1. Strategy Report Graphic Organizers By Jennifer Coughlin

2. Where the Strategy was found STORYTOWN, Graphic Organizer Charts Harcourt School Publishers www.harcourtschool.com Harcourt, Inc. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive Orlando, Florida 32887-6777

3. This strategy is supported by the following research Over the past several years, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001) emphasizes the concern for the educational accountability of schools in the achievement of student success. This act leads to increased performance from teachers and administrators related to the learning strategies used in classrooms (U.S. Department of Education, 1987). Research shows that graphic organizers are an example of a proven strategy. Research supports the utilization of graphic organizers as a contributing factor in improving performance in classroom and achievement test scores if they are used effectively and become a fundamental part of classroom instruction. The focus centers on the relationship of information as opposed to memorization of isolated facts. http://www.mentoringminds.com

4. Description of the strategy Graphic organizers help your students classify ideas and communicate these ideas more effectively. Use graphic organizers to structure writing, problem solving, brainstorming, decision making, research projects, and studying. Resource: Education Place http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

5. Will this Strategy work best for one type of student over another Organizers offer an entry point into complex material for visual learners, increase comprehension and retention, and can be used with all students, ranging from gifted and talented to those with disabilities.

6. Why did you select this strategy I picked this strategy because it allows my learning support students the opportunity to organize their thoughts prior to writing paragraphs (brain storming). Using graphic organizers in a great tool for teaching students how to use a visual aid in order to facilitate their learning as well as my instruction. I use graphic organizers to teach new and complex material so that the new ideas are chunked or simplified (mapping). I use graphic organizers to support the skill of retelling a story from beginning, middle, and end. Also, graphic organizers are very useful for teaching characters, story plot, and problem/solution. The best part of using graphic organizers is that they can be used across curriculum subject areas. I like how graphic organizers help students map out their ideas in a visual way.

7. Example