Using Graphic Organizers
SUMMARY
Graphic organizers are defined as “visual and graphic displays that depict the relationships
between facts, terms, and/or ideas within a learning task” (National Center on Accessible
Instructional Materials). They are very useful for many types of student-oriented learning
tasks such as pre-reading, pre-writing, and project planning, where information and ideas
must be organized in a logical sequence. They are also useful to teachers for organizing
learning elements in lessons and units. For example, a graphic organizer could be used to
identify how specific science or math practices are included in a lesson on momentum. In
this way the organizer serves as a detailed checklist. See below for another graphic
organizer example.
AUDIENCE
All educators in grades pre-K - 12.
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS AS PRE-READING & PRE-WRITING TOOLS
Many textbooks such as science and math texts are written in highly-organized fashion to
facilitate a logical flow of cumulative content knowledge. Nearly all of them are divided into
units, chapters, and individual sections that cover specific concepts. For pre-reading,
graphic organizers can be used to organize a chapter or section into titles, headings,
subheadings, and then key details under each subheading, much like an outline but
depicted visually rather than in paragraph form. This helps readers understand the structure
of the text and helps scaffold reading comprehension. Graphic organizers work the same
way for pre-writing, except the type of organizer will depend on the learning task. Graphic
organizers are also useful for solving problems. Below are two organizer examples.
Supporting
Detail
Supporting
Detail
Supporting
Detail
Sub-Idea
Main
Idea
Sub-Idea
Supporting
Detail
Supporting
Detail
Supporting
Detail
Sub-Idea
Supporting
Detail
© 2014 RAFT All rights reserved.
Supporting
Detail
Supporting
Detail
Problem-Solution Outline
What
Problem
Why
Attempted
Solutions
Solution
Results
1.
1.
2.
2.
End Result
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS AND COMMON CORE / NGSS PRACTICES
At the end of this tip sheet are two graphic organizers designed by RAFT that help teachers and
students identify different ways that math and science/engineering practices are exercised in
RAFT’s activity kits and idea sheets. Graphic organizers make lesson planning easier by
organizing the sequence of conceptual knowledge needed to answer essential questions,
understand big ideas, and achieve content-specific learning objectives.
EDUCATORS’ REFLECTIONS
1. In what ways might using graphic organizers help you with writing lessons?
2. Do I use graphic organizers with my students? If yes, do I favor one main design or do I use
a variety? How do I ensure the graphic organizer I use is best suited for the learning tasks I
pose to my students?
3. How might I include instruction on designing graphic organizers in my current curriculum? In
what ways will the students benefit from designing their own graphic organizers?
RELATED RESOURCES
-
Hands-on RAFT activities where students organize or sort information and/or objects:
http://www.raft.net/ideas/Sorting Trays.pdf
http://www.raft.net/ideas/Sorting it Out with Science.pdf
http://www.raft.net/ideas/Attribute Sudoku.pdf
National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials:
http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/graphic_organizers#.VJH0ntna-E
- Variety of graphic organizers available for download / printing from Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt’s Education Place: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
-
© 2014 RAFT All rights reserved.
Mathematics Practices - Graphic Organizer
Look at the practices below. Discuss the following questions with a partner/group and document your
examples and ideas in the graphic organizer. Write on the back of the sheet if necessary.


Which practices do you think apply to your particular RAFT activity kit(s)?
How will/did you apply them with students using the kit(s)?
Make sense of
problems and
persevere in solving
them
Reason abstractly
and quantitatively
Construct viable
arguments and
critique the reasoning
of others
Model with
mathematics
Use appropriate tools
strategically
Attend to precision
Look for and make
use of structure
Look for and express
regularity in repeated
reasoning
Mathematics Practices - Graphic Organizer
© 2014, RAFT
Science & Engineering Practices - Graphic Organizer
Look at the practices below. Discuss the following questions with a partner/group and document
your examples and ideas in the graphic organizer.


Which practices do you think apply to your particular RAFT activity kit(s)?
How will/did you apply them with students using the kit(s)?
Asking questions /
defining problems
Develop/use models
Plan/conduct
investigations
Analyze/interpret
data
Use mathematics and
computational
thinking
Construct
explanations/design
solutions
Engage in arguments
w/evidence
Obtain, evaluate, and
communicate
information
Science & Engineering Practices - Graphic Organizer
© 2014, RAFT