5 kids with technology on grassy lawn
Grade 2

You Are Your Words

Creative Communicator
Word cloud with short, organized, silly, funny, happy, busy, nice, pretty, energetic

Overview​

It is important for all students to express themselves in a positive way. This activity has the students creating a Word Cloud with words about themselves. A Word Cloud is an image composed of words used in a particular text or subject, in which the size of each word indicates its frequency or importance. The students will type at least eight to ten words to describe themselves and the result will be a neat looking image that they can print and share with others. 

Students will:

  • Be able to create a Word Cloud. 
  • Understand what a Word Cloud is. 
  • Be able to express themselves through the use of a Word Cloud. 
  • Be able to type at least eight to ten words describing themselves. 

Vocabulary Words:

  1. Word Cloud: A Word Cloud is an image composed of words used in a particular text or subject, in which the size of each word indicates its frequency or importance.
  2. Express: To express is to demonstrate your thoughts in words or images. 

To prepare for this lesson:

  • Visit the ABYCA site and practice creating a Word Cloud. (You will need a premium account to access it. )
  • Canva now has a FREE word cloud generator. Create an educator account for yourself and add your students with their school emails. 
  • Wordart is also a possibility. Your students do not need an account to create word art. They can take a screenshot of it for their projects. 
  • See the Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4students website in the Teacher Resources. 
  • The teacher can have the students type the words into a word-processing tool to catch spelling mistakes. The students can then copy and paste the text into the word cloud generator. 

Directions for this activity:

  1. The teacher will decide a topic for the students to use to express it with their own words. 
    1. The students can type words about themselves.
    2. The students can type words about an event. 
    3. Students can type words to demonstrate their understanding of a topic. 
    4. The students can practice their spelling words. 
  2. The teacher will have the students open up the Word Cloud application on their devices. 
  3. The teacher can either have the students type the words into a word processor first to catch spelling mistakes or type them into the application. 
  4. The teacher will explain that if they use the same word multiple times, the word will be larger than the others. This could be a word or words that are more meaningful. 
  5. The teacher will show them how to use the application to randomize, change the layout, color, and font. 
  6. The students will create their Word Cloud, 
  7. The students will save (download) and/or print the Word Cloud. 

Different options for assessing the students:

  • Observations
  • Check for understanding
  • A simple rubric can be created by the teacher to assess spelling and layout. If the teacher is using this resource as a way for them to convey understanding of a topic, this can be added to the rubric. 

MITECS: Michigan adopted the "ISTE Standards for Students" called MITECS (Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students) in 2018.

Creative Communicator
6a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
6b. Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
6c. Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
6d. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

Device: PC, Chromebook, Mac, iPad 

Browser: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, ALL

App, Extension, or Add-on:

Websites:
ABCYA 

Canva Educator Account

Word Art

CONTENT AREA RESOURCES

  • Students practice their spelling.

  • Students express the main ideas of a story. 

Students use Word Clouds to express themselves creatively in art class. 

Students create Word Clouds on science terms. 

Students create Word Clouds to describe historical events. 

CREDITS
This task card was created by Melissa White, 21 Things Project Manager, REMC Association of Michigan, February 2018. Updated March 2026.  


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