Concept Map

Concept Maps enable students to represent their knowledge or understanding about a topic in a graphic or visual way. This open-ended exercise prompts participants to draw or write what they think about a topic and draw connections or links between related ideas. Concept Maps can be used to gauge the level of familiarity that students have with a topic at the beginning of a program, as well as to assess how their understanding changes over time.

When to Use: At the beginning and end of a project; at intervals along the way

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Participants: Youth, Adults, Educators

Supplies: 

• Paper or Concept Map template, markers

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Sample Process: 

• Start with the central idea or question in the middle of the page
• Draw related ideas with levels of hierarchy and specificity with lines connecting to main idea
• Add examples and focus on connections between related ideas

Formats: Concept maps can explore ideas in different ways.

• Similarities and differences (Venn Diagrams)
• Relationships as part of a process (Food Chain)
• Main concept with supporting or related topics (Mapping)
• Outlines - main themes with increasing levels of detail

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Resources:

• Guidelines for using Concept Maps from The Eberly Center - Carnegie Mellon University
• Different forms of Concept Maps from The Learning Center - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill