Wild About Writing

Using Technology to Support Literacy

Created at Build Your Wild Self - see this Link Wild Self
from the New York Zoos and Aquariums

What to do when your class is stuck with no good ideas to write about ... try this cool website for inspiration (thanks so much to V. North for sharing this cool resource with us!).  Developed by the New York Zoos and Aquariums, adding the animal parts to your avatar allows you to learn about different animals and their habitats. But it also allows you to create your own wild self with different animal parts. If you don't believe this is fun for grown ups, give it a try!

Check out my silly poem inspired by my picture:

If I were a wild thing, I would walk
... like a peacock and talk animal talk.
It might be tricky for a teacher to do,
but with these giant ears, I will always hear you!
My suction cup arms help me climb up the walls
to see what you're doing out there in the halls.
Don't you forget when you line up outside
A teacher who's wild can see far and wide!

What a fun activity to spur the teacher to write in front of students, being vulnerable for a minute and silly, too ... really showing students that writing can be fun!  What a wild idea!