This month we launched our online concept mapping environment for individual users, becoming the first concept-mapping tool that integrates seamlessly with a wide range of digital resources. No other products on the market offer semantic analysis of digital content to aid learning and ease-of-use nor present resources side-by-side the mapping canvas. The timing of our kick-off couldn’t have been better.
While we were embarking on a historic journey in edtech, another momentous occasion began in August in Brazil.
During the international competition, Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete of all-time, surpassed the record of Leonidas of Rhodes from ancient times—a tremendous feat and a means to engage students in learning.
Educator Haley Wallace has created a lesson plan about the Olympics that fosters students' critical thinking skills while they compare the Games of today to ancient times and throughout history as well as examine larger themes of culture, patriotism, and international cooperation.
Haley demonstrates how educators can pair current events with concept mapping for an immersive learning experience for students while addressing Common Core State Standards and TEKS. In the lesson, students view various digital resources about the Games, including its history, media coverage and sports, and then create a concept map to organize the information, connect ideas and construct lasting knowledge.
You can find her lesson plan, “Making Connections With the Olympics and Concept Mapping,” for free on various education sites, including Sharemylesson.
Numerous digital resources as well as concept map templates to complement this lesson are available in Ideaphora. Logged in users can find the content under “Public Resources.” To see Haley's sample maps, users can search for "Template" in Ideaphora's public maps.
Get started today while the competition heats up in track and field!
Try some of Ideaphora’s features for free without registration, or sign up for a 45-day trial to access the full-featured platform. Educators interesting in using Ideaphora with their students can participate in the free Classroom Pilot program.
