Syllabus

Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for

All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course

Course Description:

This course will be covering graphic organizers for concept mapping of curriculum, for use as a
teaching tool, and for assessing students' learning. You will also engage in how graphic
organizers help in reading comprehension, vocabulary building, writing process, organizing facts
for science and social studies, and making connections in math. It can aid in other areas such as
physical education and music helping students understand connections and details.

The course is divided into six modules which will be cover in the course of six weeks. Each
module is designed to help you build up to the final project which will be a complete lesson plan
which will also be implemented in the classroom (except during summer courses) and you will
write a reflection on what went well or what you would improve in using graphic organizers as
both a teaching tool and student activity. Your lesson plan will be graded according to the rubric
in the course with final submission to the Learning Resource Manager (LRM) in IDEAL to share
with other teachers in Arizona.

Course Objectives:

Participants will:
 Identify the various types of graphic organizer to specific curriculum standards.
 Apply the use of graphic organizers in both teaching and student activity.
 Evaluate the learning benefits of graphic organizers for all learners.
 Complete a lesson plan to implement and use in the classroom.

Professional Teacher Standards Addressed:

http://www.ade.az.gov/certification/downloads/Teacherstandards.pdf
Evaluation: Staff development that improves the learning of all students uses multiple sources of
information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact.

Research-Based: Staff development that improves the learning of all students prepares educators to apply
research to decision making.

Design: Staff development that improves the learning of all students uses learning strategies appropriate to
the intended goal.

Quality Teaching: Staff development that improves the learning of all students deepens educators’ content
knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting
rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments
appropriately.

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 Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course

Schedule:
The following schedule indicates the approximate time required for the average participant to
complete activities within the module content:

Lesson Topic Activity Time

Lesson 1 Graphic Organizers: A Visual Teaching Tool 2 hrs.
Lesson 2 Exploring the many uses and kinds of graphic organizers 3 hrs
Lesson 3 Electronic graphic organizers vs. hand-done/printed 2 hrs
templates
Lesson 4 Personal Productivity 3 hrs
Lesson 5 Many Choices: Free vs. purchased graphic organizers 2 hrs
programs
Lesson 6 Final Project: Lesson plan with graphic organizers 3 hrs
Total 15 hours

Course Overview:

Lesson 1: In the first module, you will read an article and view videos to understand and know how
graphic organizers or concept mapping are effective teaching and learning tools.
Objectives:
 Research the effectiveness of graphic organizers
 Explain why it is beneficial to use visual teaching tools
 Discover how graphic organizers help students learn

Lesson 2: In this module, you will be exploring a variety of websites about Graphic organizers
demonstrating their use in any subject area as a visual teaching tool or student activity.
Objectives:
 Investigate various website about graphic organizers
 Discuss three websites explaining what you found valuable and how you can use them in the
classroom.
 Compare and contrast clustering vs. linear outlines by viewing a video then reflecting in your
journal.

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 Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course

Lesson 3: Module 3 explores the use of electronic graphic organizers and/or printed templates or hand-
done graphic organizers. While exploring and reading the websites think about which would work best in
your classroom with your students.

Objectives:

 Review the many uses of electronic graphic organizers

 Compare and contrast electronic graphic organizers vs. printed/hand-done graphic organizers
 Analysis and discuss what type of graphic organizer would work for your classroom and
students.

Lesson 4: Module 4 will cover personal productivity in using graphic organizer. Discover how graphic
organizers can help you teach and plan for long-range and short-term curriculum goals.

Objectives:

 Explore graphic organizer program, Inspiration. Discuss features of the program with other
learners.
 Reflect on the graphic organizers you have learned from the past modules.
 Brainstorm ideas for a final project.

Lesson 5: Module 5 will be exploring various electronic programs offered free or purchased to
determine what program may be best suited in an educational setting and per grade level.

Objectives:

 Determine what program may be best for use in your classroom and be beneficial for both
students and teachers.
 Discuss these programs with other learners.
 Analyze and select a program to include in your final project.

Lesson 6: Overview of module, goals and objectives

Module 6 will be creating and finishing your final project for the course. This lesson will be
implemented in the classroom with a journal reflection to assess the lesson.

Objectives:
 Create and develop a lesson plan using graphic organizers.
 Share final projects in designated forum
 Assess and reflect on your lesson plan.

