Write 28 Stories in Six Words or Less

This class uses 28 writing prompts 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, or writers who need practice writing efficiently (less can be more!). The challenge for students is to write a complete story in six words or less from a prompt like: Write a six word story about a pink flamingo.

What writing strategies will be taught?
The topics will vary but could include food, pets, magic, ninjas, 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 28 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 also for students who wish to see an improvement in their ability to make stronger inferences. 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 story prompt. For example, if the prompt is to write about something happy, they should be able to come up with six words that effectively show a happy experience. 

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

Every seven days, I will post an optional short crossword puzzle students can fill out online. The answers to the puzzle will be six letter words that should help expand the students' vocabulary. This is a fun way for students to sneak in some extra spelling practice. There will be approximately four crossword puzzles during the class. Students can ask for help if they are stuck on a particular clue.