Freemind is a free downloadable interactive graphic organizer and mind-mapping tool written in Java. There are versions compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. Freemind has the flexibility to make your mind map simple or complex, plain jane, or as colorful and creative as you like. You can have colorful clouds, with icons and hyperlinks.
The user documentation is not always up to date with the current version, but it’s fairly intuitive to use. You can print your completed mind map or export it in HTML, XHTML, PDF, PNG or JPEG format. There are many videos on YouTube to help you as you’re getting started. The video below does a good job of demonstrating some of Freemind’s most useful feature.
VYM (View Your Mind) is a free downloadable interactive graphic organizer and mind mapping software. Use it to dissect information from textbooks, articles, and student writing. Its versatility with branching can help students break down very complex material. Options for color, images, font sizes, notes, shapes, and hyperlinks are extensive. Students can export all or just of portion of their completed concept maps as HTML (web page), XML, BMP, JPEG, PBM, PGM, PNG, PPN, XPM, XBM, SVG, and PDF Another export filter enables a presentation in Open Office.
ReadWriteThink.org has a stellar collection of interactive graphic organizers to help students plan their writing and to help them analyze what they read. Each interactive is accompanied by lesson plans and activity ideas for teachers at the targeted grade levels.
The interactive are flash-based, giving students the option to save their organizers to an external device (on most interactives) or print them. There are mobile device versions for some of the interactives, and those are noted below.
The Graphic Map
The Graphic Map is for grades 3-12 . Plot the high and low items for any particular sequence. The points could be the significant events in the chapters of a book, any events over a time period, or scenes in a play. Students write descriptions for the points and can add images.
The Circle Plot Diagram
The Circle Plot Diagram is for grades 3-12 . Use as a prewriting organizer for writing stories with a circular plot structure. Or use as a postreading organizer for a similar purpose. Students write descriptions for each event.
The Interactive Timeline
The Interactive Timeline is for grades 3-12 . Create a sequential timeline of a series of events organized by time of day, date, or event. Write descriptions, add images to the labels. Students can save the work as a PDF, print it, and/or email it. Important note: Please have students save drafts of their timelines, even when they think they’re done. The draft format is the only one they open later to make changes. The Timeline Interactive is also available as an app for iPad/iPhone and Android devices.
The Fact Fragment Frenzy Interactive
The Fact Fragment Frenzy Interactive is for grades 1-6 . This tool helps young students with the task of doing research using nonfiction texts. They pull significant words from to a virtual notebook to distill the most important information information. Students then rewrite the essential information in their own words to show their understanding and to avoid plagiarism. The Fact Fragment Frenzy Interactive is also available as an app for iPad/iPhone and Android devices.
The Notetaker Interactive
The Notetaker Interactive is for grades 3-12. Students can choose the format that the outline will use (e.g., bullets, Roman numerals, letters) as well as enter up to five levels of information. The Notetaker includes a tutorial, which demonstrates how to use the tool, as well as a Notes area where students can track information that does not fit into the outline. The Notetaker creates an HTML file of students outlines, which can be printed or saved and edited later in any HTML editor.
The Trading Cards Creator
TheTrading Cards Creator is for grades 3-12 . Students can use this interactive for both prewriting and post-reading analysis. Kids pick a category – a character or place (real or fictional), object, event, or even a vocabulary word. Then they’re asked a series of questions that help them summarize the most important information that can fit on a card. The Trading Cards Creator is also available as an app for iPad/iPhone and Android devices.
The Cube Creator Interactive
The Cube Creator Interactive is for grades 3-12 . This four-in-one interactive can be used as a writing planner and post-reading summarization tool. Use the Bio Cube to summarize a person from a biography, or to prepare for writing an autobiography. Use the Mystery Cube to sort of clues from a mystery story, or to plan the elements of your own mystery. Use the Story Cube to outline the characters, setting, conflict, resolution and theme of any story, or to prepare writing your own story. And using the Create-Your-Own Cube interactive, teachers can make their guiding questions for a unit being studies, such as weather or ancient history.
The Drama Map Interactive
The Drama Map Interactive is for grades 6-12 . Students can use this interactive for both prewriting and post-reading analysis. Students map out the elements of character, setting, conflict, and resolution in a drama.
The Venn Diagram Interactive
The Venn Diagram Interactive isfor grades K-12 . Use a two-circle or three-circle venn diagram to compare and contrast concepts and information, identifying overlapping ideas. Students can customize their diagrams with colors and circle and font sizes. The Venn Diagram Interactive is also available as an app for iPads and Android devices.
The Webbing Tool
The Webbing Tool is for grades 3-12 . This concept mapping tool is a free-form way for students to make connections among concepts and information. They can choose from a variety of shapes and border colors. Customized versions of the tool are provided for some of the lessons and activities.
