All about Graphic Organizers

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
BY:
MARICEL P. CARIDAOAN
MMSU-LES
Visual thinking can be expressed in many ways. Graphic organizers are one way for visual thinkers to arrange their ideas. There are unlimited ways to express these visual ideas. Graphic organizers have many names including visual maps, mind mapping, and visual organizers. Although many students plan with paper and pencil, technology tools can be very helpful because they allow easy editing. Graphic organizers can be used in all phases of learning from brainstorming ideas to presenting findings. They can be used individually or in large groups. For example, some teachers like to create a class concept map as a large group to review at the end of a unit or develop a character map while reading a book aloud to the class. These tools are particularly useful in activities that require critical thinking skills.
Advantages of Graphic Organizers
1. These organizers are a way to encourage students to think about information in new ways. With writing, it's easy for students to copy from one place to another. With graphic organizers, you remove the words and focus on the connections.
2. They are a great tool for activities that ask students to review concepts and demonstrate their understanding. They can easily make changes and take different perspectives. In other words, it helps students clarity their thinking.
3. It's easy to edit, revise, and quickly add to a visual map.
4. Graphic organizers can be used as a nice planning tool from information identification to product development. Finally, they are great for visual thinkers or those that need to practice their visual thinking.
Types of Graphic Organizers
Cause-Effect Chart
Classification Chart
Concept Web
KWL Chart
Matrix
Mind Map
SQ3R Chart
Sequence/Flow Chart
Spider Map
T-Chart
Thinking Tree
Time Line Chart
Two Story Map
Venn Diagram
In Classroom Instruction that Works: Research Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, by Robert J. Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane E. Pollack, it is suggested that all graphic organizers can be placed into six common patterns:
· Descriptive Patterns
· Time-Sequence Patterns
· Process/Cause-Effect Patterns
· Episode Patterns
· Generalization/Principle Patterns
· Concept Patterns
Marzano feels that graphic organizers are the "most common way to help students generate nonlinguistic representation" (Marzano 75). Marzano also cites Educational Technology Research and Development by Gerlic & Jausovec (1999), where the authors write that "engaging students in the creation of nonlinguistic representations stimulates and increases activity in th brain" (73). ""


Describing
Comparing Contrasting
Classifying
Sequencing
Causal
Decision Making
Webbing
Brainstorming WebMoney Web
Double Cell Diagram
Hierarchy DiagramResearch Cycle Cluster Diagram Desktop Folder System
Squirrels Web
Concept Mapping
Concept Map
Simile - School is..
Matrix
VennVenn ExpandedComparison Matrix
KWHL
Thinking grids
Flow Chart
Desktop Folder System
Linear StringExpanded Linear StringDominoe Effect
Brainstorming Web
Brainstorming is creative thinking by a group of people designed to generate a number of ideas to solve a given problem. Generate ideas and questions, access prior knowledge, assess interests and knowledge, develop probing questions and problems.
Critical Questions:
What is the topic or question to brainstormed?
Is the process clear for brainstorming?
Suggestions:
Relax. Play some creative music.
Spelling or style doesn't count.:>)
Don't worry about organization.
Think quantity.
Be positive, don't criticise.
Free-associate ideas. Keep them simple.
Write or sketch as quickly as you can.
Write or sketch in any order.
Develop all ideas.
Keep working.
Combine to improve each other's ideas Webbing Strategies:
Work from a central idea, concept, topic or question, gathering and linking thoughts in text and/or pictures. Expand thoughts from the center like branches on a web. Weave the web. When one branch stops or an idea doesn't fit create a new branch.
An alternative is to free associate a random list then sift, sort and develop relational links and design the web. Expand web branches and links. Explore any associations that strike your fancy.
Use paper and pencil, text or free sketch. Connect thoughts with relational links. Use sticky notes as an effective alternative. Free associate a different idea on each note, regroup the sticky notes into categories, then construct a web on butcher paper. Use different colored sticky notes to denote headings or categories that emerge from the brainstorm. Develop links on the paper -- text or sketches can be added at any time.
By far the most effective and efficient method is to use a commercial software program such as Inspirations.
Software programs have significant advantages over paper and pencil. They encourage building, creating and inventing -- yet keep the web legible. Webs become unwieldy as they grow. Software program manage growth. Select the look -- cluster, branching, right to left etc. Try different looks and nudge the cells to for style. An emerging new thought? Click on another cell or start a new branch. Change of mind? New insight? Revise, move, delete and paste. Save, print, or export the map into various formats. Some programs produce a nice neat linear text outline. Cool!
Group guidelines are a must when for maximum effectiveness. Use a strategy called 'Think, Pair, Share'. Work from individual association to sharing with a partner then collaborating as a group to develop the web.


A concept map is a special form of a web diagram for exploring knowledge and gathering and sharing information. Concept mapping is the strategy employed to develop a concept map. A concept map consists of nodes or cells that contain a concept, item or question and links. The links are labeled and denote direction with an arrow symbol. The labeled links explain the relationship between the nodes. The arrow describes the direction of the relationship and reads like a sentence.
