Tag: Writing Prompts
Writing Prompt Wednesday: Invent a Miracle Elixir
Are you interested in becoming an inventor? Now’s your chance! This Writing Prompt Wednesday, we’re inventing miracle elixirs.
A miracle elixir is a liquid that can cure any illness or transform any object into something amazing through magic. One of the very first miracle elixirs ever invented could turn ordinary metal into gold. A miracle elixir can also be a medicine. A liquid that when you drink it, can cure any illness you may have.
What kind of problems would you like to solve? Think about the biggest problem that the world is facing and invent an imaginary elixir that would fix it. Here are some questions to get you started:
- What’s the biggest problem that the world is facing?
- Whose lives are affected by this problem?
- What will happen if no one fixes this problem?
- Why do you care about this problem?
- What is the Inventor of this elixir named?
- What is this elixir called?
- How do you use it? Write down instructions on how to use the elixir.
- Who should use the elixir?
- What’s in it? Write a list of ingredients for your miracle elixir.
You can find more resources for this writing prompt on 826 Digital. Interested in using this Writing Prompt Wednesday or other writing activities in your classroom? Create a free account on 826 Digital, which provides engaging, adaptable, standards-based resources designed to captivate young writers and empower their educators.
#WritingPromptWednesday: Grab Bag Stories
Grab Bag Stories
Have you ever done a bag skit? It’s a drama exercise where a team of actors is given a bag that contains a variety of unrelated objects, and they must create a short skit that makes use of all the objects in a sensible or funny way.
Write your own Grab Bag Story
Grab Bag Stories are the writing equivalent of a bag skit. Use the three objects in the prompt above (stopwatch, a loaf of bread, a globe), or choose objects from your surroundings. Use these items as a starting point and write a story that uses all of them.
Need more of a push? Here are some questions to get you thinking:
- What kind of person would have all of these objects?
- Are the objects close to each other in physical space, or are some of them elsewhere (like part of a memory)?
- Is your story from the perspective of one of these objects?
- Is the object important to the plot or narrative, or just part of a scene?
Pizza Poetry Blog Post #1: Limericks
Teachers: Want to incorporate Pizza Poetry into your classroom, but not sure where to get started? From now until April 7th, we’ll be posting bi-weekly poetry writing prompts here on our blog! Remember, anyone ages 6-18 in Greater New Orleans can submit poetry to be published on a pizza box. And don’t forget: the deadline to submit poetry is April 7th.
Limericks
Limericks are funny humorous that are structured into five lines. The first and second lines rhyme and contain the same number of syllables, as do the third and fourth. The fifth line yields a surprise ending or humorous statement and rhymes with the first two lines. Typically, limericks are written in the past tense. They were made famous by Edward Lear, a famous poet who wrote the “Book of Nonsense” in the 1800s.
Limericks often start with the line “There once was a…” or “There was a…”
Some examples of Limericks:
There once was a wonderful star
Who thought she would go very far
Until she fell down
And looked like a clown
She knew she would never go far.
-Kaitlyn Guenther
There was an Old Person of Chili,
Whose conduct was painful and silly,
He sat on the stairs,
Eating apples and pears,
That imprudent Old Person of Chili.
-From the “Book of Nonsense”
Now, Write Your Own!
The first, second and fifth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables (typically 8 or 9).
The third and fourth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables (typically 5 or 6)
Templates are below for those that need it!
Template A
There once was a ______________ from __________________.
All the while s/he hoped _______________________________. So s/he _______________________________. And _________________________________. That ___________________ from ___________________.
Template B
I once met a _________________ from ___________________.
Every day s/he _________________
______________________. But whenever s/he ______________________.
The _________________________________. That strange ___________________ from ___________________.
Email us at pizzapoetry@bigclass.org to let us know how the workshop went, and submit your students’ poems. Are you especially proud of any of the limericks? Let us know and we’ll feature them on this blog! Click here to learn more about the Pizza Poetry Project.
