How To Use Graphic Organizers to Improve Academic Skills

How to Use Graphic Organizers to Improve Academic Skills

Introduction to Graphic Organizers

• The presentation focuses on using graphic organizers to enhance academic skills, including reading comprehension, writing, listening, note-taking, and study skills.

• A graphic organizer visually represents information or concepts, aiding learners in understanding and organizing their thoughts for reporting through writing or oral presentations.

Types of Graphic Organizers

Web Graphic Organizer

• The web graphic organizer helps list ideas related to a single topic. An example provided is characteristics of dogs.

• Once filled out, students can use the web's notes for writing or speaking about the topic (e.g., dogs being furry animals that need exercise).

Methods of Using a Web Organizer

• Teachers or parents can create a web on paper or digitally and fill it based on recent lessons while engaging students with questions.

• Students can take notes by filling in the web as they read or listen to lectures about a topic.

• Alternatively, students may use prior knowledge to complete the web without needing specific recent information.

Venn Diagram

• The Venn diagram compares two subjects; an example compares whales and guppies by listing unique and shared characteristics.

Reporting Information from Venn Diagrams

• After completing the diagram, students can write paragraphs summarizing differences and similarities between the compared subjects (e.g., whales are mammals while guppies are fish).

Gathering Information for Venn Diagrams

• Teachers can draw diagrams based on recent lessons and ask questions to help fill them in collaboratively with students.

Graphic Organizers for Learning and Writing

Venn Diagram Usage

• Students can gather information in the middle space of a Venn diagram to identify shared or differing characteristics later on.

• Information for the Venn diagram may come from different sources, such as comparing plot points from "Romeo and Juliet" and "West Side Story." The left circle represents one source, while the right circle represents another. Similarities are noted in the center.

• A third method involves students using their own knowledge to compare any two topics, even if they haven't been recently taught about them (e.g., baseball vs. football).

Hamburger Graphic Organizer Overview

• The hamburger graphic organizer helps collect important points from various content types (stories, lectures, etc.) in a sequential manner, serving as an outline for writing tasks like essays or speeches.

• This tool aids students in visualizing main points clearly and organizing their upcoming written work effectively, especially beneficial for those struggling with information organization.

Collaborative Use of Hamburger Organizer

• Teachers or parents can assist by filling out the organizer during story lectures while asking questions to engage students actively. Students can also fill it out based on prior knowledge of stories or lectures they've experienced before.

• The filled-out hamburger organizer can be used to generate sentences for paragraphs or essays based on collected information. Next steps involve demonstrating how to use this organizer with a short story example.

Example Story Breakdown

• An example story about Michael's birthday party illustrates how to fill out the hamburger graphic organizer: he receives many presents but struggles with storage due to limited space in his room. His frustration leads him to consider donating old toys.

• The narrative is structured into sections: beginning (receiving gifts), middle (frustration over lack of space), and end (decision to donate toys). Each section is broken down further into key points that guide writing structure.

Writing Paragraphs from Organizers

• Using points from the graphic organizer allows students to write coherent paragraphs summarizing stories effectively; Michael's experience serves as an illustrative example of this process.

Graphic Organizers for Writing and Comprehension

Hamburger Graphic Organizer

• The hamburger graphic organizer is designed to help students structure a seven-paragraph essay, with the top and bottom representing the introduction and conclusion, while five middle sections represent body paragraphs.

Story Mountain Map

• The story mountain map serves a similar purpose as the hamburger organizer but focuses on fictional narratives, illustrating the rise to a conflict and its resolution.

• It highlights key elements of a story such as setting, character desires, struggles, choices made by characters, and how the story concludes.

• For example, in Michael's birthday party story:

• Setting: Michael at home trying to organize his birthday presents.

• Desire: He wants to find space for his new items.

Key Questions in Story Mapping

• The map includes questions that guide students through understanding:

• Struggles faced by characters (e.g., lack of room for new things).

• Choices made (e.g., deciding to donate old toys).

Application of Story Mountain Maps

• These maps can also be used for true stories that follow a similar narrative arc. They facilitate comprehension by organizing points sequentially.

Timeline Wheel

• The timeline wheel is another graphic organizer that allows students to list events chronologically, useful for both fiction and non-fiction narratives.

• It can illustrate sequences like historical events or developmental stages (e.g., life milestones of a child).

Example of Timeline Wheel Usage

• An example shows significant milestones in a child's life from birth through starting kindergarten. Each event is marked clearly on the timeline.

Writing from Timeline Information

• Once completed, students can use information from their timeline wheels as foundational elements for writing essays or speeches.

KWL Graphic Organizer

K-W-L Organizers: A Tool for Learning

Understanding K-W-L Organizers

• The K-W-L (Know, Want to know, Learned) organizer helps students structure their learning by filling in what they know and want to learn about a topic before and after research.

• An example is provided where a student fills out the K-W-L organizer regarding lizards, noting prior knowledge such as "lizards are reptiles" and questions like "what do lizards eat besides bugs."

Learning Outcomes from Research

• After reading about lizards, the student learns that they come in various colors beyond green and cannot survive in cold climates for long.

• The student discovers that some lizards hibernate underground or underwater during cold weather and also consume plants and small animals.

Implementing K-W-L in Education

• Teachers can facilitate the K-W-L process by asking students what they know and want to learn about a subject, then filling in answers together post-research.

• Alternatively, students can independently fill out the chart while engaging with materials, making it an effective tool for writing preparation or note-taking.

Benefits of Graphic Organizers

• The K-W-L organizer serves as a study guide; students can set up initial columns before lectures and complete them during lessons.

• Graphic organizers are particularly beneficial for students with ADHD or autism spectrum disorders as they provide structured engagement while developing note-taking skills.

Strategies for Effective Note-Taking

• For students struggling with writing or listening comprehension, using keywords instead of full sentences can enhance focus. For instance, writing "hibernate in cold" instead of longer phrases.

• Gradual support should be provided to help children become independent users of graphic organizers. Tailoring strategies based on individual needs is crucial for success.

Addressing Academic Struggles

• If a child faces significant challenges despite consistent practice with reading comprehension or other academic skills, consulting educational professionals may be necessary to identify underlying issues.