Popplets in Education: Literacy 

By Lauren Bristol

• What is Popplet?

Popplet is a website which helps students to organize information in a way that is different than the traditional outline. With this online tool, students can create mind maps or concept webs (which ever name you prefer) online. Students can save their popplets, as they are called, and come back to them as needed. Within the popplet students may organize information in any fashion that suits them. As many new popples (the individual boxes within the popplet) can be created as needed. Connections between the information can be show by lines between popples.

Example

I created a popplet in minutes for the social studies unit which I am teaching to second graders right now.

It was super easy and fun to make.

http://popplet.com/app/index.php#/868180

Use in Literacy

      This tool could mostly be used for writing and composition. As I said before, this is an organzational tool.

With it the students can get their ideas out for their writing. Not only could the students get their ideas out

but they can organize the information in a way that is conducive to writing. In order for a popplet to make

sense to the reader, it must be organized into subpoints. This would help the child decide what information

fits into which sub-category. After making the popplet, the student would be able to use it to organize the

information into paragraphs. All they must do is use the information within the sub-categorieswithin the

 popplet to create the paragraphs within the composition. Popplet creates an organzational system in which

the students must learn to organize the thougths which are jumbled in their heads. 

How to Use Popplet

To sign up for popplet

1. Go to  http://popplet.com/ 
2. Click the link "Sign up for free"
3. Enter the required information 
4. Click "next"
5. You are ready to make popplets

To make a popplet 

1. Click "make new popplet
2. Enter the name of your popplet 
3. Choose a color 
4. Click 'make it so"
5. Double click to make a new popple 
6. Drag the circles  around each popple to connect the popples 
7. Drag the popples to move them 

1. Change the font size 
2. Change the color 
3. Draw a picture 
4. Add a picture  

• Literacy Connection Links

http://blog.popplet.com/category/popplets-in-education/

http://pinterest.com/popplet/popplet-in-education/

http://darceynoska.weebly.com/popplet-in-the-classroom.html

• Helpful Links

http://popplet.com/app/index.php#/913447

http://blog.popplet.com/category/popplet-techniques/

http://blog.popplet.com/category/business-tool-popplets/

http://blog.popplet.com/category/having-issues/

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/site-reviews/popplet.shtml