Descriptive Concept Map (133K)
Uses:
Develop an understanding of a body of knowledge. Explore new information and relationships. Access prior knowledge. Gather new knowledge and information. Share knowledge and information generated. Design structures or processes such as written documents, constructions, web sites, web search, multimedia presentations.
Problem solve options.
Critical Questions:
What is the central word, concept, research question or problem around which to build the map?
What are the concepts, items, descriptive words or telling questions that you can associate with the concept, topic, research question or problem?
Suggestions:
Use a top down approach, working from general to specific or use a free association approach by brainstorming nodes and then develop links and relationships. Use different colors and shapes for nodes & links to identify different types of information. Use different colored nodes to identify prior and new information. Use a cloud node to identify a question.
Gather information to a question in the question node
Double Cell Diagram
Description: Two items linked by characteristics or attributes.
Uses: Describe and compare attributes and characteristics of two items, things, people, places, events or ideas.
Critical Questions:
What items do you want to compare?
What characteristics do the items have in common? What are not in common?
How are the items similar and different?
Suggestions:
A Double Cell Diagram is an excellent substitute for a Venn Diagram for comparing likenesses and differences. Good for use with younger children. Use cells and links with younger children to help them create more complex webs and maps in the future. String, hula hoops, colored yarn, colored paper, colored pens all can be useful to make cells on the floor or wall for younger children. A good tool to launch writing about what is similar and what is not.
Double Cell Diagram
As a visual teaching technique, a double cell diagram is very effective. Along with comparison matrices and Venn diagrams, double cell diagrams are used as a powerful educational tool dedicated to developing the power of logical thinking amongst students. Since the characteristics of two objects are relative, they can only be fully explored if they are effectively compared. Thus, using a double cell diagram, students can get acquainted with new objects and concepts. This method not only allows students to explore a new topic and further their knowledge about it, but also imparts key concepts in learning how to properly analyze a given set of information.
With the help of specific questions, a double cell diagram induces students to recall prior knowledge and generate new ideas related to the compared items. Once the teacher decides to employ a double cell diagram as an educational method, he/she should take into account several important points. The degree of sophistication of the double cell diagram should depend on the age and mental agility of the students being taught. Several helpful questions serving to define the aspects being confronted should be brought up. If possible, colorful diagrams should be used to encourage students' associative thinking. Colors can also be used to specify different aspects of comparison. Experts conclude diagrams with colors are easier to perceive than black-and-white ones, a theory that is especially critical to working with children.
Venn Diagram Basic
Description: Two items linked by characteristics or attributes.
Uses: Describe and compare attributes and characteristics of items (things, people, places, events, ideas, etc.)
Critical Questions:
What items do you want to compare? What characteristics do the items have in common (intersecting portion)?
How are the items similar (the same) and different (non intersecting portion) based on the characteristics?
Suggestions: Venn diagrams are useful as a graphics organization tool when comparing two things (and particularly for use with younger children). Simple Venn diagrams are used, in which no more than two curves intersect at a common point. Shared characteristics are listed in the overlapping section allowing for easy identification of which characteristics are shared and which aren't. String or colored yarn can be used to make circles on the floor and manipulatives and pictures are strongly encouraged. Programs like SmartDraw and Microsoft Powerpoint allow for the drawing of Venn diagrams on PCs. And you can draw your own here.A useful tool to start children writing about what is similar and what is not. A better tool to use is the Double Cell Diagram. See also Venn Diagram Expanded for comparing three items. More on Venn diagrams.
A Venn diagram serves to organize students' thoughts, and is labeled according to the topic at hand and the aspects that need to be compared and contrasted. Due to their relatively simple structure and visually effective nature, Venn diagrams are considered to be an indispensable educational technique, equally useful for both children and adults. Most teachers prefer to use a Venn diagram as a pre-writing activity in order to help students categorize the knowledge they have already gained. Having classified all the similarities and differences, students are able to make an in-depth analysis of the topic and draw a well-grounded conclusion.
Venn diagrams can be successfully applied to a wide range of subjects. For instance, students can compare and contrast several cities and their climates during a Geography lesson, organize various animals or different cell structures in Biology and study the character traits of different protagonists in works of twentieth century Literature. The key point is to determine the objects that need to be compared beforehand. The more aspects that are included in a Venn diagram, the more comprehensive the analysis is. To optimize the process you can use various colors and shapes. Originally, Venn diagrams were made using simple circles; however, triangles and quadrangles can be also used, especially when constructing several diagrams at the same time. If used correctly, this graphic tool makes the teaching and learning process a lot more interesting and effective.
Comparison Matrix
Description: Linked by characteristics or attributes.
Uses: Describe and compare attributes and characteristics of items (things, people, places, events, ideas, etc.), brainstorming.
Critical Questions:
What items do you want to compare? What characteristics do you want to compare?
How are the items similar and different based on the characteristics?
Suggestions: Place a 'X' in the box to indicate if an item possesses that characteristic. Make sure the student is clear and agrees on the definition of the specific characteristic.
How are they alike? How are they different?
As an effective analytic tool, a comparison matrix serves to determine the basic characteristics of an object. Using the aggregation method, a comparison matrix outlines the most typical features of an item without drawing a conclusion directly, but by simplifying the process of analysis.
