18/7/2020 The 8 Types of Thinking Maps Explained with Editable Templates

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The Easy Guide to Effectively

Using Thinking Maps
Updated on: 5 September 2019

When it comes to teaching and learning, visuals play a major role in

simplifying things. And thinking maps have proven to be an effective visual
language for both students and teachers at all grades across many
disciplines.  

In this post, we have covered the 8 types of thinking maps and how to use
them. Editable templates for each diagram type is provided as well. You can
use them right away. Export them as PNG, SVG or JPEG to include in your
documents, presentations or take printouts. 

What are Thinking Maps

Thinking maps include methods that help visualize your thinking or represent
your abstract thoughts with concrete visuals. Thinking maps enable
meaningful learning as they help organize ideas and information in a way that
is easy to understand. 

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They also help break down complex information into easily comprehensible
sections and discover connections in between. And they can be very useful
during critical and creative thinking exercises. 

Developed by David Hyerle, thinking maps contain 8 types of graphic

organizers. Each thinking map is based on a fundamental thinking process or
linked to a speci c cognitive skill and serves different purposes. They are
popularly used in primary and secondary education and is a widely used
teaching technique (https://creately.com/usage/visual-teaching-
techniques/). 

Circle Map – De ning in context and brainstorming 

Bubble Map – Describing using adjectives 
Flow Map – Ordering and sequencing 
Brace Map – Depicting the whole of something and its parts 
Tree Map – Classifying and grouping 
Double Bubble Map – Comparing and contrasting 
Multi- ow map – analyzing causes and effects 
Bridge map – Seeing analogies 

There are several bene ts to using thinking maps in education

Helps with learning and retaining information easily

Can be used in different disciplines and in different grade levels
Allows students the freedom to explore their critical or creative thinking
skills
Supports continuous cognitive development 
Serves as a common language that is easy to understand for both
teachers and students

Types of Thinking Maps with Editable Thinking Map

Templates

Circle Map
The circle map is a tool that is used to describe something or convey our
understanding of a topic. It’s a great tool for both individual and group
brainstorming activities. 

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How to create a circle map 

Step 1 – Start by drawing a circle in the center of the canvas or paper. Write
down the topic you’ll be focusing on, inside it. 

Step 2 – Draw a larger circle around it, and brainstorm and write down
everything you know about the topic within. Here you can use nouns,
adjectives or verbs to describe what you know. 

Step 3 – Draw a square around the larger circle. This box is known as the
“frame of reference” and is used to indicate how you gathered your
knowledge about the topic. For example, did somebody tell you about it? Did
you see it in a documentary? 

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=LN8FcrPiGnK)
Circle Map Template (Click on the template to edit it online)

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Bubble Map
Bubble maps are used to describe a subject using adjectives. Bubble maps
can be very useful when analyzing a character from a novel or story,
introducing new lessons to the classroom, etc. 

How to create a bubble map

Step 1 – Draw a circle and write down the topic of your choice in the middle
of it. 

Step 2 – Add connecting circles around the main topic in the center. In these
you can write down adjectives, characteristics, etc. that describe the subject. 

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=BFXfTpPfhVz)
Bubble Map Template (Click on the template to edit it online)

Flow Map
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The ow map represents the ow of something. It can be used to organize

information in a logical order, sequence steps of a process or event and
identify patterns.

The ow map contains a series of boxes linked by arrows and can be drawn
horizontally and vertically. Images can also be used in place of boxes to
convey the sequence. 

How to create a ow map 

Step 1 – Start by identifying the steps of the event. Put them down on a ow
map in a logical order to represent the sequence. 

Step 2 – Add substages as necessary. Substages are the smaller boxes

below the main steps. They can be used to break down a key step into sub-
steps. Substages should be connected to the main sequence with lines and
not arrows.

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=BYZOhXK4tuP)
Flow Map Template (Click on the template to edit it online)

Brace Map
Brace maps are used to show the components of a concrete object or event. 
For example, the parts of a car. It shouldn’t be used for something abstract
like a concept or idea, which you cannot physically break apart. 

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How to create a brace map 

Step 1 – Begin the map with the object you are breaking apart. 

Step 2 – Brainstorm and add its components or what the main object is
made of in front it, connected by a brace/bracket. 

Step 3 – Subdivide the components as necessary. Connect these to the map

with braces as well. 

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=RCGOpNV89Ze)
Brace Map Template (Click on the template to edit it online)

Tree Map
The tree map is used to categorize and organize information. You can use
this to plan out essays or speeches by listing down sentences or paragraphs
under the sub-categories. Or you can use it in math to show different types of
equations. 

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How to create a tree map 

Step 1 – On the top of the canvas, place the main subject or idea your map
would be about. For example, it could be different types of food. 

Step 2 – Place the supporting categories underneath the main topic

connected by lines. In our example, these would be vegetables, fruits, meat,
etc. 

Step 3 – List down examples or supporting details under each sub-category.

For example, you can write down types of vegetables under the related
category. 

