Graphic Organizers

In recent years, education has shifted its emphasis from memorization to critical thinking and problem solving skills. One tool they have focused on is graphic organizers. A graphic organizer is a visual representation of the relationship between terms, concepts and/or facts with in a task. They can be as simple as a KWL chart or as complex as flowcharts and concept maps. They can also be used in a myriad of ways to aid students in understanding new information. Prior to starting a lesson they can be used to ascertain what knowledge the students already have on the upcoming lesson. Using a graphic organizer during the lesson gives the students a way to organize the information in a way that will assist them in processing and using what they have learned. They are even a valuable tool to use after the lesson is complete by having the students create their own graphic organizer to reinforce the lesson. Another benefit of using graphic organizers is that the teacher is able to quickly assess whether a student is grasping the concepts being taught or if they need further assistance.

The most important thing to remember when using a graphic organizer in a lesson is that they must be fully explained and examples available for the students to see. The best way to make sure the students understand what is expected from them, in regards to the graphic organizer, is to make sure that they have ample opportunities for guided practice (Instructional Strategies Online, 2009).

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Below I will describe how I would use a hierarchical graphic organizer in a middle school mathematics class. A hierarchical graphic organizer is basically a top-down approach. You start with the main concept and branch down into the sub branches and then provide examples below.

Learning objective: Introduce the concept of a polynomial and its types (monomial, binomial and trinomial).

Lesson information:

Throughout this process the teacher is modeling how the chart is filled out either on the overhead or promethean board.

Step 1. Ask the students if they know what the prefix "poly" means. Lets the students discuss this.

Step 2. When the discussion time (approx 4-5 minutes) is over explain the term polynomial

Step 3. Next, ask the students to give examples of something that symbolizes a single quantity. (Ex. 3a, 2x, 4,) and ask them what they think is the appropriate term based on what is on their sheets. (Monomial).

Step 4. Ask them if monomial means one of something, what does binomial mean? Then ask them to provide examples of binomials (4a+3b, x+2).

Step 5. Finally repeat the process with trinomials.

Step 6. Hand out a blank