3 fun visuals about language - Show and Tell Tuesday part 5

Ready to learn about more fun visuals? This week features some unique maps that show the power of language. Although they appear to be rudimentary tools, I will show you that they can be applied to more advanced tasks.

Semantic map

Semantic maps are educational tools used to show relationships between literary concepts or vocabulary words. They help build on prior knowledge to create new understandings of ideas.

These usually look like mind maps. To begin, students place an unknown word in the center, then add related words, phrases, definitions, pictures, and images around it.

I hope the one I've created below demonstrates that we are forever developing new understandings.

Bridge map

Bridge maps show analogies, or relationships between two ideas, topics, etc. They are most helpful for comparing subjects that might not normally relate. 

To create one, draw a line on the left and on it write the relationships that will be described to the right. Then on the right start with a pair of words with this relationship, writing one word above a line and the one related to it below the line. Then draw a bridge signifying "as" from this line to a second pair of words with the same relationship as the first.

I decided to use the one below to show how major sectors relate, perhaps more than we may think.

Brace map

Brace maps are used to break a whole down into its component parts. The labeled parts become more specific as the map's development progresses.

First, write the name of the object in the center to the left. Then to the right of the object's name draw a bracket that contains all of its major parts. To the right of each major part list subparts within smaller brackets. Proceed to the right until the desired level of detail is reached.

This one is a cursory look at the human microbiota:

Feel free to share comments below about any of these that you create! Next week I'll dive into visuals about amounts.

And in case you missed them, here are previous blogs in this series: