Other Activities

Writing Activities

• Dramatize: Write a script, create a music set, interview a character, or become a character from the author’s or a character’s perspective

• Adobe Spark Video: Summarize the book, create a new ending, or explain the author's or a character's perspective

• Create a comic book version of the book or a storyboard

• Illustrate your favorite part of the book and write about why it is your favorite part

• Create a character sketch and write a description of the character

• Write a letter to a character

• Write a letter to the author

• Write a journal or diary entry as if you are a character in the book

• Scrapbook

• Write a book review

• NPR's Poetry Challenge: Paint a Picture with Words NPR has a few creative writing and journalistic writing opportunities for young writers. Here is one of my favorites: ekphrastic poems! In this task, students generate poems inspired by works of art.

• This I Believe Essays This I Believe is an international organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 125,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, have been archived here on our website, heard on public radio, chronicled through our books, and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow. Students can read through these essays and then write their own "This I Believe" essay.

• The New York Times Learning Network Looking for ideas for remote learning? Each week The Learning Network offers a dozen new ways for students to practice reading, writing and thinking using Times journalism — all free.

• TED-Ed Literature Lessons Many of my students enjoy a good TED-Talk. If they miss hearing me ramble about books, they can choose one of the many videos and enjoy learning a little bit more about the literature or themes we've studied.