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Generate Sort Connect Elaborate

This document describes a routine for creating concept maps to organize understanding of a topic. The routine involves generating ideas about a topic, sorting the ideas from central to tangential, connecting related ideas with lines and explanations, and elaborating on the ideas. Concept maps activate prior knowledge, facilitate making connections among ideas, and help uncover students' mental models of a topic. The routine can be used as a pre- or post-assessment and individually or with the class to build a shared map over time. Tips for using the routine include demonstrating it first, allowing time for each step, and encouraging additions and discussion.

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Sonia Milena Hernandez Rodriguez
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182 views1 page

Generate Sort Connect Elaborate

This document describes a routine for creating concept maps to organize understanding of a topic. The routine involves generating ideas about a topic, sorting the ideas from central to tangential, connecting related ideas with lines and explanations, and elaborating on the ideas. Concept maps activate prior knowledge, facilitate making connections among ideas, and help uncover students' mental models of a topic. The routine can be used as a pre- or post-assessment and individually or with the class to build a shared map over time. Tips for using the routine include demonstrating it first, allowing time for each step, and encouraging additions and discussion.

Uploaded by

Sonia Milena Hernandez Rodriguez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Generate, Sort, Connect, Elaborate: Concept Maps

A routine for organizing one’s understanding of a topic through concept mapping

Select a topic, concept, or issue for which you want to map your understanding.

• Generate a list of ideas and initial thoughts that come to mind when you
think about this particular topic/issue.

• Sort your ideas according to how central or tangential they are. Place
central ideas near the center and more tangential ideas toward the
outside of the page.

• Connect your ideas by drawing connecting lines between ideas that


have something in common. Explain and write in a short sentence
how the ideas are connected.

• Elaborate on any of the ideas/thoughts you have written so far by


adding new ideas that expand, extend, or add to your initial ideas.

Continue generating, connecting, and elaborating new ideas until you feel you
have a good representation of your understanding.

Purpose: What kind of thinking does this routine encourage?


This routine activates prior knowledge and helps to generate ideas about a topic. It
also facilitates making connections among ideas. Concept maps help to uncover
students’ mental models of a topic in a non-linear way.

Application: When and where can it be used?


This routine can be useful as a pre-assessment before the beginning of a unit of
study if students already have a lot of background information about the topic.
Conversely, it can also be useful as a post or ongoing assessment to see what
students are remembering and how they are connecting ideas. Individual maps can
be used as the basis for construction of a whole classroom map. Maps can also be
done progressively, with students adding to their maps each week of the unit.

Launch? What are some tips for starting and using this routine?
Depending on how much familiarity students have with concept maps, you may need
to demonstrate making a concept map using this routine with the whole class.
However, if students are relatively familiar with the idea of concept maps, you can
launch right into the routine explaining that students will be making concept maps but
in a structured way. Give time for students to complete each step of the routine
before moving on to the next step. It isn’t necessary that students generate an
exhaustive list of all their ideas initially, but make sure they have time to generate a
rich and varied list before moving on. Tell students that at any point they can add
new ideas to their list and incorporate them into their map. If you are adding to a
map over time, you might want to have students use a different color pencil each
time they make additions. Explaining and discussing maps with partners helps
students to consolidate their thinking and gain other perspectives.

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