Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are a good during reading activity to help organize the students' thoughts, develop their schema, connect related topics, and help them comprehend information. They allow students to make connections between material, arrange related topics, and create a visual representation. Graphic organizers act as a guide to how information is organized. Some examples may include the title, subtitle, glossary, index, table of contents, graphics, summaries, and side notes. Graphic organizers used for internal text structure are included in four patterns. The first is description or classification. It's great for giving definitions, characteristics, or examples. The second is compare and contracting the description. T charts and Vin diagrams are useful examples. The third is sequence or steps in a process. Examples are a list, timeline, or cycle. The fourth is cause and effect and the problem from the effect. Graphic organizers can be used in PE to help describe different kinds-of sports, body parts, or nutritional information. Time lines of great athletes could be placed on the walls around the gym with pictures attached to them. I can easily create a cycle of what it takes to be a successful athlete. I think graphic organizers are a great interactive tool to use with the class and to get them to create something. I also love the idea of displaying them on the gym walls to make the gym look more bright and fun.