literary essay graphic organizer

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Effective essay writing graphic organizers to enhance your academic writing skills.

Are you looking for ways to enhance your essay writing skills? Do you struggle to organize your thoughts and ideas effectively? Utilizing graphic organizers can be the key to improving your writing process and producing more cohesive and structured essays.

Graphic organizers are visual tools that help writers brainstorm, plan, and organize their writing. They provide a visual representation of the relationships between ideas, making it easier to see the big picture and the flow of your essay. By using graphic organizers, you can break down complex topics into manageable chunks and create a roadmap for your writing.

Whether you’re a student working on academic essays or a professional writer crafting articles, utilizing graphic organizers can make a significant difference in the clarity and coherence of your writing. In this article, we will explore the benefits of using graphic organizers, discuss different types of organizers, and provide tips on how to effectively incorporate them into your writing process.

Master the Basics

Before delving into the complexities of essay writing, it is crucial to master the basics. Understanding the fundamental elements of an essay, such as the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, is essential for crafting a coherent and compelling piece of writing.

• Start with a strong introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and clearly states your main argument.
• Develop your ideas in the body paragraphs with supporting evidence and analysis.
• Conclude your essay by summarizing your key points and reinforcing your main thesis.

By mastering these basic components of essay writing, you can better structure your ideas and effectively communicate your thoughts to your audience.

Understanding the Essay Structure

When it comes to writing an effective essay, understanding the structure is crucial. An essay typically consists of three main parts: an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Introduction: This is where you grab the reader’s attention and provide a brief overview of what your essay will be about. The introduction should also include a thesis statement, which is the main point or argument of your essay.

Body paragraphs: The body of your essay is where you develop your argument and provide supporting evidence. Each paragraph should focus on a single point and include detailed explanations and examples to support your thesis.

Conclusion: The conclusion is where you wrap up your essay by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis. It’s also a good place to leave the reader with a thought-provoking idea or call to action.

By understanding and utilizing this basic essay structure, you can ensure that your writing is clear, organized, and effective.

Choose the Right Organizer

When it comes to effective essay writing, choosing the right graphic organizer can make a significant difference in organizing your thoughts and boosting your writing skills. There are various types of organizers to choose from, such as the outline, Venn diagram, flowchart, concept map, and more. It’s essential to select an organizer that best fits the structure of your essay and helps you clearly outline your ideas.

Outlining: If you prefer a straightforward approach, an outline organizer can help you create a clear and organized structure for your essay. Use headings and subheadings to categorize your main points and supporting details.

Venn Diagram: A Venn diagram can be useful when comparing and contrasting ideas or topics. It allows you to visually represent the similarities and differences between two or more concepts.

Flowchart: For essays with a sequential flow of ideas, a flowchart organizer is ideal. Create a visual representation of the sequence of events or steps in your essay to ensure a logical progression of ideas.

Concept Map: If you want to explore the relationships between different concepts in your essay, a concept map can help you visualize the connections between ideas and brainstorm new insights.

Choosing the right organizer is crucial to effectively structure your essay and enhance your writing skills. Experiment with different types of organizers to find the one that best suits your writing style and helps you convey your ideas clearly and cohesively.

Selecting the Best Graphic Tool

When choosing a graphic organizer tool for your essay writing process, it is essential to consider various factors to ensure its effectiveness. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

• Type of Essay: Consider the type of essay you are writing and choose a graphic organizer that best fits the structure and organization needed for that particular essay type.
• Complexity: Evaluate the complexity of your ideas and arguments to determine the level of detail and hierarchy required in the graphic organizer.
• Visual Appeal: Look for a tool that is visually appealing and easy to comprehend, as this will help you better visualize and organize your thoughts.
• Flexibility: Opt for a tool that offers flexibility in terms of customization, allowing you to adjust the layout and structure based on your specific needs.
• Accessibility: Ensure that the graphic organizer tool you choose is accessible and easy to use on your preferred devices and platforms.

By carefully considering these factors, you can select the best graphic tool that will enhance your essay writing process and improve the clarity and coherence of your ideas.

