Map Builder is an interactive and engaging web tool!

 

With Map Builder, teachers can prepare Maps for their lessons. Students can use the web-based tool to create their own Maps as they enhance their writing skills. Everyone can learn, share and solve problems throughout the year and save all of their work in an electronic portfolio.






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How do I add a Map or Writing Window to my exercise?





 On the bottom left of your Map Builder screen is a (+) icon. Clicking it will reveal the tools you may add to your Thinking Maps exercise.  You may add multiple writing windows to your exercise.  Be sure to move the first writing window to the right to allow you to see subsequent writing windows.  Once you re-position your writing windows, the positions will be remembered. 




How do I add text to my Map? 



Adding an idea or thought to your Map is achieved by clicking and dragging the Idea Generator to the desired location on your Map. 


The Idea Generator is located on the bottom right of your screen. 



How do I add a Frame of Reference around my Map?

The Frame of Reference will always be created when you add a Map to your exercise. To access it click or tap the light purple frame. It will change to dark purple. Toggling back and forth will also hide or reveal the Frame text. Release the Idea Generator once the landing zone turns yellow to add Frame text.  Repeat these steps to add more Frame Text.


How do I change the text size on my Map?


Changing the text size, color and more is available through your formatting panel. Single click on any object. Doing so will reveal three icons: a paintbrush, an "x" and a double sided arrow. The paintbrush icon will allow you to change the size of your text, assign a different font, change the color or even add a hyperlink.







How do I add an image to my Map?



Single click the part of the Map that you want to fill with an image to reveal the paintbrush icon. Clicking the paintbrush icon will reveal your formatting panel. 



Choose the second tab labeled "Fill." At the bottom of the format panel select "Browse for Image" to find your image.  Select the image and click "Open."  If the image does not fit the object, check the box labeled "Shrink to Fit."



How do I add a hyperlink to my Frame of Reference?

Click or tap the Frame of Reference to activate.  Click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator from its original position just inside the purple Frame to add frame text.  Single click the frame text box and open the formatting panel by clicking the paintbrush icon.  






Choose the fourth tab in the properties / format panel labeled "More."  Copy/paste the URL into the hyperlink space and select "Add."  Notice the "link" icon  now in the left bottom corner of the frame text box.  Double click in the frame text box and type in a description for the site referenced.  Click the link icon  to check the validity of the source.



How do I add a Writing Window to my exercise?


Click the (+) icon. Select the writing window. You can add as many writing windows as you like to your Map Builder exercise. 






Clicking the "x" on the top right of the writing window does not delete it but merely closes the window. You can open it up again by clicking the yellow arrow to reveal the exercise panel which houses all of your Maps and writing windows within. To rename the writing window double click in the text box at the top of the Writing Window and type in a new title.  To move the Writing Window click/hold or tap/hold the writing icon in the top left corner of the window and drag to the desired position. Double click to type text in the Writing Window.  Use the simple edit tools at the top of the window to format, add text features, etc. 



How do I change the size of the text in my writing window?

The bar at the top of your writing window has all of your formatting tools. Clicking the first icon starting from the left side will reveal your text size options.


How do I build a Circle Map?

Add a Circle Map to your exercise by clicking the (+) icon on the bottom left of your screen. Select the Circle Map.  

The Circle Map will now appear on your screen. Double click inside the center circle to enter your topic.  To add information in the outer circle simply locate the Idea Generator in the bottom right corner of the user interface and click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator inside the outer circle.  When you see the outer circle turn yellow release the Idea Generator.



How do I build a Bubble Map?  

Add a Bubble Map to your exercise by clicking the (+) icon on the bottom left of your screen. Select the Bubble Map.  Double click inside the center bubble to enter text.  To add a descriptor or outer bubble, locate the Idea Generator in the bottom right corner of the user interface.  Click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator from its starting position to the center bubble.  When the center bubble turns yellow, release the Idea Generator.  Repeat these steps to add more bubbles to your Map. 


How do I build a Double Bubble Map? 

Add a Double Bubble Map to your exercise by clicking the (+) icon. Select the Bubble Map.  Double click inside the bubbles to enter text.  To add a similarity bubble in the middle, locate the Idea Generator.  Click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator from its starting position to the space between the red and blue bubble.  When the landing zone turns yellow release the Idea Generator to add the similarity bubble.  To add differences to either the red or blue bubble click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator from its original position to the red or blue bubble.  When the red bubble or blue bubble turns yellow, release the Idea Generator to add a difference bubble.  Repeat these steps to add more bubbles to your map.




How do I build a Tree Map? 



Add a Tree Map to your exercise by clicking the (+) icon. Select the Tree Map.  Double-click the topic line to enter text.  


To add a subcategory to the topic locate the Idea Generator.  Click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator from its starting position to the topic or top line.  When the top line turns yellow release the Idea Generator.  


To add additional subcategories click/drag or tap/drag from the Idea Generator to the topic line.  There are two “landing zones” in the subcategory position: the top landing zone adds a subcategory while the bottom landing zone adds a detail.  


To add more details either click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator to the subcategory line or the existing detail line. Again, double-click to add text to any part of your map.  


To add a subcategory to a subcategory click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator to the topic line then click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator to the top "landing zone" just above the word subcategory.  




How do I build a Flow Map? 




