Concept Maps

Concept maps are a great way for teachers to gauge the knowledge learned after a lesson. We used this simple concept map in our Global Collboration to see what the children had learned about each other's country and culture. We realized that the knowledge learned was a limited view through the eyes of these particular children involved in our collaboration, but it at least offered some insight into the gain of global knowledge that hopefully progressed through spending time together. We hoped it would show progress in learning and it did. We gave a blank concept map to each child at the beginning of the collaboration and suggested that they write what they knew about the other country/culture. Understandably, the concept maps were returned with very few comments. At the end of our collaboration, we gave them a blank concept map and once again asked them to write what they knew about the other country/culture. It was amazing how much the children could share after spending 16 weeks sharing with each other about their lives. Feel free to use this concept map, create one of your own or explore online sites that offer concept map templates.