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=Hww1n7bQwcA)
Tree Map Template (Click on the template to edit it online)

Double Bubble Map

You can use the double bubble map to identify different and similar qualities
between two things such as characters, books, cultures, etc.

The two center circles represent the subjects you are analyzing. The circles
that are common to both topics contain similarities while others represent
differences. 

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You can also use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast things but in
comparison, the double bubble map is more organized. 

How to create a double bubble map

Step 1 – De ne the two things you are comparing. Here you can use a bubble
map or a circle map to identify the characteristics of the two items. 

Step 2 – Referring to the maps you created earlier, compare and contrast the
two ideas using a double bubble map.

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=NN8bG8rQqr8)
Double Bubble Map (Click on the template to edit it online)

Multi-Flow Map
The multi- ow map can be used to identify the causes and effects of a
situation. For example, you can use it to depict a historical incident like the
World War.

In a multi- ow map, the causes do not correspond with the effects, but the
situation. You can also draw a multi- ow map representing only causes or
only effects as necessary. 

How to create a multi- ow map

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18/7/2020 The 8 Types of Thinking Maps Explained with Editable Templates

Step 1 – Write down the event or situation you want to analyze in the middle
of the canvas. For an example World War 1. 

Step 2 – In the boxes on the left side of the map, write down the causes. In
our example, these could be the rise of nationalism, militarism, imperialism. 

Step 3 – In the boxes on your right-hand side, write down the effects of the
event that took place. In our example, these could be the downfall of
monarchies such as Germany, Turkey, Russia, etc., the end of colonialism and
so on.

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=9Qn0jp0a9kg)
Multi-Flow Map Template (Click on the template to edit it online)

Bridge Map
The bridge map can be used to understand the relationships between words
or show analogies between ideas or objects. Bridge maps can be used to
assess prior knowledge or do ll-in-the-blank exercises. 

How to use the bridge map 

Step 1 – Draw the “as” pyramid. Place the two information pairs on each side
of the pyramid as shown below. Make sure that they are written in a format
that can be used in a sentence.

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Step 2 – De ne the relating factor that will help connect the two pairs of
information. Writing it down will help you follow the correct sentence
pattern. 

(https://creately.com/demo-start?tempId=J1LdEAdw0Cg)
Bridge Map Template (Click on the template to edit it online)

How Are You Using the Thinking Maps in the Classroom? 

In this post, we have covered the 8 types of thinking maps. However, there
are many other types of diagrams and techniques that help with teaching,
learning, brainstorming and basically visualizing any idea or concept.

Some of them include concept maps, shbone diagram, mind map, owchart,
storyboards etc. Here are some useful resources you can refer to learn about
these other techniques in more detail. 

 Ultimate Flowchart Tutorial (https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/ owchart-

guide- owchart-tutorial/)

The Ultimate Guide to Concept Maps

(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/ultimate-concept-map-tutorial/)

The Ultimate Guide to Fishbone Diagrams

(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/ shbone-diagrams-tutorial/)

Mind Map Examples To Visualize and Organize Your Ideas

(https://creately.com/blog/examples/mind-map-examples-creately/)

https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/thinking-maps-templates/ 10/14
18/7/2020 The 8 Types of Thinking Maps Explained with Editable Templates

The Ultimate List of Visual Creative Thinking Techniques

(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/creative-thinking-techniques/)

The Ultimate List of Essential Visual Brainstorming Techniques

(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/visual-brainstorming-techniques/)

Any tips on using these thinking maps effectively? Share with us in the
comments section below.

brace map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/brace-map/)

bridge map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/bridge-map/)

bubble map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/bubble-map/)

circle map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/circle-map/)

double bubble map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/double-bubble-map/)

ow map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/ ow-map/)

multi ow map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/multi- ow-map/)

thinking maps (https://creately.com/blog/tag/thinking-maps/)

thinking maps templates (https://creately.com/blog/tag/thinking-maps-templates/)

tree map (https://creately.com/blog/tag/tree-map/)

types of thinking maps (https://creately.com/blog/tag/types-of-thinking-maps/)

what are thinking maps (https://creately.com/blog/tag/what-are-thinking-maps/)


(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/recruitment-
process-steps/)
 (https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/what-is-
scrum-methodology-scrum-process/)

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18/7/2020 The 8 Types of Thinking Maps Explained with Editable Templates

More related articles

(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/types-of-graphic-organizers/)
The Ultimate List of Graphic Organizers for Teachers and Students
(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/types-of-graphic-organizers/)

(https://creately.com/blog/examples/graphic-organizers-in-k12-classroom-
education/)
The importance of Graphic Organizers in K-12 Classrooms
(https://creately.com/blog/examples/graphic-organizers-in-k12-classroom-
education/)

(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/graphic-organizers-for-writing/)
Using Graphic Organizers for Writing Essays, Summaries and Research
(https://creately.com/blog/diagrams/graphic-organizers-for-writing/)

Author

Amanda Athuraliya

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at

Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader,
a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all
kinds of topics.
View all posts by Amanda Athuraliya →
(https://creately.com/blog/author/amanda/)

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