Venn diagrams are used to compare and contrast information. These are made by drawing two circles with a section overlapping in the middle. Each side of the diagram needs to be a different topic that is compared and contrasted. In the outer areas of the circles, the information that is specific to that topic needs to be listed. The inside overlapping section of the circles is used for information that is the same for both topics. An example of a time when a Venn diagram is used might be to compare and contrast two characters in a book or two time periods in history.
Cluster webs are used to organize large amounts of information by like idea. These are made by writing a topic in the middle of the page. You then use lines to branch out from that topic and write more detailed information. For example, if the topic in the center is boats, four arms can branch from the word "boats" to subtopics such as speedboats, sailboats, ships and canoes. From each of these subtopics, more details can be written about each particular kind of boat. An example of a time when a cluster web can be used is when writing a report.
Sequence charts are used to place things in time order or in the order they appear. This helps you to see events that happen in chronological order. These charts are created by writing a topic on the top of the page. Next, write the word first and then what information happened first in the topic, then second and continue down the list until all the information has been explained. An example of a time when a sequence chart is used is when you are retelling events in a story.
Timelines are used to tell events in the order they occur. Like sequence charts, timelines are used to tell events in chronological order from first occurrence to last. These are created by drawing a line across the paper and marking dates within a range. It is best to spread the dates in the range evenly to avoid confusion. An example of a project where a timeline can be used is when organizing historical events.
T-Charts are generally used to show cause and effect. These charts are made by drawing a line down the middle of the paper and a line across the paper, making a big letter T. On top of the T, write the topic and then begin listing various causes on one side and effects on the other. An example of when a T-chart might be best is an event in history such as World War II to see the benefits and drawbacks.
Word charts are used to help organize different aspects of particular words such as vocabulary words. There are many options for word chart designs depending on what you want to learn about the word. These are made by writing a word in a small box in the middle of a page and then drawing boxes around that center box. Some examples of what could be written in the outer boxes are definition, origin and sentence. You can also draw a picture to show more information about a word.
Fishbone charts look like the skeleton of a fish and are used to show a topic and its details. These are made by drawing a horizontal line across a page and writing a topic; then you draw diagonal lines out from the line and write details about the topic. You can use a fishbone chart when you need to show details for research or when you are describing a character or event in a story.
KWL charts exist to explain what a person knows (K), what a person wants to know (W) and what a person learned (L). To create a KWL chart, make three columns on a page using vertical lines. Write a topic at the top of the paper and head each column K, W and L. These organizers work best when anticipating a topic you are going to learn more about in the near future. This allows you to access prior knowledge and anticipate what you are going to learn. When finished with the reading or learning process, you can go back to the L and fill in what new information was learned about the topic.