Organize Your Ideas

Before diving into writing your essay, it’s crucial to organize your ideas to ensure a clear and coherent flow of information. Using graphic organizers can help you visually map out your thoughts and easily see how they connect. Here are some effective ways to organize your ideas:

• Outline: Create a detailed outline with main points, subpoints, and supporting evidence to structure your essay.
• Brainstorming: Brainstorm ideas and jot them down on a mind map to see relationships between different concepts.
• Cluster/Spider Diagrams: Use cluster or spider diagrams to group related ideas together and visualize the structure of your essay.
• Storyboard: Create a storyboard with key events or arguments to plan out the sequence of your essay.

By organizing your ideas using graphic organizers, you can enhance the clarity and coherence of your essay, making it easier for readers to follow your argument.

Mapping Out Your Thoughts

One of the most effective tools for organizing your thoughts and ideas before starting to write an essay is a graphic organizer. By using a graphic organizer, you can visually map out your thoughts, main points, and supporting details. This helps you clarify your ideas and ensure that your essay has a logical structure.

There are various types of graphic organizers you can use, such as mind maps, concept maps, Venn diagrams, and flowcharts. Choose the one that best suits your writing style and the topic of your essay. Once you have selected a graphic organizer, start by jotting down your main idea in the center and then branch out to include your supporting points and details.

Mapping out your thoughts using a graphic organizer will not only help you stay focused and organized but also make the writing process smoother and more efficient. It can serve as a roadmap for your essay, guiding you through each section and ensuring that your ideas flow cohesively.

Develop Strong Arguments

Effective essay writing requires the development of strong arguments to persuade the reader of your perspective. To create compelling arguments, follow these key strategies:

• Research: Conduct thorough research to gather credible evidence and support for your arguments. Use reliable sources to strengthen your points.
• Structure: Organize your arguments logically and coherently. Start with a clear thesis statement and build each argument in a structured manner.
• Counterarguments: Anticipate counterarguments and address them in your essay. This shows that you have considered different viewpoints and strengthens your own position.
• Evidence: Support your arguments with relevant evidence, such as examples, statistics, and expert opinions. This adds credibility and persuasiveness to your essay.
• Clarity: Clearly articulate your arguments and provide explanations to ensure that your points are easily understood by the reader.
• Consistency: Ensure that your arguments are consistent throughout the essay. Avoid contradictions or inconsistencies that may weaken your overall argument.

By developing strong arguments with these key strategies, you can enhance the effectiveness of your essay writing and convey your ideas convincingly to your audience.

Building a Persuasive Case

When writing a persuasive essay, it is crucial to build a compelling case to persuade your audience to agree with your viewpoint. Here are some key steps to help you construct a persuasive case:

• Clear Thesis Statement: Start by clearly stating your position or argument in a concise thesis statement. This statement should clearly convey what you are trying to persuade your readers to believe or do.
• Supporting Evidence: Back up your thesis statement with strong evidence, facts, statistics, examples, and expert opinions. Providing solid evidence can make your case more convincing and credible.
• Logical Organization: Structure your essay in a logical and coherent manner. Develop your arguments in a clear sequence, with each point building upon the previous one to strengthen your case.
• Address Counterarguments: Anticipate potential counterarguments and address them in your essay. Acknowledging opposing viewpoints and refuting them can make your argument more persuasive.
• Emotional Appeal: Use emotional appeals, anecdotes, and narratives to connect with your audience on a personal level. Appeal to the emotions of your readers to make them more likely to empathize with your argument.
• Call to Action: End your essay with a strong call to action that urges your audience to take a specific course of action or consider your perspective. Encouraging your readers to act can motivate them to support your cause.

By following these steps and building a persuasive case in your essay, you can effectively convince your audience to embrace your ideas and opinions.

Enhance Your Writing Flow

One of the key elements in effective essay writing is maintaining a smooth and consistent flow throughout your piece. A well-structured essay should lead the reader from one point to the next seamlessly, with each paragraph naturally transitioning into the next.

To enhance your writing flow, consider using transitional words and phrases such as “furthermore,” “however,” “in addition,” and “conversely” to connect your ideas and guide the reader through your argument. These transitions help establish logical connections between your thoughts and make your writing more coherent.

