oneword

Okay, I have something of a microfantasy/pseudo-obsession happening. No, no, nothing to do with having the winning powerball ticket, limitless shoe shopping, bathing in chocolate, etc. It's all about this ridiculously simple website: http://oneword.com/. Click 'go' and on the next page you see a word, and you've got 60 seconds to write about it. Anything. Everything. Whatever part of that word's meaning your brain wants to latch onto, just write. I've been using this with the kids as a warm-up or close to a lesson. At first, it was hard for them to wrap their heads around the fact that there were no rules, no directions. They really dig it now. It gives them a voice to an outside world with which they're allowed very little contact. Naturally, they sign their posts with initials only, and I give them a generic (fake) e-mail address. Check it out, you'll see what I mean.