Frayer Model Maker

What is a Frayer model?

A Frayer model is a four-section graphic organizer with a target term in the center. The common sections are definition, characteristics, examples and non-examples. Comparing cases that fit a concept with similar cases that do not can help reveal the concept’s defining features. The Vanderbilt IRIS Center’s teaching guide illustrates this layout in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The guide also notes that a class need not complete every section in one lesson.

Fill it in or leave room to think

Enter a term on the first step. All four sections on the next step are optional. A filled section prints exactly the notes you wrote; an empty section prints ruled writing space. This makes the same tool useful for a teacher preparing a partially completed organizer, a student drafting their own model, or a group discussing one section at a time. The maker does not check whether a definition is correct. Verify subject-specific claims against your lesson material.

For example, a worksheet on quadrilateral might define it as a polygon with four sides, list four sides as a characteristic, put a rectangle among examples and a triangle among non-examples. A circle is also a non-example, but the most useful non-examples often look close enough to spark discussion about a defining feature. The IRIS mathematics example uses a quadrilateral to show how the sections work.

Use the printable file

The download is a self-contained HTML page with no scripts or external fonts. Open it in a browser and print it, or use the browser’s Save as PDF option. Text wraps inside the quadrants, including longer words and right-to-left writing. If you expect handwritten answers, leave the relevant boxes empty. For a very long typed response, shorten the notes or print on a larger sheet so the model remains easy to read.