EARTH SCIENCE WORDLES

                  By: Sydney Britton

WORDLE DESCRIPTION

A Wordle is an image one can create that consists of a group of words. According to http://www.wordle.net/, "Wordle is a toy for generating "word clouds" from text that you provide." The words can be modified in many different ways. The color, size, font, layout, and language can be changed to make it your own.

WORDLE TUTORIAL

How to Create a Wordle

Step 1: Go to Google. Type "Wordle" in the search bar.

Step 2: Click on the first link, "Wordle-Beautiful Word Clouds." It should bring you to a screen that looks like this.

Step 3: Click on "Create" which is toward the top of the screen. It should bring you to a screen that looks like this.

Step 4: Type in the words you want in your image in the box where it says, "Paste in a bunch of text." Then, click "Go."

Step 5: It will then create your Wordle which will look something like this.

Step 6: Then, you can change the font, layout, color, etc. You can change these things by clicking on the different tabs that are labeled, "Edit", "Language", "Font", "Layout", and "Color." Also, you can click "Randomize" and it will change the Wordle image for you. You can print your Wordle when you are finished making it your own.

WORDLE EXAMPLES 

This earth science Wordle focuses on parts of the earth and different types of rocks.

This earth science Wordle focuses on oceans.

 https://sites.google.com/a/pvlearners.net/mercury-mine-1st-grade-happenings/core-knowledge---science/living-things-and-their-habitats-water-habitats-ocean

This earth science Wordle focuses on natural disasters.

http://sun5hin3.wikispaces.com/Natural+Disaster+Presentations

WORDLE APPLICATION IN THE CLASSROOM

Seven Ways For Teaching and Learning

#1: Teachers and students can put all of their names into a Wordle at the beginning of the year.

#2: Students can think about their different strengths and they can put words to describe their strengths into a Wordle.  

#3: Teachers can put words into a Wordle for the content area they are going to be testing on and then create a test based on the Wordle. It can be a plan or guide for teachers.

#4: Teachers can put the classroom rules into a Wordle and make it a poster so both the students and the teacher can refer back to it.

#5: Students can put the main points from a reading or activity into a Wordle to help point things out and understand the material more clearly.

#6: Teachers and students can build a Wordle together for vocabulary words. They can start with the vocabulary word and add words that help describe that word. This will help create a dictionary for the students.

#7: Teachers can make a Wordle involving the pieces that will make up their curriculum for the year.

 http://www.slideshare.net/mberner/38-intersting-ways-to-use-wordle-in-the-classroom

 WORDLE APPLICATION IN EARTH SCIENCE 

Seven Ways For Teaching and Learning

#1: When learning about natural disasters, divide the students into groups and assign each group a different natural disaster: tornado, earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, etc. Each group will create a Wordle with characteristics of their natural disaster.

#2: Students can also create a Wordle when learning about oceans. They can put names of animals in their Wordle and compare and contrast the animals.

#3: Teachers and students can work together to create a Wordle with the different types of rocks (Metamorphic, Sedimentary, and Igneous) and their characteristics. There will be rocks around the classroom. The students will then identify what type of rock each one is by referring to the Wordle.

#4: Students can get into eight groups and each group can focus on one planet in the solar system. They will each make a Wordle with words describing their planet. After they are finished with their Wordles, they will work together to make a line in front of the classroom to show the order away from the sun they are (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune).

#5: When learning vocabulary for different chapters in earth science, the teacher can assign each student one vocabulary word. Each student can create a Wordle with their vocabulary word and other words that describe their word.

#6: Before starting a new unit, have the students create a Wordle with things they already know about the earth science topic. After the unit, have the students create a Wordle with things they learned about the topic.

#7: If the students are going to be writing about a certain earth science topic, have them create a Wordle with different pieces they want to include in their paper. This can serve as a plan for the students to help write their paper.

 WORDLE RESOURCES

5 URLs

#1: Create a Wordle @ http://www.wordle.net/

#2: Ways to use Wordles in the Classroom @

 http://edudemic.com/2010/07/45-interesting-ways-to-use-wordle-in-the-classroom/

#3: Pros/Cons of Wordles @ http://learnitin5.com/Wordle

#4: Examples of Wordles @ http://www.smsd.us/webpages/slockhart/earth.cfm?subpage=963794

#5: Wordle Lesson Plans @ http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-methods-tips/58905-create-lesson-plans-using-wordle-web-technology/