From Circle Maps to Team Mind-Mapping

In a reading group focusing on comprehension, we recently read the nonfiction book Finding Tasty Foods in Unlikely Places by Terry Miller Shannon. In this text, we read about three types of food that are made, found, or harvested by animals. These foods are in high demand in some places around the world and are very expensive, but they are not well known here in Illinois.

After we read about each type of food, we created a circle map to help us organize important details about what we read. By creating a circle map together, we were able to discuss what we read and create a visual summary of important facts about each type of food.

After we read and discussed each type of food, we used a Kagan structure called Team Mind-Mapping to help us share our understanding of the text. To begin this structure, we wrote the main idea of the text in the center of a large piece of chart paper. Then, we wrote the name of each of the three types of food we read about in our text.  After our mind map was set up, each student was given a different color marker. The students then began adding their thinking to the mind map. The students worked to write about what they knew about each type of food from the text. By the students having their own marker color, each student felt that he/she was accountable for adding his/her thinking to each part of the mind map. Finally, after the students wrote down all of their ideas, we discussed our text using our mind map as our visual guide. We noticed similarities and differences between the three types of food we learned about in the text.

By first using circle maps, we were able to gather information and discuss the foods we were reading about in the text. Then, Team Mind-Mapping allowed the students to show what they knew about the text in a collaborative way that involved all group members and created a visual display of what they learned about some unique foods.