Two of the most popular pieces of software to come along in the last few years are Inspiration and now Kidspiration. Digital semantic mapping tools, each has become a staple in any school's software library with a limitless number of possibilities for instruction. In this special double issue I have tried to emphasize sites with ideas, examples and templates which you can use to help make the most of these powerful applications.

For your information, Inspiration is not necessarily an end to itself. The maps you create can easily be converted to .gif images by clicking on File on the menu bar and then choosing Export from the subsequent drop down menu. Once it is exported as a .gif it can easily be imported into word processing files, slide shows, web pages, and a variety of other multimedia tasks.

Thanks to Jerry B. for his recommendations. I hope you'll find something here you can use - and Happy St. Patty's Day!

• Effective use of Inspiration in the Classroom - http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/inspirationprojects.shtml
  This is an actual UNI online workshop, replete with objectives, a rationales, excellent readings and an archived webcast all designed to help educators become solid users of this popular semantic mapping tool. Emphasis is both on effective instructional practices and appropriate student use of Inspiration.
• Getting Started in Inspiration - http://t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/Inservice/Inspiration3/Main.html
  This site offers a variety of tutorials, presentations on graphic organizers, Just in Time projects and links to other sites in Inspiration related topics. The simple, clean, straightforward graphic design makes it an obvious choice for teachers just testing the waters. Note: go down to the blue star to find the links you're looking for.
• Graphic Organizers - http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm
  SCORE does a great job presenting all kinds of different graphic organizers with links both on and off the site to help you fill in the blanks. As much a storehouse on pedagogy as it is a practical set of examples, this is the place to start if you're looking for Inspiration ideas that are well-grounded in instructional theory.
• Inspiration Basics - http://bowiehs.elpaso.k12.tx.us/inspir/inspiration-tr.html
  TI stayed away from pages that are strictly tutorials for the most part, but this site from El Paso, Texas does such a nice, clean job of touring you through Inspiration's features I just had to include it. The review of the toolbars alone is enough to make this a crowd pleaser among busy teachers.
• Inspiration Files created by Spartanburg, SC Teachers - http://www.spart5.k12.sc.us/TechTraining/InspirationMatrix.htm
  Just what it says it is, this site presents several dozen teacher templates using Inspiration. They are divided into subject areas by Elementary, Middle and High School applications for ease of use. There's also a beginning Kidspiration companion site that can be accessed at http://www.spart5.k12.sc.us/TechTraining/KidspirationMatrix.htm .
• Inspiration in the Classroom (CTAP) - http://rims.k12.ca.us/ctap/resources/inspiration/
  While this page relies heavily on the official Inspiration site for links, it does offer a well-done outline of approaches to using graphic organizers and some interesting examples along the way. While this is by no means the showcase link for this week, it can be easily adapted for staff training on Inspiration.
• Inspiration in the Classroom (Blackwell) - http://www.vickiblackwell.com/inspiration.html
  Vicki Blackwell offers this page of offbeat color schemes to share templates and tech tips with teachers who are ready to become power users of Inspiration. She also has a companion site for Kidspiration which can be found at http://www.vickiblackwell.com/kidspiration.html .
• Inspiration Software and techniques useful in the Classroom - http://207.10.97.102/icsdtech/inspirat/inspire/sld001.htm
  Created as a slide show, Nancy Ridenour's collection of ideas offers practical approaches to using Inspiration in instruction. There's a discussion of different kinds of graphic organizers and examples of activities in the Sciences, Math, English, and History.
• Inspiration Tips and Classroom Applications - http://etc.sccoe.org/i2000/00mod/l_mm/insp.html
  The SCCOE offers this mixture of images and QuickTime video clips to offer you a visual overview of Inspiration classroom applications. The second page offers ideas on how you can use Inspiration for classroom management, too. Great for teachers who don't want a text-heavy feel to their orientation.
• Kidspiration Examples for K-3 - http://www.gp.k12.mi.us/ci/ce/inspire/kexamples.htm
  The Grosse Point, Michigan Schools present this baker's dozen of suggested ways to make use of Kidspiration in Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. There's even a schematic for Back to School Night. Thumbnails keep the page quick loading and an easy reference.
• Kidspiration Hints, Tips, Tricks and Activities - http://summit.k12.co.us/SummitTechnlogy/TechnologyImages/KIDSPIRATION.pdf
  Presented by the Summit, Colorado Schools, this .pdf file offers quick reference tips on how to use Kidspiration instructionally. It assumes you are a beginner and you simply need a little help finding your way around. Balanced with suggested activities, it is ideal for primary teachers. This document requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to open.
