Two new additions to  Inspiration Software, Inc.’s library of lesson plan books will  support teachers as they use InspireData to help students build data  analysis skills, and strengthen their critical thinking skills while  learning about topics in science and social studies. "InspireData and Science: Question, Analyze and Predict" and  "InspireData and Social Studies: Explore, Analyze and Understand"  each include 20 easy-to-use lessons for grades 4-12, aligned to  national academic standards.

Students use InspireData to investigate, analyze, and represent data and  information in dynamic plots and graphs. Students can change variables and plot types so they can explore data  in multiple, meaningful ways. This encourages them to investigate  data analytically, ask more questions, and apply their understanding  of the data to form better conclusions and to continue exploration, the announcement states.

Students will use data to learn about the steps of  scientific inquiry when teachers use the lessons in "InspireData and  Science: Question, Analyze and Predict." Targeted at grades 4-12, the  20 lessons in this new book are aligned to National Science Education  Standards. They focus on core content strands, including science as  inquiry, the nature of science, physical sciences, life sciences, and  earth and space sciences. Designed to support science laboratory  activities and science instruction using InspireData, these lessons  will help students build data collection, analysis and prediction  skills while they study topics such as animal longevity,  air quality, and the characteristics of stars, the announcement states.

With the lesson plans in "InspireData and Social Studies: Explore,  Analyze and Understand," teachers can help students use data to learn  important concepts in history, geography, economics, civics, and  government. Each lesson includes suggested grade levels,  standards alignment, a description, step-by-step instructions, ideas  for assessments, and adaptations for differentiating instruction and  extending the lesson. Students will use historical and current data  to explore topics such as the economics of using credit cards,  characteristics of past presidents, and political advances women have  made around the world.

Single copies of the lesson plan books are $39.95.  School-wide licenses, available in electronic  format, are $199. Sample pages from the books can be downloaded at  www.inspiration.com/newbooks.

Source: Inspiration Software, Inc., www.inspiration.com