the road to inspired learning
Do you need a lesson plan that includes creative writing for Grade 3? Try this writing activity based on the picture book, Previously by Allan Ahlberg. How many times have you heard the story of Goldilocks or Cinderella? Have you ever you pondered what happened to these famous characters before their star roles in classic […]
First graders have big ideas. Great ideas. But sometimes they struggle to get those ideas from their heads to their pens to their papers. Writing is hard work. Make creative writing for Grade 1 easier with this Imaginary Animal Writing Activity. Your student will fill in the form and then publish their paragraph on their […]
I am always, always looking for ways to motivate students to write. One of my tricks is the list prompt. Making a list is an easy writing prompt for students. Before you protest and try to tell me that making a list isn’t bona fide writing, I am going to interrupt. I am going to […]
Even if you aren’t a trained teacher, you can use picture books to teach creative writing. Help! We Need a Title! by Herve Tullet provides a fun and funny springboard into the world of story writing. You can use this picture book to teach story elements to early elementary students. How to Use a Picture […]
Do you use pictures to inspire creative writing? I do! I taught creative writing lessons for several summers at a local enrichment program, and I used various artists such as William H. Johnson with bold, bright pictures to provide ideas for my students. I keep an eye out for interesting artwork and pictures that would […]
Did you know you can build your student’s creative writing skills long before he can write? Creative writing doesn’t happen without creative thinking. You can build your student’s creative thinking skills by diving into wordless books. Use this wordless book lesson plan to help your students strengthen their creative thinking which will help them to […]
Creative writing lessons for elementary students don’t have to be complicated. You can keep them simple and engage students with activities and games. In this dialogue lesson plan for young writers, your goal is to simply introduce dialogue and it’s purpose. You can also introduce the correct way to punctuate it. Why Is Dialogue Important […]
If you have reluctant writers or creative writers who are writing simple, shallow stories, try this set of dinosaur writing prompt cards. The dinosaur writing prompt cards provide guidance with the writing process. Additionally, they will help your student generate oodles of dinosaur story ideas. What’s Included in the Dinosaur Writing Prompt Cards? This printable […]
If you have reluctant writers, or creative writers who are writing simple, shallow stories, try this set of circus writing prompts. The circus writing prompt cards provide guidance with the writing process. This is important for students who feel like they don’t have any good ideas. What’s Included in the Circus Writing Prompts? This printable […]
Calling all creative writers, budding authors, young lovers of stories (or maybe even those who despise writing): It’s your lucky day! I’m offering a set of story writing prompt cards that will make it easy for your student to push his pencil and, most importantly, to write a great story! The prompt cards provide guidance […]
Sometimes homeschooling high school makes my heart palpitate. For real. I quake in my boots a bit because I am solely responsible for educating my son. It’s a big job, and I don’t take it lightly. However, I want to give him ample time to explore his interests and pursue his passions. I also want […]
I took Simon to a library program in our teeny-tiny town one day. We went through the door; he headed to the left, and I was pulled to the right–to shelves full of library sale books. I saw at least two full racks of picture books. I smiled as I saw familiar, beloved titles such […]
Once upon a time I taught students how to write. High school students. Middle school students. I was an English teacher. I hate to admit this piece of trivia because I overuse clichés. I misuse commas. I abuse prepositions. And I have a fragment habit. It can be embarrassing to announce this to the whole wide web. However, […]
When art and writing collide, I am a happy girl. When I stumbled upon Show Me a Story at the library, I was thrilled. I immediately knew it was a winner, and I would some day teach a co-op class with all the amazing get-kids-writing ideas found inside the book. This class was such a joy […]
Within the past few months I have had four friends who homeschool approach me with different problems: Panicked Mom We've unschooled for several years, but now that my son is going to be entering high school, I want to "catch him up" in reading. Desperate Mom My middle school daughter is crying her way through a […]
I’ve professed my love of poetry here on the blog in the past. I’ve given you my Ten Favorite Poetry Books for Children. But I don’t think I’ve ever admitted that sometimes it can be difficult to bring my danger-loving, adventure-seeking kid into the wonderful world of versed words. Sometimes poetry for kids is tricky. I found […]
This post is sponsored by How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig. Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night Sailed off in a wooden shoe,— Sailed on a river of crystal light Into a sea of dew. “Wynken, Blyken, and Nod” was the first poem I ever memorized. I was a squirrely 2nd grader squirming in […]
Happy Birthday to Hans Christian Andersen who was born in Denmark on April 2, 1805. He was zany and lanky and an amazing writer who is best known and loved for his timeless fairy tale classics. If your students are interested in learning about Andersen’s life, read The Perfect Wizard: Hans Christian Andersen by Jane Yolen. Andersen’s […]
My teacher tacked a picture to the bulletin board–a brown dog with droopy eyes and a forlorn face. She told us to write about the dog. Whatever we wanted. Just write. I was a little girl scribbling words ferociously, completely engaged by the visual writing prompt. Years later, when I was in college, my belief that art […]
I love playing with words, and I super-LOVE finding new ways to do this. Tagxedo is a free way to play with words and create art at the same time–one more way to engage your writer! Simon and I worked through a few of these last week, and I am going to share his cat […]