Thursday, March 20, 2014

Be a Pencil and Keep Your Writing SHARP!


With all the focus on the Common Core these days, students don't get to do much creative writing. As a writer, this makes me sad. Too many students think they're awful at writing just because essays are not their thing. If you're one of those students beating herself up because step-by-step writing is not your strength, perk up! Here is an activity to get your imagination going! And....focusing on details may even help you with the essays, too! 

This is a fun writing activity one of my teachers did when I was in school. She had us imagine we were an object and fill in the chart below. Then, we'd use the details to write about our typical day. At the time, I chose pencil, so that's what I put in the chart. Check it out! 

Life of a Pencil: 

What I see: students writing, the SmartBoard, the floor 

What I feel: feet trampling over me in the hallway, sweaty fingers squeezing my skinny body, an awful headache as students erase their mistakes with my head, pain in my toes as students sharpen me

What I smell: the inside of gym lockers, pizza in the cafeteria, chewing gum 

What I touch: crisp, white paper, messy backpacks full of sticky things, kids' ears as they put me behind them 

What I taste: dust, pencil shavings from the sharpener, nervousness from all students taking a test 

My hopes and dreams: To one day be a pencil on display in a museum where people can come and admire me 

My biggest fear: Being forgotten
 

Now you try it! What object would you like to be? 

-Margie

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