We'll start by brainstorming different creatures and characters that can live under the sea. Let your imagination go wild, creating octopus kings, mermaid clans, or strange, powerful creatures that lurk in the deep.  

There's no homework--just fun, as students improve their writing skills and practice their presentation skills by reading their work out loud to others if they want to.

FOR PARENTS: 
We will start by brainstorming a map of our new world so students can visualize an underwater kingdom. Then we'll create extraordinary characters that we'll have a blast writing about. In every workshop class we start with brainstorming exercises, then students write fiction for 15 minutes.  Afterwards, everyone can read his/her/their writing out loud. Everyone in the workshop will say what they like about the story or recall details they remember about the writing. 

The class is so much fun students won’t even realize they are learning to focus, creating sustained works of fiction. Moreover, they will practice reading out loud as well as listening to each other and working to form helpful comments for the reader. Great thinking, reading, and speaking skills are in use--though to kids it all seems like fun!  Many children have so much fun they are eager to keep writing even after the workshop is over.