Additionally, vary your sentence structure and length to create a dynamic rhythm in your writing. Mixing short, punchy sentences with longer, more elaborate ones can keep your reader engaged and prevent your writing from feeling monotonous.

Finally, don’t be afraid to revise and reorganize your essay to ensure a smooth and consistent flow. Take the time to read your work aloud or have someone else review it to identify any awkward or disjointed sections that may disrupt the flow of your writing.

By paying attention to these techniques and practicing them regularly, you can enhance your writing flow and take your essay writing skills to the next level.

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Literary Elements Map

About this Interactive

Related resources.

An updated version of the Story Map , this interactive best suits secondary students in literary study. The tool includes a set of graphic organizers designed to assist teachers and students in prewriting and postreading activities, focusing on the key elements of character, setting, conflict, and resolution development (shown at left). As with the Story Map, this interactive can be used in multiple contexts, whether they be author studies, genre studies, or thematic units, among others. Students can map out the key literary elements for a variety purposes, including response to literature or as a prewriting activity when composing their own fiction. After completing individual sections or the entire organizer, students have the ability to print out their final versions for feedback and assessment.

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Students will enjoy this blast from the past as they read the works of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein to analyze the way social issues are addressed in selected works.

Students complete a short survey to establish their beliefs about technology. They compare their opinions to the ideas in a novel that depicts technology (such as 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 ).

In this activity, students read short stories and create presentations in multiple media to share in a Short Story Fair. At the fair, students explore and respond to the displays.

Students read an example of allegory, review literary concepts, complete literary elements maps and plot diagrams, create a pictorial allegory, and write diamante poems related to the theme of change.

Students will identify how Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of nonviolent conflict-resolution is reinterpreted in modern texts. Homework is differentiated to prompt discussion on how nonviolence is portrayed through characterization and conflict. Students will be formally assessed on a thesis essay that addresses the Six Kingian Principles of Nonviolence.

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• Kindergarten K

How to Use Graphic Organizers to Write Better Essays

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Reading time: about 6 min

If you’re a student, there’s no way around the inevitable: You’re going to have to write essays. Lots of essays. In fact, the five-paragraph essay is so fundamental to the high school curriculum that it’s still used on the ACTs, and knowing how to recognize the organizational structure of essays will help you score higher on the SATs.

Even though it seems like a chore, knowing how to organize and write an essay can have a lasting effect on your life, from getting into a better college to scoring a better job to performing better in that job long after your high school days are over.

Here’s a secret: Using graphic organizers for writing essays can help you write better essays faster. (And don’t count yourself out if you’re an educator—you can offer these tools to help your students succeed.) We’ll show you exactly how to do it.

Why use graphic organizers

When ACT graders or teachers are looking your essay, they’re looking for very specific criteria; essentially, they’re looking at how well you’ve organized your thoughts. Many students don’t take the time to outline their essay structure before writing, and that always means a lower score on a test and a lower grade on the essay in class.

Using a writing template can feel like an unnecessary step in an already complicated process. If you need extra motivation to implement these organizers into your writing routine, consider all of their benefits. Graphic organizers can help you:

• Save time by showing you where each piece of the essay “lives.”
• Have more productive brainstorming sessions, either by yourself or with a group.
• Make connections between ideas and create a more cohesive argument.
• Pinpoint holes in your arguments and either adjust the thesis or find supporting statements.
• Keep track of your research.
• Organize your thoughts and come to interesting, more compelling conclusions.
• Stay in the right direction when you feel lost in a sea of words.
• Manage anxiety by converting the fear of a blank assignment into an action plan with a clear map.

With all those benefits, it’s hard to ignore how useful and vital graphic organizers are to writing. And once you’ve become adept at organizing your thoughts for something like a school essay, you’ll find that skill carries with you throughout your life, whether you’re trying to become a more intelligent debater to negotiate prices. It goes beyond just the essay to becoming a better thinker. And it starts with a simple template.

We’ll walk you through several use cases for graphic organizers and provide templates for you to download and fill in when you’re ready to write.

