Using Mindmaps for thinking

1. Sun diagrams or meta-maps2. The Rules

3. Helpful tips and breaking the rules4. Trying it out

The basics of Mindmapping

• Spider diagrams are NOT Mindmaps!• Mindmaps are not usually used for making

notes• They help you to process what you know and

make new links between ideas• They are visual ways to organise information

to make it easier to remember• Your brain likes images!!

A quick demonstration

• Close your eyes• Listen to a word

• Then, when asked tell me what you thought of

FRUIT

FRUIT

• Which fruit came into your head?• Was it the same as the person next to you?• How did you ‘see’ it? • Was it the word that came to mind? Huge

letters in front of your eyes?• More likely it was an image e.g. a shiny red

apple• That is because your mind likes images!

Making a start with a Sun Diagram

FIRST THING IS TO CHOOSE A TOPIC

CENTRAL IMAGE

ADD A CENTRAL IMAGE OF THE TOPIC E.G. IF MY TOPIC WAS LONDON I MIGHT DRAW BIG BEN

Use landscape paper

CENTRAL IMAGE

NOW PUT DOWN THE FIRST 8 IDEAS THAT COME TO MIND ON THAT TOPIC AND WRITE THEM ALONG THE SPOKES OF THE WHEEL

IDEA

1

IDEA 2

CENTRAL IMAGE

ONCE YOU HAVE DONE 8 IDEAS, CHANGE PEN COLOUR AND ADD ANOTHER SET OF SPOKES WITHIN THE CURRENT GAPS

IDEA

1

IDEA 2

ADD IDEAS ALONG THESE LINES TOO

IDEA 9

CENTRAL IMAGE

AND ADD ANOTHER SET IN ANOTHER COLOUR

IDEA

1

IDEA 2

IDEA 9

IDEA 17

CENTRAL IMAGE

IDEA

1

IDEA 2

IDEA 9

IDEA 17

THE IDEA IS TO HAVE PUT DOWN ALL YOUR IMMEDIATE IDEAS

NOW START LOOKING FOR LINKS AND ADD ARROWS; THIS ENABLES YOU TO START GROUPING THEM

Now try creating a Sun Diagram about London

Sun diagram into a Mindmap

• Use landscape paper again• Choose a central image• Try starting with 4 main groups e.g. in the

London Mindmap these might be ‘areas’ ‘history’ ‘people’ ‘Olympics’

• The groups should be ‘big ideas’ or concepts• You will then start adding the detail to the

groups

The Rules

o Always landscape paper; unlinedo Use colourso Always have a central imageo Write on top of the lineso Lines are as long as the wordso Use capital letterso Do not edit; judge or pause; just do it!

Other tips

Start with 4 groups (if stuck try what; why; how; other)

Make your lines bend so that you can write horizontally

Add other images along to way if it helps youDon’t worry about the mess; its not a piece of

artLeave lots of space between lines

Now try creating a Mindmap about London – use your sun

diagram to help

The following slides show some images of Mindmaps for inspiration