Inspiration and FreeMind are concept-mapping tools that let students express their ideas in a visual, non-linear medium, which is often just what students need to generate ideas for writing assignments. Inspiration also allows you to convert your concept map into an outline.

• Inspiration lesson plans & ideas at edtechteacher.org
• Inspiration video tutorials at edtechteacher.org

Inspiration has numerous templates for different types of writing in the language arts and social studies, such as “Comparative Analysis” and “Pro and Con” template prompts students to enter arguments on both sides of a debate.

Classroom technology tutorials & projects that foster student creativity & empowerment.

FreeMind is a free, open-source mind-mapping tool. It has fewer features than Inspiration, but it also has much smaller files and you can put it on unlimited computers at no cost.

• download Freemind
• Freemind templates for an introductory, five-paragraph essay at edtechteacher.org.

Gliffy and Bubble.us are "Web 2.0" tools that may lack some of Inspirations's features, but offer the ability to collaborate on documents from anywhere!

"Cyberguides" examples of Graphic Organizers and Journals useful for English and Language Arts classrooms.

Make sure to visit our sister site "Teaching History with Technology" at thwt.org and learn about incorporating technology effectively in the history and social studies classroom.