What have you learned?

Mind maps, what a great way to help students breakdown what they know.  Mind maps can be used several different way; before lesson (to see what the students know), during (as an activity do be done as they are learning the topic), and after (to use for studying purposes).  This site, Inspiration or one like it, is one I will try to use in my classroom.


I picked History because I have a degree in history and I really enjoy learning new things about the history of the world we live in.  I picked the branches of the United States Government because I remember my son having trouble remembering who was in charge of the different branches.  I drew out what I just did on Inspiration for him to study from. This allows him to see the big picture of the United States Government, who is in charge of each main department, where they are located, and their main jobs.  If I did this in my classroom I would make this part of a webquest assignment.  I would have the students do the webquest and then do different mind maps for different parts of  the lesson they will learn. Mind maps will help students organize the main points/parts of the lesson which then the students can use a study guides. 


The most important lesson I learned from mind maps was that it is hard work brain storming.  It took me awhile to decide what my topic was going to be and then how the students were going to get the information.  Once I started it then became easy, then the hard part was deciding what shapes, colors and designs to use on the mind map.


I really liked this software, maybe because I have worked with it before and felt comfortable using it.  I really did not look at any other site for mind mapping, which maybe I should have.  The graphics are real cool and colorful.  The only thing I wish was that every time you typed in the different shapes you had to pick the font, size, and color each time.  There should be a paintbrush button, so you can just copy your font, color,and size in each shape you write in.  That was the most annoying and time consuming part of this project.


I will be checking out other on-line mind mapping sites before I do or assign this to my future class.  There maybe a friendlier site out there with a lot more graphics to choose from.  When it comes to assigning a mind map assignment I realize that you have to be very precise in your directions on what and how you want the project done.   You can do these maps several different ways and students can interperate your directions differently, so I will make sure that I put what I want from my students in black and white.


All in all I really like and enjoyed do the Inspiration mind map.  Like I said, "I will be using this tool and site again".