Picture This: Write a Story in Six Words or Less (Flex Class)

This flex class uses a daily picture prompt to get students excited about writing short, compact stories. It is for students already interested in storytelling who want a fun challenge, reluctant writers who want to start small, writers who need practice writing efficiently (less can be more!), students inspired by art, or students who enjoyed my Write A Story in Six Words or Less writing prompt class. Each day I will post a picture prompt for the students to write a story about. The challenge for students is to write a complete story inspired by what they see in six words or less. They can type the story up directly in the classroom, hand write the story and share it in the classroom, or post a video of themselves reading their finished story! 

What writing strategies will be taught?
The topics will vary but could include pictures of food, pets, historical locations, famous artwork, seasons, etc. The students will practice boiling their ideas down to the core details and allowing the reader to fill in the rest. For example, in Ernest Hemingway's famous six word story (For sale, baby shoes, never worn), the reader must infer what happened to the baby. This will also force students to become better readers as well! I'd love to see six word stories include sensory details besides sight, so that students can learn to describe things they taste, touch, hear, and smell as well. The goal is to get the students to be as creative as possible while still writing a story that makes sense. I want the students to have fun writing and look forward to the process, too. By the end of the course, students will have 30 completed stories. These could be compiled as a "book" to show off their all of their hard work. 

Who would benefit from taking this class?
This class will benefit a variety of students including those who already have a passion for writing and want to create every day, those who need more practice and could benefit from writing daily, and those who are reluctant to put their words on paper. It is for students who wish to see an improvement in their ability to make stronger inferences, for students inspired by art, or students who enjoyed my Write A Story in Six Words or Less written prompt class. Most of all, it is for students who love a challenge! 

What should learners already know?
Learners should have a basic understanding of writing and storytelling. They should be able to continue a thought with their own ideas based on a picture prompt. For example, if the prompt is a picture of a smiling person, they should be able to come up with six words that effectively show a happy experience. 

Interaction with Teacher/Other Students:
I will also post my own story that I created as a response to the daily prompt. This should give students an idea of what they might want to write about. I will comment on any stories the students share in the classroom. The short writing style should naturally encourage questions and foster a lot of discussion between students and myself about each of our word choices. 

In addition to a daily writing prompt, students will have access to a single story in the classroom that we can all add six words to each day. Students are encouraged to add six new words every time they enter the classroom. I will add six new words as well to keep the story flowing. As the story progresses, students can share ideas for a story title until we come up with a six word title that we all feel suits our story. At the end of class, I will present each student with a copy of our combined story for their records.