Graphic Organizer Resources from TeachersFirst
Whether you call them concept maps, mind maps, KWLs, or graphic organizers, these visual diagrams show relationships between concepts and provide a powerful tool for learning and connecting new ideas. Creating graphic organizers also helps today's visual learners build reading comprehension. This collection of reviewed resources includes tools for creating graphic organizers and many suggestions for ways to use them in teaching almost any subject or grade. Be sure to read the "In the Classroom" suggestions for examples of ways to use graphic organizers as part of a lesson or unit.
151 Results | sort by:
Thinking Flexibly (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): flexibility (5), thinking skills (57)
In the Classroom
Discover new tools to try in your classroom that foster flexible thinking. Also, explore the professional resources (for you). Each review includes classroom use ideas. Read the details of each tool and find the ones that will work for you and your students.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
How Metacognition Can Optimize Learning - Cult of Pedagogy
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): thinking skills (57)
In the Classroom
Students can use mindmaps, reviewed here to create study resources. Students can use Google Drawing, reviewed here to create outlines and/or graphic organizers. Finally, students can use StoryMap JS, reviewed here to create story maps.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The Top 5 Most Useful Metacognitive Strategies
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thinking skills (57)
In the Classroom
Students can use Google Slides, reviewed here to teach each other the material. Students can use Gimkit, reviewed here to create study questions. Students can use Figma, reviewed here to create outlines and/or graphic organizers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Canva Thinking Routine Templates - Teach Cheat
Grades
K to 8tag(s): graphic organizers (50), thinking skills (57)
In the Classroom
Encourage students to design digital portfolios or presentation slides that showcase their learning in ELA, science, or social studies, integrating text, images, and creativity through the Teach Cheat templates. Students can create goal-setting trackers or subject-specific study guides using planner templates or collaborate on digital thank-you cards to practice writing and design skills. Students can choose a poster or graphic organizer template to record what they see, think, and wonder about a text, image, or concept. They can add icons, images, and text boxes to illustrate each step.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Thinking Resources for Teachers - Known Atom
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thinking skills (57)
In the Classroom
Have students make a claim about a character's motivation or a theme in the story, provide text evidence as support, and then generate a meaningful question that deepens discussion. They can share and respond in small groups. Have students identify one idea from the text they connect to, one new idea that extends their thinking, and one question that challenges their understanding. This routine deepens comprehension and encourages perspective-taking. Ask students to write a short headline that captures the main idea or most important moment in a poem or chapter, then justify their headline with specific text evidence. These can be shared or posted as an exit ticket on Padlet, reviewed here or a Collaboration Board on Nearpod, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
20+ Chemical Reactions to Try - Science Buddies
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): chemicals (39), experiments (60), matter (48)
In the Classroom
Students can use Google Drawings reviewed here to create a sequencing graphic organizer to demonstrate step-by-step instructions. Students can use Seesaw reviewed here as a journal to explain their experimental hypothesis, outcomes, and reasoning. Students can use Free Screen Recorder Online reviewed here to record themselves completing their experiment.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Thinking Routine Templates - TPT
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): brainstorming (17), graphic organizers (50), teaching strategies (57), thinking skills (57)
In the Classroom
Begin a new topic with an image, artifact, or short video clip. Have students use a See, Think, Wonder organizer to record observations, inferences, and questions. Have students complete a 3-2-1 Bridge before and after learning a concept (3 thoughts, 2 questions, 1 analogy). Using one of the printable templates available on the page, students can develop a claim about a topic, find supporting evidence, and pose further questions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Free - See, Think, Wonder - TPT
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): brain (55), graphic organizers (50), teaching strategies (57), thinking skills (57)
In the Classroom
Display an intriguing image, artifact, or chart at the beginning of class. Using a See, Think, Wonder graphic organizer, have students jot down what they notice, what they infer, and what they're curious about. This works well as a warm-up for ELA, science, or social studies lessons. After reading a short story, article, or poem, students can complete a See, Think, Wonder reflection to analyze characters, themes, and emotions. They can use the free printable templates to guide their responses. Present a visual math pattern or real-world image involving shapes, symmetry, or data. Have students use the See, Think, Wonder framework to describe what they observe, hypothesize relationships, and pose questions for deeper exploration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
