Reading Informational Text - Using Graphic Organizers


When teaching informational text and nonfiction, it's important for students to be able to interpret and transfer the information in a meaningful way so they understand what they are reading. There are so many different types of graphic organizers to use when studying informational text. And, it's important for teachers to understand how and when to use the graphic organizers.

Graphic organizers provide students with an organized framework so they can connect existing knowledge with new knowledge. They can be text boxes, bubbles, pictures with lines and arrows filled with facts, ideas and concepts. They have been used for all subject areas in print, online, on iPads and in interactive notebooks. Studies have shown that graphic organizers are effective in improving reading comprehension and quality of research.

I use graphic organizers when I teach informational text and nonfiction. It lays the foundation for students to use them as a tool during the research process and so they can create their own graphic organizers according to what they are studying.

Education Place has an abundance of graphic organizers that can be used in the classroom. They are generic and very easy to use.


Reading A-Z is another great website that has a even more attractive graphic organizers that are categorized according to grade levels and reading strategy, comprehension skill and vocabulary.


Many of my products are informational text and nonfiction so I include different types of graphic organizers. 



In my Biography of Famous Americans, I use graphic organizers to teach about important events in their lives, text features and text structure.


If you use the iPad in your classroom, it is worth spending $25 for a class set of graphic organizers for your hand-held devices. Tools 4 Students is my favorite app for any subject. It has 25 different graphic organizers that you can use in your classroom. It only costs $.99 per iPad. The completed organizers can be emailed, saved as a PDF and saved to your Drop Box. 









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