Top Down Topic Webs
Consistent Routines For Increased Student Learning
Top Down Topic Web
What is a Top Down Topic Web?
A top down topic web is one of the four strategies that are part of the student routine. This is the main graphic organizer used in The Key Comprehension Routine because:
- it is flexible enough for use across all content areas.
- Research supports the use of graphic and semantic organizers to represent the relationships between underlying ideas in text. Teaching students to organize ideas in a systematic, visual graph improves their ability to remember what they read (National Reading Panel, 2000; Klingner & Vaughn, 2004).
- A top down topic web uses different shapes, position, and sometimes color to represent the main topics and ideas from source information that is read, said, or done.
Why Use Only One Type of Graphic Organizer?
Visual Schema
A top down topic web is a visual schema that helps students makes those connections. The connections among the big ideas presented in content instruction and reading material are easy to recognize in a top-down topic web.
- When students see a topic web before they read or learn new information, it gives them a road map to begin making connections to their existing background knowledge.
- When students generate their own topic webs, they become more aware of these connections.
Using Top Down Topic Webs to Support Comprehension
How can teachers and students use top down topic webs as a comprehension strategy?
Comprehension strategies are often grouped into before, during, and after strategies. That is, before, during, and after students learn from anything that is read, said, or done.
How To Use A Top Down Topic Web
Before you introduce new content information that is read, said or done, consider using a top down topic web as follows:
Before
- Develop a top-down topic web that represents the major ideas.
- Ask students to review the topic web to see the "big picture" of what they will learn.
- Ask students to identify at least one item on the web about which they have some prior knowledge, and have them write that information down.
- In small groups or during whole-class discussion, have students share that information.
- If students have inaccurate background knowledge, be sure to correct the information.
- Ask students to generate a question or make a prediction about what they will learn using the items on the topic web.
- In small groups or during whole-class discussion, have students share their questions and predictions
During
During reading, the construction of mental representations enhances comprehension. Those mental pictures involve not only descriptive images, but also representations of relationships between ideas. Such mental images help students to understand the processes or events in the text as well as remember more abstract concepts (Gambrell & Bales, 1986). The format of a top-down topic web lends itself well to representing mental images of the relationships among ideas.
It is important to review the topic web several times during reading or at various stages during a unit of study in order to help students understand how the pieces of the topic web are related. A topic web essentially chunks information into manageable units to be learned in sections and then joined together again in a "big picture."
After
Finally, the to -down topic web is a helpful after-reading strategy as well. It serves as a general study guide, enabling students to see the big picture and organize many supporting details. In this way, the topics and sub topics on a topic web represent units to study for a test. The items on a topic web can also be used to support generation of questions at various levels of thinking, or to generate a summary.
Components of a Top Down Topic Web
Using Shapes
Using Color
Using the same shape is confusing.
Subtopic and supporting details are differentiated from each other.
Sub-topics are clearly defined as are supporting details.
Stacking Shapes
If there is enough room on the page, it is best to keep topics at the same level (and shape) in a row, horizontally, as shown above.
If that is not possible because of limited space, topics at the same level can be stacked instead, as the example shows. When topics are stacked, it is best to use a line to connect items, rather than an arrow. This will help visually reinforce that the stacked items of the same shape (e.g., rectangles) are equally subordinate to the broader sub-topics (e.g., ovals).
How to Generate a Top Down Topic Web
As you can see from the examples below, teachers and students can create topic webs using paper and writing tools (pens, markers, etc.), or by using software tools. Here are some examples of technology that can be used:
- Lucidcharts - Step by step directions for creating a top down topic map using this program
- Drawing tools available in Microsoft Word or similar word processing programs.
- Drawing tools available in Microsoft PowerPoint or similar slide development programs
Examples
Topics
Main Idea Phrases
Places
Names and Phrases
Visuals and Words
Creating a Sub-Web
You may find it helpful to take a section of a topic web and develop it into a separate, more detailed sub-web. For instance: A sub-web is a useful alternative if you and/or your students want to add another level of sub-topics to a web but find that the web is too crowded.
Sub-webs can be especially helpful where a topic web represents a large amount of content, such as the content for a month-long unit of study or the information in a lengthy reading assignment. A series of sub-webs can be developed for each lesson within the unit of study or each section of the reading.
Refer to the science examples below. The first is from a science chapter about organic compounds, and its first two segments have been developed into two more detailed sub-webs, show below. The second topic web is from a unit about volcanoes and earthquakes; each sub-topic has been further developed into its own sub-web.
or
Sub-Web #1
Sub-Web #2
Sub-Web #3
Gradual Release of Responsibility
Who Creates the Topic Web?
- Using think aloud, the teacher models the generation of a topic web.
- The teacher provides some completed topic webs and models the use of a topic web (again, using think aloud):
- as a before comprehension strategy to see the big picture and activate background knowledge
- as a during strategy to make connections as the student progresses through a series of topics
- as an after strategy to organize and review topics
We Do It
- The teacher provides a partially completed topic web for students to complete.
- Students work collaboratively to complete or generate a topic web.
You Do It
- Students generate their own topic webs independently.
Classroom-Size Topic Webs
Social Studiess
ELA
History
Scaffolds
Start with Everyday Organizing
Partially Complete Topic Webs
Top Down Topic Webs for Writing
The examples below show how students have used top down topic webs as pre-writing planning tools.
Short, Informational Report
Argument Piece
Informational Report From An Article
Jaye Parks
Email: parksj@iss.k12.nc.us
Twitter: @JayeParks1