Using Inspiration In Your Classroom S. Taylor-Foley Consultant for Research, Planning and Technology, South Shore District School Board

Why we use visual/graphic organizers?  Increased retention  Better retrieval  Increased understanding of concepts and relationships  Clarification of thinking  Increased creativity  Organization of information  Increased achievement

Why use computerized visual/graphic organizers?  Easy to read/less messy  Motivational  Focus on ideas  Easy to manipulate, organize, update and change as required.  Can move work to another source without manual copying.  Develops pride and self confidence in learners

What can we do with organizers?

Concept Mapping

Brainstorming  Pre-unit activity to elicit prior learning  Post unit activity to recall what has been learned and to develop deeper understandings  Idea generator  Cooperative learning activity

Organizing

Webbing

Diagramming- graphics that explain

Outlining

Planning

We can do this…  By creating our own maps, webs, outlines…  Or we can use one of the 50+ templates included in the program.

Overview of Inspiration  Quick Tour Quick Tour

Special Features  7.0  Utility- Applications- allows teachers to customize features (these will not save with Deep Freeze)  To turn listen function on go to Utility- applications and click the audio components listed –students can also record their own sounds  Hyperlinking to a web page or file  Quick notes  Display controls  7.5 (all 7.0 plus below)  Export tool expanded  Transfer button to send outline to word processor

Trying it yourself  Find Inspiration on your desktop.  Double click on the icon

In the main idea put a topic you are currently studying with your students.

Create a web to show what students will be covering in this topic in your classroom. 1. Select the main idea. You must tell the computer what you want to link from. 2. Select the create button. The direction you choose for the next part of your web will be highlighted. Click on this and your new idea bubble will be placed on your screen. Then, enter your text. (eg. Temperature)

After you have completed your web you can add notes (7.0 and above) Select the bubble you want and click on the notes button. A note will pop up for you to add your details.

Or you can go to Outline and add your information. Click on the Outline button to get to this view and then you can add your information as a note, you can also create subtopics here. Any notes you created in the diagram view will be displayed in the outline view. To get back to your diagram click on the diagram button.

Customize your work by-  Changing font selection, size, appearance. (Text on top toolbar or at the bottom of your screen)  Changing some of the bubbles to pictures (select the bubble and choose your picture from the symbol palette. Hold your cursor over the symbol to see it in larger form and click on it to put it in your work.)  Arrange your work in the manner you wish by clicking on the arrange button.  Change colour, line size, background and more using the Effects menu. Select what you wish to change and make your choice. This is an good tool to assist visual learners in seeing relationships between items.

Templates can assist you Go to File- open template. Over 50 templates are organized by subjects.

These pre-organized visuals can give you additional ideas and can also save you time.

Don’t be fooled  By the subject area organization of the templates as many have cross curricular benefits and applications.  Take time to view the wide range of templates to see how you could use these in your classroom.  Some students will need instruction on closing out visual distractions in templates (7.0 and above) like the pop up notes before they begin to work with the template.  Create your own templates and under the file menu save these as templates. (with Deep Freeze you will need to save them to another area of your computer or to a CD or disc.)

What do Fountas and Pinnell says about graphic organizers?  These tools can be used in explicit instruction.  They can assist in the teaching of reading and writing skills.  These are focused activities.  Provide a framework for organizing ideas and understanding.  Helps students remember and recall.  Can be used to analyze what has been read.  Can be used to assist students in making meaning.  Can be used for comparisons, ideas, sequencing, cycle of events, vocabulary, questioning, summarizing, predicting, and making relationships. Chapter 26- Guiding Readers and Writers : Grades 3-6

Where can you find more visual/graphic organizers?  Student Writers in Action Handbook  Language Arts Guide (appendix)  LRT website page on Concept Mapping with Inspiration  AYR website-  Additional links provided in this website.  Books and materials at the Teachers’ Centre.

Now it is time for you to explore more on your own.  Inspiration can be a great tool for you and your students. Discover the benefits!