![Picture](/uploads/4/9/6/2/49628417/bay-springs-word-cloud.png?389)
Too often our students use the same word over and over in their writing. Using WordClouds will show them how often they use the same word, so they can edit their essays. Students can even peer edit with confidence using the size of the words to guide their determination of overuse of a word--the bigger the word, the more it was used.
Writing Objectives:
1. Students will be able to engage in editing in the following ways:
a. deletion of unnecessary words
b. use of teacher and/or peer feedback to improve their writing.
2. Students will be able to engage in proofreading in the following areas:
a. subject verb agreement
b. effective use of active and passive voice
c. pronoun antecedent agreement
d. verb tense consistency
3. Students will be able to engage in teacher and/or peer conferences during the editing/revision stages
of the writing process.
4. Students will be able to evaluate their own writing according to established criteria and rubrics.
5. Students will be able to publish their works in various genres.
Speaking and Listening Objectives:
1. Students will be able to engage critically and constructively in oral exchanges of ideas (i.e. class discussions,
peer group assignments, panel discussions).
2. Students will be able to support a position in discussion or in formal debate.
3. Students will be able to confer with peers about given topics/activities.
4. Students will be able to offer constructive feedback.
Media Objectives:
1. Students will be able to use computers and all available technology to enhance their writing skills.
Target Participants:
Students who struggle to find errors during the editing and revision segments of the writing process.
Pre-requisite Knowledge and/or Skills:
Students will need basic keyboarding skills and knowledge of creating a document.
They will also need the ability to access the internet and login to the WordClouds webpage.
Materials Needed:
Students will need access to a computer and internet. Use of a Google Account is optional if students
only have access to Microsoft Word or some equivalent.
Writing Objectives:
1. Students will be able to engage in editing in the following ways:
a. deletion of unnecessary words
b. use of teacher and/or peer feedback to improve their writing.
2. Students will be able to engage in proofreading in the following areas:
a. subject verb agreement
b. effective use of active and passive voice
c. pronoun antecedent agreement
d. verb tense consistency
3. Students will be able to engage in teacher and/or peer conferences during the editing/revision stages
of the writing process.
4. Students will be able to evaluate their own writing according to established criteria and rubrics.
5. Students will be able to publish their works in various genres.
Speaking and Listening Objectives:
1. Students will be able to engage critically and constructively in oral exchanges of ideas (i.e. class discussions,
peer group assignments, panel discussions).
2. Students will be able to support a position in discussion or in formal debate.
3. Students will be able to confer with peers about given topics/activities.
4. Students will be able to offer constructive feedback.
Media Objectives:
1. Students will be able to use computers and all available technology to enhance their writing skills.
Target Participants:
Students who struggle to find errors during the editing and revision segments of the writing process.
Pre-requisite Knowledge and/or Skills:
Students will need basic keyboarding skills and knowledge of creating a document.
They will also need the ability to access the internet and login to the WordClouds webpage.
Materials Needed:
Students will need access to a computer and internet. Use of a Google Account is optional if students
only have access to Microsoft Word or some equivalent.
The word cloud tool will drop the words on the page and the students can organize them shape using the tools across the top of the image. I used “Shape” to select the image of a woman, although the students may choose any shape they want. The software reorganized the words into the shape. Next I selected “Theme” to choose the colors of the words, followed by “Colors” to choose a background color.
After some adjustments, I produced this final product. The words that were used the most are larger than the words used the least. Students can look at the words and determine which they used the most, whether they were spelled correctly, and decide how they might want to edit them. They also can edit the word list and alter the number of times a word is used to change the size of the word for a final printout to add to their writing folder. (They may decide to emphasize the words that mean the most to them by upping the number of times the word should appear.)
This is the final copy of the WordCloud created for a short story titled “Who I Am.” Students will engage in writing their story, creating and editing their word cloud, then editing their writing. They will rely on peer evaluations to point out redundancy in their writing also. This will create an open dialogue between the students and their peers, as well as, with me because I will want to know the reason they chose their image, the colors, and the purpose for emphasizing certain words.
Assessment:
Students will submit their online writing portfolio complete with rough drafts, a copy of their word cloud,
and the final draft. It will be checked according to the rubric prescribed for that assignment.
Follow Up Activity:
Students will choose a selection from their writing portfolio to submit for the Young Georgia Author
Writing Contest, or a similar contest of their's or their instructor's choosing.
Students will submit their online writing portfolio complete with rough drafts, a copy of their word cloud,
and the final draft. It will be checked according to the rubric prescribed for that assignment.
Follow Up Activity:
Students will choose a selection from their writing portfolio to submit for the Young Georgia Author
Writing Contest, or a similar contest of their's or their instructor's choosing.
Conclusion
Using a web-based productivity tool to create a word cloud for visual learning puts the power of creation in the hands of the students. They will be able to come up with a symbol for their topic, and to self/peer evaluate their writing. Through the process, they will develop critical thinking skills and a dialogue within their learning community that will enable them to strengthen their command of the english language. The confidence gained from the experience with a collaborative community will in turn aid them in developing lifetime literacy skills, so they become a stronger part of the global community later in life.
Using a web-based productivity tool to create a word cloud for visual learning puts the power of creation in the hands of the students. They will be able to come up with a symbol for their topic, and to self/peer evaluate their writing. Through the process, they will develop critical thinking skills and a dialogue within their learning community that will enable them to strengthen their command of the english language. The confidence gained from the experience with a collaborative community will in turn aid them in developing lifetime literacy skills, so they become a stronger part of the global community later in life.