Used as tools for educational purposes, comparison matrices are effective visual aids, featuring a simple and exact structure. With the help of this high-end invention, students can make in-depth comparisons, confronting multiple objects and their aspects all at once. Consequently, the use of this visual teaching method contributes to the development of analytical skills among students.
While making a comparison matrix, the teacher should consider the following points. Firstly, it’s important to make sure that all compared items are known to the students; otherwise it will be difficult to outline the items' characteristics. If students haven't worked with comparison matrices before, the structure of the matrix should be as unsophisticated as possible. Remember, you can always add more characteristics for multifaceted comparison. If students' knowledge of the topic isn't deep yet, place only several objects to compare, but include various aspects. Such an approach allows students to gain extended information, even it is about a few items. Once students have gotten well acquainted with the items and attained basic knowledge about them, you can introduce another comparison matrix with more items. Also, if you assign the completion of a comparison matrix as a home task, ensure that it can be easily printed.
Hierarchy Diagram
Description: Topics and attributes are linked by subordinate relationships.
Uses: Group items (things, people, places, events, ideas, etc.) into categories.
Critical Questions:
What items do we want to put together or classify? Top tier. How can we put them into groups that are alike? Second tier. Develop a rule to describe the group as to why they are alike. Are there any items that do not belong? If so create another group. (third tier)
Repeat process until all items are classified.
Suggestions: Initially students can either free associate items then begin to group or start with one major item and add links. Using tiers or rows helps the student to visualize classifying and breaking items into categories.
Cluster Diagram - Research Cycle
Description:Research question is linked by criterion and telling questions.
Uses:Develop criterion and telling questions for investigations.
Critical Questions:
What is the research question or problem?
What are the criterion against which I will weigh the decision?
What are the telling questions that will focus the search for information?
How will I gather the information?
Suggestions: The Research Cycle, developed by Dr. Jamie Mckenzie, is a powerful tool for developing student investigations. His web site,From Now On [on line], an electronic journal, is an excellent resource for learning more about creating researchable questions, The Research Cycle and integrating technology in schools.
Expanded Linear String
Description: Events are linked by time.
Uses: Describe a sequence of events, stages, phases, life cycles, actions and outcomes.
Critical Questions:
What is the name of the event, procedure or human figure that will be described? What are the stages, steps, phases or events? How do the stages, steps, phases or events relate to one another?
What is the final outcome?
Remarks: A basic version of the Linear String Chart is linked.
Web - Project Work - Writing - Squirrels

Do squirrels like people? Group of children brainstorm questions on the topic of squirrels for descriptive writing and exploration around future project work. This is an excellent way to begin and track project work.
KWHL chart
Description: Matrix for planning and gathering initial information.
Uses: Accessing prior information on a topic or theme, identifying primary and secondary resources to access, developing a plan for accessing resources, identifying attributes and characteristics to research.
Critical Questions:
What do we already know? What do we want to find out? How are we going to find out? What primary and secondary resources can we access?
What attributes or characteristic should we focus on?
Suggestions: Excellent tool to access prior information and to develop a plan for investigation. See AERO for details and options for types of primary and secondary resources tht could be accessed. Other graphic organizers can be linked as an extension of the KWHL Chart. A similar version can be used for active thinking during reading.
Spider Map
Used to describe a central idea: a thing (a geographic region), process (meiosis), concept (altruism), or proposition with support (experimental drugs should be available to AIDS victims). Key frame questions: What is the central idea? What are its attributes? What are its functions?
Series of Events Chain
Used to describe the stages of something (the life cycle of a primate); the steps in a linear procedure (how to neutralize an acid); a sequence of events (how feudalism led to the formation of nation states); or the goals, actions, and outcomes of a historical figure or character in a novel (the rise and fall of Napoleon). Key frame questions: What is the object, procedure, or initiating event? What are the stages or steps? How do they lead to one another? What is the final outcome?
Problem/Solution Outline
Used to represent a problem, attempted solutions, and results (the national debt). Key frame questions: What was the problem? Who had the problem? Why was it a problem? What attempts were made to solve the problem? Did those attempts succeed?
Network Tree
Used to show causal information (causes of poverty), a hierarchy (types of insects), or branching procedures (the circulatory system). Key frame questions: What is the superordinate category? What are the subordinate categories? How are they related? How many levels are there?
Human Interaction Outline
Used to show the nature of an interaction between persons or groups (Europeans settlers and American Indians). Key frame questions: Who are the persons or groups? What were their goals? Did they conflict or cooperate? What was the outcome for each person or group?
Fishbone Map
Used to show the causal interaction of a complex event (an election, a nuclear explosion) or complex phenomenon (juvenile delinquency, learning disabilities). Key frame questions: What are the factors that cause X ? How do they interrelate? Are the factors that cause X the same as those that cause X to persist?
Cycle
Used to show how a series of events interact to produce a set of results again and again (weather phenomena, cycles of achievement and failure, the life cycle). Key frame questions: What are the critical events in the cycle? How are they related? In what ways are they self-reinforcing?