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Instructional Strategies
Graphic Organizers

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GRADE
Instructional Strategy – Grade
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Analyzing Images

Students analyze images to activate prior knowledge, elicit interest in a unit of study or topic, and deepen understanding and connections.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Annotating Text

Annotation is a powerful active reading strategy in which students take notes, highlight, and pose questions to improve their understanding.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Summarize & Synthesize
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Build a Summary

Students unpack a text’s content by pausing after each section to think about, discuss, and write a one-sentence summary of the main ideas.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Cause and Effect

Students use a cause and effect graphic organizer to demonstrate analytical understanding of the impacts of events, policies, or people.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Collaborative Vocabulary Exploration

Students collaboratively complete a vocabulary exploration graphic organizer with definitions, sentences, and synonyms/antonyms for new lesson-specific words.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Column Notes

Students use a column notes organizer for audio, video, or written content to organize their thoughts about what they have seen, heard, or read.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Conversation Circles

Conversation Circles facilitate discussion of text-inspired ideas in a structured format through movement and dialogue with peers.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Critical Event Analysis

Students read an informational text and complete a graphic organizer to examine the impact of big moments, important figures, and significant innovations.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Discussion Café

Students circulate to different tables to respond to teacher-provided topics or questions and add on to the insights provided by classmates.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5

Draw It, Write It

Students use this multimodal method to acquire new vocabulary by drawing a picture and writing a sentence to foster vocabulary retention.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Draw to Understand

Students use this strategy for reflection, processing new information, recalling key details, and identifying and organizing relevant information.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Evaluating Evidence

Students will demonstrate understanding of a text by responding to a question with text-based evidence that they name, describe, and interpret.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Flash Debate

Students are assigned/given a position to defend using text evidence; they are then paired with a peer to discuss opposing perspectives and counterclaims.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Read Actively
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Foldables

Students use a pre-made foldable or paper with guided instructions to create a visual with sections and headers to record text evidence, ideas, and vocabulary.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Frayer Model

Students use a Frayer Model, a four-square/quadrant graphic organizer, to activate background knowledge and foster vocabulary acquisition.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Gallery Walk

Students explore teacher-displayed prompts in groups, fostering active learning, critical thinking, and peer discussion on course topics.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Give One, Get One

Students engage in the reciprocal exchange of ideas by sharing their insights and observations with multiple partners about a question, image, or text.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Guided Image Observation

This directed visual analysis tool requires students to critically examine image components such as objects and lighting to form ideas.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Hexagonal Clusters

This strategy helps students link key terms visually, promoting vocab growth, critical thinking, and collaboration both pre- and post-reading.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Human Continuum

This metacognitive discussion tool asks students to be flexible and reflective listeners and thinkers and evaluate their statements about topics.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Jigsaw

Jigsaw promotes collaboration and movement by assigning students to expert and home groups to facilitate the sharing of well-understood ideas.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Question & Inquire
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

K-W-L

K-W-L is a graphic organizer/chart system students use to determine what they already know, what they want to know, and what they learned during a lesson.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8

Linked Words

The Linked Words strategy connects new vocabulary to familiar terms. Students create thematic links and draw on personal knowledge.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

List-Group-Label

This strategy helps students group words and find connections while boosting vocabulary, critical thinking, and comprehension.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Make It Stick!

Make it Stick! graphic organizers build vocabulary by asking students to analyze new vocabulary using images, examples, and contexts for words as they read.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Mini Glossary

Mini glossaries are used to foster vocabulary comprehension and retention so that students can integrate learned vocabulary into their written expression.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Summarize & Synthesize
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing requires students to maintain the integrity of a passage or text by capturing the main ideas and details without directly quoting.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Roll and Practice Vocabulary

This game-based vocabulary strategy requires students to take turns rolling a die; the number they roll determines the vocabulary task they will perform.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Question & Inquire
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

See-Think-Wonder

See-Think-Wonder graphic organizers help students unpack visual stimuli by documenting their observations, interpretations, and questions about images.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Summarize & Synthesize
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Six-Word Summary

Students demonstrate their reading and listening comprehension skills by homing in on a text’s main ideas to distill it to a six-word summary.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Summarize & Synthesize
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Summarization Note-Taking

Summarization through note-taking is an information management and processing tool that helps students engage with text to create concise understanding.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Discuss & Collaborate
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Think-Pair-Share

Students adequately develop ideas independently by being given ample time to consider a question or topic before pairing up to share ideas.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Summarize & Synthesize
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Visual Note-Taking

Visual note-taking can be paired with traditional note-taking; students use simple symbols and drawings to capture key points.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Vocabulary One-Pager

Teachers can use this visual technique to build students’ vocabulary by pairing words with student-created symbols, pictures, and phrases.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5

Word Categories

This word-sorting exercise encourages students to group new vocabulary based on thematic concepts to deepen their understanding of a topic or text.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Acquire Vocabulary
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Word Sketch

Students personalize their understanding of new vocabulary by drawing pictures and writing words, phrases, and names they associate with new vocabulary.
GRADE
Graphic Organizer – Grade

2-Circle Venn Diagram

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

3-Circle Venn Diagram

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Animal Research

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5
VIEW

Bubble Web

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
VIEW

Cause and 3-Effects Web

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Cause and Effect

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Cause and Effect (2 Column)

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Cause and Effect Map

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Claim-Evidence-Reason

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Claim-Evidence-Reason Web

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Collaborative Vocab Exploration

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Column Notes

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Compare Sources

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Critical Event Analysis

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Draw It, Write It

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5
VIEW

Evaluating Evidence

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Evaluating Resources

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Events-Ideas-Reactions

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Evidence Wheel

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Expedition: Learn Mini Note Catcher

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8
VIEW

Expedition: Learn Note Catcher

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8
VIEW

Foldables

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Frayer Model

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Hexagonal Clusters

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Inverted Pyramid of Impact

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Jigsaw Puzzle

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

K-W-L

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Linked Words

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
VIEW

List-Group-Label

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Main Idea and Detail

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Main Idea and Detail Web

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Make It Stick!

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Making Predictions

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Mini Biography

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5
VIEW

Mini Glossary

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Paraphrasing

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Paraphrasing & Original Thinking

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Pre-Research Planner

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Problem and Solution

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Question Pyramid

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Roll and Practice Dice Card

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

See-Think-Wonder

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Sequence

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Storyboard

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Summarization Note-Taking

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

SWOT Analysis

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

T-Chart

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Text Connections

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Text Thread

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Timeline

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Top Hat

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
VIEW

Visual Note-Taking

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ
VIEW

Visual Timeline

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

Vocabulary One-Pager

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
VIEW

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Spark Videos

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A large arrow facing right shows a pushing force on a box. A smaller arrow facing left shows friction. The box moves to the right.

Media Resources

BUILD and CONNECT learning through strategic multimedia that helps students visualize complex concepts and develop deeper content knowledge.
Orange and black text box explaining scientific definition of acceleration.

Interactive Questions

ASSESS understanding through carefully crafted interactive questions that guide students from quick comprehension checks to written responses, providing deeper insight into their learning and promoting critical thinking.

Writing prompt about Newton's laws and seatbelt safety.
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Student worksheet for investigating mass and force in physics.
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Lesson plan document for teaching Newton's laws of motion.
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Hands-on physics activity guide for teaching forces and motion.
Hands-on physics activity guide for teaching forces and motion.

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