Questions_Activities

Saturday, February 23

Questions for our group.
After our first class, the readings, and time this past week to work on creating integrated graphic organizers, discuss with your group the following:

1. How do you deal with evaluation and grades related to graphic organizers? -Rubrics at the beginning, no grades, give goal, work in progress -Review of unit, concept map, letter grade, see if connections are made, particular to the lesson/unit -Holistic approach to assessment -Demonstration of knowledge -Grading with a rubric keeps students focused (primary) -Potential problems ...kids get sidetracked, size of graphic, too much visual -Assessment, right or wrong depending on what your goal is... could follow up with writing, assess as rubric -Visually helps kids understand, especially visual learners, associate symbol with concept -Questions letter grades? Unit rubric at the end as piece

2. Is it alright to ask students to create graphic organizers in their journals in place of their writing? -Writer's block, journaling is thinking, pictures, bubbles, quick ideas, process of writing -Modeling graphic organizers is key, planning before time -Writing Workshop -Stepping stones -Job aides, take notes as lesson goes on

3. Do or should graphic organizers decrease or eliminate the need for students to write? -NO! Students should always learn to write. Graphic organizers are a pieces to learning to write.

4. Are graphic organizers useful with non-English speaking students, ESL/ELL students or with diverse learning styles? -Visual piece -Audio, check the pronunciation - Outlines, not to worry about formatting (ie Word) -Bubbles to make outline, how easy it is

To find an appropriate graphic organizer, answer the following questions about your topic:

 * Arrows represent the direction of flow.
 * Circles and ovals are starting, stopping, or control points.
 * Diamonds are decision points.
 * Rectangles and squares are steps at which processing takes place.
 * Parallelograms represent input or output.



In Class Assignments
1.Choose an activity below. Go to the [|Enchanted Learning Graphic Organizer] page and decide what graphic organizer would best suit the "assignment" and then print out the graphic organizer. //Complete and share with the class and explain what type of graphic organizer you chose and why you chose it.//


 * Report on a current event from today's paper (online version) using a graphic organizer ([|Chicago Sun Times], [|Chicago Tribune], [|New York TImes],[|Daily Herald]). Choose two different organizers
 * Read the Biography of [|President Lincoln] then find a graphic organizer to notate what you learned. Choose two different organizers
 * Using a [|Tumblebooks] story book, choose a story book to read and then find a graphic organizer from Enchanted Learning. Choose two different organizers
 * Use the vocabulary list from [|TekMom] and choose 4 words from the Buzzword list. Then, find a Vocabulary map from Enchanted Learning. Print and complete.
 * To practice Math facts, find 10 ways to make 10, 8 ways to make 8, 6 ways to make 6, 4 ways to make 4, and 2 ways to make 2. Locate the best graphic organizer for these drills from Enchanted learning, print and complete.

2. Go to Kidspiration or Inspiration and work from a template of your choice from the template library using that same idea choice from above. Use images, symbols, hyperlinks (if possible). //Save and Print.

The purpose of this exercise was to assess the value of using graphic organizer templates to print and use with students verses developing these same style of concept webs or graphic organizers using software.//