Using Graphic Organizers to Help Students Understand Informational Text

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Using informational text as a resource in science and social studies is an excellent way to supplement your content instruction and align with the common core standards for reading informational text.   According to the research, students benefit from using graphic organizers to help them understand, reflect on and make connections with informational text.   Graphic organizers increase both comprehension and vocabulary development.

I suggest using graphic organizers either before or after the reading.  Using an organizer before the reading gives the students something to look for in the reading, a purpose and direction.   Using an organizer after the reading encourages the student to look back at the text and make comparisons, draw conclusions and make inferences.

For more graphic organizers that are specifically aligned with the Common Core Reading Informational Text standards, please click the link below.  

Graphic Organizers Aligned with Informational Text

Informational text should be used as a supplement to social studies instruction.   It should not replace interactive activities.
More Graphic Organizers Aligned with Common Core Standards
www.comprehensionconnection.net

Graphing in Interactive Notebooks Social Studies and Science

Graphing is a great tool for students to learn to understand and convey information.   Here is a step by step way to make a circle graph.

Step one: Cut out circles.   I traced a can and then cut three different colors, but you could use more or less if desired.

Cut the radius of the circles as shown.   Remember to stop in the center. 

Interlock the circles using the slit created.

Add more colors as needed.

Below is an example in an interactive notebook. 

Graphing is a great way for student to demonstrate understanding in their notebooks.  This alternative to drawing their circle graph is engaging and meaningful to students.   It can be adjusted to show the statistics that they are wanting to show.  

Templates for Foldable Graphic Organizers for Interactive Notebooks

Social Studies Triarama

I love teaching social studies!   I think it is an interesting and fun subject!   I do hear from many of my pre-service teachers that they previously believed that social studies was usually boring and dry.   It is my great pleasure to show them that there are many ways to engage students in the learning process.
The key to engaging students in a content heavy subject like social studies is to have different ways to provide input and different ways to provide output.


Today I am going to talk about one strategy for output.   I call this a triarama.   The triarama is named not for having three sections, but for the basic building block being a triangle.  The triarama can be used to convey any topic in social studies.

I start with a square.   Then I cut the square from one corner to the center.   Fold as in the photo.   This is one of four sections of the triarama.

Have students decorate and add words or phrases to convey their understanding.  The four sections are then put together.   Students can give an oral presentation about their understanding.


These examples are on the topic of events leading up to The American Revolution.

Enjoy the triarama.  Students love them!

See My Products for Interactive Notebooks Foldable Templates

Foldable for Social Studies Interactive Notebook

A link to a free fold template from teacherspayteachers.com


This one is good to use for social studies.  Students can bring in an article or the teacher can assign one and then using skills for reading information text, the students can break down the information in the article.   This can be added to a social studies notebook or done independently.

Template available on

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Four-Part-Fold-Template-for-Current-Event-850169See my store

Grading Interactive Notebooks

Grading Interactive Notebooks

Sometimes I hear people say that they do not use the interactive notebooks because the grading is so difficult.   I would agree that it can be challenging but I have devised a few ways to keep it manageable.


First of all I would give students a very clear rubric of what you are looking for.   A sample rubric will be included later in this post.

I have the students select an area of best work and write a reflection on that.   Having them tab the following sections will make it easier to grade.

Reflection for Interactive Notebook

Please tab the following sections

-Table of contents

-Best Work Activity

-Reflection including rubric

 This is the reflection I am having them complete.   It could be modified easily for the specific needs of the students.  

Paragraph One

Choose 1 assignment (topic or section) from the notebook that represents your BEST WORK and write a paragraph about it. For elementary and secondary students you may want to have them select one entry from the unit you are assessing.    Please state the specific reasons for why you chose the items and why they represent your best work. Please tab this section.    Ideas to write about include:

• What you learned
• How you learned
• What aspects of the work were high quality
• What you would do differently and why
• What makes you proud of the work
• What made the activity worthwhile
• For pre service teachers I have them also comment on what they have learned about teaching social studies.

You should also write about how the assignment chosen demonstrates your skills as a student. For example, skills you might write about are that the assignments show that you are organized, you are good at analyzing, you were very thorough, creative, your information was very accurate, you made connections from one assignment to another, and so on.

*Make sure that you cite specific examples from the assignments you chose.  

Paragraph Two

Evaluate your notebook according to the rubric.  How would you score yourself?   What could be improved? 

 Here is the rubric I am currently using for my pre-service teachers:  

Criteria:

Complete Table of Contents

All Entries Included

Articulation of Learning

Notebook Includes at least Five Foldables

Notebook Includes at least 3 Thinking Maps of Graphic Organizers

Teacher Tips Included

Reflection Included and all Prompts Given

50 Strategy Chart

Paragraph Three

For pre-service teachers: General thoughts, feelings and opinions about interactive notebooks…Will you use them as a teacher?  

For Elementary and High School, I would suggest keeping notebooks in the class.   The should stay in class so that they are always available when needed.   I would collected them once or twice during a unit, glance at all the entries and then grade one assignment more deeply.   This assignment can either be assigned by the teacher: I am going to grade your sensory Image today.   Be sure you have at least 6 complete sentences and that they really illustrate how the person felt and what they saw or heard.

Or you could have students select their best work from a unit of study.
For your convenience, have students tab the sections you want to look at.   I like to look closely at Table of Contents, Best Work Entry, and Reflection. 

Foldable Templates For Interactive Notebooks

Branches of Government

Entry in Social Studies Notebook

Students illustrated what they knew about the three branches of government by making a tree in their notebooks. 

Foldables for Interactive Notebook

Cover Page for Interactive Notebook

Cover Page for Social Studies Notebook

Foldable Templates for Interactive Notebook