Concept Map reflection
I have recently had the privilege of seeing several concept maps on a variety of subjects. These are the top five that I found to be useful for both students and teachers.

Zack Armijo -The Pueblo Revolt for grades 11 and 12
I learned a little more about the Pueblo revolt, really more than I learned in my New Mexico history class. I learned that the cause of the Pueblo Revolt was the disruption of economy, and the rape of pueblo women, forced labor, and forced practice of Spanish religion.
What I found interesting about this concept map and the presentation overall is the depth that Zack went into. It explained what caused the revolt, how the revolt took place and how it ended with the Spanish being driven out of the Pueblo's territories. I think a teacher could use this a great teaching aid for their class, or it could even be used as a fill in the blank activity.

David Guerin-What an ideal Daycare should be- Expecting parents
Though I am not an expecting parent I found this concept map to be quite interesting. I found it interesting because David explained that one could never be too careful in where a parent should place their child for daycare. He also brought up that most parents should ask for a tour of the facility in order for them to see what their child will be doing. I also learned that there is free state pre-k for both 3 and 4 year olds and that those who live in a title one district gets priority. I could easily see this being used as a teaching aid in a planned parent hood class.

Shanan Oppedahl- How to make a plant grow- kids k-2nd grade
I do know how plants grow, but I liked Shanan's concept map because it illustrated how plants grew in a way that I never thought to explain, she had it set up in a way where each element in the process played into the next. I did however learn that some plants don't need sunlight to grow through someone else's question. This concept map could easily be used not only to explain the topic of plants but also further characterizations of plants, like specific types. It could also be used as an in class activity where kids could possible draw on the board what each plant looks like.

Litzia Gonzales-Orozco-Eco Systems- grades 8th and 9th
I liked Litzia's concept map because it showed the various components of an eco system as well as explaining in great depth what each component did and its importance. I learned that an eco system can occur pretty much anywhere, including on the tip of a pen, due to the various bacteria's that live there. What I found interesting is the amount of components found in a successful eco system, I had no idea that there were so many deciding components in an eco system. Her concept map can be used as a teaching tool, in the sense where she could teach it all in one day or she could choose to focus on one part in a separate lecture.


Crystal Thompson-Leonardo da Vinci- High school art
Crystal's concept map was quite impressive. I learned that Leonardo da Vinci was born in Florence in 1492, and that he went on to have several famous paintings outside of the Mona Lisa, most notably the Vitruvian man. What I found interesting about her concept map was in the way she organized it, by explaining his paintings first and then moving into other aspects of the famous artist/inventor. I think that she could use her concept map not only as a lecture tool but also to introduce the different types of tools and techniques that she will teach her students in class.

Again all of the concept maps were wonderful, but theses are the 5 that stuck out most to me.
Markita Williams