Nicole+Johnson's+Wordle+Page

=__**What is Wordle?**__=

Wordle is a website that generates "word clouds" from text provided by the user. Various fonts, layouts, and color schemes can be utilized when creating a word cloud image. The user need only to type words, sentences, or phrases into the text box, and the Wordle generator does the rest. A user may also copy and paste text into the box. After completing a Wordle image, it can be printed or saved as a PDF. You can also browse through some examples of Wordle word clouds that have been created by other users. This teaching tool could be used with students across multiple grade levels and with many different lessons and subject areas.

=__**Wordle Sample**__=

I created a Wordle to use with my first graders that covers some grammar topics we've been discussing in whole group reading. Please click on the PDF link below to see the image. You can also view my lesson plan to see how I would like to implement this into the classroom with my students.



=__**Incorporating Wordle Into The Classroom**__=

After teaching the students about nouns, verbs, and adjectives, I'd like to use this Wordle image as a review/assessment piece. I would give the students the same Wordle image three separate times, and ask them to identify just one of the grammatical categories each time. I'd likely give each student a highlighter and ask them to go on a "word hunt" for only the nouns, verbs, or adjectives. Not only does this show me if the students can identify which words are nouns, verbs, or adjectives, but it also shows whether they can identify words that are NOT within the same category of the type they are searching for that day.

Of course, with older students, all three types could be identified in one lesson - possibly using three separate colors for each category.

I've found that the Wordle website would be very beneficial in any subject area. Students could use this resource to type words and create an image that describes a book character, lists features of maps vs. globes, or highlights vocabulary words from a science unit. I believe that the possibilities with this website could be endless, and I look forward to finding ways to integrate Wordle images in future lessons with my first grade students.

Click on this link to connect to the Wiki Home Page: PSC553falconFALL13S1 Home Page