persuasive writing graphic organizer

Persuasive Writing Graphic Organizers

These free persuasive writing graphic organizers will help your fourth, fifth and sixth grade writers plan their writing during writing workshop.

You can use these persuasive writing graphic organizers to help your students organize and plan their writing.

These eight printable pages will help you in planning for student writing.

This is another free resource for teachers and families from The Curriculum Corner.

Using graphic organizers during writing workshop

Looking for new pages to help your students plan their writing? These are a great place to start!

These graphic organizers are designed to help your students organize their thoughts and research.

Beginning a writing piece by completing one of these pages will make the writing process a little bit easier for your students.

Use these graphic organizers to get started with their opinion writing.  Choose the one that fits the given task or the one that meets the needs of each student.

There are a variety of pages for you to choose from. You can either pick the organizer that fits the writing process your students will be using or let students choose.

Sometimes the choice is key to motivating writers. Other times, it can be helpful to plan your instruction around a specific organizer. Do what you believe will be the best fit for your class!

About these persuasive writing graphic organizers

This collection contains eight pages.

Along with a spot for students to identify their topic and then opinion of the topic, there are places for students to begin their planning.

Students will share their reasons for their opinions on some pages.

Part of persuasive writing is citing evidence to support student opinions. Encourage students to add notes about what their research teaches them.

One of the provided pages can be used for students creating a longer research pieces. Look for the organizer that says page#: at the top right. Students can use one page for each paragraph they are planning. Along with sharing their reason, they will record three pieces of evidence to support their opinion.

You might choose to also add one of the two provided conclusion organizers to student planning.

You can download this complete set of graphic organizers for writing here:

Writing Download

Looking for other writing resources? Try these freebies we have also created:

As with all of our resources, The Curriculum Corner creates these for free classroom use. Our products may not be sold. You may print and copy for your personal classroom use. These are also great for home school families!

You may not modify and resell in any form. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Opinion Writing Unit of Study - The Curriculum Corner 4-5-6

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Creating Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer on Boardmix for Free

5 minutes read

What is an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer?

An Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer is a visual tool used to structure and plan for opinion or persuasive writing pieces. It assists students in structuring their ideas and arguments in a logical and coherent manner. Let's delve deep into its components:

• Main Opinion Box: This is where the writer states their primary claim or stance on a particular issue. It should be clear, concise, and debatable.
• Reasons/Evidence Boxes: These are typically three boxes (or more depending on the complexity of the topic) where the writer provides supporting arguments for their main opinion. Each box should contain one reason and the corresponding evidence or examples that substantiate it.
• Counter-Argument Box: This section is for acknowledging an opposing viewpoint to the main opinion. By considering and addressing counter-arguments, the writer can make their own argument more robust and balanced.
• Rebuttal/Conclusion Box: Here, the writer refutes the counter-argument and restates their main opinion, reinforcing their stance. The rebuttal should logically counter the opposing viewpoint, while the conclusion should succinctly summarize the key points of the argument.

Using this organizer, students can visualize their argument's structure before they start writing, ensuring a well-articulated and persuasive essay. It promotes critical thinking as students have to consider various viewpoints, gather evidence, and build a strong argument.

Moreover, it's not just limited to educational settings - anyone looking to structure an argumentative piece of writing can benefit from this tool. Whether you're drafting a letter to a local newspaper editor or preparing for a debate, an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer can help streamline your thoughts and create a compelling argument.

When to use Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer?

The Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer is highly versatile and can be used in a variety of contexts:

• Educational Setting: This tool is frequently used in the classroom to help students organize their thoughts for persuasive essays or debates. It aids students in constructing coherent and persuasive arguments, which is an essential skill not only in language arts but also across different subjects.
• Content Creation: For bloggers, writers, and content creators, the organizer can be used to plan out convincing opinion pieces or persuasive articles. It ensures that the content flows logically and all the important points are covered.
• Professional Environment: In the workplace, the organizer can be useful in preparing for presentations or meetings where a certain point needs to be argued or a proposal needs to be convincingly presented.
• Public Speaking: For speeches or debates, the organizer can serve as a useful tool for speakers to clearly present their opinion, support it with logical reasoning and evidence, address counterarguments, and effectively conclude their speech.
• Personal Use: On a personal level, it can help organize thoughts before making an important decision. Listing down opinions and reasons can provide clarity and lead to a more informed decision.

Whenever there is a need to present an argument persuasively, whether in writing or orally, an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer can prove to be a useful tool.

Benefits of Using an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer

1. organizes thoughts clearly.

An Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer aids in laying out thoughts and arguments in a clear and organized manner. It ensures that all important points and evidence supporting the opinion are included and properly structured.

