Using Word Clouds

Word Clouds have been out there for several years. Students input text into generator and then create a visual cloud of their words. The larger the text, the more it is used in the document.  Get your students to use them creatively in the classroom!

Here are several ways:

1. Create a Concrete Poem
2. Narrow ideas into keywords
3. Highlight the important concepts/ideas in a piece of their own writing
4. Most important points/facts about a fiction or nonfiction piece
5. Title Page
6. Review a concept/topic or vocabulary
7. Create tags for website
8. Create graphics for a presentation

The possibilites are endless.

With Macs visit these Online sites

Wordle:

http://www.wordle.net/

• allows students to write or paste text
• change font/colour/layout
• no choice of shape
• cannot save, must capture screen

  

Tagxedo

http://www.tagxedo.com/

• allows students to write or paste text
• change font/colour/layout
• a selection of shapes, or upload own shape
• save or capture screen

ABCYA

http://www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htm

• allows students to write or paste text
• change font/colour/layout
• no choice of shape
• save or capture screen

more

http://worditout.com/word-cloud/make-a-new-one

ipad users can use TagCloud