The Web 2.0 resource I used is considered to be in the ‘word cloud’ category of tools. Below is the latest media resource I created for my classroom of 4th graders. In order to use this tool, you need to decide on a set of text that will be sifted through. Eventually a ‘cloud’ of text is put out after being sifted that essentially represents key words and a quick picture of the original text. Below in bold is the specific key words I typed in to the original text box to give my students a quick look at our new electricity unit. Also included below then is the actual word cloud results picture.
Materials such as copper metal that conduct electricity (allow it to flow freely) are called conductors. Materials that don't allow electricity to pass through them so readily, such as rubber and plastic, are called insulators. What makes copper a conductor and rubber an insulator?
A current of electricity is a steady flow of electrons. When electrons move from one place to another, round a circuit, they carry electrical energy from place to place like marching ants carrying leaves. Instead of carrying leaves, electrons carry a tiny amount of electric charge.
Electricity can travel through something when its structure allows electrons to move through it easily. Metals like copper have "free" electrons that are not bound tightly to their parent atoms. These electrons flow freely throughout the structure of copper and this is what enables an electric current to flow. In rubber, the electrons are more tightly bound. There are no "free" electrons and, as a result, electricity does not really flow through rubber at all. Conductors that let electricity flow freely are said to have a high conductance and a low resistance; insulators that do not allow electricity to flow are the opposite: they have a low conductance and a high resistance.
For electricity to flow, there has to be something to push the electrons along. This is called an electromotive force (EMF). A battery or power outlet creates the electromotive force that makes a current of electrons flow. An electromotive force is better known as a voltage.
A current of electricity is a steady flow of electrons. When electrons move from one place to another, round a circuit, they carry electrical energy from place to place like marching ants carrying leaves. Instead of carrying leaves, electrons carry a tiny amount of electric charge.
Electricity can travel through something when its structure allows electrons to move through it easily. Metals like copper have "free" electrons that are not bound tightly to their parent atoms. These electrons flow freely throughout the structure of copper and this is what enables an electric current to flow. In rubber, the electrons are more tightly bound. There are no "free" electrons and, as a result, electricity does not really flow through rubber at all. Conductors that let electricity flow freely are said to have a high conductance and a low resistance; insulators that do not allow electricity to flow are the opposite: they have a low conductance and a high resistance.
For electricity to flow, there has to be something to push the electrons along. This is called an electromotive force (EMF). A battery or power outlet creates the electromotive force that makes a current of electrons flow. An electromotive force is better known as a voltage.
I have become so attached to using this tool that I try to do a world cloud for almost every unit I am doing. I also used it for American Government this year because I could type in part of actual documents such as the Constitution and The Declaration of Independence. Putting in parts of these real life documents excites the students once you reveal the way you got to the end result of the word cloud. I do not always go back and show the students the text, but in the case of the real documents it really was awesome. With 4th graders it is important to activate prior knowledge before beginning a unit such as this and this particular resource is perfect for it. Studies have shown that students genuinely benefit from the activation of prior knowledge when being introduced to a topic. The combination of getting them thinking about a topic and getting excited about being exposed to key words is an obvious positive to me!
Accessing these sites is very easy because for the most part they are free. If you search for any type of word cloud resource there are many that come up in the search. I have found that there are several of these sites that I like, but the benefit of Wordle is the arrangement options once the sift has been done. You can control the color, font, and placement of words once it is finished. I feel this is a very great feature because you can alter it based on the unit and age of students.
Overall these recources are easy to use and helpful within my classroom. Each time I wish to set up a word cloud I simply go onto the website, type in the text that goes with my unit, and hit “send.” Once finished it is optional to adjust the way the cloud looks, but sometimes it looks so great that its done right then. I will continue to use this web 2.0 resource within my classroom as much as possible.
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