Thinking Maps: Click Here to Get iBooks Version of Thinking Maps
Thinking Diagrams are graphic organizers designed to support specific thinking skills and allow you to organize information. Thinking Diagrams allow you to outline your writing assignments or help you compare and contrast two different things. Comparison and contrast are ways of looking at ideas or objects and thinking about how they are alike and different. Thinking diagrams are useful tools for gathering details about information you are reading or thinking about. A thinking diagram when used for an exact purpose can help you list various characteristics about the topic you are studying. To learn more about how to use a particular thinking diagram click on the diagram itself. To download a usable thinking diagram template for your iPad click on the GOOGLE DOC button to the left below the diagram!
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BRACE MAP (PART TO WHOLE)
The brace map helps you identify whole and part relationships. It can help you to organize relationships of physical objects. A brace map is different from a tree map because you physically break things apart with a brace map. A tree map shows the classification of the parts—where you put the main ideas and details— while the brace map shows the components of the whole. |
BUBBLE MAP (DESCRIBING QUALITIES)
The Bubble Map can be used to help you describe a topic. A bubble map looks like a web diagram, but it’s not. A bubble map can only used for describing things. It uses only one part of speech—the adjective. By itself, it is one of the least useful of the 8 thinking maps. But it can be used very effectively in combination with other maps.The center circle is for the topic while the outer circles are for the qualities of that topic. It is important that these qualities are “adjectives.” Adjectives are words used to describe the attributes, properties, or traits of things. It may help to think of the topic as a subject followed by the correct form of the verb “is.” This will help to lead you towards adjectives or adjective phrases. For example, “Star is...” Your frame of reference plays an interesting role with this map as your perspectives about “Star” may change your descriptions. |
FLOW DIAGRAM (SEQUENCING)
The Flow Map will help you to help organize a sequence of events. The Flow Map allows you to show how events are related to one another. To use a Flow Map you will first need to identify some major events. Then through the use of sub stages you can offer detail by writing below the relationships to a major event. In other words the sub stages would include “actions” that happened within each segment of the event you want to described. You can use a Flow Map to show the steps of a process or a cycle. They also do not always need to be completed in a straight line. The rock cycle or water cycle is often represented in a circular “flow map.” |
CIRCLE MAP (DEFINING IN CONTEXT)
The Circle Map is used to help you define something and show your understanding of a topic. This map is used to help you define something and show your understanding of a topic. You can use a Circle Map to generate ideas, assess what you already know, and what you have learned. A Circle Map is like a shopping cart where you can assemble words or ideas, and those words and ideas are not always connected. The circle map has two circles. The center circle represents a main idea. In the middle of the circle you put a key idea. You use the outside circle to assess what you already know, and what you have learned from the main idea. |
TREE MAP (CLASSIFYING)
The underlying thinking process for a tree map is classification and organization. This is truly just an outline form. A tree map is literally the whole subject, main idea, and details. The Tree Map can help you look at text and understand the text structures. The Tree Map can also help you take information from a book and organize it. The Tree Map is also designed to help you organize your thought process. It can help you to sort items into different groups or categories, something that you will do frequently to organize new ideas. Using a Tree Map will help you group similar item by their common qualities. The goal of using a Tree Map is to identify commonalities allowing you to organize your thoughts. |
BRIDGE MAP (SEEING ANALOGIES)
A bridge map is used to illustrate analogies and metaphors. It’s helpful for showing the relationship of the concrete to the abstract.Using a bridge map can help to show relationships between two ideas, topics, areas, etc. When using this map, you must identify the “relating factors” between the pairs that are being shared. |
DOUBLE BUBBLE MAP (COMPARING & CONTRASTING)
The Double Bubble Map is useful when you compare and contrast two things. Comparison and contrast are ways of looking at objects and thinking about how they are alike and different. A double bubble map allows you to document your thinking when you are comparing and contrasting. You can show how the qualities of things are similar and different. Unlike the bubble map, you do not have to limit your words in the circle to adjectives. |
MULTI FLOW MAP(CAUSE AND EFFECT)
Multi-flow maps are one of the most powerful maps because they show cause and effect. To use the Multi-flow map you will place the event in the middle. This map can also be used to help you chart out the relationships between events. The Multi-flow Map allows you to state causes of an event before (or to the left) of a stated event and effect after (or to the right) of the stated event. This map can also be used as a “partial” multi-flow map. The partial multi-flow map allows you to just focus |