PBS KIDS Graphic Organizers - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
K to 3tag(s): critical thinking (141), graphic organizers (50), organizational skills (80), preK (289), reading comprehension (141), spanish (103)
In the Classroom
After watching an episode of Wild Kratts or Arthur, have students complete a character web to describe a main character's traits, actions, and relationships. Spanish-speaking students can use the corresponding organizer in Spanish to support bilingual learning. Use the sequencing graphic organizer to help students retell an episode in order (beginning, middle, end). Have students draw pictures or write simple sentences, depending on their level. Students can also use a blank story map to plan their own short story using PBS characters or original ideas. Encourage them to share their story with peers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Mayan Civilization Lesson Plan: Time, Continuity, and Change - BrainPOP
Grades
3 to 8In the Classroom
Use the Make-a-Movie feature under Deepen and Extend to create a video diary from the perspective of a person living in Maya society that describes a day in your life. Make a concept map using BrainPOP's Make-a-Map feature or MindMup reviewed here identifying key features and contributions of Maya society and culture. Creative Coding on the BrainPOP website can enable students to code a museum with artifacts representing key elements of Maya civilization.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Storyboard That Mesopotamia - Storyboard That
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): asia (139), digital storytelling (145), mesopotamia (32)
In the Classroom
Students can design a map of the Fertile Crescent, labeling key rivers, cities, and regions. Students can use the storyboard format from Canva's Storyboard Templates, reviewed here to visually represent the social hierarchy of Mesopotamia, from kings to enslaved people. Have students create a timeline using Timeline Infographics Templates, reviewed here to highlight major achievements, such as the invention of the wheel, writing (cuneiform), and irrigation systems. Challenge students to create a storyboard that depicts the daily life of a Mesopotamian family, focusing on religion, economy, and culture. Have students create storyboards that illustrate different laws from Hammurabi's Code, showing how laws were applied in Mesopotamian society.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Lumio - Smart Technologies ULC
Grades
K to 12tag(s): assessment (127), blended learning (27), communication (113), Learning Management Systems (18), questioning (34), remote learning (31), Teacher Utilities (170)
In the Classroom
Use Lumio's many included features to deliver personalized learning opportunities for all students. Begin learning about Lumio's features by exploring the activities available in Lumio's library and editing the content to fit the needs of your students. Once familiar with the tools and delivery system, upload and create personalized lessons for students. Quickly adapt activities and content to fit the needs of multilingual learners, gifted students, or special needs students within any content area.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
WordDB: The Word Database - The Word Database
Grades
K to 12tag(s): crosswords (20), DAT device agnostic tool (124), dictionaries (47), rhymes (22), thesaurus (21), vocabulary (240), vocabulary development (96), word study (57)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and keep this site handy for many classroom uses. Include a link to WordDB on your class website and classroom computers for students to access at school and home. Encourage students to use the tools on WordDB to improve their writing projects by finding antonyms, synonyms, and words of different lengths to include. Share the daily popular words as vocabulary activities using the Frayer Model as a graphic organizer to provide and apply knowledge of the words. Use the Frayer Model template provided on Figjam, reviewed here to discuss vocabulary, then use Figjam's tools to write sentences and short stories together as a class using your new vocabulary words. Extend learning using AI tools such as Twee, reviewed here and MagicSchool, reviewed here and create stories, vocabulary activities, and assessments quickly using words studied on WordDB.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
An Educator's Guide to Orange County Diversity - Heritage Museum of Orange County
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1800s (81), 1900s (79), agriculture (46), california (17), climate change (100), commoncore (59), cross cultural understanding (175), cultures (245), diversity (49), gold rush (17), immigrants (45), railroads (16), westward expansion (41)
In the Classroom
Use these guides as created or adapt the lesson plans to develop social justice lessons based on your local history. As a final project, ask students to use Google My Maps, reviewed here to create a virtual field trip through your town or state that includes links to videos and images that share the story of your location.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Canva Education Templates - Canva
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): antonyms (12), art history (103), collages (17), colors (62), coordinates (15), factors (27), fractions (151), human body (87), multiplication (112), oceans (140), paragraph writing (17), perimeter (14), plants (140), pythagorean theorem (18), solar system (115), synonyms (14), verbs (25), waves (14), writing (303)
In the Classroom