Writing Prompt Wednesday: Invent a Miracle Elixir
Are you interested in becoming an inventor? Now’s your chance! This Writing Prompt Wednesday, we’re inventing miracle elixirs.
A miracle elixir is a liquid that can cure any illness or transform any object into something amazing through magic. One of the very first miracle elixirs ever invented could turn ordinary metal into gold. A miracle elixir can also be a medicine. A liquid that when you drink it, can cure any illness you may have.
What kind of problems would you like to solve? Think about the biggest problem that the world is facing and invent an imaginary elixir that would fix it. Here are some questions to get you started:
- What’s the biggest problem that the world is facing?
- Whose lives are affected by this problem?
- What will happen if no one fixes this problem?
- Why do you care about this problem?
- What is the Inventor of this elixir named?
- What is this elixir called?
- How do you use it? Write down instructions on how to use the elixir.
- Who should use the elixir?
- What’s in it? Write a list of ingredients for your miracle elixir.
You can find more resources for this writing prompt on 826 Digital. Interested in using this Writing Prompt Wednesday or other writing activities in your classroom? Create a free account on 826 Digital, which provides engaging, adaptable, standards-based resources designed to captivate young writers and empower their educators.
#WritingPromptWednesday: Grab Bag Stories
Grab Bag Stories
Have you ever done a bag skit? It’s a drama exercise where a team of actors is given a bag that contains a variety of unrelated objects, and they must create a short skit that makes use of all the objects in a sensible or funny way.
Write your own Grab Bag Story
Grab Bag Stories are the writing equivalent of a bag skit. Use the three objects in the prompt above (stopwatch, a loaf of bread, a globe), or choose objects from your surroundings. Use these items as a starting point and write a story that uses all of them.
Need more of a push? Here are some questions to get you thinking:
- What kind of person would have all of these objects?
- Are the objects close to each other in physical space, or are some of them elsewhere (like part of a memory)?
- Is your story from the perspective of one of these objects?
- Is the object important to the plot or narrative, or just part of a scene?
Pizza Poetry Blog Post #1: Limericks
Teachers: Want to incorporate Pizza Poetry into your classroom, but not sure where to get started? From now until April 7th, we’ll be posting bi-weekly poetry writing prompts here on our blog! Remember, anyone ages 6-18 in Greater New Orleans can submit poetry to be published on a pizza box. And don’t forget: the deadline to submit poetry is April 7th.
Limericks
Limericks are funny humorous that are structured into five lines. The first and second lines rhyme and contain the same number of syllables, as do the third and fourth. The fifth line yields a surprise ending or humorous statement and rhymes with the first two lines. Typically, limericks are written in the past tense. They were made famous by Edward Lear, a famous poet who wrote the “Book of Nonsense” in the 1800s.
Limericks often start with the line “There once was a…” or “There was a…”
Some examples of Limericks:
There once was a wonderful star
Who thought she would go very far
Until she fell down
And looked like a clown
She knew she would never go far.
-Kaitlyn Guenther
There was an Old Person of Chili,
Whose conduct was painful and silly,
He sat on the stairs,
Eating apples and pears,
That imprudent Old Person of Chili.
-From the “Book of Nonsense”
Now, Write Your Own!
The first, second and fifth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables (typically 8 or 9).
The third and fourth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables (typically 5 or 6)
Templates are below for those that need it!
Template A
There once was a ______________ from __________________.
All the while s/he hoped _______________________________. So s/he _______________________________. And _________________________________. That ___________________ from ___________________.
Template B
I once met a _________________ from ___________________.
Every day s/he _________________
______________________. But whenever s/he ______________________.
The _________________________________. That strange ___________________ from ___________________.
Email us at pizzapoetry@bigclass.org to let us know how the workshop went, and submit your students’ poems. Are you especially proud of any of the limericks? Let us know and we’ll feature them on this blog! Click here to learn more about the Pizza Poetry Project.
