Concept maps are great to help students see the big picture. These can be completed at the end of a unit, or you can have students add on information as they learn it. Don't feel like you need to limit everything to words (like in the picture above). Students can draw pictures, you can provide pictures for them to cut and paste, or they can write it out. 

Great for:
  • Physical properties
  • Forms of energy
  • Types of forces
  • Formation of Sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels
  • Formation of landforms
  • Alternative Energy sources
  • Weather vs. Climate
  • Sun and Ocean Interactions
  • Earth, Sun and Moon Movements
  • Physical Characteristics of Sun, Earth, Moon
  • Food web Niches
  • Incomplete v Complete metamorphosis
This hand drawn concept map was completed over many days. Day 1: Student listed everything he/she knew about Atoms. (even if they were incorrect) As the class learned more about the atom, students were given time at the end of each lesson to add on new info, cross off misconceptions, or change what they had previously written down. 

This is exactly how your brain works. We are just putting it on paper.