Set aside time to look through these attractive templates to add to your current lesson plans or create a new unit. Students with a specific interest and want to know more about a topic could look through the templates to see what they could learn. Think about creating a Wakelet, reviewed here to share this addition resource for the topics you study in class with students. They can use the Wakelet for review or further information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
In Pieces - 30 Endangered Species, 30 Pieces. - Bryan James
Grades
K to 12tag(s): animals (277), conservation (103), endangered species (27), extinction (4), origami (13), statistics (113), tangrams (7)
In the Classroom
This resource would be great in art, math, or science. Download the images and have students use a drawing program to cut out shapes or use pattern blocks to replicate the downloaded image. Use this site in math class to enhance your statistics unit. The information is shown in various ways and provides students with a real-world connection on how statistics can be used to communicate information. Have students research a different endangered animal not shown and create a statistic presentation. In science, use this site to engage students in a unit on conservation. Have students view the site and record facts or statistics they found interesting. They could utilize a KWL to chart and record their thoughts. You can find many different graphic organizers at Freeology - Free Printable Graphic Organizers, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
New American History - University of Richmond
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): american revolution (84), black history (129), branches of government (63), civil rights (216), civil war (141), colonial america (96), colonization (21), constitution (100), elections (83), emancipation proclamation (14), environment (244), great depression (30), immigrants (45), immigration (78), inequalities (25), native americans (116), primary sources (119), racism (79), segregation (20), underground railroad (12), womens suffrage (63), world war 1 (83), world war 2 (165)
In the Classroom
This site is an excellent resource for American History teachers; be sure to add it to your collection of teaching resources. Each lesson provided by New American History includes several ideas for using digital tools within the teaching tips; take advantage of these ideas to engage students in learning and differentiate instruction for learning styles and abilities. As students complete activities such as KWL charts, use the graphic organizer templates found at Canva Edu, reviewed here to share students' ideas. Extend learning by asking students to use Canva tools to show what they know by creating infographics, presentations, flyers, and other multimedia projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Patsy Mink - Changing the Rules - iCivics
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): civil rights (216), congress (40), politics (119), women (172)
In the Classroom
The video "Patsy Mink: Changing the Rules" can promote your student's critical thinking and civic engagement and teach students the contributions of women and people of color to American politics and society. Use the video as a launching pad to discuss women's history and representation in different fields, such as STEM or sports. Have students research prominent women in science, engineering, or athletics and compare their experiences to Patsy Mink's using a digital graphic organizer tool such as mindmaps, reviewed here. Assess student understanding by creating an interactive quiz game with Quizlet Live, reviewed here, or Kahoot, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Tales from the Griots - The Mali Empire - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): africa (149)
In the Classroom
Use the ideas and resources found in this article to enhance your lessons on ancient civilizations or provide information for a new teaching unit. In addition to the suggestions already seen on the article, consider using technology tools to help students curate resources, organize information, and share their learning. Wakelet, reviewed here, is an excellent tool for curating resources into shareable collections. Use Wakelet individually or collaboratively when working on research projects. Use CirclyApp, reviewed here, as a graphic organizer to help students understand and compare the Mali Empire with other civilizations. CirclyApp is an excellent visual tool that includes several useful templates to compare and contrast information easily. As students prepare to share their learning, consider the options found at Genially, reviewed here, for students to create interactive presentations, infographics, charts, and more. Resources correlate to ISTE and AASL National School Library Standards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Voices of Democracy - The U.S. Oratory Project - Voices of Democracy
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): authors (101), civil rights (216), conflict resolution (10), freedom of speech (14), religions (122), speech (65), speeches (22)
In the Classroom
Include these significant speeches as part of speech class or during history lessons related to the speech's topic or speaker. Clip portions of any video using ytCropper, reviewed here, for students to use when focusing on presentation techniques or content of the speech. For a more in-depth look at any video clip or the entire speech, use Timelinely, reviewed here, to add images, maps, links, and more to any area on the video timeline. As a final project, ask students to record their own speeches or present one of the featured speeches on Padlet, reviewed here. Padlet includes many tools to extend student learning in addition to the video recording feature. Ask students to use Padlet's features such as the Brainstorming Board, AI Art, various graphic organizers, images, and more to enhance their speech presentation. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form