Mind Mapping Environmental Changes of the Everglades

Yesterday, my students worked collaboratively to create mind maps about environmental changes to the Everglades.  Before starting I demonstrated how to create a mind map using the topic of bullying.  I gave each group a piece of manilla paper and two boxes of crayons.  I posted three questions to help prompt conversation and thinking: (1) What plants and animals did the storyteller describe? (2) In the story, what changes happened in the Everglades environment? (3) Think about our learning point, how did changes in the environment affect the organisms that live there?

I gave five minutes for conversations, then started our work music.  Some groups had decided their main ideas that would sprout off of the topic and immediately started to write and illustrate.  Others took turns and passed the paper to each member to make a contribution.  Some groups seemed to bicker or argue.  In both classes I had one group that had a very difficult time getting along because of leadership issues.  Too many chiefs and all that.  It was a pretty typical work period.  Most groups were able to lay aside their disagreements and move forward. 

My AM class seemed to really struggle with the mind map format since it was their first time ever doing one.  During my lunch, I found examples of mind maps to show my PM class.  My PM class seemed to understand the concept of mind mapping a little better because of it.

Here are the pictures of the bulletin board I made with some close ups of their mind maps:

This is the bulletin board of both of my classes mind maps.  You can see that while the format was similar, each groups product was unique.

This is an exemplary example for the format.  This is the only group that found connectivity to the main ideas off the topic.  They did not discuss changes like drainage or settlement, and how that would affect the animals and their habitat.

I wish the text on this was clearer.  Their four main ideas were pollution, Over-harvesting, colonization, Poachers.  Their sub-ideas were worded in a very mature way.  They lack the connectivity between main ideas but their main ideas are very well thought out and detailed.

This is a simpler mind map but This group wanted to use pictures.  In this group were several students who struggle with writing.  They opted for labels and pictures to illustrate.

We will be doing the next workshop day on Friday (Oct. 29).  The water quality lab.  I'm actually pretty nervous because there are lots of hand outs and steps.  I want them to be successful but there is one of me and 20 of them.  I'm sure it will be fine.