Back to Basics: Thinking Maps

At one of our workshops/meetings before the school year started at my middle school, our principal was ecstatic to introduce the shiny, new thing they wanted us to implement. What was it this time? Thinking Maps. We got very expensive and informative books, hands on training, and even an expert to come talk to us about this fabulous concept!

By now, I’m sure you’ve all seen them: the brace map, the double bubble map, the multi-flow map. I was reluctant at first, of course. I grew up with outlines and Venn diagrams and these just seemed cheesy.

But they eventually won me over. I really appreciated the posters that came with the book, and I even put in my classroom; I could point them out as a useful tool whenever the opportunity arose. They’re better than ready-made graphic organizers because they push kids to be independent critical thinkers, they’re more open to individual creativity, and we all know that the brain loves pictures.

The basis of thinking maps is to start connecting visual representations of concepts with cognitive thought process. A lot of people don’t understand how much easier it is for some students to put their thoughts into pictures instead of words. Allowing students to brainstorm using visual tools often leads to better class discussion and understanding of complex subjects and topics.

My assistant principal at the time often watched me teach to see how I was doing and to give any constructive criticism that might be helpful. After one lesson she observed, she came to me a little crestfallen, asking why I didn’t use the thinking maps for that lesson. Didn’t I like them? Didn’t I find them simply wonderful and brilliant? It was here that I had to admit that I wasn’t exactly sure how to use them all the time. There are some that fit for Language Arts classrooms quite well, but there are some I never touched because I didn’t know how to make use of it in my lessons.

At the next grade level meeting, I found that I wasn’t the only one. How do you use a multi-flow map for math? How do you use a brace map for science? After some brainstorming, and some Googling, we came up with some ideas and governing questions to help that will hopefully help you too!

Click here to download all the PDF templates for free!

Circle Map — Used for Defining in Context

Questions to Ask — How are you defining this thing or idea? What is the context?

• Parts of Speech — Use it to break up parts of speech. In the center have consonants, vowels, verbs, nouns, etc., and have students fill out the surrounding bubble with what they know.
• Short writing — For short writing planning, have students write the topic in the center and then the details around it. Make sure it’s a small moment and all the details that make it up.
• Pre-Assessment — When starting a new topic (dystopian literature, Shakespeare, plant biology, different cultures), have students put the topic in the center and have them fill out what they know, or what they think they know, in the surrounding circle.
• Math — Use it to show equivalent fractions or different ways to create a whole number.
• About Me (or characters) — Have students place their name (or their character’s name) in the center with the surrounding circle showing what they feel makes them, them. Add a frame of reference to show people or events that have influenced them.

Add a Frame of Reference — Help students study or learn how to back up a claim by asking them what they know and have it outside of the circle as their frame of reference. Have them point to anything they’ve used to find this information

Bubble Map — Used for Describing

Questions to Ask — How are you describing this concept? Which adjectives would best describe this concept?

• This one is infinitely versatile! Have students show what defines different elements, characters, a true friend, acceptable behavior, moments in history; the list goes on and on.

Double Bubble Map — Used for Comparing and Contrasting

Questions to Ask — What are the similarities and differences?

• Life cycles — Compare and contrast different life cycles.
• Characters — Compare and contrast characters. What are their qualities and how do they differ?
• Ice Breaker — Pair students and encourage them to share details about themselves. Have them map out their differences and their similarities.
• Countries — Have students chart out the similarities and differences of countries that they’re studying. Encourage them to go further and ask why they have these similarities or differences.
• Government — Have students compare and contrast how different countries are governed to help them better understand differences between governments.

Bridge Map — Used for Seeing Analogies

Questions to Ask — What is the analogy being used? What is the guiding metaphor?

• Historical documents — Have students highlight historical documents and their purpose. For example, in the Constitution, the Preamble has the purpose of establishing the goals of the Constitution whereas the purpose of the 7 Articles of the Constitution is to create a balance of power.
• Scientific concepts — Give students a clearer picture, i.e., the chromosome is the building plan of the body whereas blueprints are the building plans of houses.
• History and Social Studies — Compare different historical events in different countries or even look at broader concepts, i.e., Mexico was once ruled by Spain whereas the U.S.A. was governed by Great Britain.
• Measurements — Have students show different ways to measure and what they measure, i.e., triple beam balance measures mass as a graduated cylinder measures volume, etc.

Tree Map — Used for Classifying

Questions to Ask — What are the main ideas and details in this information?

• Word endings — Have the title be a word ending, such as ‘long o’. Under that would be long ‘o’ endings such as ‘-one’, ‘ope’, and ‘oke’. Have students put words underneath that fit with each word.
• Money values — Have the title say ‘Money’. Underneath the title, have the values ‘penny’, ‘nickel’, ‘dime’, etc. Under each coin, demonstrate different ways its value is shown or how much it’s worth.
• Place Value — Have the top titled ‘Place Value’ and have the subsequent headings say ‘ones, tens, hundreds, etc.’, and underneath have students show it in several different ways.
• Rules — Use it to showcase your rules. My main rule is respect. Underneath that I have ‘Respect the teacher’, ‘Respect your classmates’, and ‘Respect yourself’. Under that are more concrete things, such as interrupting, distractions, etc. This could also work for outlining expectations for think-pair-share, Socratic Seminars, and more.
• Writing — Use it to outline the main idea, supporting ideas, and then the details.
• Said is Dead — Use it to pronounce certain words as dead and give them alternatives. For example, you could have ‘said’, then break it down to positive and negative emotions. Break those down further into specific emotions, then go into detail about what words can be used to replace it.
• Concepts — Have students break concepts into what makes them up and then have them explain in their own words and illustrate it.

Brace Map — Used for Whole-Part Relationships

Questions to Ask — What are the component parts and subparts of this whole object or concept?

• This is another versatile one! Anything that can be broken down into smaller parts is a given for this map. Try breaking down the anatomy of objects, people, animals, countries, parts of a story, the scientific method, parts of a number; it is open for a lot of possibilities.

Flow Map — Used for Sequencing

Questions to Ask — What happened? What is the sequence of events? What are the substages?

• Directions — For younger kids or students that need a little extra help, have them chart out the directions, schedules, or specific routines.
• Thought Process — This is one of my favorites since our school is also very involved in the Habits of Mind. Use it to show students how they think! Have them start with the question on the left, and in the subcategories have them write their initial thoughts to the answer. In the next category over, have them write new information that they found about the question and show the new ideas for the answer in the subcategories until the answer is reached.

Multi-Flow Map — Used for Cause and Effect

Questions to Ask — What are the causes and effects of this event? What might happen next? What caused it?

• Cause and Effect — Tell students to think of a turning point in their novel. Have them fill out what caused it and what they feel it will lead to.
• Earth Effects — Have students focus on an Earth issue such as the polar caps melting or air pollution. Ask them to determine what’s causing it and what its effects will be.
• Behavior Management — Have students write about the event in question. What do they feel led to the poor decision? What are the consequences of that poor decision?
• Historical Analysis — Take any event in history and have students hash out what the cause and effects were.
• Goal Setting — Put the goal in the center with the left side being things they can do to reach their goal and the right being the benefits of achieving the goal.

 

This is just a scratch in the surface of the ways thinking maps can be used. Did anything strike a chord with you? What are some of the ways you like to implement thinking maps in your classroom?