RUNNING HEAD: Best Practices Handbook

Hannah Miller

Best Practices Handbook

March 3, 2018

UED 405
RUNNING HEAD: Best Practices Handbook

Table of Contents
1. K-W-L Chart ............................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Frayer Model ............................................................................................................................................. 3
3. Story Sequencing Board ............................................................................................................................ 4
4. Venn Diagram............................................................................................................................................ 5
5. Cluster Graphic Organizer ......................................................................................................................... 6
6. Linear Array Strategy ................................................................................................................................ 7
7. Alphaboxes ................................................................................................................................................ 8
8. Anticipation Guide .................................................................................................................................... 8
9. Flower Chart .............................................................................................................................................. 9
10. The Fish Bowl .................................................................................................................................... 10
11. Multiple Meaning Words Organizer ..................................................................................................... 11
12. Character Profile Graphic Organizer ..................................................................................................... 12
13. Story Map .............................................................................................................................................. 13
14. Sequencing Timeline ............................................................................................................................. 13
15. Five W’s and How Chart ........................................................................................................................ 14
16. SWBS Chart ........................................................................................................................................... 15
17. Inverted Pyramid................................................................................................................................... 16
18. Fact/Opinion Chart................................................................................................................................ 17
19. T-Chart .................................................................................................................................................. 18
20. Cause and Effect Chart .......................................................................................................................... 19
Book List: ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
RUNNING HEAD: Best Practices Handbook

1. K-W-L Chart

Facing History and Ourselves (2017) K-W-L Charts. Teaching Strategies. Accessed at:

[Link]

K-W-L Charts are graphic organizers that are used throughout the duration of a lesson. First they

fill out the K section with the knowledge they already know about the topic. In the W column

students fill out what they “want to know” or what they “wonder” about before and during the

lesson. Finally, after the lesson is completed students fill out the L section with the information

they learned during the lesson. This chart is good for whole class use during a unit, filling it out

together as they move through the information.

2. Frayer Model

Frayer, D., Frederick, W. C., and Klausmeier, H. J. (1969). A Schema for Testing the Level of Cognitive

Mastery. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Center for Education Research. Accessed at:

[Link]
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The Frayer Model can be used as a whole class or single student activity. Students use the model

to learn about specific words. They put the word in the center, then divide the rest of the chart

into four sections. One section contains the definition of the word, one the characteristics, one

examples, and the final section contains non-examples. Sections could also contain illustrations,

synonyms, or sample sentences. The Frayer Model is helpful for doing word study’s with

students.

3. Story Sequencing Board

Reading Rockets. (n.d.) Story Sequence. WETA. Accessed at:

[Link]

A story sequencing board can be used for almost every subject. Students learn about order and

importance by filling out the chart. Each box contains an image or piece of information which is

put into order on the chart. Underneath, students are able to explain why they placed each item

in each box and tell the importance to the sequence. The sequencing chart can be used for
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science experiments, story time, and even math. They can be filled out throughout the lesson or

after the lesson by the whole class or individual students.

4. Venn Diagram

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (n.d.). Graphic Organizers. Retrieved from Education Place:

[Link]

A Venn Diagram is a graphic organizer that helps students organized information. They can be

used to show the differences and similarities between two items. The differences go in the outer

sections while the similarities go in the middle where the two circles intersect. This is an easy

way to compare and contrast two very different things in a visual way that makes it easy for

students to participate and understand.

5. Cluster Graphic Organizer

Houghton Mifflin Company (n.d.) Graphic Organizers. Retrieved from:

[Link]

A cluster graph is a graphic organizer used to show information that is all related to a central

source. It can be used for word studies. The center circle contains the main idea or word. Each

of the extended circles contains information relevant to the main idea. This helps students

organize their knowledge and can be completed as a whole class activity or by individual

students. Cluster graphs help students visualize connections one item might have.
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6. Linear Array Strategy

Wirti center (n.d.) Linear Arrays. Accessed at:

[Link]

5/[Link]%20Linear%[Link]

