What it is: Pic Lits is a really neat creative writing site that provides pictures and a word bank for students to create a enriched sentence or sentences about the picture. “The object is to put the right words in the right place and the right order to capture the essence, story, and meaning of the picture.” Students can choose to only drag words from the word bank to create their sentence or compose a sentence freestyle.
How to integrate Pic Lits into the classroom: Pic Lits is a great way to get students to think creatively and critically about writing. Students can choose any picture and then use the word list to create a sentence. Pic Lits is complete with punctuation and any word can be capatalized. Students can use Pic Lits individually on computers, as a whole class with a projector, or as a creative writing center in the one or two computer classroom. When using Pic Lits as a class, choose a picture for the day and have students write their sentences on paper using words from the word bank. Take turns sharing to hear the combination of words and the different meanings that students gathered from the picture. This is a great writing exercise to use in your classroom every day! Here in Colorado, we often have indoor recesses for bad weather. Use Pic Lits with an interactive whiteboard and invite your cooped up students to choose pictures and create sentences.
Tips: Students can sign up for a free account and save each Pic Lit they create. At the end of the year, each student can create a book of their Pic Lits to take home for creative inspiration.
Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Pic Lits in your classroom.
Hi Kelly:
Thanks for the kudos regarding “PicLits”. Your suggestions on integrating PicLits into the language arts curriculum are very helpful. There are many ways to use the site that not only include composition but grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and poetry.
There are lots of way to engage a class of student from K4-K12. We are considering several new features for 2009 which will broaden the scope of usage. We hope to add a “PRINT IT” function for cards and holiday PicLit writing. Another important addition would be group all the PHOTOS by theme/category which several high school have suggested. We are considering a “CONTEST” which would be optional. Rewards might include a gift certificate for a BOOK or two d from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
See the “LEARN IT” section for ideas on lesson plans starting with a simple sentence and heading towards poetry in the “MASTER IT” section of “LEARN IT”.
cheers and thanks again. Any ideas are always welcome. ( terry@piclits.com )
Terry Friedlander, founder.
Great blog – I just discovered PicLIts and started using it with my 8th grade. I am amzed at the things they write about & the images they choose for their writing. This is a wonderful resource to keep the creativity flowing.
I have a question (and since you mentioned an end-of-year booklet)…How do you (or can) copy & paste or download the piclit so that I can make a collection for them or to showcase to parents/teachers/other students here at our school?
Thanks so much!
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, I have the students take screen shots using command + shift +4 (on a Mac) or Skitch (http://skitch.com). This makes it easy to turn the student images into a booklet or Keynote/Powerpoint presentation.