Concept Definition Web

Concept map on blackboard (Wavebreakmedia, iStockphoto)

Concept map on blackboard (Wavebreakmedia, iStockphoto)
Format
This strategy helps students understand the meaning of key concepts through the use of a graphic organizer.
Why use it?
- To consolidate learning during reading or viewing new material
- To give students the opportunity to explain their understanding using specific examples from a text or video
- To have students develop skills of isolating, processing and reorganizing key information
- To have students to create visual representations of information which allow the mind 'to see' patterns and relationships between concepts
Tips for success
- This strategy is best used at the beginning of a unit of study. As the unit progresses, encourage students to refine their webs and reflect upon their learning.
- This strategy works best with an expository text or video which contains sufficient information about the given concept.
How do I use it?
- Show students the blank Concept Definition Web Reproducible Template.
- Discuss the four categories on the web and what they mean; for example:
- DEFINE: a definition of the concept (What is it?)
- EXAMPLES OF IT: types of things that fit within that concept or could be described by that concept (Where can I see it? When does it happen?)
- DESCRIBE IT: essential characteristics of the concept (What does it look like? What does it involve?)
- RELATE IT: similar or related concepts (What is it similar to?)

- Provide each student with an article to read or video to watch.
- After reading/viewing either the teacher can provide the students with a concept or the students could individually choose a concept to use with the Concept Definition Web.
- Using the article or video as a source of information, each student fills in the spaces on the Concept Definition Web template.
- Students can add to and refine their Concept Definition Webs as they gather more information from other sources.
Variations
- Create a multimedia version of the Concept Definition Web using embedded images and videos to illustrate the concepts.
Extensions
- Assign students different concepts and have them create web showing relationships between concepts.
Using this Strategy
Create Your Own Concept Definition Web
Concept Definition Web Reproducible Template (Google doc) (PDF)
Create Your Own Concept Definition Web
Concept Definition Web Reproducible Template (Google doc) (PDF)
Ready-to-Use Concept Definition Webs
- A Taste of Heavy Metal: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Algae biofuel: can pond scum power the planet: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Arm Wrestling and Torque: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Billiards and Collisions: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Biofuels: An Alternative Energy Source: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Can chocolate make your brain work better?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Can You Store Electricity for Later?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Chemical Equilibrium and Panic Attacks: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- COVID-19: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Cows, methane and climate change: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- CSI Lac-Mégantic: How are victims identified after a disaster?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Dealing With Asteroids and Other Space Hazards: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Do Volts or Amps Kill You?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Do You Know What's On Your Plate?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Energy Efficiency Begins at Home: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Escape Velocity: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Eutrophication: Why you should care about pond scum?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Gamma rays: Helper or hazard?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Green Chemistry 101: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Green Walls: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Guppies, guppies everywhere: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How can I go faster on my bike?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How can understanding physics help me go faster on my bike?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How did a piece of Canada end up in Australia?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do alkaloids cause addiction: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do birds help monitor the health of ecosystems?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do clouds form?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do plants use chemical signalling?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do sleeping bags work?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How does a lavalamp work?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Is there too much carbon dioxide in your classroom?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s...a drone!: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Marine microbiology: meet the microbes of the sea!: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Measles and Measles Prevention: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Meringue: The science behind a wonderfully fluffy dessert: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Microbial fuel cells: making electricity from bacteria: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Moles and Molarity: Counting and Chemistry from Donuts to Soap: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- My stem cell donation story: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Natural selection in your backyard: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Osmosis and its role in human biology and health: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Polystyrene: The pros, the cons, the chemistry: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Searching for exoplanets around the star next door: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Should Scientists Clone Extinct Species?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Spaceflight and Bone Loss: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Stupendous suds: The extraordinary cleaning powers of soap: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Talking Trees: How do trees communicate?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Tapping underground energy with heat pumps: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Cold Pack: A chilly example of an endothermic reaction: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Environmental Impact of Wasted Food: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The hovering human: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Milky Way: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Processes that Shape Landforms: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Rock Cycle in Canada: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The View from CERN: Antimatter and Why It Matters to Me: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Thundersnow: winter thunderstorms: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What are the pros and cons of ethanol biofuel?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What if you could charge your phone using radio waves?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What if you could choose your baby?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is a crystal?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is a tornado?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What Is Air Turbulence?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is cloud seeding?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is ocean warming and why does it matter?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Where did viruses come from?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Who Created the Electronic Synthesizer?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why a trip to Outer Space could be bad for your bones: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why are Guppies so Diverse: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do apples turn brown after you cut them?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do curveballs curve? Part One: Bernoulli’s Equation: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do ice rinks stay frozen?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do scientists believe in the theory of evolution?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do ships float?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why does the Earth have layers?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why don’t fish freeze in cold Arctic waters?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why is ketchup so hard to pour?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