• Kidspiration Lessons - http://www.canby.k12.or.us/Technology/Projects/tlcf/kidspiration/kidspiration.html
  Presented by the Canby, Oregon Schools, this page offers more than 50 different K-3 examples of templates used for specific instructional purposes. Topics covered include everything from animals that hatch to vocabulary exercises and almost any subject you could ask for in between.
• Kidspiration Video Tutorial Series - http://www.atomiclearning.com/freekidspc.shtml
  The Atomic Learning Library offers this free collection of QuickTime movies about Kidspiration as a hook to get teachers to subscribe to their entire video library. I have no idea how long this will be available gratis, so please get here quickly so that you can take advantage of these great clips. Most last no longer than two minutes - there are more than two dozen in all.
• A Kinder-Garden for Butterflies - http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/admin/tlapages/butterfly_quest.htm
  This K-3 WebQuest makes use of Kidspiration to help students design a diagram of their very own butterfly garden. The process is developmentally appropriate and the rubric helps you to see what your students will be shooting for as they undertake this fabulous Spring time project!
• Organizing Information with Software Tools - http://www2.edc.org/ncip/library/ot/Profile4.htm
  The National Center to Improve Practice in Special Education offers this presentation on how to use Inspiration to promote good study skills with middle school students. To progress through the sequence of suggestions, simply click on "next page" at the bottom of each page.
• Sample Kidspiration Templates - http://www.strategictransitions.com/samplekidspirationtemplates.htm
  Here you'll find seven .gif images of sample templates that you can use in planning your own Kidspiration activities. There are two Social Studies examples, two Science examples, and two Language Arts examples offered on this quick loading page, as well as a delightful idea for tracing a duckling's walk to a pond.
• Suggestions for Using Inspiration in the Classroom - http://www.bcps.org/offices/oit/PDF/Curriculum/Inspiration_Use.pdf
  Straight from the Baltimore County Public Schools to you, this four page .pdf file offers a variety of instructional applications for Inspiration, each with a referenced Inspiration template for you to use. These cover Art, English, Health, Math, Music, Science and Social Studies.
• Teachers Using Inspiration - http://www.lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/Inspir.htm
  New York's Lakeland Central School District presents this extensive collection of teacher created Inspiration files, from second grade on up across all subject areas. And when you're done with the most recent batch of ideas, there's an archive of products from previous work sessions.
• Using Graphic Organizers in Instruction - http://www.richlandclicks.org/Teacher/presentations/scaffolding/kidspiration/activities.htm
  The Richland, South Carolina schools does a great job of presenting graphic organizers as a scaffolding tool which can be utilized to facilitate concept development. A number of kinds of organizers are discussed within the framework of Bloom's taxonomy, including spider and fishbone maps, double-cell diagrams and KWL charts.
• Using Graphic Organizers to Construct Meaning - http://edservices.aea7.k12.ia.us/edtech/classroom/visual/tchrexamp.html
  Patty AcheyCutts offers this nice collection of instructionally viable templates for elementary and middle school classrooms, covering Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. Be sure to check out the teacher tools she has developed using Inspiration while you're there.
• Using Inspiration in the Classroom - http://www.connix.com/~ellsch/Windermere/Windwebdesign/cweber%20site%20work/Inspirwebsite/inspir.htm
  Here's a quick-loading site that offers examples and lessons to help you make the most of Inspiration. Consider the storyboard of "how I turned Cinderella's life around" and the concept map of the "functions of the parts of a plant", as well as the lesson plans to go along with each so that they're readily achievable in your own classroom.
• Using Inspiration in the One Computer Classroom - http://itech.fcps.net/trt12/Inspiration/insp_one_comp_class.htm
  Paula Whitmer presents suggestions for using Inspiration with large groups, with small groups, as a secretarial and management tool, as part of a learning center and as a lecture tool. The recommendations are actually Inspiration webs themselves.
• Using Inspiration in Your Classroom - http://www.methuen.k12.ma.us/timony/inspiration_tutorial.htm
  The Memphis City Schools offers this combination of suggested activities and a quick reference guide for teachers who are itching to use Inspiration. The examples are simply links to the Inspiration site but the practice task on creating a Library concept map is easily adaptable as a staff development exercise.
• Visual Learning with Inspiration and Kidspiration - http://oswego.org/staff/cchamber/inspire/
  The Osewgo, New York Schools offer this extensive collection of lessons and template samples for both Inspiration and Kidspiration. In addition to examples and links, there's an opportunity to submit your own examples to help build up a collection that will benefit educators everywhere.
  

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