Thinking Maps

 

The infusion of Hyerle’s Thinking Maps across the whole curriculum has provided our students with a method to sort and present information, providing a rich vocabulary to express and discuss their ideas in relation to the content they are studying and their underlying thinking.

How Are They Used?

The application of a Map to a task is not arbitrary – each Map links to a specific thinking process which is informed by the nature of a specific task. For example, in English, comparing and contrasting two characters using specific terminology could be supported by the use of a double bubble map. All learners within the class might use a ‘double bubble’ to share their ideas but the task might be differentiated through the application of a relevant ‘Frame of Reference’. These frames add a level of teacher and student flexibility to the highly structured Maps, which otherwise might be too rigid.

Thinking Map

Thinking Process

Bubble Map

Describing

Double Bubble Map

Comparing and contrasting

Tree Map

Classifying

Brace Map

Identifying whole/part relationships

Flow Map

Sequencing

Circle Map

Defining in context

Bridge Map

Seeing analogies

Thinking Toolkit