Diagram a Process

We give and get instructions all of the time, whether it is a tutorial on a website, a recipe for dinner, or directions to the post office. We go through various processes too, as do many natural phenomena. Life cycles, routines, photosynthesis, digestion - processes are everywhere! Instructions and processes are so much more easily understood when accompanied by visuals. When we storyboard a process or create a sequential diagram, we can focus on discrete steps, cause and effect, and sequence.

Storyboarding makes us internalize meaning, focus on the essence of what we need to say, and display it visually. It also provides common visuals for a group of people. People can have different impressions or personal biases that affect thought patterns (see our article on the Ladder of Inference), so presenting information visually and verbally communicates ideas in a better way and it puts everyone on the same page.

Check out all these different examples of processes! Notice the different layouts and approaches. Variations on the traditional layout make for a more engaging experience and make it easy to tailor the visual to students. Do they need something that looks more like a timeline with each step descending? Or will a narrative storyboard work best? Depending on the purpose of the sequence diagram, have a character say what to do with speech bubbles, or narrate with titles, descriptions, or both! You can either show a realistic situation or create an explanation or metaphor for more abstract ideas. The following examples are also customizable, so you can copy any of them into your account to get a head start on creating diagrams.

  How To Boards - Directions to Bathroom

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  How A Bill Becomes A Law

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  Subtracting Mixed Numbers

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  How To Make a Tally Chart

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  Steps for Density

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  His Ladder of Inference

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  On the Way to Athens

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  School Process for Handling a Bullying Incident

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  Solomofoo Example

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  How to Measure

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If you're looking for another step or an alternative to visual process diagrams, you can create graphic organizer worksheets to use in your class! These worksheets can be customized and printed out for students to fill out with a pencil, or they can be completed in the Storyboard Creator like a digital worksheet. You can even create multiple versions for those students who might need a little extra help, and keep them on hand for future use! Find plenty of templates to work from or just start with a blank canvas. Customizing worksheets is a perfect way to give students guidance while they're taking notes and learning about processes, and can serve as references later on in the year.