Visual thinking guides

This presents nine sources of visual thinking guides: Exploratree, Gamestorming, LexIcon, Education Oasis, TeacherVision, Freeology, Education Place and Writing Fun.

Exploratree

Visual thinking    Interactive Flash    Interactive PDF

Exploratree hosts a set of interactive thinking guides. This is a free web resource where you can use the guides, print them, edit them or make your own. You can share them and work on them in groups. It is aimed at schools and students, but has ideas for thinkers of all ages.

Interactive map: Flash (recommended)   PDF (problem?)

Here are some of the overall categories, names of individual diagram type and an indication of their purposes.

Click the thumbnail to see a full-size image. Click the caption under the thumbnail to be taken to Exploratree's interactive page for that diagram.

Develop ideas

Lotus blossom Lotus blossom Create lots of ideas around an issue then turn ideas into actions Examine ideas Examine ideas Investigate evidence and other views then make new ideas

Use the essence Use the essence Get to the heart of the issue then look for new ideas Possible futures Possible futures Think about the way an issue may develop in the future

Solve problems

Knowing trees Knowing trees Think through a question and identify supporting evidence Reverse planning Reverse planning Work backwards from the ideal future to a realistic present Is / is not Is / is not Scope a problem by identifying what it is and is not

Complete reversal Complete reversal Reverse a problem to stimulate new thinking when stuck Digging up roots Digging up roots Explore a problem by digging down to its roots

Explore

Futures wheel Futures wheel Think through the consequences and knock-on effects T.A.S.C. T.A.S.C. Helps you think about and communicate any topics, issues or problems Question things Question things Question everything you read, hear and see

Compare and contrast Compare and contrast Make comparisons between two topics A day in the life A day in the life Seeing things as they are experienced.

Analyse

Tracking an enquiry Tracking an enquiry This thinking guide will help you to plan your enquiry Facts or opinions Facts or opinions Sort out the facts from the opinions about a particular topic Making meanings Making meanings Establish what you want to know

Scamper Scamper Substitute, combine, adapt, modify, rearrange Traffic lights Traffic lights What changes would you make? Analyse a particular situation

Different perspectives

From a different angle From a different angle Examining a topic through a variety of different lenses Thinking boxes Thinking boxes Analyse from different perspectives - local to global

Plus, minus, interesting Plus, minus, interesting Evaluate by identifying pluses, minuses and interesting points Compass rose Compass rose Examine things from a variety of perspectives

Gamestorming

Gamestorming presents thinking patterns as games, many of them visual, that will help to make meetings and discussions more fruitful and stimulating.

$ - $100 Test

3 - 3-12-3 Brainstorm

4 - 4Cs

7 - 7Ps Framework

A - Affinity Map; Air Time Mastermind; Argument map; Atomize

B - Back of the Napkin; Bodystorming; Boundary matrix; Brainwriting; Break; Build The Checklist

C - Card Sort; Communicate This & Stick it here; Context Map; Coriolis Effect; Cover Story

D - Dot Voting; Draw the Problem

E - Elevator Pitch; Empathy Map

F - Fishbowl; Force Field Analysis; Force Field Analysis; Forced Analogy; Forced Ranking

G - Give-And-Take Matrix; Graphic Jam

H - Help Me Understand; Heuristic Ideation Technique; History Map; Homepage Bingo; How-Now-Wow Matrix

I - Ice breaker; Image-ination; Impact & Effort Matrix

L - Low-Tech Social Network

M - Make A World; Mapping Business Models; Mission Impossible; Mood Board

O - Object Brainstorm; Open Space

P - Party Invitations; Pecha Kucha/Ignite; Pie Chart Agenda; Plus/Delta; Post-Up; Poster Session; Pre-Mortem; Pro/Con list

Q - Quaker Conversation

R - Random Inputs

S - Scenario Slider; Show and Tell; Show Me Your Values; Spectrum Mapping; Stakeholder Analysis; Storyboard; SWOT Analysis

T - The 5 Whys; The Anti-Problem; The Blind Side; The Pitch; Trading Cards

V - Value Map; Video Card Family Game; Visual Agenda

W - Welcome To My World; Who/What/When Matrix; WhoDo

Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers

These are described as interactive, and are in the sense that they are PDF files into which you can store your own text, but the underlying diagrams cannot be changed. Once you’ve downloaded a PDF you can type in your own thoughts and either save it or print it.

