IDEAS FOR

INSPIRATION
Practical ideas for integrating
Inspiration software in the classroom
WHY INSPIRATION?
 Inspiration can help teachers:
 Differentiate classroom instruction by allowing
students to organize ideas in a variety of ways.
 Facilitate cross curricular learning by linking
concepts visually
 Create visual cues for students that reinforce
learning and promote retention of skills and
concepts
 “…it is in the process of creating mental images or
models of a concept that students are able to make
the all important leap from the concrete to the
abstract.” (Murphy 2009)
 BUT, IS IT HARD TO USE?
 It’s not hard to use. I promise. 
 Inspiration has a mostly graphic interface
 You (and your students) drag and drop pictures and
shapes where you want them and create links that
make sense to you.
 You (and your students) customize diagrams and
outlines to fit your needs.
 Premade Inspiration templates are already linked
to specific TEKS.
 Utilizing templates, and with some practice, you
can create a customized diagram for your class in
15-30 minutes.
CLASSROOM INTEGRATION
 Presenting information and concepts
 Classroom participation and student use
 Independent practice and assessment
PRESENTING
INFORMATION AND CONCEPTS
 Inspiration includes several dozen templates for
Science, Social Studies, Language Arts and
Thinking and Planning
 Use Inspiration to introduce concepts to
students visually.
 Students can fill in ideas and notes from class
discussion on screen and on individual handouts.
 Saving a file for each class eliminates erasing and
allows for pacing specific to class needs.
SIX KINGDOMS OF BIOLOGY
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
 IDEAS FOR CLASS PARTICIPATION

 Individuals or groups can be assigned an original

mapping task based on prior instruction.
A modification would be to begin with an
appropriate template and fill in blanks.
 Student groups can use Thinking and Planning
templates to guide reading, note taking and
plan presentations about the content.
IDEAS FOR STUDENT USE
 Study Guide and Textbook Chapter maps can
be used in Student/Teacher conferences to
help determine areas for clarification.

 A collection of notes/maps from a semester

can be used for cumulative exam review.
TEXTBOOK CHAPTER
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE/
ASSESSMENT
 Graphics can be used to guide or assess
assigned independent reading.
 Students can construct graphics to explain
the steps to solving a particular type of
problem.
 Constructing original visual maps and
diagrams encourages exhibiting mastery of
concepts, rather than regurgitation of
specific facts.
EXTRACTING THE SQUARE ROOT
FICTION ORGANIZER
WRITING SUPPORT
 Inspiration supports graphical and linear organization of
writing across the content areas

 Graphic organizers are easily viewed as outlines and

students can switch between the views to organize ideas in
the way that suits their learning style
WRITING SUPPORT
Diagram View Outline View

(Title of Fiction)
I. Characters
A. Main Character(s)
B. Secondary Characters
II. Major Themes
III. Narrative Strategies
IV. Plot Summary
A. Chapter 1
B. Chapter 2
C. Chapter 3
D. Chapter 4
V. New Vocabulary
VI. Stylistic Features
VII. Personal Evaluation
LESSON PREPARATION
 Inspiration works for teachers too!
 Organize ideas before you teach
 Use Inspiration to brainstorm ideas in team
meetings
 Inspiration includes a template for lesson
planning.
 Use concept maps link ideas in cross
curricular lessons
PRACTICAL MATTERS
 Inspiration graphics and outlines can be:
 Exported to Microsoft Word
 Saved as graphic files and used in PowerPoint
and other software
 Blank diagrams can be printed when
computer access is unavailable or for student
notes and handouts.
 Inspiration files are easily shared among
colleagues, making Inspiration perfect for
instructional teams.
RESOURCES FOR INSPIRATION
 http://www.inspiration.com/Educators/Com
munity-Resources
 Thiswebpage contains educator’s resources from
Inspiration Software and an online educators
community
 http://www.inspiration.com/Standards-Matc
hes/Inspiration
 This
webpage contains the standards matches
between Inspiration and specific TEKS. Choose
‘Texas’ and the appropriate subject
RESOURCES FOR INSPIRATION
(CONTINUED)

 http://www.cape.k12.mo.us/blanchard/hick
s/teacher%20pages/inspiration.htm#Internet
 Thissite has links to teacher created templates
for Inspiration and Kidspiration
 http://www.internet4classrooms.com/inspir
ation.htm
 Thiswebpage is a guide to constructing an a
concept map from the Basic template. This is the
way to create a diagram from ‘scratch’ in
Inspiration
NEED MORE HELP?
 KaLeah Hicks
kaleah.hicks@gccisd.net
281-420-4500 x4120

Works Cited

 Murphy, Stuart J. The power of visual learning in

secondary mathematics education. Research into
practice. Pearson Education, 2009. Print.