Build empathy and social awareness
Students learn about a partner's experiences, strengths, values, goals, and support needs.
Team Formation Tool
My World Map
A student team-building activity that uses guided interviews, mind mapping, and reflection to help students understand one another's strengths, values, goals, and support needs.
Best for
- Classroom
- Student Teams
- Team Formation
- SEL
- Collaboration
- PBL
Use During
- Refine
- Plan
- Check-In
- Retrospect
What it helps with
Strengthen trust and collaboration
Teams get visible information they can use to appreciate one another and work together more thoughtfully.
Practice active listening and communication
The interview format helps students listen closely, ask questions, and reflect on what they learn.
Preview the template
When to use it
- When forming or strengthening student teams
- When students need to learn about teammates before collaborative work
- During team launch, advisory, SEL, PBL, or classroom culture work
- When a class needs a structured alternative to a forced icebreaker
What students put on their map
The template is built around six interview areas students map for a partner, then use for team reflection.
Strengths
What students are good at and what others notice in them.
Goals
What they want to achieve or get better at.
Proud Moments
Accomplishments, challenges overcome, and moments of success.
Passions
Hobbies, interests, and things they enjoy doing.
Values
What matters to them and guides their choices.
Need Help With
Tasks, skills, or situations where support would help.
How it works
Pair up
Students choose interviewer and storyteller roles.
Interview and map
The interviewer uses prompt questions and fills in the storyteller's map.
Switch roles
Partners repeat the process so both students are interviewed.
Share and reflect
Students share what they learned and use reflection questions as a team or class.
Why My World Map works
Students collaborate better when they understand one another more fully. My World Map turns guided interviews into visible information teams can use.
The protocol combines active listening, mind mapping, and reflection so students build empathy, trust, and communication before the work gets complicated.
Want the full explanation and examples? Read the article: My World Map Activity Guide
Skills & Alignment
This resource supports team formation, collaboration, communication, and self-awareness. These are suggested connections, not a formal standards alignment.
IB Learner Profile
- Reflective
- Caring
- Open-minded
- Communicators
IB Approaches to Learning
- Social skills
- Communication skills
- Self-management skills
21st Century Skills
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Social awareness
- Self-direction
Inquiry Practices
- Reflection
- Identity
- Questioning
- Connection-making
What's included
- A guided interview and mind-mapping activity students use to capture strengths, goals, proud moments, passions, values, and support needs.
Related resources
Ready to use it?
Download the free printable My World Map activity and help students use guided interviews, mind mapping, and reflection to build stronger team collaboration.
Download for free