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Writing Prompts & Assignments
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Here you will find writing prompts and assignments related to specific units, texts, or assignments to adapt or adopt.
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Latest Activity: Jan 3
Writing Prompts and Assignments
One of the most thriving groups is Teaching Texts, which is a place devoted to teaching different novels, plays, poems, units. While there may be some writing topics or assignments woven in, we need a place we can turn for more dedicated help (and efficient search) when it comes to good writing topics. We could also add a strand for qualities of good writing assignments, which would be helpful.
How to post to this group: Create a subject heading that is clearly specific to the text, the topic, or the unit you are teaching or plan to teach in the future. Examples: "Transcendentalism," "Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience," or "The American Spirit." The subjects could also focus on poems, state writing assessments, or creative writing. So long as it has to do with offering or asking for help in creating a great writing assignment or prompt, put it here!
Addendum: While it is fine to post writing topics for AP Lit or AP Language here--a good topic is a good topic, right?--it might be best to post those in the AP Group so all content related specifically to the AP exams is in one easily accessible place.
How to post to this group: Create a subject heading that is clearly specific to the text, the topic, or the unit you are teaching or plan to teach in the future. Examples: "Transcendentalism," "Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience," or "The American Spirit." The subjects could also focus on poems, state writing assessments, or creative writing. So long as it has to do with offering or asking for help in creating a great writing assignment or prompt, put it here!
Addendum: While it is fine to post writing topics for AP Lit or AP Language here--a good topic is a good topic, right?--it might be best to post those in the AP Group so all content related specifically to the AP exams is in one easily accessible place.
Discussion Forum
Prompts I use 9 Replies
Started by Jennie. Last reply by Laura Jones Aug. 16, 2009.
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Judith--
One opportunity is Teen Ink (http://www.teenink.com). This is a publication for teens only, ages 13-19, to submit and publish their work. The one draw back I found is that once accepted, Teen Ink keeps all rights to the work. This means ki…
Bill,
You have it wrong. I didn't say the theory has not had wide influence. I never said anything like that. I agree that it has had wide influence. What I said was I've never heard of teachers labeling themselves as constructivists or nonconstruct…
The Ugly Truth is that my number one goal for my students right now has to be to raise their 2010 standardized test scores.
I find it disturbing, off-base, heart-wrenching, and almost something shameful to admit. However, NCLB has my entire school'…
I am in search of a novel set during the Great Depression/Dust Bowl era. It will be used in a 10th grade history class; most of the students are struggling readers. The teacher would like to stay away from the "big name classics." He wants something…
Yay Doug! He was one of my teachers in pre-teaching grad school (itp.nyu.edu), and I'm a huge fan of his work. Thanks for posting this, Frank. I'm really excited to see what these guys have come up with this time.
I am looking for opportunities for high school students to publish their writing. I am in VT. We are part of the NWP and can certainly offer that to our students. I know about the Mountain Review, but I would really appreciate other venues where stu…
Oh, a marvelous poem, Carol -- by one of my favorite poets. In graduate school far back in the 60's, I took a creative writing class from Bly at the University of Kansas, and have never forgotten it. Thanks for the connection.
I actually do have a plan (I also have a yearly book filled with objectives). I just can't say I have a detailed plan. I found it easier to plan for 90 minute block lessons than the 45 minutes we have at this school which makes me feel like I am in…
Oh I do! I just had a tutorial with a final year student, who thank me for introducing her to philosophy. It's just that the rest of it sucks up so much time.
Andy,
The fact that you have not heard of it doesn't mean the theory has not had a wide influence. Nearly every school of education in America now promotes "constructivist" ideas, and it is why many of our student teachers are not receiving some of…
How about this for a poetic connection to your posting, Hamilton?
Gratitude to Old Teachers by Robert Bly
When we stride or stroll across the frozen lake,
We place our feet where they have never been.
We walk upon the unwalked. But we are uneasy.…
I really think that PDFs kick SOOO much butt compared to .mobi Kindle Books or any other text with DRMs.
... and xboxes can make lovely computers if you know how to hack them. But that's also illegal. ;)
My husband has a bebook, which will read PDFs and some other formats... I don't know if it does text files or not.
And yet many teachers would grade "gentle seductions" harshly and comment that they "take too long to get to the point" or "meander." It just goes to show the huge chasm that exists between persuasive essays taught in the "Cookie-Cutter School of Es…
While it may be true that in reality there are not that many people reading student work on the Web (who but an English teacher could love a character analysis of Scout Finch??), I wonder if that really matters.
I suspect it does matter. I think it…
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