2. Enhances Persuasive Writing Skills

By visually breaking down the components of a persuasive argument, the organizer helps in understanding and improving the structure of opinion writing, leading to more effective persuasion.

3. Encourages Critical Thinking

Using this organizer prompts writers to consider various aspects of an argument, including counterarguments. This fosters critical thinking and allows for the creation of well-rounded arguments.

4. Facilitates Cohesive Argument Building

With a clear structure in place, transitions between points become smoother, ensuring a cohesive flow in the written piece.

5. Assists in Addressing Counterarguments

One of the key features of persuasive writing is addressing counterarguments. The organizer includes a space to list possible counterarguments and rebuttals, ensuring that the writer addresses opposing views effectively.

6. Serves as a Helpful Reference Tool

While writing, the graphic organizer can be referred back to at any time. This ensures the writer stays on track with their argument and doesn’t miss out on any crucial points.

In summary, an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer is an effective tool that enhances opinion writing by providing a clear structure, fostering critical thinking, aiding argument construction, and serving as a reliable reference throughout the writing process.

How to Create an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer on Boardmix?

Boardmix , being a versatile and easy-to-use tool, allows you to create various types of graphic organizers, including the Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer. This guide will walk you through the process.

1. Log In to Boardmix

First, visit the Boardmix website and log in to your account. If you do not have an account yet, you can create one for free.

2. Start a New Project

From your dashboard, click on 'New board'. This will open a blank canvas where you can start creating your Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer.

3. Choose a Suitable Template

Boardmix offers numerous templates for graphic organizers. You can select one that closely aligns with the structure of an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer or start from scratch.

4. Input Your Main Opinion

Your Main Opinion is the primary claim or viewpoint that you will be arguing for in your piece. Put this opinion in the central or top section of your organizer.

5. Add Reasons and Evidence

These are your arguments or supporting points that validate your main opinion. Each reason should ideally be supported by evidence or examples. Put these in the sections around or below the main opinion.

6. Consider Counter-Arguments

Anticipate potential counter-arguments to your main opinion and include them in your organizer. Addressing these opposing views can strengthen your argument by making it more balanced and credible.

7. Write Your Rebuttal or Conclusion

This section should respond to the counter-arguments and reiterate your main opinion, summarizing your key points and providing a compelling conclusion.

8. Customize Your Organizer

Use Boardmix's design features to make your organizer more engaging and visually pleasing. You can alter fonts, change colors, add images, etc.

9. Save and Share Your Work

Remember to save your work periodically. Once finished, you can share your Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer with others straight from Boardmix, either via email or by generating a shareable link.

Creating an Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer on Boardmix can help you structure your thoughts and develop a strong, persuasive argument. This step-by-step guide should provide you with the basic know-how to create effective organizers on this platform.

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Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer: Definition, Benefits, and Examples

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Exploring Argument Writing With Visual Tools

Teachers can have students use graphic organizers and timelines to clarify their thinking during the writing process.

As a teacher who loves to write and engage students with writing, I’ve experienced many challenges in attempting to bring composition into the classroom. While some students readily fill up blank pages with words inspired by their lives and stories they love, others are seemingly always in search of the best words.

More challenging still are those moments when I’ve led students through the steps necessary for expository and research-based argument writing. I’ve found that my students who are comfortable with the narrative mode are now thrust into compositing in a way that is unfamiliar ground.

This article explores some ways I’ve applied graphic organizers and visual planning strategies to the work of argument writing—which is perhaps the mode I consider the most challenging in the classroom.

Sifting Content

First among the challenges for argument is the way that debate and disagreement are often portrayed in popular culture—shouting matches and interruption rounds where it seems that the loudest voice wins out. In my classroom, the approach that I attempt to foster for argument is one of thoughtful intention and wisely applied rhetorical strategies.

As with much of the secondary curriculum I have worked with from middle-grades English to advanced composition, sorting information into categories (ethos/ethics, logos/logic, and emotion/pathos) is a helpful step once a topic is shared and resources are gathered.

But sorting through multiple paragraphs and pages in search of the “just right” evidence can be challenging and is a critical reading practice all on its own. To support these steps in criticality, I suggest that students create a simple three-column chart in which they can begin to sort the emotional, logical, and ethics-driven elements of their argument. Using a visual scaffold to support exploration of a complex reading is an essential step for me—and I used a similar strategy just this past week in my junior-level English class to sort out ideas and compare the writings of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke.

By sorting ideas in this way, students can physically see how balanced their argument actually is, and they can begin thinking about what they need to ramp up for the eventual presentation of the case. 

Gathering Further Ideas

Another challenge in composing arguments is not only sorting and interpreting information, but also applying it in a way that includes informative and persuasive techniques.

