Live Cam Writing Exercise: Ready-to-Go-Tip

The Context: Writing stamina and fluency can be a struggle for any writer at any age. We all have slumps, and some of us, as teachers, frequently see this issue in the classroom. Between units of study, building in vocabulary and grammar practice, and helping students navigate their writing process, getting words on the page is sometimes the hardest part.

Zoom In: What’s engaging, versatile, and fun? Live Cams! This is one trick with multiple possibilities for the times when you want your writers to write freely. Maybe you need a break from the routine, or maybe students need a reminder of how much they can write when given new inspiration.

How it Works: Start with a whole-class live cam experience. Choose a zoo, aquarium, serene landscape, or a far-off place that will spark interest and intrigue. EarthCam is a great resource for all things LiveCam related for a school environment.

As a model, do some thinking aloud, naming everything you see, things you might smell or hear, textures, colors, and minute details. Depending on the writers you teach, you could start the writing here as a whole group.

As an alternative or next step, share a hyperdoc with a few options to choose from for their live cam writing fluency exercise. Have students write as much as possible in a short period, with words on the page as the goal.

The Impact: Students walk away with seed ideas for multiple genres by having bursts of low-stakes writing like this. There is choice for inspiration, allowing for student autonomy and creativity. Students are reminded that taking time to notice small things can grow into big ideas later. My favorite impact is watching students’ eyes widen when they see how much writing they accomplished.