Mind Maps

Mind maps can be utilized in a variety of ways to help students organize their thinking around complex texts and topics. When asked to contextualize knowledge within broader events, developments, or processes, students can create mind maps to help them begin to understand connections and patterns in texts that may not have been obvious otherwise. Mind maps also provide a useful scaffold for students to engage with before publicly presenting their thoughts to others through writing or speaking.

TOOLS for Mind Maps:

There are many ways to create digital mind maps. Tools like MindMeister and Popplet are user-friendly and make mind mapping very easy for students. Mind maps can also be created or drawn using the draw feature in Microsoft OneNote or using Google Drawings.

STEPS to Create a Mind Map:

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: To begin, determine the Essential Question you are seeking to “answer” with the mind map.
BRAINSTORM: Brainstorm ideas for the various categories and subcategories that could populate the mind map.
THEME: Determine an overall theme that will guide the creation of your mind map. The theme should be related to the central concept you are exploring.
CENTRAL IDEA IN THE MIDDLE: Once a theme has been determined, place the central idea in the center of the mind map and begin branching out into the sub-concepts and their “child” concepts. Since the structure is hierarchical, any branch can divide into smaller branches if needed.
CREATE MIND MAP: As you are creating your mind map, use images, shapes, color, and clarifying text to make sure that your ideas stand out clearly.
SUMMARIZE: Finally, write a summary of your mind map, using it to answer your Essential Question. If the mind map does not contain enough information to answer the Essential Question, you may want to consider adding more to the mind map to fully express the concept.

VIDEO on
How To:

STUDENT EXAMPLE:

3rd GRADE:

Page updated

Report abuse