Summarise any topic with a mind map

Get started for free See a real example

3 to 7 main branches
Overview or detailed depth
PDF and Word downloads

A real example made with Madlen

Choose the topic and Key Stage, and Madlen branches it out into a map you can edit.

Year 8 Science

Science • Year 8

Cells and Organisation

5 main branches, 44 ideas

Microscopes and Cell Observation

We use light microscopes to view and draw cells that are too small to see with our eyes.
- Light Microscope Parts
  
  The eyepiece lens and objective lenses work together to magnify the specimen.
  - Eyepiece Lens
  - Objective Lens
  - Focusing Knobs
- Preparing a Slide
  
  Stains like iodine help us see clear cell parts on glass slides.
  - Glass Slide and Coverslip
  - Iodine Stain
- Biological Drawings
  
  Drawings must use clear pencil lines and include labels with no shading.
Plant and Animal Cell Parts

Cells contain tiny structures that carry out different jobs to keep the cell alive.
- Shared Cell Structures
  
  Both plant and animal cells share several vital building blocks.
  - Nucleus with DNA
  - Cytoplasm
  - Cell Membrane
- Plant-Only Structures
  
  Plant cells have three extra parts to provide support and make food.
  - Cellulose Cell Wall
  - Permanent Vacuole
  - Chloroplasts
- Mitochondria
  
  These structures release energy for the cell through respiration.
Diffusion in Cells

Substances move naturally in and out of cells down a concentration gradient.
- Diffusion Process
  
  Particles spread out from an area of high concentration to low concentration.
- Entering the Cell
  
  Useful substances like oxygen and glucose diffuse across the cell membrane.
  - Oxygen Diffusion
  - Glucose Uptake
- Leaving the Cell
  
  Waste materials move out through the cell membrane so they do not build up.
  - Carbon Dioxide Removal
Unicellular Organisms

Some living things are made of just one independent single cell.
- Amoeba Adaptations
  
  An amoeba changes its shape to move around and engulf food particles.
  - Pseudopods
  - Contractile Vacuole
- Euglena Adaptations
  
  Euglena lives in water and can make its own food using sunlight.
  - Flagellum Tail
  - Red Eyespot
- Bacterial Cells
  
  Bacteria do not have a nucleus so their DNA floats freely in the cytoplasm.
Levels of Organisation

Multicellular organisms are organised in a hierarchy of increasing size and complexity.
- Specialised Cells
  
  Cells change their shape to perform one specific job well.
  - Sperm Cell
  - Root Hair Cell
- Tissues and Organs
  
  Similar cells group into tissues, and different tissues form working organs.
  - Muscle Tissue
  - Heart and Leaf Organs
- Organ Systems
  
  A group of organs works together to form a system in the whole organism.
  - Digestive System
  - Circulatory System

What you can do

A topic, branched out

Madlen splits the topic into three to seven main branches and the ideas under them. Choose an overview to open a unit or a detailed map for revision. Short explanations can be added to every branch.

Yours to edit

The map opens as an editable canvas. Change branch colours and the layout, and rewrite any idea. Your changes save automatically.

Ready to print or project

Download the map on its own or with its explanations, as PDF or Word. Show it on the interactive whiteboard to talk the class through a topic.

How it works

1
Choose Key Stage, subject and topic

Start from the curriculum, your own file or a short prompt.
2
Shape the map

Set the number of main branches and the depth, and choose whether to add explanations.
3
Edit and use it

Edit the map, show it on the whiteboard or download it as PDF or Word.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a mind map?

A mind map starts from one central topic and splits it into a few main branches. Each branch then splits into its own sub-ideas. Good maps keep branches distinct, use short phrases and group ideas by colour. Madlen builds that structure for your topic and you edit it as you like.

What is the difference between a mind map and a concept map?

A mind map branches outward from one centre and is used to summarise or revise a topic. A concept map shows how concepts relate to each other with arrows and linking phrases. Madlen’s Mind Map uses the branching structure.

How can I use mind maps for revision?

A detailed map gives pupils a one-page summary of a topic before an assessment. An overview map works at the start of a unit to show how the ideas fit together. Printed maps are also a quick base for retrieval practice, with pupils adding what they remember to each branch.

What formats can I download?

Download the map on its own or the map with explanations, as PDF or Word. You can also show it on the interactive whiteboard.

How do I start using Madlen?

Sign in to Madlen with your Google account to start on the free plan, which opens with 14 days of Pro. The Madlen pricing page shows what the free and paid plans include.