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Lesson Plan
3
3
Curated OER

Writing Short Stories: The Fun Way

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Do your young authors suffer from writer's block when they try to write short stories? Access their natural creativity with C-Gor, the writing monster! The instructional activity takes aspiring authors through a new writing process...
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PPT
Curated OER

Narrowing a Topic & The Importance of Audience

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Help your young writers through the sometimes difficult process of beginning to write. Direct them through how to choose a topic and write to a specific audience. Great refining statements guide them to writing focused, clear essays. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing and Scholarship Planning For College-Bound Students: Overcome Writer's Block

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine methods for overcoming writer's block. They complete a worksheet, write personal statements, and participate in a class discussion.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jeffrey and the Sloth

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students listen to the story Jeffrey and the Sloth and relate the story to how it feels to have writer's block. In this Jeffrey and the Sloth lesson, students use this book to inspire their creative writing process. Students create their...
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Writing
Curated OER

Writing is Hard Work

For Students 5th - 6th
In this writing worksheet, students read a quote by Isaac Singer which says, "The wastebasket is a writer's best friend." Students explain what this means to them and how they view the writing process.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Overcome Writer's Block

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students review methods for overcoming writer's block. They are asked if they have ever experienced writer's block, what the experience feels like, and discuss some strategies that they use to deal with writer's block. They are given a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writer's Block: Key Questions To Ask Before Composing

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students engage in a lesson that presents strategies to overcome the hurdles that discourage writers under pressure. They develop a paragraph of narrative text in response to a quote, motto or poem.
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Lesson Plan
Orca Book Publishers

Orca Book Publishers: 'Jeffrey and Sloth' Teaching Guide [Pdf]

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
This teaching guide for Jeffrey and Sloth, a story written by Kari-Lynn Winters, provides a synopsis of the story, discussion questions and teaching ideas. The book is about the experience of writer's block and how to overcome it. The...
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Handout
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University

Purdue University Owl: Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block

For Students 9th - 10th
Are you stuck in a writing rut? Look here for a list of symptoms and possible cures to get your creative juices flowing again.
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Graphic
Other

Pic lits.com: Inspired Picture Writing

For Students Pre-K - 1st Standards
This innovative resource offers a wide selection of photographs and words to stimulate writing in an interactive format.
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Article
Harold D. Underdown

Are You a Writer Looking for Inspiration?

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A very helpful article for writers looking for inspiration. Presents advice about inspiration from the past, present, and future. Article written for children's literature but may also apply to other genres.
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Article
Caro Clarke

The Doldrums: When the Wind Leaves Your Sails

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the 16th article in a series that gives advice to the new novel writer. This is a particularly interesting and helpful article on how to deal with periods in writing when your enthusiasm wanes.
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Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: "I Feel" Origami Boxes

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Give your students writing prompts to help them with their writer's block by using these PDF templates of boxes with open-ended prompts written on them. Although targeting elementary students, the concept could be used for middle school...
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Activity
British Library

British Library: 20th Century: Creative Activities

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Channel your creativity with these writing activities.
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Graphic
BBC

Bbc Arts: Shaking the Spiders Out (A Visual Poem)

For Students 9th - 10th
An animated poem about the "spiders" that writers sometimes have to face.
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Activity
University of Richmond

University of Richmond: Brainstorming

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the University of Richmond provides step-by-step guidelines through the prewriting brainstorming process. Recommended as a solution to writer's block. Though brief in its content, the site is factual and informative.
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Article
Other

Angel vs. Devil: Vanquish Writer's Block

For Students 9th - 10th
Author Karen Wiesner describes the angel muse and the devil muse that sit on opposite shoulders, building up or tearing down confidence. She gives the telltale signs of the devil muse at work and suggests counter attacks to help the...
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Handout
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University

Purdue University Owl: Introduction to Prewriting (Invention)

For Students 9th - 10th
"When you sit down to write, does your mind turn blank? Are you sure you have nothing to say?" Try these strategies to get yourself going.