From Textbooks to Chromebooks 2-Thinking Maps

Yesterday I introduced our first year of going 1:1 at Pepper Tree Elementary.  I mentioned that I would follow up with a discussion of how each of the items was used in our classrooms.  We started by introducing the main apps of the Google Suite.  During the first two weeks of school, we used Drawing, Slides, and Docs in get to know me activities.  In addition to going 1:1 we also wanted to begin using  Thinking Maps.  We decided to introduce a different thinking map each day to have students tell us about themselves using Google Drawing and/or Google Slides.  Here is an example of a circle map using Google Drawing to "define" themselves.  Next, we introduced a bubble map for them to describe themselves.  That was followed by a double bubble map for them to compare/contrast themselves to a friend.  We continued with the same general idea until we finished covering the rest of the thinking maps: tree maps, brace maps, flow maps, multi-flow maps, and bridge maps.  After completing the maps, we then used Google Docs to have the students write an essay about themselves.  Click Here for an example.