Samut Saring Ceylon - More on mind maps on Day 22

Mon 22 Sep 2008 - More on mind maps on Day 22

I mentioned in a previous post that we are using mind maps for our insect study. Some moms have asked me what mind mapping is and how it is done.

Today, I have taken some photos on how their insect mindmap is coming out. At first they started with separate mind maps but Vibrant Bea's mind map, which was a week's work, was misplaced and seems like has no intention of showing up. Anyway, it turned out well because Fuzzy welcomed the idea to make the map a team work. So now, both of them are making a colorful starburst of a mind map while I am reading aloud to them The Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day by Jeannie Fulbright.

So let me proceed by answering a couple of questions about this fun learning tool which has become one of favorite activities of my children.

What is a mind map?

Mind map is a diagram which makes use of paper and colored pens to make notes on a subject or theme. Instead of the usual taking of notes, a child may draw shapes, lines, sketches to represent the words, ideas, concepts linked and arranged together radially around a main or central subject. Read more about it at Wikipedia.

Fuzzy with his Insect mind map last week.

How is a mind map made?

1. Use a paper (maybe size A4 or letter) and a set of colored markers.
2. Set your paper to landscape orientation.
3. Write the central subject or topic on the middle of the page and encircle the word. In this map, my children wrote Insects and made a very big circle where they drew some insects inside.
4. Add lines outwards from the circle and draw smaller circles as subtopics or minor themes added to the subject. Always label every circle or radiating line. Branch out from major lines to new related smaller lines as minor ideas or details branch out from subtopics. ALWAYS LABEL each topic, subtopic and detail. Read more instructions from here.

Vibrant Bea with her mindmap before it got misplaced.

This technique has so many uses which include planning, problem solving, note taking, brainstorming, outlining and more which has helped on personal, family, educational and business situations. Instead of taking notes, children may be taught to make mind maps as you read to them. Mind maps may be used in aiding a child in narrating back what he has learned or understood from a lesson.

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