ALEX Learning Activity

After studying a character, students will create a Word Art design to show how a particular character develops over the course of a text.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

I can show how a complex character develops over the course of a text by creating symbolic word cloud art to represent that character. 

After reading a novel, short story, etc., students will create a Word Art design to show how their chosen character has developed over the course of the text. 

Students should go to https://wordart.com/.  Students should click "Create." (There is NO need for students to create an account, log in, or sign up.)  Students will be able  to edit their word art in the following ways:

• adding words
• choosing font
• selecting font colors
• changing the art shape
• changing the layout
• choosing the style of the words

Students will create a WordArt design to represent their character and reflect how their character has changed over the course of the text. Everything about the WordArt should be symbolic and represent the character. (Examples: Change the font colors to represent positive and negative connotations associated with the character; choose a shape to represent the character; choose a font that would help depict the character; etc).  After students complete their WordArt, they will click SHARE (Do not click save. Clicking Save will prompt students to sign up for an account). After clicking share, they will get the link that can be shared with the teacher.  Students can also take a screenshot of their design to paste into a word document. 

After students complete their word art, students should write a paragraph explaining the choices for their design and how it reflects how the character has developed over the course of the text.

Through the paragraph explanation and the word cloud art, teachers will be able to see whether a student understands how the character has developed over the course of the text. 

i.e., Does the shape of the word art symbolically represent the character? Do the words of the word art represent the character? Were colors strategically chosen to represent the character? Does the student explain his/her choices clearly in the paragraph?

Students need to read a text (novel, short story, etc). 

Students will need access to a digital tool in order to complete WordArt.com

The teacher should be familiar with WordArt.  If the teacher is unfamiliar with WordArt, the following tutorial can be used to learn how to use WordArt.

WordArt.com is an online word art creator that enables you to create amazing and unique word art with ease. Professional quality results can be achieved in no time at all, even for users with no prior knowledge of graphic design.