For Students, Faculty, and Staff: MyU One Stop

Concept Definition Map

• Middle elementary and above
• Expository and narrative texts
  • Vocabulary development
  • Assess/develop/activate prior knowledge
  • Motivation
  • Set purpose for reading
  • Identify characteristics/properties
  • Identify examples
  • Expand understanding of concept beyond simple definition
  • Link new word to prior knowledge
  • Writing

Strategy Steps:

1. Display a blank model of a concept definition map.
2. Point to the questions on the map.
3. Tell students that a complete definition would answer:
1. What is it?
2. What is it like?
3. What are some examples?
4. Model how to use a concept definition map.
1. Use a familiar concept (such as horse) and elicit the relevant information for the map from the students. Write the information in the appropriate spaces in the model.
2. As you guide the students in developing a definition for the concept, emphasize that is should include:
1. The word category
2. The important properties or characteristics
3. Some specific examples
3. Repeat with a different, familiar concept from the text.
5. Present another familiar concept from the text.
1. Provide guided practice as the students develop the concept map.
2. Provide as much support as necessary for the students to be successful.
6. Present the new concept from the text the students are learning.
1. Provide guided practice as the students develop the concept map.
1. They will not write the definition at this point.
2. Provide independent practice with the new concept.
1. Cover the concept map you and the students have developed.
2. Students work in pairs to recreate the concept definition map.
3. They may use information from their reading passage, the glosary or dictionary, and their own background knowledge to complete their concept map.
4. Students use the information in the maps to write a complete definition of the concept.
5. The definitions should be more involved than simple dictionary statements and will usually contain several sentences.
7. Students share their definitions with classmates.