Welcome to the

Thinking Maps® TrainingWelcome to Back to School Night with the

Thinking Maps!

Your School Name

Date

Back to School Night with the Thinking Maps

Our school family is hosting a Back to School Night with

the Thinking Maps.

Give you, our wonderful parents, an opportunity to learn the Maps (and maybe even improve YOUR thinking

skills!).

Empower you to support your children’s use of the Maps

throughout the school year.

Bring our school family together!

Align all of us: parents, students, and teachers, around a common goal:

Effectively implementing the Thinking Maps.

The Power of Visual Symbols

It’s time for a group quiz!

Your Objective: Shout out the answer to this

question: “What do these symbols make you THINK?”

80% of all information that comes into our brain is VISUAL.

40% of all nerve fibers connected to the brain are linked to the

retina.

36,000 visual messages per hour may be registered by the

eyes.

-Eric Jensen, Brain Based Learning

The Age-Old Teacher Dilemma

“Understanding a subject results from perceiving relationships. The brain is designed as a

pattern detector.”

Caine & Caine. (1994). Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain.

Why doesn’t “THINK,

THINK, THINK!” work?

It’s not brain compatible teaching!

“Our function as educators is to provide our students with the sorts of experiences that enable them to perceive

patterns that connect.”

So Why Thinking Maps?

Thinking Maps…• “are a common visual language for learning within and

across disciplines” in grades preK-12th and beyond! (Did you know there are over 750 graphic organizers floating around!?! 750 vs. 8

• are a scientifically proven method to help boost student academic achievement, test scores, and writing skills

• provide students a tool to give information that they otherwise would never share

Thinking Maps…• allow teachers and students to share a common frame of

reference (perspective), which leads to less confusion and better communication

• allow students to SHOW their THINKING

• teach students how to learn smarter, not harder, and teachers how to work smarter, not harder

So Why Thinking Maps?

“Thinking Maps store information

the way thebrain does.”

Pat Wolfe

Dendrites

Gathers chemicals in brain fluid. It is continually looking to make connections with other neurons.

Cell Body

Converts chemicals into an electrical charge.

Axon

Transports electrical charge. It decides whether the neuron is going to use it or lose it.

Synapse

Sends chemicals back to the brain fluid. The Synapse takes the information from the axon and for a dendrite.

The Jobs of Each Neuron Part• Dendrite: Gathers chemicals in brain fluid. It is continually

looking to make connections with other neurons. The dendrite REACHES to other neurons to make connections as it SLURPS up information! BUMP!

• Cell Body: Converts chemicals into an electrical charge. They SIZZLE! BUMP!

• Axon: Transports electrical charge. It decides whether the neuron is going to “USE IT OR LOSE IT.” BUMP!

• Synapse: Sends chemicals back to the brain fluid. The Synapse takes the information from the axon (WOOHOO!) and REACHES for a dendrite. BUMP!

Now it’s time to become a brain cell!

• Line up • Assign parts • Explain jobs

4 people

per group

shoulder to shoulder

Dendrite

Cell

Body

Axon

Synapse

See next slide!

Dendrites #1

Reaches and slurps!

Cell Body #2

Sizzles!Axon #3

“Use it or lose it!”

Synapse #4

Woohoo and reaches!

Now it’s time to become a brain cell!

Neurons that fire together get wired together!

These wired together neurons form patterns in the brain!

Thinking Maps are the necessary SCAFFOLDING for meaningful learning

to take place.

To sum it all up:

Thinking Maps help students become better

learners, writers, and THINKERS!

And now an overview of the fabulous eight!

THOUGHT PROCESS

Defining in Context or Brainstorming

KEY WORDS

Context, List, Define, Tell everything you know, Brainstorm, Identify,

Relate prior knowledge, Explore the meaning, Associate, Generate

KEY WORDS

Context, List, Define, Tell everything you know, Brainstorm, Identify,

Relate prior knowledge, Explore the meaning, Associate, Generate

THE CIRCLE MAP

0 + 6

1 + 5

5 + 1

4 + 2

3 + 3

2 + 4

6 + 0

6

?sideburns

famous

Cadillac

May still be alive

THOUGHT PROCESS

Describing

KEY WORDS

Describe, use vivid language, observe using the 5 senses, describe

feelings, attributes, characteristics, properties,

adjectives, qualities

KEY WORDS

Describe, use vivid language, observe using the 5 senses, describe

feelings, attributes, characteristics, properties,

adjectives, qualities

THE BUBBLE MAP

REMEMBER:Only use adjectives or adjective phrases.

Page 11

4TH Grade Special

Education Class

THOUGHT PROCESS

Comparing and Contrasting

KEY WORDS

Compare and contrast, discuss similarities and

differences, distinguish between,

differentiate

KEY WORDS

Compare and contrast, discuss similarities and

differences, distinguish between,

differentiate

THE DOUBLE BUBBLE MAP