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performance across grade levels, with diverse students, and in a broad range of content areas” (p. 5). Additionally, this Institute reported the use of graphic organizers helped with comprehension and vocabulary development.
Graphic organizers are valuable devices in teaching and supporting research with younger students. According to Howard and Ellis (2005), graphic organizers provide visual representations of texts and can provide interrelationships among ideas. In the case of researching new concepts or content, teachers may provide a much needed scaffold for students’ comprehension using a graphic organizer. An organizer can help students navigate research by organizing the questions and the answers they are seeking. As students are empowered to ask questions and pursue answers through research, their “self-monitoring of understanding” increases (Fisher & Frey, 2008, p. 104). According to Howard and Ellis (2005), “organization and retention of expository text can be aided by graphic organizers” (p. 13). Using graphic organizers helps young researchers monitor their own learning process and comprehension. Howard and Ellis promote direct instruction in the use of graphic organizational devices, but guiding practice may be a challenge.
Graphic organizers are plentiful, but finding an age-appropriate and content-compatible one for beginning researchers in the primary grades may be difficult. While most organizers provide a necessary foundation for students to identify key concepts or information, frequently the visual is too lengthy or complicated for younger students. However, a meaning-making graphic can direct students’ inquiry, motivate them, and help students see a big picture for what they are researching. Finally, graphic organizers “do not just assist students by directing their attention to important information, but, rather they help students” formulate cohesive concepts and
connections (Robinson, Odom, Hsieh, & Vanderveen, 2006, p. 103).
An easy and effective graphic organizer is the Question, Answer, Source (QAS). This research organizer, for example, was used to reinforce the topic of lifecycles using ladybugs as a model. As shown in this partial example (see Figure 2), simple questions guide the research.
This research graphic organizer is modeled for students in four basic steps using a blank template or one partially filled out depending on the students’ level of research skill. The teacher/student will:
Figure 2 - Questions, Answer, Source. This example was used by a classroom teacher.