Create concept maps with Wonder wheel and Wordle for the defining phase of
ISP when studying the Stage 3 COGs unit (A): Living land
Generate a concept map and keywords for searches during the defining phase of the
Information skills process.
What is a Wonder wheel?
A Wonder wheel is a concept map that shows
alternative search terms.
The concept map is generated from the search
terms entered in the Google search box.
How do I make a Wonder wheel?
1. Enter search terms in Google search, click on Wonder wheel from the side menu to
generate a concept map. This will lead to more ideas/alternative search terms, identified
websites and the generation of more keywords for further searches.
2. By entering the keywords kosciuszko national park threats into the search box and
clicking on Wonder wheel in the side menu, the concept map below was created.
The websites listed on the right relate to the main idea inside the concept map.
3. To generate new ideas and keywords, click on one of the related concepts, e.g. kosciuszko
national park climate, and another concept map is generated with related websites to the right.
4. From this concept map, more search terms were generated, e.g. Australian alps. See the
screen grab images below.
© 2010 NSW Department of Education and Training. School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit.
Curriculum K–12 Directorate.
How can students use these concepts and keywords?
Students can demonstrate their knowledge of keywords and/or main ideas at this early stage of
the research process by using Wordle to create a word cloud.
What is Wordle?
Wordle is a tool that generates word clouds. The word cloud is a graphical display that shows
the frequency of word usage in a text. The more dominant the word or phrase, the bigger it
appears in the cloud. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently
in the source text.
Use student created word clouds for pre-test and post-test evidence of learning
Students can create a word cloud to demonstrate their knowledge of keywords and/or main
ideas at this early (defining) phase of the research process. At the end of the unit of work,
students can create another word cloud to demonstrate their knowledge and compare it to their
earlier one for evidence of learning.
Pre-unit assessment:
When asked what they know about the Kosciuszko National Park,
a student word cloud response may look like this.
However, after introducing the topic for research,
© 2010 NSW Department of Education and Training. School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit.
Curriculum K–12 Directorate.
An environmental case study – Kosciuszko National Park. Identify and evaluate how
people interact with and change natural, built and heritage environments. Include
knowledge of Aboriginal land use and customary beliefs.
and brainstorming what students already know and need to find out to explore this topic, a
student word cloud may look like this. The student has generated keywords for search for
information on this topic.
How do students create word clouds?
1. Students organise main ideas into order of importance by creating text for a word cloud. The
more important the idea, the more times the word will appear. See the example below. (Hint:
to link titles and phrases, separate these words with the tilda symbol ~).
Australian~alps Kosciuszko~National~Park heritage culture biodiversity threatened~ecosystem
threatened~ecosystem climate~change climate~change brumbies tourism Australian~alps
Australian~alps Australian~alps Australian~alps Australian~alps Kosciuszko~National~Park
Kosciuszko~National~Park Kosciuszko~National~Park Kosciuszko~National~Park
Kosciuszko~National~Park Kosciuszko~National~Park Kosciuszko~National~Park
Kosciuszko~National~Park Kosciuszko~National~Park Kosciuszko~National~Park
Kosciuszko~National~Park threatened~ecosystem threatened~ecosystem
threatened~ecosystem threatened~ecosystem threatened~ecosystem threatened~ecosystem
threatened~ecosystem brumbies brumbies brumbies brumbies tourism tourism tourism tourism
tourism tourism tourism heritage culture biodiversity heritage culture biodiversity alpine alpine
alpine
2. Open Wordle www.wordle.net/
3. Click Create your own.
4. Copy and paste the prepared text into the box and then click Go. A word cloud will appear.
5. Choose Randomise to see a avariety of automatically generated word clouds with different
fonts, colour and layout.
© 2010 NSW Department of Education and Training. School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit.
Curriculum K–12 Directorate.
6. Click Font, Layout and Colour to change the look of the word cloud. Some formats can be
more persuasive than others.
How to save a word cloud
Students may wish to save a few variations because, once a change is made, there is no option
to return to the previous screen.
1. Use the print screen key or <Ctrl+Alt+Print Scr> and paste the favourite word clouds into a
word document.
2. Click on each screen grab and crop the image using the crop tool in Picture tools. See
example below.
3. Once cropped, the size can be increased, saved and printed or embedded in a digital
presentation tool. See below.
© 2010 NSW Department of Education and Training. School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit.
Curriculum K–12 Directorate.
This is an example of what a post-unit assessment student word cloud might look like. As part
of a presentation, it can be used for evidence based practice as evidence for learning. Provide
feedback on specific learning.
© 2010 NSW Department of Education and Training. School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit.
Curriculum K–12 Directorate.