Wordle and Tagxedo

Wordle and TagxedoWordle and Tagxedo

By: Sharon Baxley and Nicole By: Sharon Baxley and Nicole DoveDove

ExamplesExamples

http://www.wordle.net/gallery http://www.wordle.net/gallery http://www.tagxedo.com/gallery.html http://www.tagxedo.com/gallery.html

Wordle Wordle (http://www.wordle.net)(http://www.wordle.net)

A free tool that creates word clouds from A free tool that creates word clouds from text provided by the user. text provided by the user.

Text can be from an original source, or Text can be from an original source, or from a URL. from a URL.

Generates word clouds and gives greater Generates word clouds and gives greater prominence to words that appear most prominence to words that appear most frequently. frequently.

Can change font, color and layout.Can change font, color and layout. Can save by taking a screenshot, printing Can save by taking a screenshot, printing

out, or save to a public library.out, or save to a public library.

How to use Wordle How to use Wordle

Personal narratives:Personal narratives:

Write, or copy and paste, a personal Write, or copy and paste, a personal narrative into Wordle. Students will be able narrative into Wordle. Students will be able to see what is important to their peers from to see what is important to their peers from the words that are produced from the the words that are produced from the Wordle word clouds. Compare the words Wordle word clouds. Compare the words that are used most often by boys, or girls, that are used most often by boys, or girls, by age group, or by class/grade level. These by age group, or by class/grade level. These Wordle lessons make great displays outside Wordle lessons make great displays outside a classroom. a classroom.

How to use WordleHow to use Wordle

Famous SpeechesFamous SpeechesEnter the text of a famous historical speech Enter the text of a famous historical speech into Wordle. Analyze the results by looking at into Wordle. Analyze the results by looking at the most commonly used words, or even the the most commonly used words, or even the words that are not used. What does this tell us words that are not used. What does this tell us about the orator and their intentions? Go about the orator and their intentions? Go to http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/prevto http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/previous.htm orhttp://www.americanrhetoric.com/ious.htm orhttp://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html for a list of historical top100speechesall.html for a list of historical speeches you may want to get started with. speeches you may want to get started with.


Classroom Polls: Instead of your traditional Classroom Polls: Instead of your traditional bar graph or pictograph, try using Wordle to bar graph or pictograph, try using Wordle to organize your data. What is the favorite organize your data. What is the favorite activity in your class? Have all students activity in your class? Have all students take turns at entering their favorite activity take turns at entering their favorite activity in to Wordle and generate the resulting in to Wordle and generate the resulting cloud. Bigger words = more popular cloud. Bigger words = more popular activities. Can use after a test to see what activities. Can use after a test to see what was difficult and if there is a common was difficult and if there is a common theme, or what activities in class students theme, or what activities in class students would like to see utilized in class. would like to see utilized in class.


Compare and ContrastCompare and Contrast

Use Wordle as a compare and contrast Use Wordle as a compare and contrast tool. Compare and contrast the word tool. Compare and contrast the word clouds of two or more students' clouds of two or more students' writing, famous speeches, song lyrics, writing, famous speeches, song lyrics, news reports, book reviews or news reports, book reviews or whatever else you may need to whatever else you may need to compare in your classroom studies. compare in your classroom studies.


Current Affairs AnalysisCurrent Affairs Analysis: Copy and : Copy and paste a news story into Wordle. What paste a news story into Wordle. What could the story have been about? could the story have been about? Can you guess what the headline Can you guess what the headline would have been? Where could have would have been? Where could have it taken place? These questions and it taken place? These questions and more make this a worthy discussion more make this a worthy discussion exercise. exercise.


Wordle Word WallsWordle Word Walls: Brighten up your word : Brighten up your word walls with this fun idea. Students can walls with this fun idea. Students can brainstorm synonyms, antonyms, or brainstorm synonyms, antonyms, or definitions for their list of vocabulary words. definitions for their list of vocabulary words. Add your word clouds to your existing word Add your word clouds to your existing word wall work to help stimulate those higher wall work to help stimulate those higher thinking skills in your students. Keep a tally thinking skills in your students. Keep a tally of the targeted vocabulary words that the of the targeted vocabulary words that the students use in speech on a daily basis, and students use in speech on a daily basis, and add them to a Wordle cloud to show which add them to a Wordle cloud to show which are used most often. are used most often.


