Using Graphic Organizers with Nonfiction TextsCreated and compiled by

Alyson Mitchell M.Ed.Texas Tech University

2009

Objectives

• Understand how and when to use graphic organizers.

• Know benefits of using graphic organizers.

• Share ways to use graphic organizers with your Personalized Learning group.

What are graphic organizers?

Why do teachers use graphic organizers?

When can graphic organizers be used?

How should graphic organizers be used?

One a piece of paper, write down your answers to the

following questions…

What are graphic organizers?

• Tools that display information so that readers can see the relationships among the topics being explored.

• Visual representations of information• “Valuable tools for reading, writing, thinking and learning.”• Useful with all kinds of learners: gifted, special education, special needs

and ELL students• “Used for brainstorming, gathering information, summarizing, organizing,

self evaluating and so forth.”• Found in textbooks, standardized tests, workbooks, overheads,

SmartBoards, and journals

(Pike and Mumper, pgs 140-142)

Why use graphic organizers?

• They can be used before, during and/or after the reading of a text.• Studies have shown that graphic organizers can assist comprehension.

One study discovered that students became more active readers when they used graphic organizers while reading (Frey and Fisher, 171).

• They support students who struggle with literacy. • Because nonfiction can be difficult for children, the use of graphic

organizers makes content more accessible. • They can link information being read with child’s background knowledge. • They can encourage students to work collaboratively and improves social

skills (Pike and Mumper, pg 142).• They give teachers the opportunity to assess what children have learned

about a topic being studied (Pike and Mumper, pg 142).

When can graphic organizers be used?

• Before reading

• During reading

• After reading (or before, during AND after)

• In any content area…reading, writing, math, science, social studies, art…

How should graphic organizers be used?

The research is clear…in order to be effective, graphic organizers must be used with the teacher. Often they are used as a worksheet, for the child to fill out on his/her own. This is not the most beneficial way to use this teaching tool. Merkley and Jefferies (pg 167) share attributes for effective implementation:

1. share links among categories2. provide time for student input3. connect new information to prior learning4. make reference to new information/text5. seize opportunities to reinforce decoding and structural analysis.

It should be noted, these attributes do not have to appear in this order. When utilizing the graphic organizer, time should be provided to do each of the above.

How should graphic organizers be used?

What might these attributes look like?1. share links among categories: “We have been learning about the rain forest.

Before we read a new book about this topic, let’s look at this graphic organizer. It is organized by layers of the rain forest, why do you think that is?”

2. provide time for student input: Pause and provide time for students to answer the above question…

3. connect new information to prior learning: “What do you know about each of these layers?”

1. make reference to new information/text: “In this book, Rain Forest, the authors share with the reader what life looks like in the rain forest. Let’s read the first few sections and determine how each of these layers are described.”

5. seize opportunities to reinforce decoding and structural analysis: “This layer is called the canopy. Why do you think it is called this? (structural analysis) How do these authors describe the canopy of the rain forest? Let’s write this on our chart. What sounds should we write first? (decoding)”

The next slide shows a sample graphic organizer using this scenario and the text, Rain Forest.

Graphic Organizer Activity!Under Activity 3, click on the link titled “Try It, Text Structures”.This PDF provides you several different Graphic Organizers on pages 1-5. Read the articles in pages 6-10 and try to find the best Graphic Organizers to use with each article. Jot down on a scratch piece of paper the graphic organizer that would work best with each article. You will discuss this activity in your discussion board activity. For example, if you used the article “The Life of a Hurricane” with your students, you might chose to use the Sequencing Graphic Organizer to help discuss this article.

How can we use this with the students we

teach?

Rain Forest

Emergent Canopy

ForestFloor

Understory

Thick branches

Most wildlife here.

Lots of leaves

Windy

Tops of trees

Monkeys and birds

Leafy bushes

Dark and hot

Frogs hide in leaves

Dead leaves

Insects

Anteater

This chart could be added to as more information is learned.

Types of Graphic Organizers

Just like there are different structures in trade books, there are many different graphic organizers. When considering what type of organizer to use, consider the structure of the text being used.

Question and Answer

Description

Sequence or Time Order

Cause and Effect

Problem and Solution

Compare/Contrast

A Final Reminder

“they are such a simple tool that there is a temptation to merely distribute them and ask students to fill them in. Unfortunately, without proper scaffolding, graphic organizers can be reduced to a level of a fancy worksheet, completed only to satisfy the teacher.”

Frey and Fisher, pg 179