Brainstorming graphic organizers

Brainstorming is important, not only to come up with ideas for topics but to determine what information you need to include in the essay once you’ve determined your topic. Though many think of brainstorming as just freeflow thinking, brainstorming is most productive when you work within specific parameters.

That’s why essay brainstorming graphic organizers are useful, whether you’re using one to brainstorm on your own or you’re working with a group.

In Lucidchart, our mind map shapes and templates double as brainstorming graphic organizers. Start with an essay prompt as your central shape and then fill in the shapes that branch off your prompt with topic ideas. Alternatively, you can add your selected topic to the center and start brainstorming the different ideas you need to cover in your paper.

When the template is filled in, you’ll have a clear starting point for your essay or research paper.

Research paper graphic organizers

Nothing paralyzes students with fear quite like a research paper. These long-form papers require—as the name implies—quite a bit of research, and their purpose is to teach students how to look for valid sources to support their arguments.

But keeping track of all those sources and tying them into your argument can be tricky. That’s where a research paper graphic organizer can be a student’s greatest ally.

This template lays out the writing process itself. After you come up with a general topic, like “the disappearance of honey bees,” fill in the “Research Paper Topic” box.

Then, start looking for reputable sources (Wikipedia doesn’t count) and use the five sources boxes to hold the most relevant quotes and statistics you find. Using those quotes and statistics, you can then fill out a thesis statement that is supported by the research.

Then, you’ll be able to focus your paragraphs on a single topic each that supports the thesis statement and your overarching argument. After you’ve filled out the template, the backbone of the research paper is complete: All that’s left to do is fill in the spaces between sources and arguments.

5-paragraph essay graphic organizer

When it comes to writing the five-paragraph essay, writing diagrams are key. By using graphic organizers for writing, you’re no longer staring at a giant blank piece of paper with no idea how or where to begin. Your graphic organizer is your map.

Although using writing diagrams may seem time-consuming, the fact is that taking the time to fill a graphic organizer in before writing actually saves time. If there’s a problem with the argument, it will show up on the diagram, or if there’s not enough evidence to support your argument, you’ll know before you’ve wasted time writing the paper. And, as we said before, even if your writing is terrible, if your argument is sound, you’ll still score a decent grade.

Try this 5-paragraph essay template to get you started.

Don’t feel pressured to come up with a compelling title right away. Instead, it’s more important that you come up with a thesis statement that can be supported by three solid arguments. Fill in that thesis statement and your arguments. Then, for each argument, figure out three supporting details to support your case.

That’s it! You’ve got the most essential parts of your 5-paragraph essay completed.

Now, come up with an introduction that sets the stage for your argument and a conclusion that wraps up and restates your thesis and supporting arguments in a compelling way. Now you have a solid plan for your paper and can approach it with confidence.

If you’d like a more linear graphic that exactly follows the structure of the 5-paragraph, use the writing template below and follow the same process.

Visuals, such as graphic organizers for writing, can help you better understand concepts, think creatively, and collaborate with your classmates—and there are plenty of other templates where these came from.

Lucidchart offers hundreds of templates to help you through your studies, including timelines, Venn diagrams, word maps, and more. Sign up for Lucidchart and upgrade to an Educational account for free.

Resources for teachers

Providing graphic resources to students is essential; after all, many of your students will be visual learners, so while you may beautifully explain how the process works, there will be some who won’t understand until they see a template of the essay itself.

Lucidchart has many resources for teachers, from lesson plans to writing templates. While you’re teaching your students how to write essays or research papers, it’s useful to print out the templates and fill them out together (even using a completed template as a separate assignment with a separate grade) so that your students can get a feel for properly filling out graphic organizers before attempting it on their own.

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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TWIST Graphic Organizer

TWIST Analysis Graphic Organizers

A growing trend in ELA has been the incorporation of vertical teaming strategies in classrooms. These strategies include a number of acronyms, analogous to “PEMDAS”, but for English class. This “order of operations” helps students through a prose analysis by suggesting to them what and where they should start when interpreting a section of literature.

