Wordle

Wordle is a great tool for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide.

Simply go to http://www.wordle.net/

• and then to Create - type your words - eg a piece of text, a list, a poem... into the box and then Go...
• Randomize will give you many different options
  
• You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and colour schemes.
  
• To keep words connected to each other use the tilde to link them (the tilde is the(the wavy line ~ at the top of the key on the far top left of your keyboard - next to the number 1) .
  
• The images you create with Wordle are yours to print, or save to the Gallery... I've made cover sheets for course booklets, thank-you notes and birthday cards, pictures from poems...

The more often a word appears, the more prominent it will be in the resulting word cloud which can be used for artistic effect but also can help analyse text to find the predominant words or themes...

Here is a link to a great blog with information on how teachers might use wordle for in the classroom...
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/07/more-wordle-in-classroom-ideas.html