Oh, the discoveries!
Thanks to some navigating, I found a new web 2.0 site that could be used frequently in any classroom. It's called Bubbl.us (leave out the "e"). This website is self explanatory from it's name. You can create mind maps, using
"bubbles," on any particular topic you deem necessary. A sign-in name is not required, but is helpful is you want to save your brainstorming.
A fun part of this website is the ability to change colors and move the bubbles around. Notice, I made a quick mind map on some of the new technologies we are using in ETC.
Something that sets this website apart from other mind mapping software is its ability to collaborate, have friends, and share documents with other users. Since I just found this website, I don't have any friends to show you this feature. In a classroom setting, students would be able to share their mind maps easily with each other and with the teacher. That would make the need to print no longer a need.
I use mind maps frequently and I am very excited to incorporate "bubbl" into my classroom.
Another RAVE from Jessica Goodenow!!!
Way to go Jessica! Bubbl.us is super cool and an extremely useful tool to use for collaboration and brainstorming purposes. I actually stumbled across this tool in our month two class, Multiple Learning Theory Applications, and used it for our group project to compose a concept map to share with our group members for editing and modifying. I think the best thing about it is that you can change the colors to illustrate the different roles members contribute to the project. This simple aspect alone makes the tool easy to read and appealing to the eye when viewing the material. What a fantastic tool for 6th graders to get a hold of to put their concepts on paper, or in this case, the web.
ReplyDeleteOne way that I have thought about using bubbl.us with my students is by putting them in groups of four or five and have them practice their writing within a specific genre. If you remember my Flickr lesson plan discovery, Five Card Flickr, I would incorporate this game by allowing students to randomly choose a picture from Flickr to write about as it relates to their specific genre. The group would then access bubbl.us as a group and begin adding their thoughts about their specific picture and then compose their group essay from their concept map. Not only would this give the students a more interactive way to create a graphic organizer, but would demonstrate creativity, teamwork, and the ability to utilize technology to work towards a common goal. Anyways, fantastic find with bubbl.us, Jessica. Thanks for sharing!
Jessica, thanks for sharing this tool. I too use mind maps a lot in my classroom. One of the ways that I would like to use this tool is when we create character webs. With the ability to change colors the students could use a different color per character, allowing them to keep track of the different character within the novel.
ReplyDeleteAnother way that I might could utilize this tool would be creating maps for the different types of informational texts and features of each type. I could also implement the idea that Gregg shared about using the map for collaborative work. Great tool, thanks for sharing.