Free Concept Map Templates for Word: 6 Graphic Organizers
Choose your paper size, preview every organizer, then download your Word templates in one small ZIP file.
Made by a teacherA4 and US Letter6 Word documentsFree
These free concept map templates give you 6 Word documents on A4 and US Letter: a hierarchy concept map, a spider concept map and a chain concept map, each with labels for the linking words. I’m Patrick Elliott, a teacher and Inclusion Lead. I use concept maps for science and topic work, so I built these with a label on every line, because the linking words are where the learning happens.
In this guide, you’ll find what a concept map is, which version suits your lesson, and how to fill one in on screen or on paper.
What’s in the Concept Map Templates
| Paper | Version | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | Hierarchy | A main concept, three key ideas and six details |
| A4 | Spider | A concept in the middle with six linked ideas |
| A4 | Chain | Five ideas linked in order, step by step |
| US Letter | Hierarchy | A main concept, three key ideas and six details |
| US Letter | Spider | A concept in the middle with six linked ideas |
| US Letter | Chain | Five ideas linked in order, step by step |
👉 Every heading and box is click-and-type, so students can fill it in on a computer, or you can print it for pens and pencils.
What Is a Concept Map?
A concept map shows how ideas connect. Each idea sits in a box, and each line between two boxes carries a few linking words, such as is made of, causes or leads to. Writing those linking words makes students explain the connection, which is why concept maps are so good for science and revision.
Which Concept Map Should You Use?
- Hierarchy: one main concept, three key ideas and six details, from general to specific.
- Spider: a concept in the middle with six linked ideas around it.
- Chain: five ideas linked in order, for a process, a cycle or a chain of events.
How to Use It in Class
- Write the main concept or starting idea in the top or middle box.
- Add the key ideas, then the details.
- Click each linking words label and type how the two ideas connect, for example is part of or produces.
- Read the map aloud as sentences to check that every link makes sense.
If students struggle with linking words, give them a short word bank: causes, is part of, needs, produces, is a type of, leads to.
How to Print at the Right Size
Print at 100% on plain paper, or on A3 for group work, and let each student fill in the linking words in a different colour.
FAQs
Are these concept map templates free?
Yes. Choose A4 or US Letter and download all the Word templates in one ZIP file at no cost.
Who made these concept map templates?
Patrick Elliott, a teacher and Inclusion Lead, designed and built every concept map by hand in Microsoft Word.
What are linking words in a concept map?
The words on each line that explain how two ideas connect, such as causes or is made of.
Can I add more boxes?
Yes. Copy a box, a line and a label with Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, then drag them into place.
Which concept map is best for a process?
The chain concept map, because it links ideas in order, step by step.
Can I remove the Word Made Easy footer?
Yes. Double-click the bottom of the page, click the logo and the web address, and press Delete.
Conclusion
These concept map templates help students organise their thinking before they write, human-made by a teacher and ready to print or fill in from Word.
Choose your paper size above, download the ZIP, and for more graphic organizers try the mind map templates.
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