Skribbl.io

By the Literacy Central Navigation Team, Summer Reads VISTAs

About Summer Reads
This children’s literacy tutor resource was created by Summer Reads VISTA members. Summer Reads is an AmeriCorps VISTA national service program of Literacy Minnesota. For eight weeks over the summer, Summer Reads VISTA members volunteer full-time as children’s/youth literacy mentors in schools, libraries and out-of-school-time programs across Minnesota. They bring literacy to life for low-income students through a variety of activities – one-on-one tutoring, creative enrichment activities like using arts and drama to explore language or practicing vocabulary and comprehension in science and other subjects. They also connect students and parents/caregivers to community resources through wraparound basic needs support. At the same time, the VISTA members build their own leadership, explore career paths, pay for college and become lifelong advocates for the communities they serve due to the power of their experience. www.literacymn.org/summerreads

ABOUT

Skribbl.io is a free multiplayer drawing and guessing game. It is an online version of Pictionary. Each game has multiple timed rounds. In every round, one of the players draws a chosen word while others guess what the word is for points. The player with the most points at the end of all the rounds wins!

PLATFORM

Skribbl.io is a free browser-based game. You do not need an account and you do not need Adobe Flash Player to play. Skribbl.io can be played using any virtual platform (Zoom, Google Meets, etc.), as it just needs to be played in another window. There is no need to screenshare—everyone plays on their own and the virtual platform is simply to see and interact with one another.

PROS

• This is a free game
• You can choose a custom word list
• Wide range of languages
• Easy set up—no need to set up accounts
• Can be used with a variety of audiences

CONS

• There are ads (content is not controllable)
• Limited to 12 players

BENEFITS

Skribbl.io is a game that allows participants be able to practice language skills, especially building vocabulary comprehension. Teachers can choose to use the randomized list of words that Skribbl.io provides, or they may customize the word list to cover a specific topic if they’d like. Students are able to choose a word and show their comprehension in a different way by having to draw the word so others are able to guess the word. They are able to use shapes and color to communicate the meaning of the word. It also increases the imagination of all those involved as they are asked to draw a picture for everyone else to guess. The others who are guessing the word must pay attention to the drawing and converting the drawing to a word. They are also able to use the dashes/letters on the top of the page to guess the word, building the use of context clues. Then, when someone is guessing, they must correctly spell the word for it to count as a correct guess.

HOW TO PLAY

Getting started:

1. Begin your video call. Open your virtual platform (Google Meets, Zoom, Microsoft Team, etc.) in one window, then open https://skribbl.io/ in another, looking at both in a side by side manner on your screen. This way, you will be able to see the game and your class at the same time.
2. Pick a name, being careful not to use your full name or any details that you do not want to be view publicly. If you do not pick a name, a random one will be generated for you (like Pet Food, Stereo, Lion King, etc.).
3. Choose a language. There are 26 languages to choose from.
4. Customize your character. If you would like, you may customize your eyes, mouth, and color, using the arrows on both sides of the character.
5. Create a Private Room. This will allow you to play with just your class. If you click ‘Play!’ at this step, you will join a game with random players from around the world.
6. Customize settings. You may customize the settings of your game. You may adjust the number of rounds, amount of time to draw during each round, and language. You may also type a list of custom words and select if you would like to use the custom word list exclusively.
7. Invite your class. Once you are done adjusting the settings, you are ready to invite your class. On the bottom of the page, you will see “Invite your friends! Hover over me to see the invite link!”. Click on the ‘Copy’ button the right and paste this link into your virtual platform chat box (Google Meets, Zoom, Microsoft Team, etc.). NOTE: This game is limited to 12 participants, including the creator of the game.
8. Wait for your class to sign in. See student directions below.

Student directions:

1. Click the link your teacher sent. It will open the main page in another window.
2. Pick a name. You will want to pick a name that is appropriate, otherwise your teacher may not play the game!
3. Customize your character. You can change the eye and mouth shape, as well as the color of your character. You can do this by clicking the left and right arrows on both sides of your character. Or, you may click the dice on the right of your character to randomize the appearance.
4. Click ‘Play!’. Once you are satisfied with the way your character looks, click ‘Play!’.
5. Wait patiently for everyone to join. Your teacher will begin the game once they have adjusted the settings and everyone has signed in.

Playing the game:

1. Start Game. Once everyone has joined, click ‘Start Game’ to begin.
2. The round begins. One of the players will choose one of the words. Using the colors and paint brush options at the bottom, they will draw the picture to the best of their ability.
3. Time to guess. Using the textbox on the right, other plays will type their guesses. Guessers can use the drawing or the dashes/letters that appear on the top. To guess, just type the word (for example, type “fish” rather than “I think the word is fish”). Guessers have an unlimited number of guesses, so if you get it wrong you can try it again. Wrong guesses will appear on the left.
4. Correct guess. Once a player has correctly guessed the word, a message appears saying “______ has guessed the word”. They will wait until the round is finished. That person can send messages, but they will not appear to players who haven’t yet guessed the correct word.
5. End of round. The round has ended once everyone has guessed the word or the time is over, whichever comes first.
6. Points are awarded. Points are awarded based on how fast and how accurate you are able to guess. If you are unable to guess the correct answer before time runs out, no points are awarded. Points are also awarded to the drawer based on how many people were able to correctly guess the word.
7. Continue to play. Continue to play the rounds. Once the game has ended, you will see the total of points and the grand winner. You can play another game if you’d like or exit out.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I need a touch-screen computer or tablet to play?
No, you can use a non-touch-screen device. You will draw using your mouse to click and drag the colors.

Once I guess the word correctly, can I tell it to the other players in the game, or will they not be able to see my chats?
The person who is drawing the picture and the other people who have correctly guessed the word cannot chat with those who have not yet correctly guessed the word. If you have not guessed the word, you can only see the chat of the others who have also not guessed the word.

Help! I can’t guess the word.
Continue to guess based on the drawing. You can also look at the top and use the letters revealed to help make your guess. And, if you are not able to guess the word, that’s okay! There are likely more rounds that you can play.

TIPS

• If you are playing at the same time as being connected to a virtual platform (Zoom, Google Meeting, etc.), you must tell students not to use their voice to say the word or hints out loud, as some people may need more time to guess.
• As a teacher, do not screenshare your screen—you are also playing!
• You may use the randomized word list that skribbl.io uses or create your own list (based on a unit, for example).

SOURCES

• https://skribbl.io/
• https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Private-Room-in-Skribbl.io
• https://mrjoudeh.wordpress.com/2017/03/22/skribbl-io/
• https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4618/a7bc00c0f653d3c7883dc73f96c210a8d99a.pdf