Web 2.0 Tools Handout

Free Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers

*Created using www.wordle.net
*National Educational Technology Standards (for Students)
FREE WEB 2.0 TOOLS FOR TEACHERS

Wordle
What is it?
Wordle is a free application that creates a word cloud from any selection of text. A “word cloud” is a
graphic representation of the most frequently used words in a passage, document, or website. Word
clouds have become extremely popular over the last few years.
How do I get started?
Go to www.wordle.net. Click “Create” and then copy and paste your text into the box. No accounts or
passwords are required. Click “Submit” and your word cloud is created (yep, it’s that easy). You can now
print it, save it as a PDF, or take a screen shot of it. You also have an option of saving the word cloud to
the website’s gallery, but you cannot save the image as a .jpg on your computer.
How can I use it with my students?
• Use word clouds to introduce and analyze historical documents, current events, or speeches.
• Create a “wordle wall” to reinforce vocabulary (students can add these to their Notebooks).
• As a TCI Processing assignment, have students compare/analyze Wordles from different primary
source documents. Or have students create a Wordle about an historical figure or event.
• 10 ways to use word clouds with students: http://www.brighthub.com/education/k‐
12/articles/58905.aspx
• Sample Wordles and links to other sites: http://www.slideshare.net/JenniferW/wordle‐ideas
• Have students adjust the font, layout, maximum number of words, and colors. To make key
concepts stand out better, students can also delete extraneous words (right‐click on the word).
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Poll Everywhere
What is it?
Poll Everywhere is a free application that allows students to respond via text message to a poll created
by the teacher. Polls can be downloaded into a PowerPoint or shown live online.
Go to www.polleverywhere.com. You will need to create an account. Additional features are available
for purchase, but all the basics are free. The website has step‐by‐step instructions with screenshots to
walk you through setting up a poll and having students answer (it’s NOT difficult):
http://www.polleverywhere.com/how‐it‐works.
• Use during TCI Preview activities to hook students in, assess their prior knowledge, and get them
interested in the upcoming lesson.
• Sprinkle in a few polls to check for understanding during lectures or as students complete their
Reading Notes. Leave up an open‐ended poll during instruction to let students ask questions.
• Instead of an exit slip, create a “text‐it slip” by having students answer the Essential Question at
the end of class. Or, at the beginning of class, use a poll as a quiz over previous material.
• Encourage students to use polls as part of class presentations.
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VoiceThread
What is it?
VoiceThread is a free application that facilitates great student conversations around a piece of media—
an image, video, document, or presentation. Students record comments by keyboard, microphone,
telephone, or webcam; and they can draw on the media while recording.
Go to www.voicethread.com. Click “Browse” to scan previously created VoiceThreads and get your
creative juices flowing. Click “Create” to upload your media piece and edit the publishing options to
control access. Begin the assignment by making the first comment yourself. Share your VoiceThread by
copying the URL or directly inviting your students. Students create individual accounts.
• Use with TCI’s Visual Discovery strategy. Post an image, video, primary source, or presentation
that you want students to comment on. Embed the Voice Thread on your website, blog, or wiki.
• Have students create a presentation by compiling images and making their own analytical
comments. Then allow other students and parents to comment on the presentation.
• Fantastic wiki that will help you get started and give you a ton of great ideas with real
VoiceThread examples: http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com/.
• Review this collaborative presentation about various ways to use VoiceThread (and add your
own ideas!): http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_245f2nkv3g3 .
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Wallwisher
What is it?
Wallwisher is a free application that acts as a virtual bulletin board. Students can easily comment on a
topic posted by the teacher (and they don’t have to set up an account).
Go to www.wallwisher.com and click “build a wall.” Insert a title and subtitle, choose a background
color, and decide whether your wall is public or private. You can create a wall as a guest or, if you want
to save walls for future use, simply create a password for your account.
• Use with TCI’s Response Group strategy. Post a thought provoking question (such as your unit
Essential Question) for students to discuss or debate.
• Find out students’ prior knowledge of a topic—a tech version of a KWL chart.
• During a TCI Problem Solving Groupwork activity, encourage students to use Wallwisher to
divide up tasks, post progress, and discuss ideas.
• Have students create a wall, post a link to a project or presentation, and solicit feedback from
their peers and community.
• Review this collaborative presentation that gives 17+ ideas about how to use Wallwisher:
http://sharein.com/shares/157317‐15‐interesting‐ways‐to‐use‐wallwisher‐in‐the‐classroom.
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ScribbleMaps
What is it?