A linear array is a graphic organizer that shows the connections between two words. One word

is on each end, with empty circles between. Students then fill out the empty circles with subtly

different words that eventually become the other word in the array. It helps students choose

words precisely and shows how two very different words have similar words. These charts can

be used for individual students doing word studies or who want to work on expanding their

vocabulary.
RUNNING HEAD: Best Practices Handbook

7. Alphaboxes

Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening. (n.d.) Alphaboxes. Accessed at:

[Link]

Alphaboxes is a graphic organizer that helps students with reading and vocabulary. To be used

while reading, each box has a single letter of the alphabet in it. As students read, they put

important vocabulary words in the box that corresponds with the first letter of the word. While

not every box needs to be used, the goal is to fill as many of the boxes as possible. This exercise

helps increase students vocabulary and reading comprehension.

8. Anticipation Guide

WETA. (2018) Anticipation Guides. Retrieved from All About Adolescent Literacy at:

[Link]

An anticipation guide is a strategy used to build excitement and assess students’ previous

knowledge before doing an activity. For this guide, each line contains a statement. Before
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reading, students state whether or not they think the statement is true or false. They then read

the story and go back over the guide. Finally, they fill out whether or not the statements were

actually true or false. This organizer is meant to help students think critically about what they

are about to read, as well as giving them a way to check what they just read.

9. Flower Chart

Super Teacher Worksheets. (n.d.) Flower Writing Graphic Organizers. Accessed at:

[Link]

The flower chart is a graphic organizer that can be used to show connections. Much like a cluster

graph, the flower chart has a center that contains the main idea and each petal contains a detail

or example. This chart can also be used to help students get to know each other. Students can

put their commonalities in the center of the flower and add their individual differences in each

of the petals. This is a fun and visually pleasing way to do a word or story study.
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10. The Fish Bowl

Better Evaluation. (August 2015). Fishbowl Technique. Accessed at:

[Link]

The fishbowl technique is a teaching strategy used to encourage purposeful conversation. It is a

large group activity where the majority of the students sit in a large circle surrounding a smaller

circle of students. The center circle of students are given a topic to discuss. The outer circle are

supposed to listen and once one of the inner circle students adds something meaningful to the

conversation they can switch places. This technique helps students work on their oral
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presentation skills as well as their conversational skills.

11. Multiple Meaning Words Organizer

Teachers Pay Teachers. (n.d.) Multiple Meaning Words. Accessed at:

[Link]

Freebie-612956

A multiple meaning words organizer is a graphic organizer that assists students with

understanding words with many different words. This chart begins with a single word. It then

splits into two columns. The first box in each column is for the definition of the words. The

second box is used to write a sentence containing the word. The final box is used to draw a

picture in the matches the individual definition of the word. This chart helps students with their

vocabulary and word comprehension.

12. Character Profile Graphic Organizer

EdHelper. (n.d.) Main Characters and Characters Worksheets. Accessed at:

[Link]

This character profile can be used both for reading and writing. It is a fun way to note a

characters description. The head contains the name of the character, the torso has the

description, the arms have the friends and enemies, and the legs say what the character did.

This graphic organizer can be filled out after reading a story or before writing a story.
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13. Story Map

WETA. (n.d.). Story Maps. Reading Rockets. Accessed at:

[Link]

A story map is graphic organizer used either before writing a story or after reading one. It helps

students identify main story concepts such as: title, setting, theme, climax, conclusion, and

characters. The chart helps with critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. It shows the

structure of a story’s rising and falling action and is a good place to gather all the important

information surrounding the story.

14. Sequencing Timeline

SquareHead Teachers. (August 2013). Blank Timeline Printables. Accessed at:

[Link]

A timeline can be used in math, but can also be used as a graphic organizer for reading writing,

and history. This timeline is a biographical one, where a student is filling out information in

chronological order about a person’s life. Timelines help students with their sequencing and
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summarizing skills. Each box can either be filled in with words or an image depending on the

activity. They can be used as a whole class or individual activity.

15. Five W’s and How Chart

Houghton Mifflin Company (n.d.) Five W’s Chart. Accessed at:

[Link]

This graphic organizer is used before writing a story or after reading one. These charts usually

come in one of two formats. They either only list the five W’s or the add the one H. The five W’s

are the questions: Who? What? When? Where? And Why? And the H is the question: How? This

chart helps with reading comprehension and analysis skills. It encourages students to focus on

the important aspects of the story in order to answer the questions.