As students consider the ways to apply these skills, they can begin to think through additional sources that they can use to build their foundation for thinking about the issues they’re presenting and noting the sources that help them build the strongest case. This type of exploring and writing is especially important when practicing synthesizing ideas across multiple sources.

On the surface, this process sounds like reading and rereading multiple sources (and it is). However, I apply a visual scaffold to this process to help students think about how their resources are linked and support or contradict each other. I illustrate the claim, counterclaim, and rebuttal aspects of argument structure through a visual outline, but the work of fleshing out these sections of the discussion takes place best in a mind map structure.

A simple three-circle Venn diagram can help students begin placing ideas into the claim section, and they can explore how authors overlap ideas with one another through this graphic organizer format. Ideally, they reach a point where the strongest ideas are in the center “target” point of the argument structure. They can think about best placement of these strongest ideas as leading points or final rebuttals—depending on what they want to leave their audience with. This approach is also helpful for relieving some of the stress that can surround framing what might be a challenging and less comfortable form of writing.

The additional details they gather can then be sorted further into areas of the argument structure that make sense.

Establishing Timelines

Further adapting the outline style, I encourage students to think about the argument as a timeline wherein their audience is most likely to connect with information early and remember information late. Outlining is almost always a building block of what I ask students to engage with when composing. For debates and discussions in our class, writing a timeline is an effective process.

From this timeline (prompting discussion and exploration of evidence and argument), students can practice writing their own arguments and responses by modifying it and including aspects of evidence and ideas they want to share (in whatever particular order they'd like to present their research).

Crafting Closing Arguments

By approaching an argument step-by-step, as discussion and collaboration that improves through a process, I have the goal of making what might seem complicated and overwhelming much more attainable and inviting—even, dare I say, active and interesting.

I recognize that many of my students might not have had vast experiences with all of the modes of writing and composing, and I take into account that some will be more naturally inclined to some ways of writing and sharing than others. Some students eagerly take the lead in an oral debate process, while others more readily engage in the research roles and independent writing components of the work.

As with much of my work in literacy, I attempt to make an invisible process clear and visual—in this case, through graphic organizers. I am aware that teachers might find other graphic organizer options that work more effectively at particular aspects of the argument process. For example, the Venn diagram might not communicate in the ways that a teacher may want, and so a flow chart/mind map or T-chart might work as a better substitute.

I encourage teachers to modify any steps in order to better support their students and focus on the importance of critical thinking and composing for all students.

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.

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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Persuasive Writing Organizer

A graphic organizer used to plan and structure a persuasive essay or speech, including the main argument, supporting reasons, counterclaim and conclusion.

Description

• English Language Arts /
• Social Studies /
• conclusion /
• counterclaim /
• organization /
• persuasion /
• persuasive /

Discover Graphic Organizers

The graphic organizers are available in Book Creator’s built in App Store . Sign into Book Creator, simply enable the graphic organizer app, then you and your students can add your chosen organizers to your books.

10 graphic organizers are available to all users, with the full set of over 100 organizers available to teachers on a premium or schools and district plan.

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Persuasive Letter Graphic Organizer

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There's probably no shortage of opinions in your classroom. All day, every day, your students are sharing their thoughts on a variety of subjects, from why green is their favorite color to why they despise broccoli (even though it's green). But while those opinions provide a great opportunity for you to get to know your students, they're not always well structured, persuasive, or backed up with facts. 

Teaching students to develop ideas and thoughts on important subjects, organize them, and then transform them into a strong, persuasive opinion takes time. Opinion writing is often complex and requires higher-order skills, such as evaluation and verification. Students must also understand the difference between fact and opinion—that facts can inform opinion, but not vice-versa—and that word choice is an important aspect of writing. All of this means that students can feel a bit overwhelmed when tasked with expressing their opinion, even though it's something they do every day. 

Graphic organizers are great tools to help students develop well-supported opinions and improve their powers of persuasion. An organizer can help students expand and shape their thoughts in ways that simplify the writing process—once students fill out the graphic organizer, it becomes a resource they can reference while composing their opinion piece.

Wondering which graphic organizers will be most helpful to your young opinion writers? Check out these 6 resources, perfect for any student looking to make a strong case:

1.  Opinion-Proof  (Grades 4–8)

This framework sheet helps students develop and use higher-order skills, such as evaluation, verification, and persuasion, to compose convincing arguments.

2.  Writing Graphic Organizer: Perfectly Persuasive  (Grades 4–6)

Use this graphic organizer to help students build persuasive writing skills as they write essays or letters to the editor.

3.  Fact/Opinion Glasses: Lesson Plan & Graphic Organizer  (Grades 1–3)

These glasses help students develop the most important skill when it comes to effective opinion writing: being able to see the difference between fact and opinion.

