Frayer model vocabulary organizer (free printable)
A center word with four boxes around it: the definition, the characteristics, examples and non-examples. Edit the labels and print for any vocabulary word.
To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints.
About this sheet
Looking up a word and copying the definition teaches a student very little. A Frayer model asks for more: to say the meaning in their own words, to list what is always true of the idea, to give examples that fit and, hardest, to give examples that do not. The non-examples are the point, because a student who can say what a word is not has found its edges. The word goes in the oval at the center and four labeled boxes surround it. Edit the labels to suit the subject, such as Formula and Diagram for a math term. It works for a science concept, a character trait, a social studies idea or a new word from a story.
Grades: 3 to 12. Best in: September, October, January.
How to use it
- Edit the labels if you like, with the first line being the center and the next four the boxes. Write the word on the oval in pencil.
- Start with the definition in the student's own words, then characteristics, then examples, and finish with non-examples.
- Pair students to compare pages, and ask each pair to find a non-example the other has not thought of.
Five ideas for class
- Choose the words that matter most in a unit, no more than four or five, and spend the time to do each one well.
- Use it with a word that is a concept, such as democracy, habitat or fraction, where examples and non-examples reveal understanding.
- Add a quick sketch in the example box, so the word is held in a picture as well as in language.
- Display finished pages on the wall as a class glossary, and let students add to them when they find a better example.
- Ask students to explain why a non-example does not fit. The explanation is the evidence they understood the word.
Related
Questions
Why is the non-example box so important?
Students who can say what a word does not mean have understood where its edges are. It is the box that most improves their understanding.
Can I change the boxes?
Yes. The four box labels are editable, so a math class might use Formula, Diagram, Example and Non-example.
How many words should students do?
A few. The model asks for a lot of thinking per word, so it works best on four or five key words per unit.
How do I save it as a PDF?
Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.
Can I print it in black and white?
Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.
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