Graphic+Organizers

__a large bag of organization:__
Have you ever started your search and ended up in a totally different direction? Of course, everyone has. What can we as teachers do to help our students keep their focus while searching? Perhaps a storyboard or graphic organizer might be the answer.

Google Calendar - these calendars can be shared with other people.
 * use an online calendar for deadlines for each piece of the project.
 * The teacher might create the calendar then students sign up for a conference time with the teacher.
 * Students might create their own timeline for completion of parts of the project.

[|Webspiration]- Oh my! This is a FREE tool (still in Beta) created by Inspiration. Students can create their graphic organizers at home and others can contribute to it! [|Inspiration software] from Tom Snyder Productions is a great tool. Students can add audio files and video files to their web in Inspiration. Inspiration can be used as a tool for planning, for researching, or as a final product. It has diagram views and outline views making it easy for students to turn the graphic organizer into writing.

There are several web 2.0 applications that can be used for graphic organizers at no cost. These are online tools so they require no software downloads but do require email. Here are a few choices:

[|http://www.bubbl.us]
 * Bubbl.us is a simple and free web application that lets you brainstorm online.


 * Create colorful mind maps online
 * Share and work with friends
 * Embed your mind map in your blog or website
 * Email and print your mind map
 * Save your mind map as an image

Mindmeister - online mind mapping tool. These can be exported as rich text, pdf's, or images. Another great feature is that students can collaborate with others.  [|http://www.mindmeister.com/]

Mindomo - online mind mapping tool. This one also offers collaboration with peers. http://www.mindomo.com/ Mind 42 - can add sticky notes and YouTube videos to this mind map. http://mind42.com/

[|30 Mind Mapping Tools] is a collection of both free and for-purchase mapping tools.

There are also other online resources for graphic organizers that are not interactive. Houghton Mifflin Education Place - there are many graphic organizers here. They are all in PDF's for download. http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

Teacher Vision Graphic Organizers - these are printable. Many more resources are available through this site for a subscription fee. http://www.teachervision.fen.com/graphic-organizers/printable/6293.html

Teacher Printables - this site has graphic organizers and research organizers that are all printable. http://www.teacherprintables.net/index.html