Tip #157 from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents (McKinley, Trombly) - Mind Maps
Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.
#157
Begin
at the Beginning: Mind Maps
I'm
writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shoveling sand into
a box
so
that later I can build castles.
If
you were going to take a trip across the country, you would not just go get in
your car the second you think about going and take off. You would make plans
first. You would decide on a route, what to bring with you, where to stop along
the way, etc. If you do not, you might get lost along the way, miss wonderful
sights, and not have what you want when you get there.
Well, the same is true
for writing a report: you must make a plan! Most kids like to just sit down and
start typing. No planning! They just want to get it done. The problem with that
is, like the trip, their reports wander, might not contain important
information, and may miss the mark completely.
Brainstorming
first is always a good idea. Of course, brainstorming is only one part of the
writing process (as you read about in Idea #155), but it is arguably the most
important. With interesting graphic organizers, kids can not only learn how to organize their thoughts and facts
first, but also have fun doing it.
Making
a Mind Map is a very visual and efficient way to organize ideas. To start, have
your child make a circle in the center of a sheet of paper. In it, he writes a
word or two telling the main idea of the whole report. Then, for let’s say a 5
Paragraph Essay, he will draw five lines radiating out of the center circle. At
the end of each, draw another shape such as a rectangle. In each rectangle, he
writes the main idea of each paragraph: one is the introduction; one is the
conclusion; and the middle three are the best three topics he wants to write
about that subject. The last step is to look through any sources and jot down
facts next to the correct rectangle. He can attach them to the rectangle with a
small line.
The
result is a visual picture of the whole essay. All on one page he can see
everything he is going to write about. The thesis comes from the middle circle.
Each paragraph’s topic sentence comes from the ideas in the rectangles. All of
the supporting details for the paragraph are the ideas sticking out of it.
Now,
when he goes to begin the draft, he is not just wandering aimlessly hoping to
include the right stuff. He simply looks at the mind map, begins at the
beginning, and follows along. All the planning is done, and he is well on his
way to an awesome report!
See our website for an example of a Mind Map.
Cindy McKinley Alder Patti Trombly
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For more excerpts from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents, click HERE.For more posts about books about parenting, click HERE.
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