Ready-to-Use Concept Definition Webs
- A Taste of Heavy Metal: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Algae biofuel: can pond scum power the planet: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Arm Wrestling and Torque: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Billiards and Collisions: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Biofuels: An Alternative Energy Source: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Can chocolate make your brain work better?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Can You Store Electricity for Later?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Chemical Equilibrium and Panic Attacks: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- COVID-19: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Cows, methane and climate change: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- CSI Lac-Mégantic: How are victims identified after a disaster?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Dealing With Asteroids and Other Space Hazards: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Do Volts or Amps Kill You?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Do You Know What's On Your Plate?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Energy Efficiency Begins at Home: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Escape Velocity: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Eutrophication: Why you should care about pond scum?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Gamma rays: Helper or hazard?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Green Chemistry 101: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Green Walls: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Guppies, guppies everywhere: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How can I go faster on my bike?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How can understanding physics help me go faster on my bike?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How did a piece of Canada end up in Australia?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do alkaloids cause addiction: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do birds help monitor the health of ecosystems?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do clouds form?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do plants use chemical signalling?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How do sleeping bags work?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- How does a lavalamp work?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Is there too much carbon dioxide in your classroom?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s...a drone!: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Marine microbiology: meet the microbes of the sea!: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Measles and Measles Prevention: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Meringue: The science behind a wonderfully fluffy dessert: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Microbial fuel cells: making electricity from bacteria: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Moles and Molarity: Counting and Chemistry from Donuts to Soap: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- My stem cell donation story: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Natural selection in your backyard: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Osmosis and its role in human biology and health: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Polystyrene: The pros, the cons, the chemistry: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Searching for exoplanets around the star next door: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Should Scientists Clone Extinct Species?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Spaceflight and Bone Loss: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Stupendous suds: The extraordinary cleaning powers of soap: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Talking Trees: How do trees communicate?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Tapping underground energy with heat pumps: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Cold Pack: A chilly example of an endothermic reaction: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Environmental Impact of Wasted Food: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The hovering human: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Milky Way: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Processes that Shape Landforms: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The Rock Cycle in Canada: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- The View from CERN: Antimatter and Why It Matters to Me: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Thundersnow: winter thunderstorms: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What are the pros and cons of ethanol biofuel?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What if you could charge your phone using radio waves?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What if you could choose your baby?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is a crystal?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is a tornado?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What Is Air Turbulence?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is cloud seeding?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- What is ocean warming and why does it matter?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Where did viruses come from?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Who Created the Electronic Synthesizer?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why a trip to Outer Space could be bad for your bones: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why are Guppies so Diverse: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do apples turn brown after you cut them?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do curveballs curve? Part One: Bernoulli’s Equation: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do ice rinks stay frozen?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do scientists believe in the theory of evolution?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why do ships float?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why does the Earth have layers?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why don’t fish freeze in cold Arctic waters?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
- Why is ketchup so hard to pour?: Concept Definition Web Reproducible [Google doc] [PDF]
References
Barton, M. L., & Jordan, D. L. (2001). Teaching reading in science: A supplement to the second edition of teaching reading in the content areas teacher's manual. Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.