For the past three months, I have been learning a lot of things, some of which were simply how to navigate online classes, I did not previously know about literature and the internet. That part has been phenomenal. However, while trying to do all this learning I was having some major problems with family health and my computer! You might remember from some of my last posts my complaints about it, but only now do I realize how difficult it was making my work. I have a post that I made that is no longer here. Either it was erased while I was in the middle of writing it or who knows with my luck with electronics. However it happened it is gone.
So let me replace it now.
I was introduced to two tools, word clouds and Answer Gardens. Both of which I had never used prior to this experience. Word Clouds are neat because, depending on the producer, you can make them into any shape, use URLs to create them or type in your own text. I like them for introducing new unit words to students.
Here is a reproduction of the word cloud I did before. I chose a famous quote from Shakespeare:
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
I always liked that quote. At first i just did a randomization bu then saw that you could choose the fonts and colors. I chose this palette mainly I think because these are my favorite colors and I thought they would look good on the blog. I clicked through different fonts but then I saw one that had JSL at the beginning. Those being my monogrammed initials I had to try, and low and behold, it looked like something out of Shakespeare. So I kept it because it fit the theme.
The other tool is called an Answer Garden. Similar to a cloud, this tool, instead of typing in text to make a picture, you have a set question or topic and then invite people to add answers or ideas to it. I think I would use it to scout what students knew before a unit was started or to take classroom votes.
