What and how young children are thinking are typically expressed and shared at home and school through verbal and written modes of communication. As a visual language framework conceived and developed by David Hyerle, Thinking Maps® offers an additional way for learners to represent their ideas by visually mapping their fundamental patterns of thinking. The authors offer a wide range of materials, strategies, and evidence-based practices for implementing Thinking Maps (and the metacognitive framing strategy that each map promotes) in ways that are developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and more inclusive with the full range of pre-K to 2nd-grade children. Since 1990, Thinking Maps have been implemented by teachers in over 15,000 schools across the United States and around the world, including countrywide implementation in Malaysia. This guide provides a whole-child approach with practical ideas and best applications for working with emergent readers and writers across developmental domains, curricula, and executive function.Book Features: Promotes systematic support of every students' cognitive development in whole schools (pre-K–2). Demonstrates how to use visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic activities and materials to increase student engagement. Recommends Universally Designed Learning strategies to ensure full access and inclusion with diverse learners and children with disabilities. Includes graphically designed examples of Thinking Maps across content areas. Provides examples of student work, lesson planning ideas, and curriculum design based on cognitive education. Links language and thinking in everyday classroom learning for individual and cooperative learning.

Table of Contents:
Contents List of Figures  vii List of Tables  xi Foreword Yvette Jackson  xiii Acknowledgments  xv Introduction: Can I Use Thinking Maps With Young Children? Yes, You Can!  1 Thinking Maps: Integrating Three Types of Visual Tools  2 Why Early Childhood?  3 Thinking Maps as a Learning, Teaching, and Assessment Framework  4 1.  Bringing Thinking Maps to Life  9 Learning Trajectories and Developmental Progressions  9 The Five Critical Attributes of Thinking Maps  12 TMaps Tap Into Prior Knowledge and Experience  14 Thinking Maps Exemplifies Universally Designed Learning (UDL)  15 Conclusion  21 2.  Thinking Maps Across Developmental Domains  22 Developmentally Appropriate Practice  22 Domain 1—Cognitive Development  24 Domain 2—Socioemotional Development  28 Domain 3—Physical and Healthy  29 Domain 4—General Learning Competencies  29 Conclusion  30 3.  Thinking Maps Across Academic Content Areas  31 Thinking Maps Inspire Talking, Reading, and Writing  32 Thinking Maps Support Logical-Mathematical Reasoning  42 Thinking Maps Promote Scientific Thinking, Reasoning, and Inquiry  44 Engineering Design and Technology With Thinking Maps  54 Social Studies Instruction and Thinking Maps  55 Related Early Childhood Approaches and Curricula  57 Conclusion  59 4.  Thinking Maps Promote Democratic Learning Communities With Full Community Membership  60 Thinking Maps Promote Responsive, Democratic Learning  60 Conclusion  71 5.  Thinking Maps Provide Authentic Formative Assessment and Documentation  72 A Brief Historical Perspective of Standardized Testing  72 Classroom Assessments  74 Conclusion  80 6.  The Science Underlying Thinking Maps With Young Children  81 Research and Theoretical Foundation for Thinking Maps  81 Executive Function  81 Self-Regulation  84 Habits of Mind  85 Alignment With Standards  87 Conclusion  89 Appendix: Glossary  91 References  93 Index  105 About the Authors  111