Generating, Identifying, and Organizing Details Cluster Diagram Teaching notes FreeForm Web Teaching notes Circle Diagram Teaching notes Spider Map Teaching notes Determining Main Idea and Drawing Conclusions Main Idea and Details Chart Teaching notes Main Idea Chart Teaching notes Determining Main Idea Chart Teaching notes Drawing Conclusions from Information Chart Teaching notes Conclusions Chart Teaching notes Order and Sequence Flow Chart Teaching notes Sequence Chain Teaching notes Sequence Chart Teaching notes Rank Order Chart Teaching notes Comparison-Contrast and Cause and Effect Comparison-Contrast Chart Teaching notes Cause and Effect Chart Teaching notes Cause and Effect Chain Teaching notes Cause and Effect Diagram Teaching notes What if? Chart Teaching notes Venn Diagram Teaching notes

Process and Cycle Diagrams Process or Cycle Chart Teaching notes Process or Cycle Diagram Teaching notes How-To Essay Organizer Teaching notes Concept/Event Map Teaching notes Evaluating and Making Decisions Evaluation Pyramid Teaching notes Evaluation Organizer Teaching notes Positive-Negative Chart Teaching notes Decision Chart Teaching notes Persuasive and Supporting a Position Persuasive Planner Teaching notes Controversial Issue Teaching notes Supporting a Position Teaching notes Fishbone Planner Teaching notes Vocabulary Personal Thesaurus Diagram Teaching notes Word Map Teaching notes Miscellaneous organizers All-Purpose Planner Teaching notes KWL Chart Teaching notes Tree Diagram Teaching notes

LexIcon Interactive Graphic Organizers

Fishbone Organization Chart Time Line Idea Web

Prediction Tree Rising Action Venn Diagram Balance Scape

Education Oasis Graphic Organizers

Cause and Effect Graphic Organizers

Cause and Effect 2 Events Cause and Effect Events and Consequences Cause and Effect Star Chart Cause and Effect T-Chart Cause and Effect Herringbone 4 Causes and Effect Cause and Effect Herringbone 4 Causes and Effect with Lines

Cause and Effect Herringbone 6 Causes and Effect Cause and Effect Herringbone 6 Causes and Effect with Lines Cause and Effect Chart Cause and Effect Chain Cause and Effect Event and 3 Causes

Character and Story Graphic Organizers

Character Map Character Map Characters Compare/Contrast Character Traits Character Traits Character Traits for 2 Characters Character Traits Chart Story Structure Story Map

Story Board Story Organizer Text-to-Self Connections Text-to-Text Connections Text-to-World Connections Main Idea Main Idea Hierarchy Chart Main Idea and Details Chart

Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizers

Compare and Contrast Venn Diagram Compare and Contrast Venn Diagram 2 Circles Compare and Contrast Venn Diagram 3 Circles

Compare and Contrast Venn Diagram with frog Compare and Contrast 3 Items Triangle Compare and Contrast 4 Items

Sequence, Cycle, Timeline, and Chain of Events Organizers

Chain of Events Cycle of Events Cycle of Events (3) Cycle of Events (4)

Cycle of Events (5) Chain of Events (6) Chain of Events. Spaces for illustrating and writing about the events

Miscellaneous Organizers

ABC Brainstorming KWL Chart Think-Pair-Share 5 Ws (and why) Hierarchy Chart with Lines Hierarchy Chart Goal Setting Worksheet Progress Report

Cluster Web with 6 circles Cluster Web with 8 circles Main Idea and Details Chart Main Idea Herringbone Text-to-Self Connections Text-to-Text Connections Text-to-World Connections Question Creation

 

TeacherVision Graphic Organizers

PreK-2 Graphic Organizers Grades 3-5 Graphic Organizers Grades 6-8 Graphic Organizers Grades 9-12 Graphic Organizers Writing Graphic Organizers Science Graphic Organizers Math Graphic Organizers Graphic Organizer Slideshows

KWL Charts Venn Diagrams Cause and Effect Graphic Organizers Concept Maps and Idea Webs Main Idea and Supporting Details Timelines and Sequence Charts Reading Comprehension Graphic Organizers More Reading Comprehension Graphic Organizers

 

