Step 1 - Launch Inspiration
Step 2 - Modify the Main Idea balloon which opens
when Inspiration is launched. The default style is an oval like the
one below:
While the balloon is selected you may change it to any
of the other styles available. You move from one page on the symbol
palette to another with the left and right arrows at the top of the
palette. The middle arrow allows you to jump directly to a specific
page on the palette. Those arrows can be seen in the image below:
Step 3 - Click on the words "main idea", highlight
the words and type in the main idea, "Uses of the Library Media Center."
Step 4 - Highlight what you just typed, go to
the Format menu at the top of the screen and change the size
of the words to 12 point in the Size submenu and make the main
idea Bold in the Style submenu.
Step 5- Click away from the main idea, and use
the symbol palette to select the shape which you will use for the
related information. Use the same shape for all three. They can be
moved to any place on the page, but things may be easier if you click
where you want the shape to be placed before each new one is placed.
After all three are placed modify the three with the assigned topics:
Students accessing the Internet, Teachers using Internet
and Large group presentations. To place words in the shape
you chose, double-click in the shape.
Step 6- Create links
As you looked through the examples above you noticed that items are
linked by arrows. To create a link click on the Link icon at the top
of the window (seen at the right), click on the first object to be
linked, then click on the second object to be linked. Repeat the procedure
until all related information shapes are linked to the main topic.
Step 7- Place supporting details. Follow the
same procedure to create six balloons for the supporting details,
two around each of the related information balloons. When the six
balloons have been placed and labeled, link each to the related information
balloons using the outline given above step 1.
Step 8 - Use fill color to group related topics.
Click on the Main Idea, Related Information, or Supporting Details.
Go to the Effect menu at the top of the page and select a color
from the Fill Color submenu. Repeat this procedure until each
of the three areas on the outline has been colored. [Note: all
balloons of a similar type can be recolored at the same time. Click
on one, hold the Shift key down and click on each of the other balloons.
When you select Fill Color, all will be recolored at the same time.]
Step 9 - Distinguish between the link arrows
connecting the main idea to its related information by changing the
line color and thickness. Select all three link arrows by using the
shift technique taught in Step 9. After all arrows are selected go
to the Effect menu at the top of the page and select the Line
Thickness and Line Color submenus to make changes.
Step 10 - For the purpose of comparison only, compare my concept
map to yours.