Activity
KWL Chart
KWL Chart
Activity Overview
Students record What they Know, What they Want to know, and What they Learned about a topic in a three-column organizer.
Grade Levels
Subject Areas
Activity Types
Detailed Example
The Water Cycle (Science - 4th Grade)
Materials Needed
- KWL chart template or blank paper divided into three columns
- Colored pencils or markers
- Sticky notes for adding ideas
- Anchor chart for class KWL
Preparation
Create individual KWL templates and a large class anchor chart. Prepare guiding questions to prompt prior knowledge activation. Have the learning materials ready for the lesson.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Distribute KWL charts and introduce the topic: 'Today we're learning about the water cycle.'
K Column (5-7 minutes): Ask students to write everything they already know or think they know about the water cycle. Encourage guesses - it's okay to be wrong.
Share out K column responses and record on class anchor chart. Don't correct misconceptions yet - just collect ideas.
W Column (5 minutes): Students write questions they have about the water cycle. What do they wonder? What would they like to learn?
Share W questions and add to class chart. These questions guide the lesson focus.
Conduct your lesson on the water cycle.
L Column (5-7 minutes): After the lesson, students record what they learned. Encourage them to note if any K column items were misconceptions.
Final discussion: Compare K to L. Which questions from W were answered? What new questions emerged?
Differentiation Strategies
For younger students, use pictures and drawings in addition to words. For ELLs, provide sentence stems: 'I know that...', 'I want to know...', 'I learned that...' For advanced students, add a fourth column: 'How can I learn more?'
Assessment Guidelines
Compare K and L columns to measure learning growth. Review W column to ensure all questions were addressed. Use incomplete L columns to identify gaps for reteaching.