With the TWIST method, students are asked to look for and analyze the following terms: tone, word choice, imagery and detail, style, and theme. When completing a TWIST, students may use a paragraph or even a few pages, looking at each of these items systematically, both sequentially and as they relate to each other. For example, when examining tone and word choice, students should find a correlation between the two. The graphic above illustrates how each part of the TWIST should be connected, as each element overlaps with those adjacent to it.

TWIST Helps You Answer the Following Questions:

• How do great writers create a tone that a reader can feel through their work?
• What are the parts of literature, and how can we learn to analyze its meaning?
• How do literary elements affect a reader's understanding of a work of literature?

Breaking Down TWIST

Before reading, it is a good idea to introduce students to the steps of TWIST and go over any terms that may be new to them.

The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc. Tone words should always be adjectives and convey one of the following attitudes: Positive, Negative, Humorous (Ironic/Sarcastic), Sorrowful (Fearful, Worried), or Neutral.

• Quarrelsome
• Threatening
• Pessimistic
• Questioning
• Reminiscent

Word Choice

The author’s use of specific and accurate words, to “show” the reader rather than to “tell” them. Adjectives are extremely descriptive, and nouns are very particular. When looking for word choice, students will notice ‘clusters’ of words that evoke the same meaning or tone.

Imagery and Detail

Imagery is visually descriptive or figurative language in a literary work. For this element, students want to look at the use of onomatopoeia, alliteration, similes, metaphors, hyperbole, analogies, personification, and euphemisms. These are all details that the author will use to give a sense of emotion to the reader. Very descriptive, figurative language paints a picture in readers’ minds, making this term exceedingly important for students to examine.

Literary style refers to the way that the author uses words – the author’s vocabulary, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence arrangement. The way an author presents the information determines the way in which the reader interprets it. The wording itself lends insight into the emotions or concepts the author wants convey with the scene, setting, or characters.

Types of Literary Styles

• Descriptive
• Persuasive or Argumentative
• Journalistic

The subject of a piece of writing, usually the author's thoughts on a specific topic. When looking at theme, students should use the other parts of the TWIST to piece together information about the author's intentions. By looking at the tone and imagery, it makes it possible to pinpoint the topic. From there, students will need to infer the author's thoughts on it. Using imagery and style will help them uncover the attitude of the author on the topic.

Related Activities

Check out these TWIST activities from our guides on "O Captain! My Captain!" , "Caged Bird" , and "If" .

TWIST Analysis Lesson Plan

This lesson will overview the TWIST model of interpreting prose and assist students in learning how to use this systematic method of hypothesis and discovery. This will lead students to understand the deeper meanings contained in the text by completing a prose analysis.

Grade Level: 6-12

Time: 45-minute class meeting.

Although, this lesson can be used for multiple grade levels, below are examples of the Common Core State Standards for Grades 9-10. Please see your Common Core State Standards for the correct grade-appropriate strands.

• ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1 : Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text
• ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2 : Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text
• ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 : Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone)

Students will be able to read and explain the elements of prose using the TWIST method on a segment of a literary work.

TWIST Example for “The Scarlet Ibis”

Using the first paragraph of “The Scarlet Ibis”, students can depict, explain, and predict what will happen in the story, while getting a good idea of the author’s voice in a prose analysis.

It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree. The flower garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia petals and ironweeds grew rank amid the purple phlox. The five o'clocks by the chimney still marked time, but the oriole nest in the elm was untenanted and rocked back and forth like an empty cradle. The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and through every room of our house, speaking softly the names of our dead. "The Scarlet Ibis" James Hurst

Grief: Memories of those who have died; perhaps a child.

W - WORD CHOICE

Dead, not born, bleeding, strained, rotting, brown, ironweeds, rank, untenanted, empty cradle, graveyard, drifted, dead.

I - IMAGERY

“…the oriole nest in the elm was untenanted and rocked back and forth like an empty cradle.”: Image of an empty nest.

The author is using foreshadowing in the following lines: “summer was dead, but autumn was not yet born”; “…last graveyard flowers were blooming”; “speaking softly the names of our dead”.

The narrator speaks in a past tense tone using words and imagery that sound like the theme could be the passing or memory of a loved one.

