Using Graphic Organizers ~ Plus Resources

Tips for using graphic organizers as a step on the path to notebooking. We also include tried-and-true graphic organizer resources to get you started.

Those that use notebooking realize that there is a path to success. We start with booklet making, or a simple copybook. Then we encourage daily additions to a variety of notebooks using forms to prevent creativity blocks. Eventually we reach the goal of a student naturally using a notebook to record research, thoughts, and quotations — and generally to keep organized. Graphic organizers work well in that middle stage.

The idea is that when a child is in less than a creative mood, there is a simple frame of reference available to encourage adding to a notebook. One difference between this type of template and worksheets is that worksheets tend to look for specific information (right answers). Graphic organizers are ways to organize the answers (or thoughts) already within the student’s mind.

A Caution

There are many ways to use graphic organizers. But for our purposes, they are a tool that can aid a student in ultimately using a notebook. Here are a few tips:

Don’t overdo. Don’t end up loading your student up with a bunch of forms to fill out and squelch the notebooking process.
Let students pick out organizers that reflect what they are wanting to do, when possible.
To make the transition to full-blown blank-page notebooking, present the graphic organizer as a template. By copying the structure of the organizer to that blank page we bridge the gap between form and blank page.

5 Places to Find Graphic Organizers

38 Graphic Organizers {Free}
38 free graphic organizers already constructed for you from Houghton Mifflin.

Editable Graphic Organizer Templates ~ Free
Organize thoughts, develop the big picture. Free editable graphic organizer templates!

20 Graphic Organizers {Free}
This free set of 20 downloadable graphic organizer forms is a great foundational set to have at hand.

Freeology
Freeology has been around for a long time. We have linked to a variety of their forms. They offer over 100 free graphic organizers!

Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers
A division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt that specifically serves high school students has 38 forms available for free download.

Additional Resources

Notebooking
Some would classify homeschoolers as either consumers or producers. There are those who will measure their yearly progress by counting the number of workbooks they have consumed. Then there are those who will be trying to find another shelf to store the notebooks full of information their children have produced!