Resource 2: Sample mind map

Preliminary activity – creating a mind map of all we know about water

Teacher resource for planning or adapting to use with pupils

Pupils work in small groups, talking and thinking about different aspects of water, and creating a mind map of one particular aspect. The aspects set out include:

  • properties of water;
  • where water is found;
  • pollutants;
  • uses of water;
  • sources;
  • dangers;
  • cultural beliefs.

This is a very valuable activity. Instead of testing what the pupils don’t know, they have an opportunity to share what they do know. They are encouraged to help one another, not to compete against one another. This is a good way to assess what the pupils know and how well they work as a group.

The following page shows a mind map of all the information teachers thought of at a workshop:

Resource 1: Surviving in the desert

Resource 3: Instructions for making a waterwheel