Tagxedo Word Clouds & Common Core Aligned Lesson Ideas

I recently discovered a fantastic website that brings the Common Core to students in a new and exciting way.  Similar to another word cloud building website, Wordle, Tagxedo, allows students to create amazing eye-popping word clouds by turning your own words (or from speeches, news articles, websites, etc.) -- really anything -- into beautiful displays.  Tagxedo also allows users to customize fonts, themes, colors, and even incorporate shapes or photos of anyone -- even yourself!  What makes Tagxedo so much fun is that you can also purchase your creative word designs on mugs, t-shitrs, mouse pads, and more for those one-of-a-kind personalized gifts.

Yet, it's what Tagxedo brings to a classroom that is a perfect fit for Common Core aligned project ideas and lessons.  Because Tagxedo is word-based and relies on technology to create the Tagxedo itself, it can be incorporated into numerous CCSS lessons that can get engage students in topics that may otherwise be dry to some.

Here are just a few ideas to incorporate Tagxedo into Common Core-aligned lessons:

1.  Create character traits of your favorite characters from books that students are reading into a Tagxedo that takes traditional character trait maps to a whole new visual level.
2.  Use Tagxedo for Math vocabulary when studying particular topics that are heavy on content vocabulary.
3.  Use Tagxedo in Social Studies to create an informational poster to highlight a particular point in history, U.S. Presidents, holidays, geography, etc.
4.  Use Tagxedo for an ice-breaker to allow students to create a visual word cloud that represents themselves for the first day/week back at school.  Students can then share out the types of words that they used to describe themselves for their new classmates.  TIP:  Students can upload an image of themselves and then use the available online tools to enhance themselves and their word creations.  It takes the old boring "All About Me" to a whole new technological incorporated level.
5.  Use Tagxedo to create amazing keepsakes for moms, dads, relatives, etc., for graduation or other holidays throughout the year.

How are you using Tagxedo in your classroom?  Share it out below by posting a comment -- or Tagxedo it out!

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