Freeology Graphic Organizers

Short Story Overview 8 Ideas for Using Wordle in the Classroom Vocabulary Organizer Cause Effect Tree Chart Character Compare Contrast Graphic Organizer Note Taking Organizer Setting SMART Goals New Year’s Reflection Christmas Acrostic Poem What Does Christmas Mean to You? Summarizing Graphic Organizer Thanksgiving Turkey Acrostic Poem Theme Worksheet What Are You Thankful For? Bio Poem Template Five Paragraph Essay Outline Character Analysis Graphic Organizer Mapping Your Story Annotations Bookmark Cornell Notetaking 3, 4 & 5 Paragraph Essay Graphic Organizers Faux Facebook Profile Worksheet I Am From Poem Template Main Events Sequence Log Cornell Notes Template Setting and Character Development Worksheet The Difference Between Mood and Tone Making Connections with the Story Making Inferences Chart Storyboard With Four Boxes Metacognitive Journal The Difference Between Fact and Opinion Character Qualities Quote Practice Form Author Study Worksheet Observation Chart Story Prediction Form Q and A Note Taking Spider Web Organizer Venn Diagram Character Study Organizer Evaluate Issues With This Pros and Cons Scale 3 Main Idea Wheels Cornell Notes SQ3R Reading Comprehension Form KWL = Know, Want to Know, and Learned Thematic Web Storyboard With Six Boxes Story Plot Graph Story Plot Terms Notes Poetry Terms Practice Large Venn Diagram Column Venn Diagram Triple Venn Diagram Key Facts Note Taking Form Cause and Effect Characterization Bubble Cluster Characterization Table Dialectical Journals Hamburger Paragraph Writing Form

Vocabulary Memorization Cards The Handy Hand Pyramid of Ideas Flowchart Inverted Pyramid of Ideas Concrete Detail Commentary Practice Sequencing Ladder Graph Paper Pattern Worksheet One and a Quarter Inch Square Graph Paper Horizontal Timeline Vertical Timeline Christmas Tree Sequencing Notes Form Blank 2 Column Notes Form Blank 3 Column Notes Form Predict and Review Form for Short Stories Fish Bones Story Analysis Form Give One Get One Activity Open Mind Your Basic Flowchart Details Tree Note Taking Organizer Imagery Chart Observation Organizer Imagery Tree Observation Organizer Imagery Eye Observation Organizer How to Search Using Keywords About Me and My World Research Paper Notes Form Map the Story Organizer Think Pair Share Tic Tac Toe Note Taking Form Vocabulary Word Definition Form Who What When Where? Coat of Arms KWLH Learning Progress Form Story Web Reading Form Reading Response Form Question Mark Organizer Chain of Events Sequencing Organizer Cloud Sequencing Form Multiplication Table Reference Sheet 6 Petals Flower Organizer 5 Pointed Star Organizer Prereading Questions 8 Events Sequence Organizer Book Critique Template Reading Page Log Character Development Worksheet Cognitive Dictionary Vocabulary Builder Double Bubble Compare and Contrast Organizer The Difference Between Summarize and Paraphrase Process Grid Analysis Form See Hear Observation Graph Vocabulary Sketches Flashcard Template I Am Poem Template Interactive Bookmark for Critical Reading Big Idea Story Organizer Poetry Terms Practice Worksheet Double Bubble Venn Diagram Weekly Reading Log Synonyms Worksheet to Improve Your Writing

 

Education Place Graphic Organizers

Clock Cluster/Word Web 1 Cluster/Word Web 2 Cluster/Word Web 3 Describing Wheel E-Chart Fact and Opinion Five W's Chart Flow Chart Four-Column Chart Garden Gate Goal-Reasons Web Ice-Cream Cone Idea Rake Idea Wheel Inverted Triangle ISP Chart (Information, Sources, Page) KWL Chart KWS Chart

Ladder Observation Chart Persuasion Map Planning Chart Problem-Solution Chart Sandwich Sense Chart Sequence Chart Spider Map Step-by-Step Chart Story Map 1 Story Map 2 Story Map 3 T-Chart Ticktacktoe Time Line Time-Order Chart Tree Chart Venn Diagram

 

Writing Fun Text Organizers

Example of one of the guides

The text organisers at Writing Fun have a limited graphical component, but have been included here because they fit well with the function of others, presented above. Students can use them on line, or download Word files for local use.

They cover writing well-structured:

• Information Reports
• Procedures
• Explanations
• Persuasion (exposition)
• Discussions
• Narratives
• Responses
• Descriptions

and other forms.  

Alternative uses of graphic organizers

Teachers sometimes give underachieving students partially-completed graphic organizers. All the students have to do is finish them.