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K-W-L Chart
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| Grades | 3 – 8 |
| Printout Type | Graphic Organizer |
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ABOUT THIS PRINTOUT |
This K-W-L Chart, which tracks what a student knows (K), wants to know (W), and has learned (L) about a topic, can be used before, during, and after research projects.
Students in grades 3–8 should engage in various types of research. Using a K-W-L chart, students can prepare to research a topic and use it to track information gathered along the way. This tool will help students confirm what they know about a topic and encourage them to think about how they want to focus their research. Ask students leading questions for each column of the chart, such as, “What do you already ‘know’ about this topic?” “What things do you ‘want’ to learn about the topic, so you can focus your research?” and “What did you ‘learn’ from doing your research?”
- Have students conduct research about a particular country, an unusual animal, a celestial body, or other content area topic. Ask students to first think about what they know about the selected topic (for example, the poison dart frog) and write it in the first column. Students should then direct their thinking toward the research questions they have about the poison dart frog. These questions are recorded in the second column. Then, as students conduct research, they should add information gathered to the column, showing what was learned. For older students, you may want make a K-W-L-S chart, with the fourth column focusing on what students may “still” want to learn even after completing research.
- Use the K-W-L chart to direct students’ thinking as they begin reading a new chapter book. Show them the title and cover of the book and encourage them to think about what the book might be about. Then ask students to think about what they might already know about the book or the book topic. Encourage them to brainstorm about the events in the book and pose questions about the events or characters. These can be recorded on the chart as a class or individually. As students read the story, instruct them to revisit their questions in the “What I Want to Know” column every few days and answer them in the “What I Learned” column.
Grades K – 2 | Lesson Plan | Unit
Weather: A Journey in Nonfiction
Questions about weather clear up when students use what they learned from their books to create a presentation to share with the rest of the class.
Grades K – 2 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Creating Question and Answer Books through Guided Research
This series of activities is designed to teach research strategies. Students use KWL charts to guide their inquiry and publish their results in a collaborative question and answer book.
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Critical Perspectives: Reading and Writing About Slavery
Students critically explore the moral issue of slavery through reading fiction and nonfiction children's literature about the Underground Railroad, and they extend their understanding through creative writing projects.
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Recurring Lesson
Using Word Storms to Explore Vocabulary and Encourage Critical Thinking
Students learn that dogs are more than just pets in this lesson, which teaches them to use research and vocabulary-acquisition strategies to learn and write about working dogs.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Minilesson
Using the Check and Line Method to Enhance Reading Comprehension
Do your students skim assigned text material without even engaging their brains? The Check and Line method encourages students to think about what they are reading and monitor their own comprehension of the information.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Exploring Plagiarism, Copyright, and Paraphrasing
Students investigate issues of plagiarism, fair use, and paraphrasing using KWL charts, discussion, and practice.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Making Personal and Cultural Connections Using A Girl Named Disaster
Struggling to survive is one of the many themes explored in A Girl Named Disaster. As students read, they look for connections between themselves and the main character, Nhamo.
Grades 7 – 10 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Engineering the Perfect Poem by Using the Vocabulary of STEM
Students research engineering careers and create poetry to understand the vocabulary of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Cyberspace Explorer: Getting to Know Christopher Columbus
Students explore multiple online sources to gather information about the life of Christopher Columbus, complete a cyber scavenger hunt, and use their notes to prepare a timeline and summary report.
Grades 9 – 12 | Lesson Plan | Unit
Making It Visual for ELL Students: Teaching History Using Maus
Spark the engagement of English-language learners or reluctant readers with the graphic novel Maus. The visual information provided by the genre serves as a support for reading and critical engagement.
