Creative Writing Lesson Plans

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Start a Story Grades Various
Help students with creative writing. Pull several desks into a circle (4-7 students works well).  Each student gets a blank sheet of paper and pencil.  Thee put their name on the back of their paper.  Students start to write a story about any topic.  Teacher uses a timer and at the end of a short period (around a minute or less but use your judgment depending on your students) time is called.  Papers are quickly passed to the right, time is restarted and students continue story started by the first student.  Continue until paper ends up with the original author.  There will be many giggles and excitement as students try to read/write quickly.  Have students read finished product aloud. For younger students, substitute writing with drawing a picture.
Submitted by: Sue Smith - Rockville, Maryland

Story Swap Grades 3-5
A fun activity for your students to work on beginning, middle, and end. "I use a story swap to teach beginning, middle, and ending parts of a story. One student writes the beginning of a story and then passes it on to a friend who writes only the middle. The student passes the story on again and a third student writes the conclusion. The stories are continually passed around the room so students write a beginning one time and then write a middle and an end. Anyone who is not writing is asked to illustrate the part they have completed. When the story is complete, it's given back to the original author and that student reads it to the class or a small group."
Submitted by: Judy Zelenda a third grade teacher at Schuyler Grade School in Schuyler, Nebraska. This idea was published in the NEA's Weekly "Works4Me" Email list.

Storytellers Grades 2-5
Put those old magazines to good use! Make a large circle out of pasteboard. Section into 6 or 8 pie slices with a marker then laminate. Attach peel and stick Velcro to each piece of pie section. Cut lots (and LOTS) of pictures out of magazines. Laminate and attach the opposite side of the peel and stick Velcro. Let the child select one picture for each pie slice...telling a story of what is happening as they select. When their slices are completed they can take the storyboard and go write down their story. You can have all the pictures in a stack or separate by categories.
Submitted by: Tracy

Story Creation Magic Grades Elementary
This page contains a lesson plan that helps teachers teach the basic concepts of story creation in an entertaining way using character, setting, and plot.

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