The development of metacognitive control skills involves learning to regulate thought and behavior toward planning, applying strategies, monitoring progress, and accomplishing goals, providing an important foundation for future academic success. Using mixed methodology, this study explores the potential for the concept map to function as a "metacognitive tool" with kindergarten children in one classroom over eight weeks. Children came to understand the symbolic, communicative and metacognitive nature of the task through instructional interactions during concept map creation and...