Add a Flow Map to your exercise by clicking the (+) icon. Select the Flow Map.  Double-click inside the first stage box to enter text.  Each stage box is divided into three landing zones.  Releasing the Idea Generator on the top right landing zone adds a stage after the current stage. Releasing the Idea Generator on the top left landing zone adds a stage before the current one. Releasing the Idea Generator on the bottom landing zone adds a substage.  Repeat these steps to build your Flow Map. 






How do I build a Multi-Flow Map? 

Add a Multi-Flow Map to your exercise by clicking the (+) icon. Select the Multi-Flow Map. Double click inside the event box to enter text.  The event box is divided into two landing zones.  Click/drag or tap/drag the Idea Generator from its original position to the left side of the event box.  When the left side of the event box turns yellow, release the Idea Generator to add a cause.  Releasing the Idea Generator from on the right side of the event box will add an effect. Repeat these steps to add more causes and effects to your map.  You can also add discrete events and connect them later by dragging and releasing when the landing zones appear. 




How do I build a Brace Map? 

Add a Brace Map by clicking the (+) icon. Select the Brace Map. To add a part to the whole drag the Idea Generator and release when the landing zone appears. Repeat these steps to add more parts.  To subdivide a part release the Idea Generator on the landing zone on the right side.  Repeat these steps to add more parts to this section of the Brace Map.







How do I build a Bridge Map? 

Add a Bridge Map to your exercise by clicking the (+) icon. Select Bridge Map. Double click above the line to add text to the Relating Factor.  Double click above and below the line to add text to your Bridge Map. To add more pairs to the Bridge Map release the Idea Generator when the landing zone appears. Repeat these steps to add more pairs to your Bridge Map. Clicking the "x" on the text box above or below the line will delete the pair from your Bridge Map.


Tip: Pairs are always added to the right.






How do I save my Map? 

Map Builder automatically saves your work. If you are sharing your Map with another member of the community click the reload icon to see the changes they are making to the map. 


Below we mention a "snipping tool" to capture an image of your map or part of your map and save to PNG or JPEG.  


For Windows users, here is information regarding Microsoft's snipping tool (there is a drop-down menu to select your specific version (Win7, Win8, etc): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-snipping-tool-capture-screen-shots#1TC=windows-7 


For Mac users: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snip/id512505421?mt=12


How do I export an image of my Map?

To export your Map as a PNG image access the Map Builder menu and select Export to PNG. If you prefer to save your map to PDF format, access the Map Builder menu and select Print this Map, then select Save to PDF.


Click here for more details:  Export to png





How do I export my Map into PowerPoint? 

To export your Map as a PNG image use the Map Builder menu and select Export to PNG.  OR use a "snipping tool" to capture the map and save as a PNG or JPEG.  Open your PowerPoint presentation.  Insert a blank slide.  Choose insert>picture and browse to locate your map.  Select the image of your map and click "open."  Resize your map using the corner handles of the image.


How do I export my Map into Word? 

To export your Map as a PNG image use the Map Builder menu and select Export to PNG OR use your "snipping tool" to capture the map and save as a PNG or JPEG.  Open your Word document.  Choose insert>picture and browse to locate your map.  Select the image of your map and click "open."  Resize your map using the corner handles of the image. Choose "Wrap Text" to change the way the text wraps around the image.


How do I export my Map so I can upload into Google Docs? 

To export your Map as a PNG image use the Map Builder menu and select Export to PNG   OR use your "snipping tool" to capture the map and save as a PNG or JPEG.  Create or open or Google document.  Choose Insert>Image then drag your image or browse to locate your image.  Select the image and click "Open."  Choose "Wrap Text" to change the way the text wraps around the image.


How do I navigate between multiple maps or map combos within an Exercise? 

After building your first map in an Exercise select the "Choose a Tool" (+) option.  Build your next map.  Click the left navigation arrow to open the panel that allows you to see the multiple maps within one Exercise.  







Click the map that you want to view or edit in the user interface. To add another map to the same Exercise, select the Choose a Tool (+)option and again open the left navigation panel to view or edit maps.




Can I build Hybrid Maps? 

Currently Map Builder Software will only allow one type of hybrid map (Flow and Multi-Flow Map) to be built. 




Select the Flow or Multi-Flow Map then select the "Print" icon  but choose the "Convert to Flex Mode" option.  Flex mode allows the user to sequence with a Flow Map and analyze causes and effects in the same map.



How do I print? 

Select the “print” icon  on the top navigation bar to the left of the Exercise title.  Choose “print” from the drop down menu.  Select the printer you want to print this to and choose “Color” or “Black and White.”  Click “Okay” to print.



How do I share my map exercise with others? 




From your My Maps page find the map exercise that you want to share.  Click the share icon and enter the username of the community member that you want to share your map with.  If you want them to add their ideas remove the check from Read Only.  To share with additional community members click the (+) sign and repeat the previous steps.  Then click Save.


For more details about sharing, click here:  MY MAPS | HOW TO SHARE AN EXERCISE


NOTE: Sharing one map with multiple people and removing the check from Read Only will enable each user to edit the SAME version of your map -- HOWEVER, only ONE person at a time may make changes to an Exercise and any maps within the Exercise.  Future enhancements to the Share feature are forthcoming.




How do I create groups to share my map exercise with? 

Map Builder Software supports sharing to Groups of users as well as sharing copies (Copy-Share feature) to individuals and Groups. For more details, visit this page: Sharing to Individuals & Groups.




Will Map Builder Software support video or animated images? 

Map Builder Software will support animated images or clip art.  Compatible image file types are png, jpg, gif, and tiff.