Wordle

Today in class the first group presented the Web 2.0 tool called Wordle. I understand this is the first presentation and we have many more to see, but frankly I was so impressed with this tool. I have seen creations like the ones created on Wordle and have always wondered what the exact process was to make one. We learned that Safari is the best browser to use when working in Wordle and that Java has to be enabled in order to make a creation. Once you have enabled Java you go to the site, www.wordle.net and click create. Basically what the tool does is take any text you place in the text box and randomizes it into a cluster of words. These words when clustered are colorful and almost like a piece of artwork. Words that are used frequently in the text end up being the biggest font in the cluster. Filler words are not use in the final product. For the Wordle I created below, I used the lyrics to one of my favorite songs. Love is in a large font because as I said, it appears frequently in the lyrics. You can also manually type in words like "love" over and over again to achieve a larger size. Once the Worlde is created, you can randomize it to change the placement of the words and the font. You can also change the colors. You can edit it on an advanced level and change the positioning of the words as well. The best way to access your creation for further personal use in the classroom beyond just publishing it on the site itself is to take a screen shot. The screen shot can be saved to your desktop and you can do what you want with it from there. In the classroom, Wordle can be used for vocabulary and in elementary grades for students' names. I will most certainly use this tool in the future to add color and complexity to my classroom, while simultaneously reinforcing vocabulary and sight words.