Word Choice Activity - Descriptive Writing Lesson & Imagery Video Game Challenge
In this video game-inspired word choice activity, students become game designers tasked with upgrading a video game pitch that isn’t exciting enough to win over investors! Before they begin redesigning the game, the included presentation introduces students to strong word choice, explores precise versus vague language and vivid imagery, and teaches students how to choose more effective nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Then, it’s time to upgrade the word choice in the game! Using visual prompts as inspiration, teams complete the word choice activity by rewriting the storyline, characters, villain, and setting of Rise of the Dragon Riders, replacing weak and vague language with precise nouns, vivid adjectives, powerful verbs, and descriptive imagery. Students work collaboratively to transform all four sections of the pitch before sharing their upgraded versions with the class.
This is included in a full-year program:
→ The ELA Games Program
Included in This Video Game Word Choice Activity and Descriptive Writing Lesson:
➡️ Video Game Word Choice Activity Teacher Instructions: A detailed teacher guide provides everything you need to successfully run the activity in your classroom. It includes clear step-by-step instructions, an overview of how the activity works, guidance for leading students through each stage of the challenge, and details for completing the lesson from start to finish.
➡️ Video Game Word Choice Activity Presentation Slides: Use the 22-Slide PowerPoint presentation to guide your lesson on word choice and prepare students to upgrade the video game pitch. The presentation explores precise versus vague language, vivid imagery, and strong versus weak nouns, verbs, and adjectives using clear before-and-after examples. Also included are visual prompts to inspire students' descriptive writing, challenge instructions, and sample pitch upgrades for reviewing and comparing each section as a class.
➡️ Video Game Pitch Revision Pages: Students receive four sections of the original Rise of the Dragon Riders pitch covering the storyline, main and supporting characters, main villain, and setting, levels, and quests. Each section intentionally uses weak and vague language, giving teams the opportunity to rewrite it using more precise, vivid, and descriptive word choice. Visual prompts are also included to spark ideas and help students bring each part of the game to life.
➡️ Video Game Word Choice Activity Sample Answer Key: A complete sample answer key is included, making it easy to review each section of the video game pitch, compare possible revisions, and discuss how stronger word choice can make writing more vivid, specific, and engaging.
If you like this word choice activity, you’ll love this resource:
→ A Year of English Bell Ringers
© Presto Plans
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