4.  Agree or Disagree? Graphic Organizer  (Grades 2–4)

Students learn how to express and support their agreement, or disagreement, with a character’s statement, opinion, or action.

5.  Your Opinion, Please (Leveled-Reading G/H): Guided Reading Response  (Grades 1–2)

With this graphic organizer, students can show off their understanding of a story by sharing their own points of view.

6.  Persuasive Essay (Nonfiction Writing): Leveled Graphic Organizers  (Grades 4–8)

It’s one thing to have an opinion, but can your students convince their classmates their thoughts are correct? This graphic organizer set can help!

To see more graphic organizers and gain access to thousands of printable and downloadable teacher resources that will help your kids develop the power of persuasion and other skills, log in or subscribe to  Scholastic Teachables  today!

The Ultimate List of Graphic Organizers for Teachers and Students

Graphic organizers integrate both text and visuals. This has been scientifically proven to be an effective way of teaching and learning. Using them can be extremely useful for both teachers and students as they will make lessons more engaging as well as easily comprehensible.

We have listed below multiple types of graphic organizers you can use during various scenarios, whether you are reading, writing, doing research or studying for exams. Each tool is accompanied by a template that you can use right away.

1. What are Graphic Organizers

1.1. Benefits of graphic organizers

2. Types of Graphic Organizers

2.1. Graphic Organizers for Writing

2.1.1. 1. Persuasion map

2.1.2. 2. Sequence Chart

2.2. Graphic Organizers for Reading

2.2.1. 3. Story map

2.2.2. 4. Biography graphic organizer

2.2.3. 5. KWL chart

2.3. Graphic Organizers for Teaching

2.3.1. 6. Learning map

2.3.2. 7. Analogy graphic organizer

2.3.3. 8. Vocabulary graphic organizer

2.3.4. 9. Problem-solving organizer

2.3.5. 10. Math Graphic Organizer

2.4. Graphic Organizers for Learning

2.4.1. 11. Timeline graphic organizer

2.4.2. 12. T chart

2.4.3. 13. Hierarchy chart

2.4.4. 14. Star diagram

2.5. Graphic Organizers for Brainstorming

2.5.1. 15. Cluster diagram

2.5.2. 16. Lotus diagram

2.5.3. 17. Cause and effect graphic organizer

2.5.4. 18. Mind map

2.6. Graphic Organizers for Compare and Contrast

2.6.1. 19. Double bubble map

2.6.2. 20. Venn diagram

2.6.2.1. Add to Our List of Graphic Organizers for Teachers and Students

What are Graphic Organizers

A graphic organizer is a teaching and learning tool that is used to organize information and ideas in a way that is easy to comprehend and internalize. By integrating text and visuals, graphic organizers show relationships and connections between concepts, terms, and facts.

Graphic organizers can be used in all grade levels, and have proven to be effective learning tools for gifted children and students with special needs. And with adult learners, graphic organizers can help enable the connection between what they already know and newly acquired knowledge.

Benefits of graphic organizers

Different types of graphic organizers can be used across the curriculum for teaching, learning, and note-taking. They are easy to create and impactful in simplifying information.

• Help visualize or present information in a way that is easier to comprehend, by breaking down larger or complex concepts or ideas into smaller and simpler parts.
• Provide students the opportunity to actively contribute and participate in the learning process through the creation of graphic organizers.  
• Help develop cognitive skills such as brainstorming, critical and, categorizing and prioritizing content, reflection, etc.
• Help recall prior knowledge about a subject and quickly connect it to new information
• Promotes self-learning. By using graphic organizers for note-taking, analyzing, studying, etc. students can familiarize themselves with a lesson far more easily.

Types of Graphic Organizers

Here we have listed 19 types of graphic organizers for teaching and learning. Based on their varied purposes, you can utilize them in reading, writing, researching, brainstorming, and analyzing.

Graphic Organizers for Writing

1. persuasion map.

The persuasion map is an interactive graphic organizer that helps students familiarize themselves with the process of persuasive writing .  It assists them with outlining and preparing arguments for their essays, speeches, debates, etc.

How to use it

Step 1: Choose a topic of interest for your essay/debate. Do proper research around it to collect enough information.

Step 2: Define the claim that you want to make with your essay. Persuasive writing by writing this down first.

Step 3: Next to it, write down the reasons for making that claim.

Step 4: Then write down facts, examples, and information to back up your reasoning.

Step 5: End your persuasion map with the conclusion of your essay.

2. Sequence Chart

A sequence graphic organizer is a tool that helps visualize the order of steps of a process or a timeline of events, etc. It can also be used for note-taking, lesson planning, and essay writing.

