Brainstorming: Bubbl.us

Create your bubbl.us account.

Rating: 5/5

Bubbl.us is website (also available in the Apple app store) that allows its users to create simple and colorful mind maps. Mind maps are visual diagrams that can help you grow your idea, describe a process, or visually describe a concept. Users begin a mind map with a parent bubble and then can create a child bubble and possibly sibling bubbles. Images can also be attached to bubbles. Users can easily organize their mind map by clicking and dragging a bubble to its desired location. The background color or text of a bubble can be changed to the users preference. Also, each mind map has its own url, in order, so that the user can easily share their work with others. The free account allows users to have up to three mind maps at a time and share their work through email. Users can upgrade to unlimited mind maps for $6/month or $59/year. Bubbl.us is very accessible because it is a website, but students who do not have a computer or Internet at home will not be able to access the website.

There are a wide array of ways that bubble.us can be integrated into the classroom. For example, I can imagine myself using bubbl.us to create a family tree of the Kings of England before starting to read Shakespeare’s histories. The mind map can also be used when doing a close reading of a poem. The teacher can create a parent bubble for each line of a poem and then create sibling bubbles for each different interpretation of a line given by students; thus, students will be able to practice divergent thinking. I see mind map being most useful in helping students with their writing. Students can use the mind map to organize their thoughts before they begin their writing. Students can insert their thesis in a parent bubble and then create sibling bubbles to support their thesis. I will request students to share their mind maps with me so that I can see what they plan on writing and provide assistance if needed. Therefore, I absolutely recommend bubbl.us because it is a simple and free brainstorming website for students and teachers.