An analogy graphic organizer helps students link new information to familiar concepts. It can be used with elementary through high school students to introduce a topic, guide comprehension while reading, or extend the learning after reading (Buehl, 2001). It is usually used with expository text and is appropriate for all content areas. Using this organizer involves the following steps:
1. Select a concept familiar to the students that is analogous in certain ways to the new concept. For example, if the new concept is wolf, the analogous, familiar concept might be dog. If older students are preparing to study the progression of the women’s movement in the United States, an analogous, familiar concept to the students might be the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement or the Civil Rights movement in the U. S.
2. Introduce a blank analogy graphic organizer (see figure above) and write the familiar and the new concepts in the appropriate boxes.
3. Brainstorm similar characteristics of the two concepts and write them in the left column.
4. Brainstorm the differences between the two concepts and write those in the right column.
5. After the lesson students revisit the graphic organizer, adding or revising the information.
6. Students write a summary describing the new concept using the information on the graphic organizer.
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