Graphic Organizers are used to support learners in visualizing their thinking. While graphic organizers can be flexible, they often include both short pieces of text and hand-sketched images, with the text being used to explain the purpose and/or meaning of the images. The difference between a graphic organizer and an infographic is that a graphic organizer seeks to be a scaffold to support students in sharing their thoughts while infographics are a type of way for students to present information. Or, graphic organizers are “in-progress” formative assessments that aim to help students think through their ideas while making sense of the content. Infographics are final products that represent the culmination of an idea.
When planning to use graphic organizers, decide on the following:
1. What tools will be used to make the graphic organizers?
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- There are multiple online tools that can be used to create infographics at no cost, such as Canva and the Graphic Organizer Maker. Remember, teachers can make their own graphic organizers by simply using presentation software, such as PowerPoint and Google Slides.
2. What guidance can I offer my students when completing graphic organizers?
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- Teachers can model for students how to complete the graphic organizer, by doing an example entry onto the graphic organizer as a class before students begin completing the graphic organizer on their own. A point of emphasis should be placed on students being able to include short pieces of writing to explain the images they included in the graphic organizer.
3. After my students create their graphic organizer, how can they share it with me and their peers?
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- Once students have created their graphic organizer, they can turn in a hardcopy or post an electronic copy to a discussion board or class website. The important aspect is that students are able to publicly share their work within the learning community and receive feedback from their peers.