After Reading

If this is your first time doing TWIST with your classes a great idea is to ask students to try filling out the worksheet individually then pair them up, or put them into groups, to create a poster. As you do these more often, you can challenge students by asking that they do it individually.

Once they have finished their worksheet and it has been checked, students can begin to create their storyboard of the prose analysis. Afterwards, you can have students present their storyboards and findings to the class! Just check out our article on how to present a storyboard!

TWIST Example

How to Apply TWIST Analysis to Non-Fiction Texts

Introduce the twist analysis framework.

Explain the TWIST acronym, which stands for Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. Emphasize that TWIST analysis can be applied to non-fiction texts to uncover the author's purpose, persuasive techniques, and underlying messages.

Select Relevant Nonfiction Texts

Choose non-fiction texts that are suitable for analysis using the TWIST framework. Consider texts such as speeches, articles, essays, opinion pieces, or informational texts that convey a clear message or argument.

Analyze Tone and Author's Purpose

Guide students to identify the tone of the non-fiction text and determine the author's purpose or intended audience. Encourage students to consider the emotions, attitudes, or persuasive techniques used by the author to convey their message.

Examine Word Choice and Persuasive Techniques

Explore the word choice and vocabulary used in the non-fiction text. Help students analyze how specific words or phrases contribute to the author's argument, evoke emotions, or shape the overall tone of the text.

Analyze Imagery and Rhetorical Devices

Encourage students to identify and analyze any visual or sensory imagery used in the non-fiction text. Discuss the impact of rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, or vivid descriptions in conveying the author's message or enhancing the persuasive nature of the text.

Identify Style and Central Theme

Discuss the author's writing style and any distinctive features that contribute to the effectiveness of the non-fiction text. Guide students to identify the central theme or main idea conveyed by the author and analyze how the other TWIST elements contribute to the development of the theme.

Frequently Asked Questions about TWIST Graphic Organizers

What are some common issues that may arise when using twist graphic organisers for literary analysis.

Some common issues that may arise include oversimplification of complex ideas or events, overlooking important details or nuances, and not providing enough guidance or structure for students who may struggle with visual representation. It is important to balance the need for creativity and expression with the need for accuracy and comprehension. It's also important to acknowledge and include other elements for analysis and not just those covered by the TWIST acronym such as point of view and drama.

How is a TWIST storyboard useful in literary analysis?

TWIST is an acronym for tone, word choice, imagery, style, and theme. A TWIST storyboard can be a useful tool since it gives students an opportunity to look at the elements included in a piece of literature and analyze them both systematically and sequentially as well as how they relate to the other literary elements underpinning the literary work. They are useful since they help students better understand and analyze a story by visually representing key elements and facilitating discussions about the literary elements you want to highlight. They are a good starting point for writing assignments or presentations.

Are there other literature-related acronyms that can be useful in lessons and made into storyboard cards?

Yes, there are other acronyms like TWIST applicable in literature analysis and can be made into storyboard cards as lesson aids. Examples include TP-CASTT - title, paraphrase, connotation, attitude, shift, title (again), and theme. TP-CASTT is traditionally used with poetry but can be applied to other types of literature, including short stories and chapters in novels. SMELL - sender, message, evidence, logic, and language for analyzing rhetoric.

What are some common issues that may arise when creating storyboards for literary analysis?

Some common issues that may arise include oversimplification of complex ideas or events, overlooking important details or nuances, and not providing enough guidance or structure for students who may struggle with visual representation. It is important to balance the need for creativity and expression with the need for accuracy and comprehension. Additionally, special considerations should be made for students with special needs, such as providing additional visual aids or modifying the storyboard format to accommodate individual needs. For example, some students may benefit from simplified visual representations or larger font sizes.

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" WRITING" SECTION STARTS HERE

What is the purpose of this page?

Creating rubrics, assignments, and lessons takes up too much of my time. I created this as a way to share the things that I have created/collected over the last ten years. In turn, I hope that other teachers would share their great handouts, rubrics, and lessons they have created to make all our lives a little bit easier. 

Where did these papers come from? 

I apologize if I have not given you credit where credit is due.

