of using graphic organizers as a tool for gathering information.

Graphic organizers have the ability to help students clearly visualize and understand the content as well as their own thinking. Some examples of graphic organizers are mind maps, KWL charts, concept webs, flow charts, webs, and Venn diagrams. Graphic organizers are a great way to have students think through and visually represent concepts, information, and ideas for a variety of learners (K-12) and topics. Get a copy of my 3 favorite graphic organizers for formatively assessing students.My 3 Favorite Graphic Organizers for Formative Assessment.Graphic organizers every teacher needs.

Graphic organizer examples for elementary students