Basic Computer Skills Graphic Organizers Presented by the Cisco Intern Inspiration/Kidspiration

Inspiration Software, Inc.2 Course Goal: To gain a basic understanding of how to use Inspiration/Kidspiration for visual thinking and outlining © Copyright 1997, Inspiration/Kidspiration Software, Inc. Page 2

Inspiration Software, Inc.3 Inspiration/Kidspiration is... a powerful visual learning tool that inspires students to organize their thinking. Students use Inspiration/Kidspiration’s Diagram view to dynamically create and modify concept maps, webs and other graphical organizers. The integrated Outline view enables students to quickly prioritize and rearrange ideas, helping them create clear, concise writing.

Inspiration Software, Inc.4 Visual Thinking & Learning

Inspiration Software, Inc.5 Webbing and Concept Mapping Concept maps and story webs are visual ways to structure ideas. They show relationships between concepts. Because they require active thinking; rather than rote repetition, concept maps and webs assure that students have a deeper understanding of an idea.

Inspiration Software, Inc.6 Multimedia Planning Multimedia planning is a way of organizing large projects, web page design or presentations. It’s a graphical way to plan a document’s strutcure. Planning helps students clearly identify the beginning, the middle and end of a project, making them focus their direction and become more productive.

Inspiration Software, Inc.7 Brainstorming, Planning and Writing Brainstorming is one of the easiest ways to motivate students to think. It helps students think of good topics and helps them elaborate on those topics. Once they’ve completed their initial brainstorm, they can begin more structured planning of their story or project. Planning helps students focus only on the elements necessary to the project. When students are ready to begin writing, they convert their diagram to an outline. Using notes text, students elaborate on their ideas sketched during the brainstorming and plainning stages.

Inspiration Software, Inc.8 What Inspiration/Kidspiration is used for... Page 8

Inspiration Software, Inc.9 Where Inspiration/Kidspiration is used... English History Science Planning & Organizing Multimedia Planning

Inspiration Software, Inc.10 History Example: Cause and Effect Biography

Inspiration Software, Inc.11 English Example: Story Web

Inspiration Software, Inc.12 English Example: Character Web

Inspiration Software, Inc.13 English Example: Creative Writing/Brainstorming

Inspiration Software, Inc.14 Science Example: Concept Map

Inspiration Software, Inc.15 Multimedia Planning

Inspiration/Kidspiration Watch this quick tour of the dynamic graphic organizing software.

Kidspiration Watch this quick tour of the dynamic graphic organizing software.

Inspiration Software, Inc.18 No More Rote Be Inspired Using either Inspiration/Kidspiration select a template that applies to your GLEs Customize the template to reflect your content Print a copy of your template and save a copy of your template to your documents.

More Resources Step by Step Inspiration guides linked from Harris Middle E-board.Inspiration