Inspired by Inspiration

In today's classroom we face many challenges that reflect the shift in education from blackboards to a digital age. In an effort to inspire students' learning, introducing and supplying supplementary visuals and organizers provides the students with additional ways to be involved in the learning and understanding of the lesson.

One of the tools available to us today is called Inspiration. One can download a free 30-day trial of this tool online at  http://www.inspiration.com/! This tool provides a format that allows one to create a graphic organizer about any topic of interest. For this particular project I chose a seventh grade SPI: 7.1.spi.22.-identify similes, metaphors, personification, and hyperbole within context. I would use my Inspiration project as a supplementary tool to introduce figurative language. I will had it out to the students as a resource to use throughout the year and as we build onto our knowledge and understanding. 

Although I enjoy using Inspiration in TPTE 486, I doubt that  I will purchase the tool. Through searching on Delicious.com, as I previously spoke of in an earlier blog, I have found many other free resources online that provide the same kind of format and capabilities. Although the program probably has many more options and applications, for my particular use as a middle grades teacher, I feel that I could find adequate resources elsewhere.