Kidspiration - Tutorial

Karen R. Dailey & Heather Scarberry

Students can use Kidspiration as a graphical organizer to begin organizing their
thoughts for a creative writing assignment. Teachers can create activities for the
students to complete. The options are only as limited as your imagination.

Once Kidspiration is installed on your computer you will see the Kidspiration
Starter screen when opening the software.

A new document can be started by clicking on the buttons Picture and

Writing.

The Picture and

Writing modes
If you already have
are
a
interchangeable.
document started
You can switch
click on the “Open
between the two
a File” icon.
modes when

You can also choose one of the Activities that are built in or have been
created by a teacher. These can be used as is or modified to best fit your
needs.

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Karen R. Dailey & Heather Scarberry

New Document
There are several interfaces to assist you when working on a document:

Menu Bar Options

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Karen R. Dailey & Heather Scarberry
Click here to close the
program. A prompt will be given to
save the document.
Click this to add a symbol to the
page. If you have selected another symbol
and then click on this icon, you will create a
linked symbol on your page.
The Super Grouper helps the kids
practice sorting and categorizing things.
When symbols are dragged into the
SuperGrouper symbol, they will all move
together if the Super Grouper is moved.
Click the Undo Button to undo the
last thing you did. You can also click it again symbol and you will hear the text read
and you will Redo that action.
Click this to allow the student to
type name, date, or other header
information that will be printed at the top of
the Kidspiration page.
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Click this to move to the Writing
Mode of Kidspiration.
Click this to add a link between
two symbols. First click the symbol that
you want the link to come from... then
click the Link Button and not click the
symbol that you want the link to go to.
Click the Clear button to delete a
selected object. This is the same as
clicking the Delete Key on your keyboard.
Click the Listen tool then click a
aloud. Click it again to turn off this
feature.
Click this to make new
symbols customizing them for your
needs.
 Kidspiration - Tutorial
Karen R. Dailey & Heather Scarberry

Symbol Palette
You are able to choose from plethora of symbols
categorized in libraries by clicking on orange down
arrow. The back and next arrows move you to the
previous or next set of symbols.

You can add plain shapes like these or just text to your activity by selecting
one of these symbols:

Just Text
button

Three ways to add symbols to the page:

Click and Drag the symbol from the symbol palette to the page.

Make sure that nothing is selected on the page and then click a symbol on
the palette and it will appear on the page.

Click to select a symbol that you would like to change on your page. Now
click a symbol in the symbol palette and it will change.

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Font Interface
You can change the font and size of the text as well as add effects such as Bold,
Italics, Underline. There is also capability of changing the color of the text, change
the style of arrows and width of the lines. The captions can be turned on or off and
change the fill and line color.

A Capti
Fo Un
B rro ons
nt der
old w on/off
line
styl
Si Itali Fo e L Fill
ze cs nt ine &
col wid Lin
e

Talking Interface
By default the Talking Interface is turned on which becomes annoying after awhile.
To turn it off do the following:

• Click on Teacher in menu

• If not checked click on enable teacher menu

• Click on Teacher in menu again

• Scroll down to Application Options…

• Uncheck Talking Interface

• Click OK

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 Kidspiration - Tutorial
Karen R. Dailey & Heather Scarberry

How to create and add to an Activity folder:

1. Create the activity in the Picture or Writing View.

2. Enable the Teacher Menu and then click "Save as Activity."
3. Choose the default settings that you want for the activity.
4. Choose the category that you want your activity to appear under, for
example "Reading and Writing."
5. In the Activity Name box, type a name for your activity.
6. In the Description of Activity box, type a description for the activity.
7. Now click "Finish."

How to Create Custom Default Settings:

Add your own style to your Kidspiration diagrams. If you find yourself making the same changes
of color, font, and size over and over, then you need to change the default settings in Kidspiration.
To customize the default settings follow the steps below:

1. Click "Teacher" on the top Menu bar and then click "Enable Teacher Menu".
2. Under the "Teacher" menu, click "Save Default Settings"
3. The wizard will walk you through the steps of choosing Default Settings for Picture View
Writing View and Settings for Text. Click "Next" after each screen.
4. To save your changes click "Finish"
5. New projects will now use your Default settings.

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http://www.vickiblackwell.com/kidspiration.html
http://www.vickiblackwell.com/kidspirationlinks.html - awesome places to find tips/ hints
as well as activity ideas

http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/freekidspc2x.shtml - 29 free 1 - 3 minute tutorial

video clips

http://www.coweta.k12.ga.us/cweb/Kidspiration/KidActivities.htm

http://www.cape.k12.mo.us/Blanchard/hicks/Teacher%20Pages/Inspiration.htm

http://www.globalclassroom.org/together/kidspiration.html

http://www.lawrence.org/edlinks/menu.htm - a site of web pages

http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/cornelia/teach/weblinks/kidspiration.htm#fourthgrade

http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmc/tutorials/inspiration.html

http://www.picadome.fcps.net/lab/teacherl/lesson_plans/kidspiration/kidspiration_ideas.htm

http://www.fcps.edu/LondonTowneES/Resources/techlessons/techlessonskid.htm

http://www.lttechno.com/links/kidspiration.html#lessons

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 Kidspiration - Tutorial
Karen R. Dailey & Heather Scarberry
http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~kkcampbell/camp/kidspiration.html

http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/inspiration.htm

http://www.lindenschools.org/macul/InspirLinks.html

http://www.shenandoah.k12.va.us/pk5kidspirationresources.htm

http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/resources/kidspiration.htm

http://www.lttechno.com/links/kidspiration.html

http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/achieveit/writing.htm

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listinspiratst.html

http://t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/teacher_resources/Kidspiration/

http://www.northcanton.sparcc.org/%7Eelem/kidspiration/collection.html

http://www.spart5.k12.sc.us/TechTraining/KidspirationMatrix.htm

http://www.vickiblackwell.com/kidspiration.html
http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/freekidspc2x.shtml