While we think of school and learning in a linear progression, educators (and students) know firsthand how very many steps there are between the first unit of the curriculum and the last. As a biology teacher, I know that effectively connecting concepts and topics can be challenging. I constantly have to overcome my own implicit connections to better map out learning for my students. Moving from biomolecules to cells to DNA to evolution expands the students’ deeper understanding of the overall curriculum. Still, it can only really be done effectively when the lessons are mapped out and explained in a way any student can see and connect to. That’s why I often use mind mapping in my classroom.
What is Mind Mapping?
Mind mapping is a way to visually organize information. It can be used in any discipline, but I find it helpful to apply it to big concepts, like biology. I use it with my students to empower them to map out their own learning.
But don’t just take it from me: research shows that mind-mapping exercises help people increase productivity, be more creative, and make complex ideas easy to understand. If you’ve never done mind mapping before, it’s simple. You basically take a concept (like DNA) and draw out all the related words, concepts, and ideas.
Simple Steps To Use a Mind Map in a Lesson Plan
- Give each student a piece of paper and a writing utensil. I like to use presentation paper pads, so there’s plenty of room, but really any paper will do.
- Give students a key concept (such as DNA) and ask them to write 2-5 starting branches. Students draw lines between the key concept and the branch idea. These starting branches can be simple things related to the topic (like bodies or plants) or specific things (like molecules and nucleic acids). The idea here is for each student to start mapping out how they specifically understand the big concept.
- Then, the students make smaller connections to the branches by drawing lines between the ideas.
- Students have the option to label the lines themselves with how the connected concepts relate (such as “adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T) are nucleotide bases of DNA” with “are” being the branch label and A, C, G, and T being a branch and “DNA” being the key concept”)
The goal here is for students to determine how they understand the concept. It’s a great way for educators to see what students know, what they find engaging, and what areas for more learning are available. There’s no right or wrong way of mind mapping. Therefore, students can really be creative and direct their own learning.
Tools for Mind Mapping in the Classroom
While I always encourage my students to make a physical mind map with marker and paper first, I find they really love to take their learning digital. Here are the tools I most often use to make learning come alive through mind maps:
I love to use the Science Techbook for Texas from Discovery Education in my classroom. In addition, the accompanying digital tool engages my students and aligns with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Standards (TEKS). Students use the digital boards in the service to watch and read about a concept and then digitally map out information. The cool part is that the digital board can pull in resources like videos, graphics, activities, labs, notes, and even other websites!
The easy-to-use resource allows them to re-write and draw connection points as they clarified their thinking. Students often use different colored markers to connect different concepts in a way that makes the most sense to them.
Canva is a free graphic-making website my students use to make slide presentations, posters, flyers, and more. Using the infographic template, my students create mind maps. For example, one student created an infographic mind map on nucleic acids. The multi-page infographic began with the key ideas of biomolecules. The student then broke down each biomolecule separately. The templates provided are an easy-to-edit scaffold for students and can be used by those who aren’t the most comfortable with graphic design.
A Student-Led Opportunity
Mind mapping has become an essential part of my teaching toolbox. Creating the mind map first is an important step to help students identify the connections between concepts, vocabulary, and ideas. Mistakes are expected and even encouraged. After all, it’s a student-led learning opportunity!
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