Need a better way to keep track of what you learn in class? Try these 4 Thinking Maps!

School can be overwhelming!

Do you find it difficult to organize your ideas and information from class effectively?

There's a solution: Thinking Maps!

By using graphic learning tools like Thinking Maps, you can visualize what you're thinking.

In our busy world where we often have too much information to deal with, it's super important to have skills that make things simpler, boost your creativity, and help you learn better.

Thinking Maps are like a special tool that helps us understand problems and think clearly.

Thinking Maps are helpful for:

• Simplifying difficult ideas

• Organizing information

• Learning new information

• Making connections

• Solving problems

  

This video will help you to understand what Thinking Maps are about:

Image courtesy of The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

With practice, you'll start to learn the purpose of each Thinking Map.

• Start easy and work your way up.

• Look at your objective to determine the learning goal.

• Consider the thinking process you're using.

• Decide which Thinking Map will best link to your thinking process.

The Circle Map helps you define something and show your understanding of a topic.

Image courtesy of Tammy McCauley via Pintrest

How to create a Circle Map:

• Write a topic or idea in the center of your page.

• Draw a circle around it.

• Write (or draw) all of your ideas about this topic/idea in the circle.

• Draw a wide circle around everything once you're finished.

• Draw a box around everything to make your "frame of reference."

• Write in the box ideas for how you know what you know and what influenced your thinking.

Use the Double Bubble to make comparisons between two subjects.

Image courtesy of T.M. Westbrook

How to create a Double Bubble Map:

• Draw two large circles.

• Write the topic names or words of the two things you want to compare in the circles.

• Draw middle bubbles for the words or phrases that show similarities.

• Add the outside bubbles for the words or phrases you want to contrast.

Use a Brace Map to show the relationship between a large topic and its basic parts.

Image courtesy of EdrawSoft

How to create a Brace Map:

• Fill in the name of the relevant object on the line on the left.

• Write the major parts of the object on the lines within the first brace to the right.

• Write the subparts of each major portion on the lines within the following set of braces.

Use the Tree Map to classify things and ideas.

Image courtesy of Tammy McCauley via Pintrest

How to create a Tree Map:

• Write the name of the category or topic on the first line.

• Begin writing sub-categories underneath that across different branches.

• Write particular members of the group beneath each sub-category branch.

Activity: What are the differences and similarities between Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln?

Steps:

1. Look at the activity question to determine the learning goal.

2. Think to yourself: "Am I classifying, describing, defining, or comparing?"

3. Determine which map will make the most sense.

Here's what your Double Bubble map comparing the two Presidents could look like:

The most important aspect of applying Thinking Maps is that you have to spend time learning how to use each map.

To learn more: