What is this?. What is a Word Cloud? Visual representation of frequency of user generated words in a text. Tag Cloud (web design) Weighted List (visual.

What is this?

What is a Word Cloud?

Visual representation of frequency of user generated words in a text.

• Tag Cloud (web design)

• Weighted List (visual design)

What is a Word Cloud?

Picture of a text

Words appearing most often – larger

Words appearing less frequently - smaller

What is a Word Cloud?

…analytical look at who we are and what we write [and read]

~Michael Gorman~

What is Wordle?

Program that creates word clouds based on frequency of words in a text.

• Easy to use

• Fun for both students and teacher

What is Wordle?

www.wordle.net

For students use the following URL

www.wordle.net/create

How Does Wordle Work?

Demonstration

Think of one or more word or phrase that sums up how you feel about using

technology

www.wordle.net/create

Word Clouds Eng/LA• Introduce new vocabulary

• Synonyms/Antonyms

• Predicting – use for all subject areas and grade levels

• Improve Essay Writing

• Study author’s diction and word choice

• Character studies/analysis

• Compare history w. historical fiction

Word Clouds – Eng/LA (cont.)

• List of frequently misspelled words

• Compare/contrast – use for all subject areas and grade levels

• Summarize lesson – use for all subject areas and grade levels

World Clouds – History/SS

• Introduce new vocabulary

• Preview a historically important speech before reading/listening

• People, ideas, events of a period in history

• Geography

• What it means to be:

• Report on a state

Word Clouds - Science

• Introduce new vocabulary

• Biology – plants of genus or species

• Anatomy – i.e. bones of hand

• Geology – types of rocks

• Report – animal research project based on phyla

Word Clouds – Foreign Language

• Introduce new vocabulary

• Guess fairy tale

• Collect words that contain the same sounds – also be use in LA

Word Clouds - Art

• Introduce new vocabulary

• Share characteristics of an period or artistic technique

• Art history – artist and his works

• Overlay student reflections on a piece of art (Special effect)

Word Clouds - Math

• Introduce new vocabulary

• Problem of the week

• Math investigations – different ways to solve a problem

• Equations and inequalities as review or post assessment

Word Clouds – Math (cont.)

• Distributive properties – students write own problem

Note: Special characters and symbols used for advanced mathematical operations as well as many keyboard symbols are not compatible with Wordle.

Word Clouds - Music

• Introduce new vocabulary

• Music history – composer and works

• Characteristics of a particular musical period

• Music of a historical period & how works represent it

• Instrument families

Word Clouds – Health/Phys. Ed.

• Introduce new vocabulary

• Introduce rules of game/sport

• Health – keep food chart, create word cloud and compare to Food Pyramid

Word Clouds – Misc.

• Grading criteria

• Create class rules

• Character education

• Gifts and fund raisers

• Employability skills – career jobs

Special Effects

• Overlay a word cloud over clip art

Adding Special Effects

Use a graphics program that allows the creation of layers Paint Shop Pro Photo Shop

Bottom layer is photo or clip art

Top layer is word cloud

Final Word

Caution: Using Wordle is addictive!

“I can back off my blogging, turn down my Tweeting, and even wrap up my wiki, but I can’t

wane my Wordling!”

~Michael Gorman~

Sue Martin

Mahoning Unlimited Classroom

[email protected]

A page of Brave New Word shows Huxley’s word choice and conveys some of his feelings about the topic.

Gifts and Fund Raisers

Use a screen capture program and one of the programs below to create pictures,

posters, mouse pads, magnets, mugs, etc.

www.bighugelabs.com

www.smugmug.com