Webspiration - Diagrams and Outlines

The very best feature of Webspiration in my opinion is the "one-click" outline. The program allows you to freely flow between a diagram view of your project and an outline view. I have found with my children that one view has helped them clarify the other and vice versa. You don't need to perfect your graphic view in order to perfect your outline, you can work on both simultaneously. This is such a wonderful feature.
After reading "The Saturdays" by Elizabeth Enright here is our daughter's Saturday both in a graphic and outline form (my apologies for my scanner!!).
To change the form, on the far left of the toolbar there is a button with an A and a rotated = sign.  That will change your document to the view you choose.

Graphic View

Outline View

Webspiration can start you out in the diagram view, but if your student works better getting the words down first I would say, start with the outline.
Webspiration allows you to add your own graphics as well. In the edit drop down menu there is a insert graphic button. That allows you to insert a graphic from a file or a URL.
On the bottom of the screen is the toolbar to "gussy up" your project with fonts, fill colours, text colours etc. This will help to personalize the project.
This project is basic in that respect but our daughter worked independently on this. She then took her outline and was able to write her narrative on "My Saturday" with a great outline to keep her focussed.
Blessings!

The Shakespeare Stealer and Webspiration

I promised a few posts on Webspiration and here is another one. This one is based on the novel The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood.


Our daughter used Inspiration (Webspiration) to take a look at the plot and characters in this book. Comparing the villain to the hero, following plot line and doing a character study on Widge, the Protagonist of the book.

Hero versus Villan Character Sketches

Plot Summary of the Shakespeare Stealer

Widge Character Study

I hope that this helps with more ideas on using this great resource!
Blessings!

Using Webspiration!!

For years we have owned both Kidspiration and Inspiration which are the software version of the new online subscription Webspiration. http://www.mywebspiration.com/ It is a simple program that allows your student to clarify thoughts and analyze information in a visual way. I am going to be writing on this program more than once, as we have used it for so many applications. 

Today I am going to focus on Literary Analysis. I began using this program with our daughter when she was in grade 3. Back then she used Kidspiration. It was easy to do simple plot diagrams and simple character sketches. These samples are from when she was in Grade 5. 

She has used it in several different ways for Story Maps. One of these is based on Return to Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright and the other on Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare. 

She also has used it for sorting out Protagonists and Antagonists. This graphic is based on Calico Captive. Many times we have used it for comparisons as well (that will be in another Webspirations post).

Jump in and start using this program. It is really worth the time to get to know how to use it. Blessings!