Course Expectations

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 Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course

1. Learners are expected to review the course syllabus and all IDEAL course policies during the
first week of the course.
2. Learners are expected to fully read/view all content, articles, links and videos if applicable.
3. Learners are expected to participate fully in the reflective process throughout all course work.
4. Learners are expected to participate actively in all assigned discussions, as evaluated by the
discussion forum participation rubric in this syllabus.
5. Learners will submit all assigned work according to course guidelines.
6. Students will adhere to IDEAL’s Academic Honesty Policy and Course Project Submission
Policy.

Evaluation
Course completion status is dependent upon the satisfactory completion of all assignments,
discussion board participation and/or journal submissions according to course rubrics. Learners must
receive a “Meets” or “Exceeds” in every category for course completion status to be rated as
“Complete”.

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Course Rubrics: (Sample rubrics provided below, choose as appropriate or modify)
Assignments and/or Reflections:
Criteria Exceeds expectations
Timeliness Learner completes and
submits assignment
(reflection) on time.
Completeness & Assignment (reflection) is
Accuracy complete and includes all
elements requested.
Statements are supported
with examples, experiences
or references to other
sources.
Demonstrates Responses show evidence of
knowledge and sound knowledge and
understanding of understanding of course
content and content. Reflective thought
applicability to pertaining to personal
professional perspectives and professional
practice development clearly present.
Responses go beyond what
takes place in a classroom to
include application of course
concepts and resources.
Quality of writing Written responses are free
and proofreading from grammatical, spelling or
punctuation errors. The style
of writing facilitates
communication.
Discussion Board Participation:
Criteria Exceeds expectations
Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course
Meets expectations
Learner completes and
submits assignment
(reflection) on time.
Assignment (reflection) is
complete and includes
elements requested.
Responses show evidence
of knowledge and
understanding of course
content and applicability to
professional practice. Some
evidence of reflective
thought pertaining to
personal perspectives and
professional development
present.
Written responses are
largely free from
grammatical, spelling or
punctuation errors. The
style of writing generally
facilitates communication.
Meets expectations
Needs revision
Learner did not complete or
did not submit the assignment
(reflection) on time.
Assignment (reflection) is not
complete Inaccuracies or
omissions are noted.
Responses to questions show
little evidence of knowledge
or understanding of course
content and applicability to
professional practice.
Written responses contain
numerous grammatical,
spelling or punctuation errors.
The style of writing does not
facilitate communication.
Needs revision
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Quantity and Submits a thoughtful and
Timeliness substantive original post by
Day 5 of the session and two
or more substantive
responses to other learners
throughout the session.
Demonstrates Post(s) and responses show
knowledge and evidence of knowledge and
understanding of understanding of course
content and content and applicability to
applicability to professional practice;
professional includes other resources that
practice extend the learning of the
community.
Generates Posts by learner build upon
learning within other participants’ comments
the community by questioning, summarizing,
paraphrasing or elaborating
on the responses to others.
May integrate multiple views
from other learners to take
the discussion deeper.
Final Project (Unit Lesson Plan) – Can be modified to match objectives of final project.
Suggested categories can include the following:
Criteria Exceeds expectations
Completion of Learner completes
assignment and assignments and
timeliness submits final project
on time.
Connection to Standards Connections to
standards of unit plan
clearly stated.
Big Ideas and Essential Learner identifies big
Questions ideas at the core of the
subject. Big ideas are
relevant to students’
lives and
understanding, are
open-ended, and
promote transfer of
understanding from
one area to another.
Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course
Submits a substantive
original post early in the
session and at least one
substantive response to
another learner during the
session.
Post(s) and responses
show evidence of
knowledge and
understanding of course
content and applicability to
professional practice.
Posts by learner build upon
the ideas of other
participants to take the
discussion deeper.
Meets expectations
Learner completes
assignments and
submits final project
on time
Connections to
standards of unit plan
evident.
Learner identifies big
ideas at core of
subject. Big ideas are
important and worth
knowing.
Does not submit at least
one substantive original
post during the session.
Does not submit at least
one substantive response to
another learner during the
session.
Post(s) and responses
show little evidence of
knowledge and
understanding of course
content and applicability to
professional practice.
Posts by learner do not
build upon the ideas of
other participants.
Needs revision
Learner did not complete one or
more assignments and/or did
not submit the final project on
time.
Connections to standards of
unit plan vague or not evident.
Big ideas stated in vague or
general terms.
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 Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course

Essential Questions Questions provoke Questions provoke Questions vague and provoke
deep thought and some thought and little thought or discussion, do
lively discussion, discussion, students not require students to consider
require students to are required consider other alternatives. No
consider alternatives, few alternatives, some connection to prior learning
and spark meaningful connections to prior experiences.
connections to prior learning experiences
learning experiences. made.