Step 1: Identify the steps in the process or event.

Step 2: Using a sequence chart arrange these steps in sequential order.

Graphic Organizers for Reading

3. story map.

A story map can be used to identify the different elements such as characters, character plots, themes, techniques, etc. in a book students are reading. It’s a useful tool that teachers can integrate into the lesson to improve students’ comprehension.

Step 1: Read the book and understand it well.

Step 2: Discuss the different significant elements that were involved in the story. These could be the characters, setting, problem and solution, etc. You can fill the story map during the discussion.

Step 3: Once the map is complete you can discuss each element individually.

4. Biography graphic organizer

This is a tool that assists with understanding a character from a novel, autobiography or movie or a historical figure more in-depth. It brings attention to various important factors about a person’s life.

How to create it

Step 1: Gather as much information you can about the character you are studying. You can also refer to online resources, or ask from teachers or experts.

Step 2: As you analyze the information you have gathered, isolate the facts that stand out or you think are important.

Step 3: Use your biography graphic organizer to lay out the information in a presentable way. You can add images to make it more comprehensible as well.

5. KWL chart

KWL chart is used for gathering information from student’s prior knowledge or experience. This 3 column chart captures the before (what the reader already knows), during (what the reader wants to learn) and after (what the reader learned) stages of reading.

Step 1: Get students to brainstorm around the selected topic and write down everything they know about it in the K column.

Step 2: Ask them to generate a list of questions about what they want to know in the W column of the chart.

Step 3: During or after reading the book/ lesson get them to answer these questions in the L column.

Graphic Organizers for Teaching

6. learning map.

Learning maps visually depict the key takeaways – skills, ideas, knowledge – students should get from a lesson. It usually provides a high-level view of the lesson/ unit/ course that is to be studied and the connection between its different components. Students can also use learning maps in the classroom for note-taking.

Step 1: At the center of the map, write down the topic (i.e. name of the lesson or unit)

Step 2: Brainstorm ideas and information related to it. Write these down on branches emerging from the center. Make sure that you place them in a way that makes sense to teach or in a logical sequence around the center.

Step 3: Add connectors between these elements and add labels to highlight the kind of relationship between them.

7. Analogy graphic organizer

The analogy graphic organizer uses analogy to help students identify similarities and differences between a new topic and a topic that they are already familiar with.

Step 1: Select a topic/ concept that the students already know and is analogous in certain aspects to the new topic

Step 2:  Introduce the new concept and get the students to read and discuss it

Step 3: Using an analogy graphic organizer, ask the students to brainstorm and write similarities and differences between the two topics.

Step 4: Based on the completed graphic organizer, ask the students to write a brief description of  the new topic

Analogy Graphic Organizer (Click on the template to edit it online)

8. Vocabulary graphic organizer

This tool can be used to assess the vocabulary knowledge of students. You can create graphic organizers including various elements to help students learn new words, and learn antonyms and synonyms.

9. Problem-solving organizer

Problem-solving graphic organizers can be used to improve the problem-solving skills of the students. It helps students identify and evaluate solutions to problems.

Step 1: Identify the problem and write it in the problem box

Step 2: Ask students to then write down why they think it is a problem in the first place

Step 3: Get them to brainstorm all possible solutions along with the pros and cons relates to them.

Step 4: Once they select the best possible solution, ask them to list down all its possible consequences

Step 5: Students can then make suggestions to improve the selected solution further

10. Math Graphic Organizer

Math graphic organizers are used to describe math concepts graphically to students. It helps with simplifying and solving complex math problems.

Step 1: Select the math problem you want to identify and a relevant graphic organizer that you can use to solve it.

Step 2: Invite your students or colleagues to collaborate as you wish.

Graphic Organizers for Learning

11. timeline graphic organizer.

Timeline diagrams are a type of graphic organizer that shows a sequence of events in chronological order.

They come in handy when studying history as you can use it to display major historical events that occurred during a period of time along with important details such as dates and locations in which they took place.

In addition, timeline charts can also be used to show the progress of something (i.e. growth of a business) or changes.

Step 1: Identify the different events and the sequence of order in which they took place.

Step 2: Use a research on your target audience to arrange them chronologically

Step 3: Include significant details such as dates, locations and other additional information as needed.

12. T  chart

T charts allow students to study two facets of a topic. For example, disadvantages and advantages, pros and cons, differences and similarities, etc.

Step 1: Draw a T chart and write down the two areas you want to brainstorm around on each column head.

Step 2: Write down facts on each column as you carry out your brainstorming.

13. Hierarchy chart

Hierarchy charts visualize the elements of a system, organization or concept from its highest position to the lowest. Students can use this tool to understand the superordinate and subordinate categories of a topic and the relationship between them.

