In this one-time class, students will learn a writing lesson, be shown a surprise picture to use as inspiration, and will be given 10-20 minutes to write a creative short story which they can share with the group at the end of class.

This class is a great way for students to try out a class without an ongoing commitment. If your student enjoys the class and would like to participate weekly, I also offer "Creative Writing: Surprise Picture Prompts (Ongoing / Weekly)" where they can be enrolled on an ongoing basis.  

Class Activities: 

- Introduction

- Writing Lesson: 
          Topics vary but may include: parts of speech (adjectives, verbs, adverbs, etc.), figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification, etc.), characters, setting, plot, poetry, problem and solution, writing great first sentences and story endings, and a variety of other writing topics. Topics follow the same schedule as my ongoing/weekly version of this class. This makes it easier if your student would like to enroll in the ongoing/weekly version of the class afterward, so they will be on the same topic schedule as those class sections and can jump right in the following week. 

          Upcoming topics
               - Wednesday, December 28 to Tuesday, January 3 - Haiku Poems
               - Wednesday, January 4 to Tuesday, January 10 - Cinquain Poems
               - Wednesday, January 11 to Tuesday, January 17 - Synonym Diamond Poems
               - Wednesday, January 18 to Tuesday, January 24 - Antonym Diamond Poems
               - Wednesday, January 25 to Tuesday, January 31 - Concrete/Shape Poems

- Choose our surprise picture: 
             A student is randomly chosen each week to choose our surprise picture. The chosen picture (often a cute or funny, age-appropriate image) will be used as inspiration and the topic of the story each student writes. 

- Brainstorming:
          The teacher will facilitate a time of brainstorming and answering questions about the picture to help students develop ideas for their stories before writing.

- Writing time: 
          Students will write their stories in a private (just one student) breakout room for 10 to 20 minutes. The time given varies based on the number of students in class and how long other activities take. Most weeks, most class sections will have 15-20 minutes. On some occasions, in full classes, or where there is more discussion during the writing lesson and brainstorming times, students may have less than 15 minutes, but never less than 10. Students are encouraged to write as much as they can in the time they have and are reminded that it is okay if their story is not completely finished when time is up.

- Sharing time: 
          Students are welcome to read their stories aloud (though not required). The teacher and students will offer positive comments, emojis, and reactions to each other. After students have shared their stories, the teacher will often share a story she has written about the picture as well! Students are free to leave when class time is over or stay a few extra minutes to hear the teacher's story. 

*Please note that this class does not focus on helping students to improve spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, or other writing mechanics.