Each day of camp, we'll explore a different genre of writing. Some days, we'll read and discuss a poem or story on the theme of Spring. Other days, we'll play a word game. The bulk of our time will be spent writing our own poems and stories. The last day of camp is reserved for sharing our finished pieces and celebrating each other's work!

If your child likes this class, consider coming back in the summer for Creative Writing Camp -- Summer Session!

For Days 1-4, we will start off with a 5 min warm-up writing exercise related to the genre of the day.

On Day 1 we'll read and discuss a poem about spring. Then we'll have 10-15 mins of quiet writing time, after which students will have the option of sharing their first draft with the class. I'll talk about the process of revising poems for a few minutes at the end, so campers who want to continue writing outside of camp have a good starting point.

On Day 2 we'll play a game where we collectively tell very short stories one word at a time. Then we'll talk about flash fiction -- what it is, and how it's a little different from poetry while being in a similar format. Campers will have 10-15 minutes to write their own flash fiction pieces with the option to share one or two at the end of the day.

On Day 3 we'll read and discuss a short story, reviewing basic plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution). Then students will have a full 15 minutes to write their own one-page long short story. 

On Day 4 we'll talk about creative nonfiction (aka personal essays and memoirs). Campers will take turns telling stories about something fun they did on spring break. We'll help each other identify the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of each story. Campers will have 10-15 minutes to write down their stories.

On Day 5, each camper will read 1 or 2 finished pieces aloud to the camp. (The number per student will vary by class size). Campers will be encouraged to decorate their background for Spring, or use a Zoom background with Spring-themed images.