Arts & Culture|Kids & Family|Education
PBS Wisconsin Education, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education, recently launched Whoopensocker, a new educational resource collection for upper elementary learners that provides an on-ramp to writing through group games and scaffolded lessons.
09/30/25
PBS Wisconsin Education, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education, recently launched Whoopensocker, a new educational resource collection for upper elementary learners that provides an on-ramp to writing through group games and scaffolded lessons.
Whoopensocker was first developed as a six-week teaching artist residency by Erica Halverson, a professor in the department of curriculum and instruction at the UW-Madison School of Education. Halverson teamed up with PBS Wisconsin Education to make a multimedia version of the program that’s accessible to more educators around the state and in spaces where an artist residency may not be available.
The collection includes videos that provide low-risk opportunities to engage in creativity and writing through theater-inspired games and group brainstorming.
At first glance, improv-style games may seem like something that would have educators and students alike hiding behind their desks. But the power of Whoopensocker is how the games and activities nurture a collaborative and creative environment that makes risk-taking feel much less, well, risky.
“How The Dianasaurs Got Dead.” A sample of writing from a classroom that integrated Whoopensocker.
“One of the reasons we’ve made this collection is we found that a lot of educators don’t feel equipped to build these connections between what’s required in literacy standards and this kind of creative practice,” Halverson said. “So we’ve developed this collection with the idea that we are supporting educators in being able to engage in this sort of asset-based creative production with their students, and hopefully along the way come to see their students differently.”
Educators are encouraged to use the games and lessons however makes sense in their learning space. A short game like “Pass the Clap” could be used every morning to help build community, while a 90-minute lesson plan is also available for educators looking for a deeper scaffolded writing experience.
The built-in flexibility speaks to Halverson’s philosophy on education. The author of “How the Arts Can Save Education: Transforming Teaching, Learning, and Instruction,” she understands the importance of creating space for kids to explore their interests and engage in learning in ways that are meaningful to them. “We don’t often think of [a readiness to engage] as a necessary part of a learning environment. We assume that when people step into a space, that’s how they come in. Almost no one comes in that way.”
But when people find joy in an activity, they’re more excited to engage and willing to try challenging things. “Those kinds of collaborative play experiences are a really nice way to find joy in any learning space,” Halverson said.
She encourages educators to try some of the games in the collection, not only to get comfortable with the content before teaching with it, but also to experience some of that joy with their peers. “Everyone loves the Sushi game,” she added.
Whoopensocker is accessible for free on the PBS Wisconsin Education website. The collection was made possible through a grant from the Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment.
I would love to get your thoughts, suggestions, and questions in the comments below. Thanks for sharing!
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abdessamed gtumsila
Loved this! “Whoopensocker” seems like a fun way to get kids excited about writing and creativity. Learning feels so much better when it’s playful.