Thinking maps
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Thinking Maps are graphic organizers for presenting information. They were designed to help students gather and present information. The eight thinking maps are: circle maps, tree maps, bubble maps, double bubble maps, flow maps, multi-flow maps, brace maps, and bridge maps. Using these maps, children should be able to organize any information they might need into a useable, understandable, and organized format. They are copyrighted by Thinking Maps, Inc., a division of Innovative Sciences, Inc.
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[edit] Types of Maps
[edit] Circle Maps
Circle maps are designed for 'defining in context'. They consist of a center circle, for a topic, a larger circle, to describe the topic, and a square, called the frame of reference. The frame of reference describes where the information came from.
[edit] Tree Maps
Tree maps are for classifying and grouping. They have a subject at the top, then some examples of that topic. Under each example are other describing words.
[edit] Bubble Maps
Bubble maps help to describe things. The subject is in the center bubble, with adjectives attached in other bubbles connected with lines.
[edit] Double Bubble Maps
The dubble bubble map is similar to a Venn Diagram. It helps to compare and contrast subjects. Two bubbles are drawn with the two subjects in between them, then their similarities are drawn in bubbles in the middle, with lines coming from both subjects to the similarities. The differences are drawn by drawing a bubble with a topic specific to only one subject and a line connecting the two.
[edit] Flow Maps
Flow maps are for ordering a series of events. They have a title, and boxes of events in order. Under each event there may be smaller boxes to describe it.
[edit] Multi-Flow Maps
Multi-flow maps are for looking at causes and effects. They have many boxes containing causes which lead to one central box, which has one subject that is caused by all of those. This central box leads to more boxes that are caused by it.
[edit] Brace Maps
Brace maps help to break something down. They have the title, and then break it down in to smaller parts, then break those into smaller parts, and so on.
[edit] Bridge Maps
Bridge maps are designed to show similarities between things. They have two subjects on a line, with the word "as" in the middle to show they are similar. Underneath the line, they have examples of each.
[edit] Controversy
Thinking maps are very controversial. Many students and teachers don't feel that they help anymore than normal note taking. These maps are designed to replace other methods which already work. For instance, Venn Diagrams are simple and effective, and students can be confused by being introduced to Double Bubble Maps instead. Thinking maps are also very expensive to schools. Thinking Maps, Inc. sells the kits needed to teach teachers and students and many feel this money could be used for better purposes. http://www.thinkingmaps.com