Feel free to use any of these materials for educational use  and edit to meet your instructional context.

Last updated 3/28/07

Thanks to Zack H. by 2nd semester T.A. for his hard work updating this page

EL Education Curriculum

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• ELA 2019 G7:M3:U2:L8

Write a Literary Argument Essay: Analyze a Model

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

• Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Materials from previous lessons, new materials, closing & assessments, you are here:.

• ELA 2019 Grade 7
• ELA 2019 G7:M3
• ELA 2019 G7:M3:U2

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Focus Standards:  These are the standards the instruction addresses.

• W.7.1, W.7.4, W.7.5

Supporting Standards:  These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

• RL.7.1, RL.7.2, L.7.1a
• I can identify the parts of a model argument essay and explain the purpose of each. ( W.7.1, W.7.4 )
• I can plan an argument essay about how specific works from the Harlem Renaissance demonstrate the theme that collaboration and community can bring out the best in people. ( W.7.4, W.7.5 )
• Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 8 ( W.7.1 )
• Work Time A: Annotated, color-coded model argument essay ( W.7.1, W.7.4 )
• Closing and Assessment A: Argument Writing Plan graphic organizer ( W.7.1, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.10 )

Ensure that there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 8 at each student's workspace.

Read the Paint an Essay lesson plan as a reminder of the color-coding and the purpose of each choice of color.

Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

• Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 7.I.A.1, 7.I.B.5, 7.I.B.6, 7.I.B.7, 7.I.C.11, 7.II.A.1, 7.II.B.3, and 7.II.B.4.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

• To support ELLs, this lesson includes a whole-class, teacher-led review of a model essay as well as collaboration and color-coding to paint and plan an essay.  
• ELLs may find it challenging to generate language for planning their essay. Encourage students to use their home-language and sketches to assist them in planning their essay. Also use strategic pairings for the peer essay either by home language, level, or heterogeneous for support.  
• argument, evidence, main claim, point, reasoning, relevant (A)
• Painted Essay® (DS)

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

• Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Opening A)
• Academic word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Opening A)
• Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
• Harlem Renaissance Themes anchor chart (one for display; from Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Closing and Assessment A)
• Paint an Essay lesson plan (for teacher reference) (from Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Closing and Assessment A)
• Vocabulary log (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
• The Painted Essay® template (one per student and one for display; from Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Closing and Assessment A)
• Texts and Artwork from Module 3, Units 1 and 2: Shuffle Along , “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” The Harp , “Calling Dreams,” “Hope,” “I Shall Return,” Ethiopia Awakening, African Phantasy: Awakening , “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “His Motto,” and “The Boy and the Bayonet”
• Independent reading journal (one per student; begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, Work Time B)
• Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 8 (answers for teacher reference)
• Model Argument Essay: "Strength from the Past" (example for teacher reference)
• Criteria of an Effective Argument Essay anchor chart (for teacher reference)
• Criteria of an Effective Argument Essay anchor chart (one for display; co-created in Work Time A)
• Argument Essay Writing Plan graphic organizer (example for teacher reference)
• Model Pair Argument Essay: "Achieving Dreams" (example for teacher reference)
• Homework: Explain Phrases: Introduction and Proof Paragraph 1 (answers for teacher reference) (see Homework Resources)
• Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 8 (one per student)
• Model Argument Essay: “Strength from the Past” (one per student and one for display)
• Colored pencils (red, yellow, blue, green; one of each per student)
• Directions for Pair Argument Essay (one per student and one for display)
• Argument Essay Writing Plan graphic organizer (one per student and one for display)
• Argument Essay Writing Plan graphic organizer ▲
• Homework: Explain Phrases: Introduction and Proof Paragraph 1 (one per student; see Homework Resources)

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

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Reading and Literature Graphic Organizers

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10 Free Graphic Organizer Templates for Any Subject

Different lessons require different types of content to help students learn. Here are 10 free graphic organizer templates to use for any subject.

Most students are returning to the classroom in Fall 2021, but everyone’s learning methods have had to change over the past two years. It’s important to adapt as an educator with new techniques , digital materials, and fresh content to keep students engaged .