16. SWBS Chart

Teachers Pay Teachers (n.d.) SWBS Chart. Accessed at:

[Link]

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An SWBS chart is another organizer that teachers can use to work on reading comprehension

and analysis skills. The chart goes in sequential order with students filling out the information in

each box. The S stands for somebody – the main character(s). The W stands for wanted – what

was their goal/motivation. The B stands for but – what was preventing them from accomplishing

their goal or getting what they wanted? Finally, the second S stands for so – what was the

solution to the problem. This chart helps the student get down to the bare bones of the story

with four simple questions.

17. Inverted Pyramid

Teachers Pay Teachers (n.d.). Inverted Pyramid Graphic Organizer. Accessed at:

[Link]

The inverted pyramid is a graphic organizer that helps students narrow down information. It

starts with the general information at the top. Then, each layer that goes down lists information

that gets continually specific until you reach the last level which contains the most specific fact

or piece of information that you want to focus on. This tool is good for organizing research and

deciphering information.
RUNNING HEAD: Best Practices Handbook

18. Fact/Opinion Chart

Houghton Mifflin Company. (n.d.) Fact and Opinion Chart. Accessed at:

[Link]

The fact opinion chart is a graphic organizer that helps students to distinguish what is true from

what is opinion. This can be used to help with reading comprehension. It can also be used to talk

about how stories make students feel. One side of the chart contains the facts of the story,

while the other side contains the opinions. It can also be used for an activity where students

have to sort through statements and decide whether or not they are facts or opinions. This

teaches critical thinking skills.

19. T-Chart

Houghton Mifflin Company. (n.d.). Subject: T-Chart. Accessed at:

[Link]

A T-Chart is a very simple graphic organizer that can be used in many different ways. Called a T-

chart for its cross shape, this chart can be used for pro’s and con’s lists, advantages/

disadvantages, fact/fiction, and many other lists. It is a simple way for students to make

comparisons by putting what they are comparing side-by-side.

20. Cause and Effect Chart

Terrapatria. (February 2018). Cause And Effect Anchor Charts And Free Graphic Organizers in Blank

Cause And Effect Graphic Organizer. Accessed at:

[Link]

and-effect-anchor-charts-and-free-graphic-organizers-in-blank-cause-and-effect-graphic-

organizer

A cause and effect chart is another graphic organizer that helps students to analyze what they

have read or learned. It looks a like a flow chart with the left side containing the ‘cause’ and the

right side containing the ‘effects.’ This helps students break down the important information

into small pieces and see the whole picture at the same time. This chart could be used for

reading, history, and science with the whole class or individuals.

Book List:

1. Osbourne, Mary P. (1998). Hour of the Olympics. Random House Books for Young Readers

This book is about Jack and Annie’s visit to Ancient Greece and what they learn there. It

addresses SOL’s for Grade 3 in Social Studies, Reading, Writing, and Oral Language.

2. Silverstein, Shel. (1964). The Giving Tree. Harper Publisher

This book tells the life story of a tree and a boy as they grow u together. It addresses 2nd Grade

SOLs in English and Science.

3. Demi (1990). The Empty Pot. Square Fish

The Empty Pot is a 1st Grade level book that tells the story of an emperor’s plan to find his heir.

Based on a Chinese folk tale, The Empty Pot addresses Social Studies and Science SOLs and the social

skills of honesty, hard work, and integrity.

4. Burton, Virginia, L. (1942) The Little House. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Little House shows the passage of time as one house stays the same in the midst of change.

It addresses Kindergarten SOLs in History and Reading, as well as architecture, moon phases, and

seasons.

5. Mora, Pat. (1994). Pablo’s Tree. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pablo’s Tree tells the story of Pablo, an adopted child in a Hispanic family whose grandfather

decorates a special tree for his birthday every year. It covers Grade 2 SOLs in Civics, Reading, and Oral

Language. In addition, this book introduces students to a few Spanish terms.