Spark Interest in Writing with EmojiWrite and SnapWrite

Post an emoji, like a hand raised in red, that challenges kids to create a story focus.

Hi and welcome back to Attentionology for K – 5 Teachers!

If some kids in your class yawn when you announce that it’s time for creative writing…

spark their interest in writing with my new games…EmojiWrite and SnapWrite!

That’s right.

Connect with kids to engage them in learning by using language that pops out of the popular culture…

language like emojis and snap, as in Snapchat.

These games are fun, functional and easy for teachers to manage.

EmojiWrite – Post cut outs of one or more emojis on a board in front of the class.

Walk to the board and announce that writing time is game time for the day…the class will be playing EmojiWrite.

EmojiWrite Game Option: Introduce a writing theme by posting an emoji with a caption, like Worry Got Ya Down?

If time permits, invite students to guess what EmojiWrite involves.

Point to the emojis that you have posted and instruct students to choose one and copy the emoji as best they can on a sheet of paper.

Open pre-writing time for thinking about what the emoji brings to mind. Tell students to jot down notes based on their thinking and refer to the notes when they begin first drafts.

Note that picture association is a powerful writing tool.

For example, a hand raised might make a child think of a time when she/he was teaching a pet dog to do tricks, or a time when the child asked for help with something difficult.

Game Option: Invite students ahead of writing time to draw their favorite emojis on a board.

Tell them that you have a surprise using their emojis for later in the day. (Surprises, as you know, always catch kids attention.)

A game of EmojiWrite can be played over multiple writing periods that are based on the writing process.

Begin the game with pre-writing time. Continue the game with work on a first draft, and so on.

Try another game… (more…)