graphics software SOFTWARE
The graphics software programs listed here are just a few of the many available graphics software programs on the market that are designed to help you create different kinds of graphs and maps.
Software |
Description |
License |
Platform |
| Microsoft Publisher | For publishing and marketing materials | Commercial/Trial | Mac, PC |
| Grapher | Technical graphing package | Commercial | Mac |
| Pixologic Zbrush | 3D modeling, blending, rendering | Commercial | Mac, PC |
| Mapmaker | Tool to make desktop maps | Free | Mac |
| MapMaker Toolkit | Tool to make desktop maps | Commercial | Mac, PC |
The varied capabilities of graphics software software include, but are not limited to the following: graph types such as linear, bar, polar, step plots, scatter plots, bubble plots, box-whisker plots, vector plots, histograms, ternary diagrams, pie charts, function chart, 3D modeling, also add legends, annotations, draw objects such as polygons, rectangles, ellipses, points, lines, edit graphs, create templates, and make contour and surface maps. Control line styles, color and width. Graphs can be exported into presentations or publications. These graphics software software tools can be used across the curriculum and in varied grade levels.
- Applied Technology: The graphics software software tool in applied technology helps students to visually demonstrate their understanding of labor issues and financial planning through graphs, diagrams, charts and maps.
- Art: The graphics software tool in the arts can help students create 3D models with visual effects that can be used in movies and video games.
- Health and Physical Education: The graphics software tool in health and physical education can graph students achievements in physical performance, caloric intake and expenditure, changes in blood pressure and heart rates.
- Foreign Language: The graphics software tool in foreign language can help students graph and map the results of their research of a foreign country’s population, geographic region, and economic trends.
- Language Arts: The graphics software tool in language arts can help students map out places from a piece of literature and visually represent non-fictional information through graphs and charts. Using graphic tools students can plan, summarize and retell stories.
- Mathematics: The graphics software tool in math can help students graph linear equations, patterns and differences in measurements.
- Science: The graphics software tool in science helps students graph results of their experiments. The contour and surface maps can show differences and changes in geographic environments.
- Social Studies: The graphics software tool in social studies can help students graph data from their research such as populations, social and economic trends. The contour maps can show locations of geographic environments.
Sample Lesson Plans
The following sample lesson plans provide a general idea on how the graphics software tool can be integrated in a content area and grade level. Although there may not be an example for every content area or at every grade level, the lessons from one content area or grade level can often be adapted to another due to its open-ended approach.
Grade Levels K-2
Social Studies
- US Map: Students will use a simple map to identify and locate places by finding states on a map with clues given by the teacher.