Graphic Organizer Resources from TeachersFirst
Whether you call them concept maps, mind maps, KWLs, or graphic organizers, these visual diagrams show relationships between concepts and provide a powerful tool for learning and connecting new ideas. Creating graphic organizers also helps today's visual learners build reading comprehension. This collection of reviewed resources includes tools for creating graphic organizers and many suggestions for ways to use them in teaching almost any subject or grade. Be sure to read the "In the Classroom" suggestions for examples of ways to use graphic organizers as part of a lesson or unit.
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Antarctic Explorations - The Exploratorium
Grades
6 to 12
tag(s): antarctica (30), arctic (40), explorers (65)
In the Classroom
Use this videos on this site as a learning center or station during a unit on the water cycle or Continental Drift during an Earth Sciences or Physical Geography class. This activity would work best with a graphic organizer - we recommend Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).The link concerning continental drift, entitled Gondwanaland, would also be a great activator to that unit. Share the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector to help students visualize how the spreading of the continents took place over the eons.
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50states.com
Grades
4 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): states (124)
In the Classroom
There are a lot of ads from this site, so if using be sure to forewarn students not to access any of the side links. Use this site if creating state profiles during an American History class. This activity works best if accompanied by a guided graphic organizer or worksheet - we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Geography4Kids - Kapili
Grades
4 to 8In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit or lesson on geography and environmental sciences. Have cooperative learning groups explore the site on classroom computers, filling out pre-made graphic organizers to highlight the most important information from the site. (For help making graphic organizers, see Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here))Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Red Files - PBS
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cold war (30)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a lesson or unit on the cold war. There is a LOT of information on this sites so teachers can either try to incorporate on several different days or tailor the center to focus on one specific aspect of the KGB. In order to better guide students through the site, we recommend creating a follow-along. For help making easy graphic organizers, try Mindomo, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Wars for Vietnam - Vassar College
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): vietnam (38)
In the Classroom
This site hosts a TON of information about the Vietnam war - from overviews to primary sources! During a unit studying the Vietnam war, have students use this site as a means to learn some of the basic concepts in a non-lecture format. Create a follow-along for this site using a tool such as Graphic Organizer Maker. Have students read through the overview offered on classroom computers, while filling out their organizers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Seneca Falls Convention - Library of Congress
Grades
9 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): women (146)
In the Classroom
Introduce the copy of the Seneca Falls Declaration to students via projector before covering the topic deeper with the newspaper clippings hosted on the site. Assign cooperative learning groups a newspaper article, making sure that every group has a different article. Have students analyze their articles, preferably with the help of a guided worksheet. (For help making graphic organizers, try Graphic Organizer Maker. After students are done, have them present each of their articles, focusing on bias and perspective as well as facts covered in the story. This is a great way to teach students how to analyze and summarize as well as indirectly cover the important content. American History teachers will appreciate this one!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Attack on Pearl Harbor - National Geographic
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): pearl harbor (14), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Use the "aerial view of Pearl Harbor" on this site as a learning center or station during a lesson on the attack on Pearl Harbor. Students can view the image and read the information in cooperative learning groups or individually, although because there is a lot of information - we recommend creating a follow-along to highlight for students what's most important. For help creating graphic organizers, we recommend trying Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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California As I Saw It - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): california (16), explorers (65), gold rush (15)
In the Classroom
This would be a very useful site for covering the Gold Rush in a US history classroom. Select several documents and images that could be used for a document-centered activity in your classroom. Assign students to groups, with each receiving a different document and/or image. Have students fill out graphic organizers about each document, with the intentions of rotating all until students have received every one. At the end of the activity, have a class discussion of what students found and what their answers indicate. A refreshing way to teach Gold Rush history without another lecture.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Daniel Boone - University of Virginia
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): heroes (24), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a lesson on the famous character. Because there is a lot of information on this site, we recommend creating a follow-along to highlight for students what's most important, as well as provide you with some assessment of their participation. For help creating graphic organizers, try Mindomo, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Along the Chisholm Trail
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Use this PDF to teach about the "wild west," and how it was affected by the pioneers who settled it. Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on the West and Westward Expansion. The information given would probably work best with a graphic organizer to accompany it. We recommend Graphic Organizer Maker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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African American Odyssey - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): africa (144), african american (110), black history (130)
In the Classroom
Use the images on this site for a picture-walk during a unit on African American History, from slavery to Emancipation. Print and hang pictures around the classroom, with students assigned to different stations. Have students rotate around the classroom, looking at a new image every minute. Once students have walked through everything, have a class discussion about what students saw and learned. This activity works best with a graphic organizer - to create one, we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker. Lots of excellence historical info and pictures.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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FEMA Hurricane Page - US Government
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): weather (160)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a lesson on hurricanes and similar extreme weather systems. Have students examine the site on classroom computers, preferably with the assistance of a graphic organizer. We recommend creating graphic organizers before the activity, giving students focus as well as highlighting what is most important to know from the site. For help making guides, try Graphic Organizer Maker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Yugoslavia and the Balkans - BBC
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): yugoslavia (2)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on WWII and how borders and political boundaries were changed in the aftermath. This activity will work best if students have a graphic organizer to follow with, we recommend Graphic Organizer Maker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scottish History - BBC
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on Scottish History or specifically a lesson on Mary Queen of Scots, or the Reformation. Be sure to save the section you want to use as a favorite on classroom computers to ensure easy access for students & to help keep them on task. This learning center would work best with a graphic organizer. To help make one for your class, we recommend Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Genealogy of the Kings & Queens of Europe - Insider
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Although it is a little text-heavy, this website is a great way to relay the inter-connectivity between early British monarchs and Christianity. Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on the early monarchs and religion. To direct students, we recommend using a graphic organizer to help them focus in on what are the most important parts of the site. For help creating easy graphic organizers, we recommend using a site such as Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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All About the European Union - European Union
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): europe (84)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an introductory point for a unit on economic unions such as the EU. Have students explore the site in pairs or cooperative learning groups in order to understand more about the principles and advantages of membership. This activity works well with a graphic organizer to guide students OR as a means for students to explore on their own with the intentions of presenting what they deem to be the most important points to the class. Have cooperative learning groups create online books using a tool such as Bookemon.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Samples of Greetings in Russian
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): russian (25)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a quick learning center during a unit on Russian Politics or history. Students can use the phrases in speaking or within a graphic organizer. Teachers of the Russian language could also print this to help students review the basic language concepts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nippon in the World
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): japan (57)
In the Classroom
Use these images in a picture walk around the classroom to introduce or review a unit on some aspect of Japanese culture. Select 10-15 images to be hung around the classroom, with students rotating between them every 30-60 seconds. Have students fill out quickly what they observe and infer about each image, with the intentions of connecting each image to an essential understanding about Japanese culture. For help creating easy and quick graphic organizers for the activity, we recommend a site such as Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fog of War - Washington Post
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): middle east (49)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an extended learning center during a lesson(s) on the Gulf War. Because there is a lot of information on this site, we recommend creating a follow-along or guide to highlight for students what is the most important. For help creating easy sheets, we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Malaysia
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Use the historic timeline to study the spread of Islam to Malaysia and the rest of South East Asia during the 15th century. The timeline is extremely detailed and can actually be used as a learning center or station too. To help guide students through the content, we recommend creating a graphic organizer. For help making those, try Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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