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Week One
All things: Heart Maps
Why use Heart Maps?
Heart Maps are used to help students build identity. There are many different types of heart maps all connected by what is important to the student. Each part of the map is a different writing topic about something they are passionate about. Click here to read more about the importance of heart maps. There are many different types of heart maps that you can use. Today we will go over four different prompts.
How to create one:
First you have your students create a shape outline. The most common is a heart. Next have them draw random lines. In each section, they will include something important to them based off of the prompt. Students may color code or draw pictures within the section to represent their example. Push students to be descriptive and think using their five senses (smell, taste, hear, see, and touch".
1. "Grateful" Map
Discuss with your students what it means to be grateful. Prompt students to take a minute to think about the things they are grateful for. Have them create the map and then fill it in with personalized nouns they are grateful for. Opportunity for students to draw instead of write or both.
2. "Things I love" map
Ask your students to imagine that they were going to take an x-ray of their heart. Once the x-ray was finished, what would it look like? What fills their heart? Have students be specific. For example if it is "their mom" have them think about a specific trait or thing about their mom. Option to color code.
3. "Things I want to change" Map
This is a new prompt that I learned about in class however I LOVE this idea. This is a way for students to brainstorm social justice issues or problems that they want to fix in the world. This empowers students to feel that they have the ability to solve problems. They are able to write things that weigh on their hearts and address those feelings through writing ways to help them.
4. "Beautiful Moments and Memories" Map
Take the time to remind students of their five senses and how to use those in their writing to make their sentences more descriptive. Talk about how senses go hand in hand with memories. Prompt students to write about their favorite memories and moments that fill their heart.
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