Unit Review/Preview PostersUnit Review/Preview Posters: : Students can create KWL charts on Students can create KWL charts on what they would like to learn and what they would like to learn and find out about a given topic. find out about a given topic. Alternatively, create word clouds at Alternatively, create word clouds at the end of a unit to summarize the the end of a unit to summarize the key learning points or vocabulary key learning points or vocabulary from a given topic. from a given topic.


Historical Document AnalysisHistorical Document Analysis: : Have you ever wondered what the Magna Have you ever wondered what the Magna

Carta or Declaration of Independence would Carta or Declaration of Independence would look like when pasted into Wordle? Try it look like when pasted into Wordle? Try it and see. There will be lots of talking points and see. There will be lots of talking points from the resulting word cloud. What do you from the resulting word cloud. What do you predict you will see? What themes can you predict you will see? What themes can you identify? How does the word cloud fit in with identify? How does the word cloud fit in with the historical context of the document?the historical context of the document?

WordleWordle

WordleWordle www.wordle.netwww.wordle.net Click on CREATE.Click on CREATE. In the text box, paste the words you typed in your Word document.In the text box, paste the words you typed in your Word document. To create the Wordle, click on GO.To create the Wordle, click on GO. The more times a word is typed in the text box, the bigger it will appear in the Wordle. For example, a The more times a word is typed in the text box, the bigger it will appear in the Wordle. For example, a

word typed 5 times will be larger than a word typed once.word typed 5 times will be larger than a word typed once. To keep words together, use a tilde (~). You can find the tilde in the top left of your keyboard. For To keep words together, use a tilde (~). You can find the tilde in the top left of your keyboard. For

example, if you want “George Washington” to stay together in the Wordle, you need to type example, if you want “George Washington” to stay together in the Wordle, you need to type George~Washington.George~Washington.

When the Wordle appears, you can change the font, the layout, and the colors.When the Wordle appears, you can change the font, the layout, and the colors. To make your own colors:To make your own colors:

Click on COLOR.Click on COLOR. Click on EDIT CUSTOM PALETTE.Click on EDIT CUSTOM PALETTE. When you click on the squares of color, a rainbow color palette will appear. You can pick the four colors that you like.When you click on the squares of color, a rainbow color palette will appear. You can pick the four colors that you like.

If the computer you are using is connected to a color printer, you can print by using the PRINT button If the computer you are using is connected to a color printer, you can print by using the PRINT button

underneath the Wordle. If you are not connected to a color printer, your Wordle will be printed in black underneath the Wordle. If you are not connected to a color printer, your Wordle will be printed in black and white.and white.

TagxedoTagxedo

Very similar to Wordle but enables Very similar to Wordle but enables users to manipulate and customize users to manipulate and customize the shape and visual features of the the shape and visual features of the cloud.cloud.

TagxedoTagxedo TagxedoTagxedo www.tagxedo.comwww.tagxedo.com Click on CREATE.Click on CREATE. In the left sidebar, click on LOAD.In the left sidebar, click on LOAD.

In the box where it says ENTER TEXT, paste the words you typed in your Word document.In the box where it says ENTER TEXT, paste the words you typed in your Word document. Click on Submit.Click on Submit. Close the text pop-up box by clicking on the X in the upper right corner.Close the text pop-up box by clicking on the X in the upper right corner.

To change the colors, click on the arrow next to THEME.To change the colors, click on the arrow next to THEME. Scroll down to see all of your choices.Scroll down to see all of your choices. You can close the theme pop-up box by clicking on the X in the upper right corner.You can close the theme pop-up box by clicking on the X in the upper right corner.

You can change the font and orientation the same way you changed the colors. Click You can change the font and orientation the same way you changed the colors. Click on the arrows next to those options.on the arrows next to those options.

Under OPTIONS, you can change the SHAPE.Under OPTIONS, you can change the SHAPE.

Click on the arrow.Click on the arrow. Scroll down to see all of the shape options.Scroll down to see all of the shape options. Close the box by clicking on the X.Close the box by clicking on the X. If you click on INVERT, then the shape is left empty, and the words fill in around the shape.If you click on INVERT, then the shape is left empty, and the words fill in around the shape.

Near the top of the sidebar, under LOAD, you will find options to SAVE and PRINT Near the top of the sidebar, under LOAD, you will find options to SAVE and PRINT

your Tagxedo.your Tagxedo. If you SAVE, make sure to save your Tagxedo as a JPG.If you SAVE, make sure to save your Tagxedo as a JPG.

Documents

Wordle and Tagxedo