Welcome to Learning to Love Writing Again in Second Grade: Exciting & Fun Writing Forms!

Many children struggle with writing because they don't know what to write, their imagination isn't strong (they think), writing feels like work and not fun, and more negative associations with writing. Then they struggle in school because they've already written (pun intended) off writing for good. 

But fret not! The goal of this class is to expose students to various types of writing they may not have thought about before as "writing" - and that's a good thing! They can write without feeling as though they are "writing," which takes off enormous pressure leaving space to enjoy the process.

By looking at writing with new eyes and insight, kids can begin to learn to love writing - not as a chore or work, but as something to look forward to. Their imaginations will become inspired!

The following describes what we will be working through each week. We start classes with small assignments to get the students comfortable with the idea of writing, while having fun in the process and stoking their imaginations! During each lesson, we will cover several fun examples of the writing we will be working on that class. Each assignment and exercise will come with a template to help the child think about what they want to say and guide them toward writing it. 

Week 1: Everyday Writing
     ~Let's get warmed up: Pretend you are famous and practice writing your autograph for fans
     ~Connecting self with writing: Write your name artistically (unfinished project can be brought to next class)
     ~Free the mind and get creative: Writing silly recipes
     ~Tell a story with everyday living: Writing epic shopping lists 
     ~Homework: come to the next class with a list of your favorite cartoon, your favorite celebrity, presents you want, and a list of 
       your things that are important to you.

Week 2: Writing Letters of the Heart
     ~Letter to favorite cartoon
     ~Letter to favorite celebrity
     ~Letter to family about presents you want and why
     ~Letter to our future selves
     ~Homework: Think about what you would do if you received a big box at your door (and what's in the box)

Week 3: Visual and Verbal Stories
     ~Tell a verbal story about what you would do if a bog box appeared one day at your door (and what's inside?)
     ~Write the story as a comic
     ~Write the story long form
     ~Write the story as a poem
     ~Homework: Write a list of story ideas

Week 4: Brainstorming and what to do if you get stuck
     ~How to brainstorm ideas (and how you've already brainstormed ideas without knowing it)
     ~The stuck equation
     ~In-class writing prompt and read-aloud

See you in the classroom soon!

Love,
Teacher Bethanie