1 Concept Maps Dr. K. Rommel-Esham Curr 316 What is a concept map? » A knowledge representation tool that students can use as they construct knowledge and understanding » A way to help you “see” what students are trying to think about » A “drawing” of an idea » A tool to help students visualize when you expect them to develop their own ideas and explanations » A tool that can help students determine the ways in which many different ideas relate to one another. What do concept maps do? » They add a visual dimension to written text » They provide a way for students to organize their thoughts2 Can I use them for anything else? » You can use them to plan a lesson » You can use them to plan projects that are integrated across the curriculum » You can use them for assessment Where do I begin? » Start with a list of words that result from brainstorming all the concepts related to the topic: FLOATING Fresh water Oil Salt water Butter Cork Potato slice Grape Egg3 Then what? » Order the concepts from the most inclusive (superordinate) to the most specific (subordinate). Work from top to bottom, placing more general topics at the top and more specific topics below: Like this… What now? » Link the superordinate concept with the subordinate concepts by using arrows. Link concepts using cross-links (rays) to show how ideas in different parts of the map relate4 …like this: Then? » Add linking words. Add short phrases such as “relates to,” “is based on” and “is made of” to explain how the ideas are connected What does a completed concept map look