Step 1: Identify the most important element under the topic you are studying. Write this down at the top of the hierarchy chart.

Step 2: List down the second layer of sub-elements stemming from the first component you have identified. Add a third and fourth as necessary.

Step 3: Connect these with lines to show how they are connected to each other.  

14. Star diagram

Star diagrams are used to organize the characteristics of a chosen topic. It can also be used to brainstorm around new topics.

Step 1:  Select the topic you want to study and write it down in the center of the star diagram .

Step 2: Write down the characteristics or attributes related to the central topics on each point of the star. Adjust the points of the star depending on how many traits you write down.

Graphic Organizers for Brainstorming

15. cluster diagram.

Cluster diagrams can be used to facilitate a brainstorming session or structure idea generation and even to help with exploring new topics.

Step 1: Pick your topic of interest to explore. This should be placed in the middle of the diagram.

Step 2: Brainstorm around this main idea and come up with sub-topics related to it. Place them around the center.

Step 3: Brainstorm around each of the sub-topics and write down related ideas around them.

Step 4: Add as many layers as you want. However, use color-coding to emphasize each branch of thought. This will make it easier for you to read and understand the cluster diagram .

16. Lotus diagram

Lotus diagram is an analytical tool that can be used to breakdown broader and more complex topics into smaller components for easy understanding. It can be used for brainstorming and studying new topics.

Step 1: Draw a 3×3 grid in the center. On the square in the center, write down the main topic to be explored.

Step 2: Write down the related sub-topics around it as you brainstorm.

Step 3: Draw 8 more 3×3 grids around the one in the center. Each of these can be used to write down facts that you brainstorm around each subtopic.

17. Cause and effect graphic organizer

This type of graphic organizer shows the causes and effects of an event. The cause is the reason why something has happened, and effect is the result of what has happened. Visualization helps clearly understand the different cause and effect relationships.  

Using a cause and effect graphic organizer , identify the causes and effects related to the problem you are studying or writing about. There could be several models of cause and effect events, such as one cause leading to one effect or multiple effects, or multiple causes leading to one effect or multiple effects.

• One cause leading to several effects
• Several causes leading to one effect (You can use a fishbone diagram here)
• Each cause having one related effect
• One cause triggering another cause that leads to another

18. Mind map

A mind map is a tool that helps capture the free flow of thought and is widely used for brainstorming around topics. Additionally, it can also be used to organize and group information about a topic.

Step 1: Write down the topic you are brainstorming around in the center.

Step 2: On branches emerging from the middle, write down brainstormed ideas/ thoughts.

Step 3: Expand each sub idea with more facts. You can keep on adding more information to your mind map until you have enough.

Graphic Organizers for Compare and Contrast

Here we have listed 19 types of graphic organizers for teaching and learning. Based on their varied purposes, you can utilize them in reading, writing, researching, brainstorming, and analyzing. Best of all you can use our Compare and Contrast Chart Maker to draw them.

19. Double bubble map

The double bubble map is one of the popular thinking maps. It is much like a Venn diagram and is used to identify similar and different qualities between two things.

How to use it?

Step 1: Write down the two ideas/ topics you are comparing in the two bubbles in the center.

Step 2: As you brainstorm and analyze the topic, write down the differences in the bubbles radiating from the center.

Step 3: Write down the similarities in the bubbles that are common to both topics.

20. Venn diagram

Another graphic organizer that helps you visually represent a comparison of differences and similarities between two subjects, is the Venn diagram. What makes it different from the is that it can include more than two topics and one common area.

It works similar to the double bubble map.

Step 1: Write down the topics being compared on the top of each circle.

Step 2: Writ down the differences or unique characteristics inside its own sector avoiding the overlapping area.

Step 3: List the similarities in the common area.

Add to Our List of Graphic Organizers for Teachers and Students

Although we have covered 19 types of graphic organizers in this post, there are plenty more that can be useful to our users. Know more? Mention in the comments section below to keep expanding the list of ultimate graphic organizers.

FAQs About list of Graphic Organizer

When selecting a graphic organizer for a specific project, you should consider the type of information you need to organize and the purpose of the project. Here are some tips on how to select the right graphic organizer:

Identify the type of information: Before selecting a graphic organizer, consider the type of information you need to organize.

Determine the purpose of the project: Consider the purpose of the project and what you want to achieve.

Consider the audience: Think about who the audience is for the project. If the audience is young children, a simpler graphic organizer like a picture web might be more appropriate. If the audience is adults, a more complex graphic organizer like a timeline or a chart could be suitable.

Evaluate the effectiveness of different graphic organizers: Try out different graphic organizers and see which ones work best for you. Creately has different graphic organizer editable templates that you could use to create your graphic organizer based on the purpose.

