Revision Tic-Tac-Toe to Motivate Young Writers

Let’s talk about revision. If you’re like most teachers, the area your students tend to struggle with is ✏️ REVISING✏️ their writing. And really, it makes sense.

Adults struggle with it too! After you have put in all the effort to write the thing, then you have to go back to make it even better?!?! It’s not the most motivating thing in the world.

Not only that, but sometimes our students aren’t really sure how or what to revise.

Checklists and rubrics are great for this, but I wanted to create something a little more engaging and fun for your writers. Because we already know the #1 struggle for many students ➡️ motivation.

Enter: Revision Tic-Tac-Toe

Just like the fun game, students are given 9 boxes. These 9 boxes have big areas for your students to focus on revision. Unlike regular tic-tac-toe, they don’t have to be three in a row. “Playing” revision tic-tac-toe-toe is easy as 1-2-3.:

Students choose 3 boxes (areas for revision) that are appropriate for their writing.
Revise their writing with the given directions.
Shade in the box.

The idea is that students only have to focus on 3 areas to revise. Just changing 3 things in your students’ writing can have big results for your students, but also make revision a little less heavy. (And if you want to add it to your professional learning plan 👉 you’re breaking it down into small chunks, those easily digestible bites.👍)

How can you use the Revision Tic-Tac-Toe?

Any way you want! 🙌 But here are some ideas💡:

✏️ Keep it in the routine: Students can keep it in their writing binder/folder. Whenever they finish a piece of writing, they find 3 areas to revise. Maybe with each piece of writing, you challenge them to try something new.

✏️ Use as a writing center: This is a great resource to put in your writing center. If students finish a writing project early, they can work on revision work with either that piece of writing or even go back to an older entry in their notebook/writing binder and try something new.

✏️ Use as a whole group lesson to teach students to revise: No matter how you use this, definitely go over the sheet so that students understand what each part means. But you can also teach each box as a lesson for a couple of weeks. Let’s call it revision boot camp!🫡🥾

✏️ Keep a class record of revision lessons: Keep a copy on your writing bulletin board or near where you teach writing. Whenever you teach students how to use that revision strategy, shade in a box.

(If you’re looking for lessons to teach writing, I have writing units that guide you step-by-step through the process.)

You can download the option for informative writing in this free download, or grab the Revision Tic-Tac-Toe + My Guide to Revise booklet for Opinion, Narrative, & Informational here.

As I was creating this fun activity, I was thinking that your students probably need a little more support when it comes to revising.

Because, well, it’s revising.

The My Guide to Revise booklet is a handy little tool that you can use alongside the revision tic-tac-toe. When students choose an area to focus on with the tic-tac-toe board, they can use the booklet for a better explanation and specific strategies.

There is a booklet and tic-tac-toe board for informational, opinion, and narrative. Grab the informational for free by clicking the link below.

Here’s a little more about the booklet:

The My Guide to Revise is an easy-to-use booklet for your students to zoom in and focus on the process of revision for informational writing. The booklet is separated into 9 big areas for your students to focus on revision.

Beginning
Ending
Word Choice
Evidence
Elaboration
Transition Words
Topic & Focus
Organization
Sentence Fluency

This booklet was created as a companion to the Revision Tic-Tac-Toe. While the sheet used for Tic-Tac-Toe gives a quick action to revise in their writing, the booklet gives a little more detail and examples. This is a great support for all students, including those with a language barrier or other learning needs.

How can I use the My Guide to Revise booklet?

The booklet does not have to be used with the Revision Tic-Tac-Toe. Other ways you can use the booklet:

✏️ Keep it in the routine: Students can keep it in their writing binder/folder/notebook. Whenever they finish a piece of writing, they use the booklet to find specific areas they need to revise.

✏️ Use as a whole group lesson to teach students to revise: No matter how you use this, definitely go over the booklet so that students understand what each part means. But you can also teach each section as a lesson for a couple of weeks. Let’s call it revision boot camp!🫡🥾

If you’re looking for lessons to teach writing, I have writing units that guide you step-by-step through the process.