You may have heard of the Frayer Model before. It is a graphic organizer used to help students work with vocabulary in four different ways – providing the definition, characteristics, examples, and non-examples of the vocabulary word. This instructional strategy is used to help students process and understand vocabulary words deeply. Here’s what it looks it:

I wanted to be able to use this model to have students collaborate and teach each other concepts (not vocabulary), so (OF COURSE) I thought of using a collaborative Google Slide Deck! My plan is to assign partners a topic and a slide number. Everyone in the class will have access to edit the same slide deck at the same time. I will set a time limit and allow partners to work to complete the Frayer model and then, when time is up, they will present to each other.

I started the slide deck by creating the Frayer Model Graphic Organizer. I tweaked it to ask for a definition, image (that supports understanding of the topic), 3 sentences, and examples. Once I had the parts of the graphic organizer that I did not want students to be able to move or edit, I chose File, Download As, png. Then, I added a new slide and set the background to be the png file I just downloaded. Next, I added in text boxes that I DO want students to be able to manipulate and change. This should save time as students will not be able to edit the graphic organizer on accident (or on purpose) and will focus their attention on the only parts that are editable – the content they will be presenting to their classmates!

Then, I duplicated the template slide for the number of small groups I planned to assign topics to. If you are having students each create their own slide, you would duplicate the template until there are enough slides for each student to have their own.

Check out the template I plan to use this week:

Feel free to grab a copy to edit for your use. The fully editable background slide is the LAST slide in the deck. Change the prompts, colors, fonts, everything to make it perfect for your assignment!