Module+1--Creating+an+avatar

Module 1: Creating an Avatar
[|EAP 91 Describe your avatar's body.doc]

**Activity:**
This first activity requires one class session in which to get students signed up for a free SecondLife account and to choose one of SL's stock avatars. Later, students can modify their avatars to their preferences, but for now, the goal is to get everyone set up with an avatar and through the simple registration process (which can take several tries, for reasons which I'll explain under "Notes," below).

**How it meets the EAP 91 grammar goals:**
This activity is good for the start of the quarter when students are learning to write **descriptive sentences using "be" verbs** and **possessive pronouns**. Emphasis is on using **complete sentences** with a subject and verb and the **different patterns of sentences with BE-verbs**:

Subject + Be-verb + Noun (e.g. My avatar is a woman.) Subject + Be-verb + Adjective (e.g. My avatar's hair is short.)

Notes for Teachers:
Try to keep students in step during the registration process by projecting the registration screen in front of the room--or, if no projector is available, walk around and monitor students' progress. There are two possible sticking points in the registration--most of all, the part where the student must type in the letters into the confirmation box. The letters can be difficult to read, especially for beginning-level students. The best way is to tell the students to wait when they get to this box and let you type the letters in for them. If they make a mistake, they will be directed to start the entire registration process over--and if they type in error twice, they'll be locked out of SL for the next 20 minutes, taking up the rest of class time.

So start right away at the beginning of the hour to leave enough time for the student(s) who'll inevitably get locked out of SL for 20 minutes.

Also, don't let them forget to check the box at the bottom of the screen. It's small, so sometimes people overlook it--but if they don't check it, they'll have to start the process all over again.

Sample Video/Photos:
Here's a photo of Luck Davi on the day she was "born" in Second Life! It's a standard avatar that she selected from the registration menu.