Thinking maps: We learned about 8 different types of thinking maps tonight. One of the ones I will use is the circle map. The middle of the circle is a word such as spiders in the one above. Then the outer circle is things about the word on the inside of the small circle. I think this could be used when introducing a lesson. Pick a thing that is in the lesson being taught and use the bigger circle to have the students write what they know about that word/item. Then at the end of the lesson they can use a different color and write things that they learned during the lesson about the word or item in the little circle. This would engage students to expand their knowledge.
Jupiter Lesson: I liked the Jupiter lesson. I think this was a great idea for learning vocabulary. I think the lesson could be expanded on to include what they learned about the facts about Jupiter. Some type of game could also be used to learn the facts. I liked the paragraph where they thought of a name that they would use when naming it today.
Lesson Plan Evaluating: I liked evaluating the lesson plan. I think this will help me when I am writing my own lesson plans for class. I will be teaching a lesson for the second time and am not as nervous as before but am always worried about not having enough time or having too much time for the lesson and having to add or take away. I know I will get better at this but when you are being watched by so many people it is hard (not the children but the adults). I am looking forward to this observation because I have been in constant communication with the teachers I will be observing which lets me know that they care and want me to succeed. I plan on getting a lot of information this time around.
Question: How are your observations going? What is your favorite thinking map?
