2/5/2013
Post 3 of 3
Maybe some of you have heard of a little website called Wordle or Tagzedo. If not, this is worth checking out! These websites are Word Cloud Generators which allow you to type or paste text into a generator that creates a cloud of various words. You can play with the different settings and colors. This could be something to consider for a project this semester.
I'd like you to generate a word cloud with one of these two websites and bring it to class next week (February 12, 2013). Feel free to email a picture of it, if you don't have access to a printer.
www.wordle.net
www.tagxedo.com
www.wordle.net
www.tagxedo.com
The content can be anything you'd like! This could be a great time to try it with your kids or within a classroom setting.
On the blog, please give me a few examples of how you think a Word Cloud Generator could be used in the classroom setting. What types of activities could this be used for?
Wordle.net was very easy to create. I had difficulty downloading the software silver-light for tagxedo. These word clouds can be most effectively used in the classroom setting for word wall. Frequently used sight words across all content area can be created in an artistic form by the teachers and even students can enjoy it as an activity creating list of sight words for themselves. It can be effective vocabulary tool for the teachers. The teachers can create some educational activities for the class, such as unscramble words, create a Class Contract using words added by students as an art work, scavenger hunt, poems, writings any many more activities can be designed.
ReplyDeleteIra
Wordle.net can be used for vocabulary in each unit. I think that it is an artistic way to display multiple words on a single sheet of paper. Maybe even using this as a word bank for a vocabulary quiz for some students; or have each student make their own word bank based on how they like to organize their vocabulary. I like that it was easy to change colors and make adjustments before printing. Might be something to use in the future.
ReplyDeleteLaura
Wordle was super easy to use! I was able to creat quite a few different word clouds using different sources. Occasionally I was unhappy with the words the tool selected from a piece of text, but a little extra time put into my text selection gave me better results. It would certainly be useful for vocabulary exercises, as others have stated, or as a good writing or discussion prompt when introducing a new topic.
ReplyDeleteTagxedo was a bit harder to get the hang of but I was still able to grasp it relatively quickly, and I was much happier with the outcomes. I liked that you could change the shapes to be more specific, and I love the feature that causes words to jump out when you pass over them with the mouse. I could see myself using either of these in my teaching in the future.
Out of the two word cloud programs I preferred using Tagxedo. I felt it was easier to use that Wordle. With Tagxedo I was able to copy the link to my weekly and it created a world cloud based on the contents of the web page. It was pretty cool. Both Word cloud programs are excellent resources to use in a classroom in many different ways. They can be used for brainstorming ideas, creating word walls in a fun, interactive and visual manner. These can further be used as a fun and creative manner to respond to text and literature using descriptive words (adjectives) or action words (verbs). They can also be used for students to respond to literature by writing words that express their thoughts, feelings or emotions. I really enjoyed using Tagxedo. I found Wordle to be a bit more difficult to navigate. However, both word could programs will be great resources I am sure I will use in the future.
ReplyDeleteI had an easier time naviagating Wordle than Tagxedo but I like the option for creating a word cloud within a thematic shape that Tagxedo offers. In the word cloud that I created I used words that Kindergarteners generated related to their ongoing learning experiences at Auer Farm's collaborative program with their school. I would love to try using these sites for Characterization Charting (generating words to describe a character from reading children's literature with students). to be continued...
ReplyDeleteAlicia Buzzeo
To enhance learning regarding Famous African Americans, a kindergartener generated word lists describing the African American person that she will be presenting about during the "Black History Month Forum" at school. Using Wordle with individual students to record the words that they used to describe the famous African American person of their choice was both fun and rewarding way to record their descriptions. Saving our work so that we could later show the wordles on the promethean board at the forum is an exciting option. Somehow, when young children see their words on display in big ways like this seems to really create greater enthusiasm and pride in their work.
ReplyDelete-Alicia