Graphic Organizers in Biology

Why?

Dual Coding (in place of Learning Styles)
-Many students benefit from Dual Coding which is the combination of visuals and words
-These visuals can include pictures, diagrams, graphic organizers, mind maps, flowcharts, etc.

Scaffolding
Students within a particular classroom will likely have varying cognition ability therefore providing tools of scaffolding are critical in the success of a student

Organizing Information
-Many topics in Biology can be overwhelming to students especially when looking at a 12th grade Biology textbook/
-The graphic organizer helps the student condense and synthesize important information

Making Connections
-This visual representation may allow students to potentially make connections which they may not have previously realized or that the organizer helps guide

Where?

Minds-On
A graphic organizer can be created with the goal of activating prior knowledge (AforL)

E.g. Students are asked to create a mindmap of everything they know about Energy in the Human Body with the organizer containing prompting categories such as Where? Why? How?

Activity
A graphic organizer can be created with the goal of providing a template in which students synthesize information from a reading into a flow chart or mindmap (AforL)

E.g. Students read about the Kreb's cycle and categorize certain steps as anabolic or catabolic

Consolidation
A graphic organizer can be created in the form of an exit ticket to assess student learning at the end of a lesson (AforL or AofL)

E.g. Students are given a diagram of the Kreb's cycle that they have to label certain parts of (AforL)

When?

Engage
Students are given an opportunity to activate their prior knowledge and compare/contrast or discuss with classmates that is scaffolded by a graphic organizer

Explore
When students are conducting an investigation such as a dissection, a graphic organizer could be helpful for them to organize their observations then guide their analysis

Explain
Students are given an opportunity to analyze and synthesize the information they obtained from Engage or Explore through a graphic organizer to help organize their thoughts and observations

Extend
Further synthesis and reinforcement of concepts can be guided using a graphic organizer as well as help make connections to previous topics or concepts

Evaluate
Graphic organizers that organizes Claim-Evidence-Reasoning as a Assessment of Learning could be beneficial for students

Assessment

Assessment for Learning
-Activating prior knowledge through a minds-on in the form of a mindmap
-Provides a template for students to synthesize information and make connections

Assessment as Learning
Graphic organizer such as a checklist can be extremely beneficial for students in assessing their own (self) learning or peer assessment

Assessment of Learning
-Claim-Evidence-Reasoning graphic organizer
-diagram and labelling of cycles such as Kreb's cycle