Chart Fact!
10% of what is heard is
remembered after 72 hours
65% of what is seen and heard is
remembered after 72 hours
-Medina, 2008
Smarter
Charts
the third educator
Kathryn DiMeo
Independent Consultant
August 20, 2013
How is the 2nd chart improved?
Before . . .
After . . .
Color Matters
Tips:
Black is universal.
LOVE neon!
Color helps organize
thinking by making
strategies distinct!
Only bold or highlight
10%.
No MORE than 5
colors.
Brain Science
Behind the chart . . .
Knowing what stimulate the brain to
remember is important to understanding why
some information is remembered and others
ignored
• Prior knowledge (connections)
• Repetition
• Engagement
• Perception (use of the senses)
• Investment
It all starts with a TITLE!
Title Tips
Capture the main idea and move on!
Say it in less words.
Writers Have Lots of Tools to Help
Us Generate Story Ideas!
VS
Need an Idea?
Use kid friendly language.
Title Tips
Strong statement!
Writers Show Not Tell!
Writers Elaborate!
Readers Predict!
Questions?
Feeling Done?
Stuck on a tricky word?
Need a beginning?
Language
 Clarity and quality not quantity
 Choose words that are direct and explicit
 Should be “understood/readable” by most of
your students
 Point to or hold up parts of the
chart as you read it, to make it
“readable” for non-readers
and ESL students
Make language more
accessible for students
by adding a gesture,
prop or using facial
expressions.
(Cappellini 2005)
Images
Visual memory is the second strongest
memory . . . .
Images
Clear
Consistent
Images
Learning to Draw!
Sketches and Notes
Page 17 Figure 1.9 Chart Chums
Learning to Draw SIMPLY . . .
Student Art or Photographs
Student Work
Mentor Texts
Exemplars
&
Rubrics
Need Wall Space?
Need Wall Space?
Chart Booklets
Table Tents
Student Copies
Chart Binders
Pant Hangers
Charts YIELD Independence
Chart is not the goal but a vehicle to get them
to the goal-using the strategy effectively and
often.
•
•
•
•
•
Eye level
Sticky note interactions
Make a fuss/ Move It
Limit it to about 4 charts
Retire Old Charts
Ways to Involve Kids in Chart Making
They illustrate it
They come up with and write the title
You quickly add the words with them but the pictures are predone
Make it interactive
prepare it with the kids =cooking show
*your mini lesson still needs to be within the time limits*
Student Interaction
Conference Prompts
• What charts have you used today? How have they helped
you?
• Can you show me a place where the charts helped you?
• What are you working on? Is there a chart that can help
you?
• Which chart don’t you use? Why?
• Which chart do you use the most? Why?
• If you could make a chart what would you make?
Mini-Lessons
• Readers/writers reread the charts before they start
working. This helps us remember all the things we
know about reading and writing.
• When we get a little tired of working, we can give
our brains a little rest by rereading the charts. This
helps us remember what we need to be thinking
about when we go back to work.
• When readers/writers get stuck, we can go to charts
to help us get unstuck.
• When readers/writers are done, we bring our work
to the chart and check: did I do each of those things?
Going Digital?
My charts would be a better learning
tool for my students if I . . . .
For More Information . . .
• Chartchums.wordpress.com
• Smarter Charts by Majorie Martinelli and Kristine Mraz (and
another new book coming soon!)
• http://readingandwritingproject.com/
resources, choose charts
• Pinterest
• Classrooms of the teachers around you!
Please note the material in this session is the result of MANY teachers in Lake
Orion and in districts all over the country. Featured charts can be found in
classrooms all across the country and in many cases across the internet.
Thank you teachers!