Writing Graphic Organizers

We have focused on three types of writing this year: summarizing/sequence, description/explanation, and compare and contrast. I always use graphic organizers for prewriting and check students' organizers before they start their paragraph writing. Below, I've attached links to find these graphic organizers.

Somebody Wanted But So Then graphic organizer

Description Cluster Web

Compare and Contrast Venn Diagram

I have color-coded the materials so that the students know which organizer may be best suited for each assignment. During a professional development, a presenter shared that many ADHD students can focus on colored paper more easily than plain white paper. I thought I'd test the theory.

We created foldables to study the transition words for each type of paragraph structure as well. When students are ready to transform their organizers into paragraphs, they pull out the transition list, too!

SWBST Paragraph Writing

The Somebody Wanted But So Then graphic organizer pretty much pulls apart the basic elements of the story: the characters (somebody), wanted and but (conflict), so and then (plot). It helps students organize their thoughts and focus on the most important details. It is a great summarizing pre-writing tool.

I have been using this graphic organizer for many years, and when I introduced it to my current students, they were able to focus their writing into stronger and more cohesive paragraphs.

A Long Walk to Water Activities

Here is a collection of resources I've used when teaching A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. It also works well as an anchor text to Plato's current eighth grade Unit 1 assignments. Most of these activities were found through google. I also use graphic organizers that I find on freeology and modify them for my current unit.