Be creative: Don’t be afraid to create your own graphic organizer or adapt an existing one to meet your needs. Graphic organizers are flexible tools that can be customized to fit different projects and purposes.

Avoid these common mistakes that you make to ensure that your organizer is effective in conveying information.

Avoid overcomplicating the design of your graphic organizer: It should be easy to read and understand, therefore avoid using too many colors, fonts, or shapes which make the organizer confusing and difficult to read.

Consistency is important in creating a graphic organizer. Use the same formatting, color scheme, and font throughout the organizer to ensure that it is easy to follow and understand.

The purpose of a graphic organizer is to simplify and organize information. Including too much information can defeat the purpose and make the organizer overwhelming. Stick to the most important information and use the organizer to highlight key concepts and relationships.

Use clear and appropriate labels for each section of the organizer. Avoid using labels that are too vague or unclear, as this can cause confusion and make it difficult to understand the relationships between the different elements.

Consider who the audience is for the graphic organizer and use appropriate language and images. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be familiar to the audience.

Test your graphic organizer to ensure that it effectively conveys the intended information. Ask for feedback from others and make revisions as needed.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

More Related Articles

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

Can You Convince Me? Developing Persuasive Writing

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Persuasive writing is an important skill that can seem intimidating to elementary students. This lesson encourages students to use skills and knowledge they may not realize they already have. A classroom game introduces students to the basic concepts of lobbying for something that is important to them (or that they want) and making persuasive arguments. Students then choose their own persuasive piece to analyze and learn some of the definitions associated with persuasive writing. Once students become aware of the techniques used in oral arguments, they then apply them to independent persuasive writing activities and analyze the work of others to see if it contains effective persuasive techniques.

Featured Resources

From theory to practice.

• Students can discover for themselves how much they already know about constructing persuasive arguments by participating in an exercise that is not intimidating.  
• Progressing from spoken to written arguments will help students become better readers of persuasive texts.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Materials and Technology

• Computers with Internet access  
• PowerPoint  
• LCD projector (optional)  
• Chart paper or chalkboard  
• Sticky notes  
• Persuasive Strategy Presentation
• Persuasion Is All Around You  
• Persuasive Strategy Definitions  
• Check the Strategies  
• Check the Strategy  
• Observations and Notes  
• Persuasive Writing Assessment

Preparation

Student objectives.

Students will

• Work in cooperative groups to brainstorm ideas and organize them into a cohesive argument to be presented to the class  
• Gain knowledge of the different strategies that are used in effective persuasive writing  
• Use a graphic organizer to help them begin organizing their ideas into written form  
• Apply what they have learned to write a persuasive piece that expresses their stance and reasoning in a clear, logical sequence  
• Develop oral presentation skills by presenting their persuasive writing pieces to the class  
• Analyze the work of others to see if it contains effective persuasive techniques

Session 1: The Game of Persuasion

Home/School Connection: Distribute Persuasion Is All Around You . Students are to find an example of a persuasive piece from the newspaper, television, radio, magazine, or billboards around town and be ready to report back to class during Session 2. Provide a selection of magazines or newspapers with advertisements for students who may not have materials at home. For English-language learners (ELLs), it may be helpful to show examples of advertisements and articles in newspapers and magazines.

Session 2: Analysis of an Argument

Home/School Connection: Ask students to revisit their persuasive piece from Persuasion Is All Around You . This time they will use Check the Strategies to look for the persuasive strategies that the creator of the piece incorporated. Check for understanding with your ELLs and any special needs students. It may be helpful for them to talk through their persuasive piece with you or a peer before taking it home for homework. Arrange a time for any student who may not have the opportunity to complete assignments outside of school to work with you, a volunteer, or another adult at school on the assignment.

Session 3: Persuasive Writing

Session 4: presenting the persuasive writing.

• Endangered Species: Persuasive Writing offers a way to integrate science with persuasive writing. Have students pretend that they are reporters and have to convince people to think the way they do. Have them pick issues related to endangered species, use the Persuasion Map as a prewriting exercise, and write essays trying to convince others of their points of view. In addition, the lesson “Persuasive Essay: Environmental Issues” can be adapted for your students as part of this exercise.  
• Have students write persuasive arguments for a special class event, such as an educational field trip or an in-class educational movie. Reward the class by arranging for the class event suggested in one of the essays.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Compare your Observations and Notes from Session 4 and Session 1 to see if students understand the persuasive strategies, use any new persuasive strategies, seem to be overusing a strategy, or need more practice refining the use of a strategy. Offer them guidance and practice as needed.  
• Collect both homework assignments and the Check the Strategy sheets and assess how well students understand the different elements of persuasive writing and how they are applied.  
• Collect students’ Persuasion Maps and use them and your discussions during conferences to see how well students understand how to use the persuasive strategies and are able to plan their essays. You want to look also at how well they are able to make changes from the map to their finished essays.  
• Use the Persuasive Writing Assessment to evaluate the essays students wrote during Session 3.
• Calendar Activities
• Strategy Guides
• Lesson Plans
• Student Interactives

The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling them to organize their information logically.