For any subject, graphic organizers provide effective ways to introduce, teach, develop, and test new material. But different lessons require different types of content to help students learn best. I’m going to give you 10 free graphic organizer templates to use for any subject – just use the Make It button to customize, label, and download your graphic organizer.

• Venn Diagram
• Plot Pyramid
• Brainstorm Chart
• Concept Map
• 5-Paragraph Essay Outline
• 4 Square Writing Chart

1. Flowchart

The Flowchart is one of the most versatile and recognizable forms of graphic organizer out there, ideal for project planning and science experiments. A goes to B goes to C goes to D . With this version, you can copy and paste sections of the chart to make it as long or as short as you need, label each section with specific details, and add a title and other information for your assignment.

2. Timeline

The Timeline is similar to the flowchart , with events spaced out along a single path . In a Timeline, however, the intervals between the events is important to the graphic organizer as a whole. Using this template, you can drag events from one point of the Timeline to another, and add text labels for years and events.

3. Venn Diagram

One of the most widely-used graphic organizers, the Venn Diagram provides a simple way for students to compare and contrast 2 or more distinct ideas. With this template, you can copy and recolor the Venn Diagram circles to compare any number of items with each other.

4. Plot Pyramid

This graphic organizer is most commonly used in elementary and middle school English, language arts, and literature classes. It’s used to identify and map the various stages of a plot arc , from exposition to conclusion. Use this template to title the Plot Pyramid and add any other relevant information you need.

5. Brainstorm Chart

The Brainstorm Chart is a far more freeform type of graphic organizer than most others on this list, and can be arranged almost any way you like. All it requires is a central idea or “problem” to solve, along with an array of other ideas and concepts that are connected to it, and supporting details for these connected points. The freeform nature of the Brainstorm Chart allows students to think creatively and originally on any subject.

6. Concept Map

The Concept Map is similar in form to the Brainstorm Chart, but with slightly more limitations on how it’s used. It’s used to illustrate the relationships that exist between various related concepts , filling in different sections of the organizer to show how the different parts are connected. The Concept Map is perfect for introducing students to a new set of related vocabulary terms in any subject.

7. 5-Paragraph Essay Outline

While some of your students may not remember the 5-paragraph essay too fondly years later, it’s an important step in developing their persuasive writing . This classic 5-paragraph planner is perfect for helping students construct their arguments, counter-arguments, supporting data, and conclusions before they put pen to paper.

8. 4 Square Writing Chart

The 4 Square Writing Chart is similar to the 5-paragraph essay outline, it gives space for looser organizational styles and more creative types of writing structure . The central area contains the main idea or argument, and the surrounding squares are filled with supporting arguments, sections of a narrative essay, personal experiences, or several sides to the same story.

9. Story Map

The Story Map is used for a similar purpose to the Plot Pyramid, but with a broader approach to narrative plot arcs. In the Story Map, students not only recount the plot progression of a story, but detail the setting , characters , and central problems and outcomes . There are dozens of ways to organize your own Story Map, so I recommend you use this template to include whatever areas are most important for your students to identify and analyze.

10. KWL Chart

KWL Charts ask students to write on three different things before and after completing a lesson, activity, or reading: what they Know already about the topic, what they Want to learn from the lesson, and, afterward, what they Learned from the experience. It creates more of a big-picture exercise than most of the graphic organizers on this list, allowing students to identify what they gain from their lessons.

I hope these graphic organizer templates help you engage students effectively in every subject you teach. For more tips and tutorials on creating great digital content in 2021, check out the Kapwing YouTube channel or read through some related articles on education materials:

• 10 Back to School Frames for Fall 2021 • The 4 Best Ways to Learn Video Editing Online • How to Add Subtitles to a Lecture Video • How to Make a Frayer Model Online

5 Free Zoom Virtual Backgrounds for Teachers in 2020

5 Perfect Zoom Virtual Backgrounds for Chemistry Teachers

5 Free Zoom Virtual Backgrounds for Students

Literary Essay Graphic Organizer

Description

Literary Essay Graphic Organizer. Students can organize their essays with filling out characters name, trait, and text evidence.

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