ScribbleMaps is a web 2.0 application that allows users to annotate Google Maps with text, shapes,
images, lines, etc.
Go to www.scribblemaps.com and select a place to zoom in and begin your annotations. The tools are
in the upper left‐hand of the screen. You can save the map to your hard‐drive as a JPEG or publish to
social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
• Use with TCI’s mapping labs from Geography Alive! Regions and People program.
• Find out students’ prior knowledge of a place by having them zoom on parts of the map and
place adjectives as text around the place.
• Have students “Geo‐Tag” their travels over summer with images from the trip placed in
appropriate locations along with an explanation why the geography played an important role in
determining their vacation destination and activities.
• Review this example of what an adventure tour through the Grand Canyon National Park could
be like: http://bit.ly/9HlEp5
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ToonDoo
What is it?
ToonDoo is a web 2.0 site which allows users to develop and create cartoons using pre‐made templates
and characters.
Go to www.toondoo.com and register in the upper right‐hand of the screen. You can sort through
existing toons that have been created by users or begin by creating your own. To create your own toon,
click on the upper right‐hand screen on the icon for “ToonDoo Maker.” The directions from there are
intuitive for adults and students alike. When complete, toons can be downloaded to CPU, uploaded to
social media sites, or even embedded on blogs and wikis.
• Use as a way for students to complete editorial cartoons on topics in class. Several of TCI’s
programs challenge students to create editorial cartoons, like Econ Alive! Ch. 11 The
Government and the Economy
• Create a pre‐made toon and challenge your students to fill in the speech and thought bubbles
with appropriate references to content from what they’ve been learning.
• Have create a toondoo book (series of toons) which re‐tell a historical moment they’ve studied
in class.
• The following is a link to a toondoo book on education and technology:
http://www.toondoo.com/ViewBook.toon?bookid=175162
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Prezi
What is it?
Prezi is an cloud‐based presentation system that allows users to create stunning and moving
presentations. Instead of just being single‐progression like PowerPoint, Prezi allows free movement to
all facets of the presentation.
Go to www.prezi.com and sign up for a free account. Prezi also markets an upgraded membership that
allows more features. For student purposes though, a free subscription works just fine. The site has
several prezi’s (their name for presentations) that act as a tutorial on how to set up and get started by
creating your very first prezi.
• Use as a way for students to conduct presentations regarding the content they are studying. In
the Geography Alive! Regions and People program by TCI, students create emergency
preparedness brochures to help residents prepare for hurricane season. Instead of a brochure,
why not a prezi?
• Use as a teacher to review key content from the course prior to a end‐of‐course exam or state
assessment.
• The following is a link to a sample prezi from Denver Public Schools:
http://prezi.com/lf6kqyuvp76j/denver‐public‐schools‐june‐9‐2009/
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Newspaper Clip Generator
What is it?
This newspaper clip generator isn’t a site in and of itself. It’s part of a site (www.fodey.com) that offers
other items. The newspaper clip generator is very simple and easy to have students create what
appears to be a newspaper clip from a larger article in a custom named newspaper.
Go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp and pick the date of the story, the
name of the paper you’d like it to be from, the title of the article, and then a story. The length of the
story isn’t relevant as the clip will extend to the end of the writing.
• Use as a way for students to write up a breaking news item in their current events class. The
article should be written as it may appear in their local paper the next day.
• Use as a way to have students process information at the end of a history lesson. In History
Alive! The US through Industrialism, students write an article as if they were a British journalist
traveling the pre‐revolutionary colonies in North America.
• Writing exercises like this are more authentic and helps create rigor and challenge for all levels
of students; especially the immerging readers/writers in your class. It’s also a way to have
students write in the content area – which is increasingly important in today’s schools.
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Mixbook
What is it?
Mixbook is a site that allows users to create photo books.
Go to www.mixbook.com and sign up for a free account. As long as the mix books created are shared
online, either as an embed on a blog or directly from mixbook’s site, there is no charge. If students want
to print out though, there is a charge. To create a mixbook, students upload photographs and provide
the text that will accompany them. Students can choose the size of images and text.
• For any writing activity in TCI programs, this site has application. One idea would be to have
students show they understand the difference between classical, medieval, and renaissance art
by using a combination of google images they annotate with clues as to which of the three
classifications fit.

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