This is a rather simple class that offers tremendous learning opportunities. Each week I throw out a theme to inspire young writers (see the schedule below for examples). I include some writing helpers, such as graphic organizers, transition words, word banks, and other nuggets that I locate for the chosen theme. Your young writer then writes independently, with friends or relatives during the week. We then meet in class to share and discuss each story in a friendly, jubilant environment. 

These are short, one-page stories where the writer has to get to the literacy components quickly…creating characters, settings, and a beginning, middle, and conclusion. See my short story example below. The graphic organizers and word banks are helpful resources for young writers to use as they practice writing during the week. 

Having your creative written work be heard and enjoyed can bring unbound success and enjoyment for learners. Furthermore, young writers find knowledge, inspiration, ideas, and a literacy connection when they read, share, and discuss writing with other peers at the same level. This class environment provides these opportunities and more.  

The class offers enough time for each writer to share one story with discussion time. Depending on the number of participants and the discussion period, students may be able to share more than one story. To share their work on Outschool, students are encouraged to write using any online program or resource, such as Google Docs, Canva, or another platform. Students who hand-write can either read or post a photo of their work to share.   

Jubilant Tutoring strives to offer a safe, friendly, encouraging, growth-bound environment for all learners during reading groups. My teaching strategy is facilitating the group, leaving most of the discussion to the young learners and letting them take the wheel often. Sharing ideas, thoughts, and questions is highly encouraged, and piggybacking off others is often met with applause. I have practiced literacy and writing groups in the upper elementary school classroom for over 20 years and have mastered facilitating an enjoyable, fun, engaging, and educational learning group where positive attitudes rule and friendly smiles are abundant. 

* While authors can write romance, war, and horror genres, the content should remain under age 12 appropriate. Writing involving violent acts, aggression, sexual language, or other adult-themed literacy components is strongly prohibited. Guardians should read submitted stories to meet these requirements and keep Outschool and the class safe environment for everyone. I will do my best to provide this environment by monitoring Zoom's screen-sharing abilities and audio functions but rely on guardians to contribute to the safety of the class. 

During this class, I use strategies I have collected over the years to create an enjoyable learning experience that focuses on young writers being recognized for their creative works. The class rules will shed more light on the class objectives.

-Rule #1: Although you may stray to the edges for creative purposes, your story should stick to the theme offered for the week. 
-Rule #2: Your short story must be under 1000 words
-Rule #3: Your story does not have to be complete; we enjoy the writing process!
-Rule #4: There are no rules! This is a free writing class. Any genre of fictional writing is acceptable, including horror, romance, adventure, science fiction, fantasy, or other fictional genre (age-appropriate plots, please). 

This class is stand-alone, meaning writers can join and leave as needed. Please also check out my other similar class, Jubilant Tutoring Poetry Free Write & Share. 

Class Theme Schedule:
-Week of 12/18/23: No Class
-Week of 12/25/23: No Class
-Week of 1/8/24: Write a new year's story 
-Week of 1/15/24: Create a funny story using three random objects.
-Week of 1/22/24: Imagine a world where everything is opposite, and develop a narrative about it.
-Week of 1/29/24: Develop a narrative about a funny and unexpected event that happened to you.
-Week of 2/5/24: Create a story about a mysterious package that arrives in the mail.
-Week of 2/12/24: Write a story about a character time travels back to your favorite time in history.
-Week of 2/19/24: Write a letter to your future self about your dreams and aspirations.
-Week of 2/26/24: Describe the view from your bedroom window. What can you see in the distance?
-Week of 3/4/24: Choose your own prompt!
-Week of 3/11/24: Imagine being lost in the forest and creating a story about your adventure.
-Week of 3/18/24: Create a narrative about a family vacation gone wrong.
-Week of 3/25/24: Create a story about a person who wakes up one day with his/her superpower gone.
-Week of 4/1/24: Are fifth graders old enough to babysit little kids? Why or why not? OR write a story about a 5th grade babysitter where everything goes...
-Week of 4/8/24: If the internet were to go down forever, how would that affect you?




Stay tuned. More inspirational themes will be added!

Sample Short Story (465 words) 
Slick perched his head above the fence post to spot his attacking path. He was hungry and needed food for himself and his friend Patch, who was tucked away under the house, injured from his dangerous encounter with a night hawk just the night before. Slick's long, furry tail curled in the air as he saw bird after bird take their lunch from the seeds and nuts that had fallen from the bird feeder to the ground due to the violent storm that had come through that night.

Slick spied several fascinating and enormous piles of seeds and nuts that landed on the garden's edge. "They would be perfect for snacking on," Slick thought from behind the post. He could also pick up some goodies for Patch and enough for a late-night snack. 

Slick moved stealthily and used the garden as camo. Then it was just a few short hops past a large, colorful plant to the goods. He moved from one corn stalk to another through the growing asparagus and radishes. "I am so slick," he said to a group of ants, getting their hard days' work done amongst the garden greens. 

Suddenly, Graven, the old problem-causing crow that cared for no one, swooped in and started grazing upon the seeds and nuts Slick had been spying on all day! Slick kept his cool, hiding under a flowering plant grazing the garden's edge. 

Then, like it was meant to be, an uproar came from the nearby home. It spooked every living thing away, including Graven, as she disappeared behind a large, red-leafed tree that hovered overhead. But again, Slick kept his cool, remaining out of sight.

"Take your chance now while it is wide open," Slick thought before exposing himself. The following five minutes were all-out bliss for Slick. He sat undisturbed by the birds and other day creatures that were still frightened away as he enjoyed the gentle breeze and sweet nuts and seeds that engulfed his world. 

Other creatures that wanted a piece of the action disturbed the brief serenity. Slick stashed away enough for Patch and a late-night snack and headed home. The day had been a success and was made even better with a small shower of rain that began to fall as he hurried back through the garden, cooling his furry body from the day's excitement! 

I hope you enjoyed my short fictional story about a squirrel I encountered outside my window this morning while creating this class. See you on my next adventure!