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Persuasive Writing Worksheet Templates

Customize persuasive writing worksheets.

If you're assigning this to your students, copy the worksheet to your account and save. When creating an assignment, just select it as a template!

What is Persuasive Writing?

Persuasive writing, or opinion writing, is a form of nonfiction writing where the writer tries to convince others to believe a certain point or opinion. A strong persuasive essay requires critical thinking, and motivates and convinces the reader that what they are reading is correct. Using a persuasive essay outline template or an opinion writing outline helps writers plan thoughtfully.

What is a Persuasive Writing Template?

A persuasive writing template is a starting point for students as they plan out their persuasive writing essay. Having a layout for their notes and ideas takes away the anxiety of looking at a blank page when trying to organize your thoughts. Also known as a persuasive writing outline template, or a persuasive writing graphic organizer, this type of template generally has a place for a student to define their opinion or thesis on a topic, and then support and elaborate on it with 3-5 key points.

What are Some Examples of Persuasive Writing?

The persuasive essay format that we all know is not the only type of persuasion writing! Check out some other examples below:

• Television commercials
• Print advertisements
• Songs and poems (yes, really!)
• Newspaper editorials

A famous example of a persuasive essay in the form of a speech is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

Why are Persuasive Writing Templates Important and How are They Best Used?

A persuasive writing template, also known as a persuasive essay outline, can help students plan their essay by clearly defining their opinion and supporting it with relevant, specific evidence. Persuasive writing and persuasive speaking go hand-in-hand, so these templates can also be used to prepare short persuasive speeches. Whether you are looking for a persuasive letter outline, a persuasive paragraph outline, or something for a longer piece of writing, we have what you are looking for!

How to Start a Persuasive Essay

Getting started is often the most difficult part of the writing process, even when they are given specific writing prompts. Students often have so many thoughts and ideas that they want to jump directly into the writing without planning. We strongly discourage this, and find it extremely important that students understand the need to take the time to plan using graphic organizers. Here is how to start a persuasive essay:

• Choose a topic that you are passionate and knowledgeable about.
• Research both sides of this topic, so students learn about the opposing view.
• Using a persuasive writing graphic organizer, outline your ideas for the introduction, 3-5 paragraphs, and conclusion.
• Write a first draft. Be sure to consider who your audience and how you are going to appeal to them.
• Now that you have written your draft, it’s time to move through the writing process .
• Have fun and write with confidence!

It is extremely important that students complete a graphic organizer prior to writing. Find the perfect persuasive essay worksheet for your class right here! Creating a template for a persuasive essay with Storyboard That is easy! Simply follow the steps below:

How to Make a Persuasive Writing Template

Choose One of the Premade Persuasive Writing Templates

We have color, black and white, portrait, or landscape templates. Take a look at our persuasive writing example for inspiration!

Click on "Copy Template"

Once you do this, you will be directed to the storyboard creator.

Give Your Worksheet a Name!

Be sure to call it something related to the topic so that you can easily find it in the future.

Edit Your Worksheet

This is where you will include directions, specific questions and images, and make any aesthetic changes that you would like. The options are endless!

Click "Save and Exit"

When you are finished with your persuasive writing worksheet, click this button in the lower right hand corner to exit your storyboard.

From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more!

More Premade Templates That Your Students Will Love

Did you know that Storyboard That has a whole library of worksheet and poster templates to be used with any subject and for all ages? Check out some of our favorites below:

• Custom Biography Worksheets
• Hall Pass Templates
• Social Studies Vocabulary Templates
• Reading Log Templates
• Place Value Worksheets
• Game Board Posters
• Newspaper Posters
• Movie Posters

Happy Creating!

Frequently Asked Questions about Persuasive Writing Worksheet Templates

What is a persuasive writing graphic organizer.

A persuasive writing graphic organizer is a worksheet that helps students plan out their opinion essay. Also known as a persuasive letter template, or a persuasive paper outline, completing this organizer is a crucial step in the writing process.

What is a persuasive writing outline?

A persuasive writing outline template is another term for persuasive writing graphic organizer.

What are some examples of writing templates for students?

There are a lot of writing templates for students out there! Here are just a few of what else we have at Storyboard That:

• Critical Analysis
• Creative Writing
• Long Composition
• Personal Narratives

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