New Lesson Plan Book From Inspiration Software® Offers Strategies for Using Visual Learning to Help Young Learners Build Literacy Skills

"Kidspiration in the Classroom: Reading Essentials" Features 50 Standards-Based Lesson Plans for Grades K-5

PORTLAND, OR — March 25, 2008
Elementary school teachers will have even more ways to use visual learning to help young learners build literacy skills with today's debut of "Kidspiration® in the Classroom: Reading Essentials." Launched closely on the heels of last month’s release of Kidspiration 3, this new resource book includes 50 standards-based lesson plans designed specifically to support the K-5 reading curriculum. Created by Inspiration Software® Inc. for K-5 learners, Kidspiration 3 supports students in kindergarten through fifth grade as they strengthen reading and writing skills, build conceptual understanding in math and develop thinking skills across the curriculum.

"Kidspiration in the Classroom: Reading Essentials," the newest addition to Inspiration Software’s library of lesson plan books, includes lessons for grades K-2 focusing on early literacy and the essential components of effective reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary and comprehension. Topics range from "Identifying Initial Sounds and Letters" to "Recognizing Color Words."

For grades 3-5, the lessons will help learners build vocabulary and reading comprehension and content literacy skills. Older elementary students will develop their vocabularies with lessons, such as "Contextual Definitions," and build reading comprehension abilities with lessons on topics such as "Literary Analysis." Many of the lessons in "Kidspiration in the Classroom: Reading Essentials" link directly to activities included in Kidspiration 3.

"When young learners build strong literacy skills, they have a firm foundation for success throughout the curriculum," said Mona Westhaver, president and co-founder, Inspiration Software. "We developed this lesson plan book to support elementary teachers as they use the power of visual learning to help their students build those critical readingskills."

New capabilities in Kidspiration 3 that support reading instruction include a Word Guide that helps young learners build vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, with easy access to nearly 13,000 words, including sight vocabulary from the Dolch and Fry's word lists. Each entry includes definitions, recorded speech for pronunciation, synonyms and antonyms, parts of speech and sample sentences. The Word Guide pairs 1,400 words with images to enhance word recognition and comprehension and is aligned with Teachers of English as a Second Language (TESL) vocabulary to support English Language Learners and English as a Second Language students.

A 30-day free trial of Kidspiration 3 can be downloaded at www.inspiration.com/freetrial. Sample pages from "Kidspiration in the Classroom: Reading Essentials" can be downloaded at www.inspiration.com/Resources/Kidspiration. Single copies of "Kidspiration in the Classroom: Reading Essentials" are $29.95. Volume licenses for individual schools, available in an easy-to-share, electronic format, are $199. For more information, call 800-877-4292 or visit www.inspiration.com/order to find a local education dealer.

About Inspiration Software, Inc.
Recognized as the leader in visual thinking and learning, Inspiration Software, Inc.'s award-winning software tools, Inspiration®, Kidspiration and InspireData^®, are based on proven visual learning methodologies that help students think, learn and achieve. With the powerful combination of visual learning and technology, students in grades K-12 learn to clarify thoughts, organize and analyze information, integrate new knowledge and think critically. Founded 25 years ago by Donald Helfgott and Mona Westhaver, the company's visual learning software tools are used today by more than 25 million students and teachers worldwide.