Lovely+Charts

Lovely Charts
Lovely Charts is an online chart maker that can be used for flow charts, sitemaps, diagrams, and other concept mapping tools.

Resources links
Lovely Charts website: http://www.lovelycharts.com/ Lovely Charts screencast demo: http://www.lovelycharts.com/screencast.php

Strengths

 * Lovely Charts is very user-friendly.
 * Everything is editable, so if you do like the color, symbol, or shape you can make it into what ever you want!
 * It has a range of charts from Basic to the more complex Network diagrams.
 * The symbols can be used for any type of map, so even if you are making a Basic Map, you can use the fun computer, building, or people symbols in your map.
 * Maps are saved on the Lovely Charts server under your account name, but can be exported as JPEG or PNG files to be placed in word documents.
 * The tool bars are easy to navigate and are similar to word.
 * The people symbols can be customized- gender, attire, clothing color, name
 * This site is FREE using the Standard Tools!
 * You can integrate the exported documents and embed them into websites.

Weaknesses

 * It is not geared towards kids or teachers, so some of the charts it can create are more complex than are needed in schools.
 * An email address is needed to create an account.
 * You can only be working on one chart at a time with the free account. So, that means if you want to have more than one chart in progress you’ve got to upgrade…and PAY! (Solution: Make a chart you want, export it then deleted it from your account. You won’t be able to go back and make changes, but it’s better than nothing!)
 * There are many editing tools that must be learned.

Opportunities

 * This application would be great for organizing thoughts. It is basically a concept mapping tool and has endless possibilities
 * A great tool for creating a map of a process or a family tree.

Threats

 * Students would need to use an email address to sign on. Since students having email address can get tricky, this may pose a problem

Ideas for the classroom

 * The People Chart Ideas
 * Students could create a personal family tree
 * Students doing a biography project could use this chart to map out the family members or important people to their subject.
 * It could be used to create a graphic organizer for State government-students could research all the state officials and create “people” on the map to represent them with labels.
 * Charting the characters in a book along with their characteristics.
 * Chart could be used to show presidents in history labeling them to show the years in office.
 * Flow Chart or Basic Chart Ideas
 * Basically students could use this any time they use graphic organizers in class!
 * Brainstorming for creative writing
 * Creating timelines
 * Concept mapping in science-seeing connections between science concepts
 * Creating a hierarchical chart for government
 * Organizing facts for a research paper
 * Showing the steps in a process.