Graphic Organizers

Graphic Organizers

Fiction –

            The graphic organizer I use most often for fiction is a story map. Story maps help to break down the information from the narrative text into manageable components. I find that they are useful for retells and summarizing the story. They help students to focus on the important, key points in the text. I have attached two examples of story maps. 

            Story maps can be used for all types of narrative text from Kindergarten to highs school.   A sample text that could help to break down the sequence of events in a story using a story map is The Hat by Jan Brett.

Non- Fiction –

            For non-fiction the graphic organizer that I utilize the most is a Venn diagram. Hill states, “When students identify similarities and differences in the content they are learning, they make new connections, experience new insights and correct misconceptions.” Similarities and differences can be shown in a Venn diagram in a fairly easy manner. 

            Venn diagrams can also be used throughout the grade levels. In primary grades they can be used to compare and contrast science terms like closed and open circuits or frogs and toads or different types of plant or animals. Their use is endless. In social studies they can be used to compare all types of ideas and places.  They can also be used to compare characters in fiction text. 

Frogs and Toads by Diane Swanson is an example of a book that could benefit from a venn diagram.

            Poetry –

            I have not used graphic organizers when teaching poetry. I searched for examples online and found a few examples. The first one I am sharing is for identifying different types of figurative language in a poem. It could be used in finding different uses of imagery in the poem and then breaking down what the meaning of that language is. The second example is an way to analyze poem elements. In this graphic organizer the reader would use the organizer to determine the rhyme scheme of a poem. This graphic organizer is on page 115 of the attachment titled graphic organizers for reading.

When using identifying different types of figuarative language in a poem graphic organizer you can use any poem the uses different types of figuarative language.  For example:

 Shakespeare's Sonnet 130:

CXXX, William Shakespeare

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red, than her lips red:
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound:
I grant I never saw a goddess go,
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
As any she belied with false compare

When using the determining a rhyme scheme of a poem you can use any poem that rhymes like:

I Miss You

I miss you in the morning;
I miss you late at night.
Just to think about you
Is my joy and my delight.

I can't wait to see you;
Please hurry and come back.
You always make me happy;
You have that special knack!

By Joanna Fuchs

Additional websites for graphic organizers:

http://eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/

References

Hill, A.  & Flynn, K. (2006).  Classroom Instruction that works with English Language      Learners.  Alexandria, VA.  ACSD.