Smore – A Web Tool for Creating Infographics

Free!

Smore is a tool for creating, sharing, storing, and browsing infographics. To begin, users must register with the webiste, click the “Start a New Flyer” button on the top right, and choose the type of flyer they wish to create. Users will then see a template load, and they can click its different boxes to insert text, images, links, videos, and more into it. Users can manipulate the background of the screen behind their flyer, color scheme for the flyer, and the font for the letters with the tools on the right of then screen. When finished, users can click the “Done Editing” button on the right of the screen, and then use the built-in tools to share their work.

Users can also share the flyer using the provided link on the right side of the screen. On the top of screen, users can click the “Your Flyers” to view the flyers they have created, the “You” button to view their profile, the “New Flyer” button to begin making another flyer, and the “Educator Hive” button to view Smores made for instructional or professional development purposes.

 Instructional Ideas for Smore

1. After reading a leveled text, students can create a Smore that captures the text’s main point(s), theme(s), argument(s), or plot. Students can combine text, images, and other features to capture essential information from the text. When finished, students can post their work to a class website using the link.
2. When studying a historical or current event, students can use Smore to create an infographic for it that includes the where, what, why, and when for the event. Furthermore, if the event is made of multiple events, teachers can break the big event into smaller events and assign each student or groups of students in class to make an infographic for each smaller events. For example, if studying World War II, teachers can break that event into different battles, meetings, and occurrences and have students make an infographic for each one. When finished, teachers can devise a method for students to post their infographic to a class website so that the events can be viewed in chronological order.
3. While studying a procedure or method, students can break it into steps and outline how to complete the procedure or method on an infographic. When finished, students can post their completed infographic to a class website using the provided link.
4. To present information, students can use an infographic they created using Smore instead of a more traditional software tool (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Prezi). After making the presentation, students can talk about what they liked and did not like about using Smore.
5. To involve parents/guardians and stakeholders about what is happening in the classroom, teachers can have students create a newsletter using Smore that shares what they have been learning, doing, and studying in class as well as upcoming assignments, events, and field trips. When completed, students can email their newsletter to their parents/guardians.

Screenshots of Smore