Assessments A variety of formative Both formative and Little variety in assessments

and summative summative tools selected. Assessments
assessment assessment provide little information for
instruments designed instruments used. making critical instructional
to reveal information Assessments reveal decisions. Relationship to
about students’ some information concepts and performance
thinking selected. about students’ objectives not evident.
Assessments provide thinking and
critical information for information for making
making instructional instructional decisions.
decisions. Relationship to
Relationship to concepts and
concepts and performance
performance objectives evident.
objectives clearly
evident.
Procedures The alignment of The alignment of Procedures vague or described
activities, resources, activities, resources, in very general terms. Little
and methods selected and methods selected evidence of alignment of
support mastery of support mastery of activities, resources, and
performance performance methods selected to support
objectives evident. objectives evident. mastery of performance
Procedures are clearly Procedures are objectives.
stated so that another described in general
teacher could follow terms.
unit plan with ease.
Authentic learning
tasks are emphasized
and designed to meet
the needs of different
classroom
populations.

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 Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course

Final Project (Case Study)

Exceeds
expe
Criteria Meets expectations Needs revision
ctatio
ns
Completion of assignment Learner completes Learner completes Learner did not complete or
and timeliness and submits final and submits final did not submit the final project
project on time. project on time. on time.

Completeness & Accuracy
Case study demonstrates
links from course content to
classroom instructional
practice
Case study is
complete and
includes all elements
requested. Evidence
of course concepts
clearly integrated into
participant’s work.
Case study shows
evidence of
knowledge and
understanding of
course content with
direct application to
classroom instruction,
citing clear links to AZ
Math Standard.
Case study is Many inaccuracies are noted.
complete and Little evidence of integrating
includes most course concepts into
elements requested. assignment. Requested
Evidence of course elements incomplete.
concepts integrated
into participant’s
work.
Case study shows Case study shows little
evidence of evidence of how course
understanding course content relates to classroom
content. Application instruction.
to classroom
instruction is present Links to standards not present
with links to AZ Math or properly cited.
Standard present and
cited.

IDEAL Honesty and Course Submission Policies

IDEAL course participants are expected to review those policies and confirm their understanding of all
IDEAL policies by the end of the first week of the course. Note: Learners' final projects will not be
evaluated until they have confirmed their understanding of IDEAL policies.

Materials (hardware, software, plug-ins)

Technical Requirements
- Word Processing program (MS Word recommended)
- Internet service provider
- Email

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 Syllabus
Graphic Organizers: Concept Mapping for
All Content Areas
15 Hour IDEAL Facilitated Course

For Windows:
 Windows 2000 or Windows XP or later
 512 MB ram or greater (1 G is preferred)
 56Kbps or better modem Internet connection or basic DSL (High Speed Internet
recommended for best results)
 16-bit sound card and speakers
 65,000-color video display card
 Mozilla FireFox (recommended) or Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 5.0 or higher),
with Java enabled. We do not currently support Netscape 6
 WinMedia Player Download this free plug-in from
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/default.aspx
 Adobe Acrobat Reader. Minimum requirement – Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 (or higher).
Download this free plug-in from
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2_allversions.html
 Macromedia Shockwave and Flash Players. Download these free plug-ins from
http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/

For Macintosh:
 Mac OS 10.3 or later
 512 MB ram or greater (1 G is preferred)
 56Kbps or better modem Internet connection or basic DSL (High Speed Internet
recommended for best results)
 Mozilla FireFox (recommended) or Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 5.0 or higher),
with Java enabled. We do not currently support Netscape 6. Safari not recommended.
 WinMedia Player for Mac Download this free plug-in from
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/default.aspx
 QuickTime. Download this free plug-in from http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
 Adobe Acrobat Reader. Minimum requirement – Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 (or higher).
Download this free plug-in from
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2_allversions.html
 Macromedia Shockwave and Flash Players. Download these free plug-ins from
http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/

Rev. 06/09