Thinking Maps: Engaging
Students to Think Deeply
September 4th, 2013
What are
Thinking
Maps and
how are they
different from
Graphic
Organizers?
To use Thinking Maps as a “common visual
language” in your learning community for
transferring thinking processes, integrating
learning, and for continuously assessing
progress
80% of all information that
comes into our brain is
VISUAL
40% of all nerve fibers
connected to the brain are
linked to the retina
-Eric Jensen,
Brain Based
Learning
36,000 visual messages per hour
may be registered by the eyes.
DUAL CODING THEORY
Knowledge is stored in two forms:
Linguistic Form
Nonlinguistic Form
Research proves that the more we use
both systems of representation,
the better we are able to
think and recall knowledge.
FRAME OF REFERENCE
Circle Map
Identify the THOUGHT
PROCESS
DEFINING IN CONTEXT
The Circle Map is used to define a concept,
word or idea. It is a great map to use to
diagnose prior knowledge, brainstorm
before writing, or use as a lesson closure.
Guiding Questions for Adding a Frame of
Reference:
• How do you know what you know?
• Where are you getting your
information?
Bubble Map
Identify the THOUGHT PROCESS
DESCRIBING
Guiding Questions for Adding a Frame of
Reference:
• Using a frame with a bubble map allows
students to justify the inferences they
just made about a topic. In the frame,
they should include specific quotes from
a source or specific support for the
adjectives they choose.
• “How do you know that _________ can
be described as __________?”
Double Bubble Map
Identify the THOUGHT PROCESS
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Guiding Questions for Adding a
Frame of Reference:
• Are they using prior
knowledge or specific past
experiences?
• Are they using information
that they have read from a
specific textbook or seen on
a video?
• Are they being asked to use
their observation skills to
determine similarities and
differences?
Tree Map
Identify the THOUGHT PROCESS
CLASSIFYING
If you are using the Tree Map to sort,
the frame will encourage children to
think about why they are classifying
the way that they are.
• Does a certain point of view
influence how you categorized this
information?
If they are using the map to identify
details, main ideas and topics, the
frame requires them to identify the
sources or past knowledge and
experiences that they referenced.
• What sources did you use to
gather the main idea and
supporting details about this topic?
Use this map for Classifying and/or
identifying Main Idea and
Supporting Details
Brace Map
Identify the THOUGHT PROCESS
WHOLE TO PART RELATIONSHIPS
Guiding Question for Adding a
Frame of Reference:
• What sources did you use to
identify the whole and its
parts?
Flow Map
Identify the THOUGHT PROCESS
SEQUENCING
Guiding Questions for Adding a
Frame of Reference:
• How do you know what you
know about this sequence?
• What prior knowledge and/or
experiences influence your
understanding about this
process or series of events?
• Where did you get your
information?
• Which event in the story was
most important? Why?
• What was your favorite part of
the story? Why?
• What do you think the author
was trying to teach us?
Use this map for sequencing the stages
and sub-stages of an event, identifying the
steps in a process, and ordering
information.
Multi-Flow Map
Identify the THOUGHT PROCESS
CAUSE AND EFFECT
Guiding Questions for Adding a Frame of
Reference:
• Where did you get your information?
• Did a specific time period influence the
causes and/or effects?
BRIDGE MAP
Identify the THOUGHT PROCESS
SEEING ANALOGIES
Guiding Questions for Adding a Frame of
Reference:
• How do you know what you know?
• Why is it important to know these
relationships?
Questions ???