I tell parents every year at open house that the art of teaching is creating lessons that are so engaging for students that the students are willing to complete the task even if they don’t like what they are doing. Writing is a great example of this. Many students do not enjoy writing because it takes a long time, it requires them to think, it doesn’t have A right answer,there are many rules, etc. However, there aren’t many skills more important for them to learn, so I am always on the lookout for good writing prompts and for resources that can be turned into meaningful, engaging writing prompts.
Here are some my most recent finds and ideas.
What My Childhood Tasted Like informative using an article as a text companion–designed around a lesson from Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher
Two People Meet in Heaven practice writing dialogue
28 Writing Prompts for Middle School found on Twitter
Two Sentence Horror Stories Great for Halloween
Break Up Conversation Not a new lesson, but the kids enjoy practicing writing dialogue on this lesson.
Southern Journal The Quill and the Mule An article that provides Southern students with the reason they need to write a story that contains a dead mule. My students have a blast with this.
The Porch Article An article that provides the prompt, “The _____ is the soul of the ____.” The cafeteria is the soul of the school. Home plate is the home of the field.
A Teacher's Ponderings 