Writing Letters Can Be Special

These 1980 15c Letter Writing stamps (#1805-10) were made to celebrate National Letter Writing Week, which took place from February 24 to March 1, 1980. It was the first time the United States released a sheet of stamps with three sets of stamps stacked on top of each other in pairs. Each stamp helps people remember how important letter writing is.

On February 25, 1980, the U.S. Postal Service released special stamps to celebrate National Letter Writing Week. National Letter Writing Week was held from February 24 to March 1, and it was the first time the U.S. celebrated this week in 15 years. The USPS worked hard to make the week exciting and meaningful.

To help spread the message, the USPS teamed up with the National Council of Teachers of English, business leaders, and other well-known Americans. Museums, libraries, and other important places had displays about letter writing. Bookstores and libraries shared books that talked about letters and showed letters written by famous people. On February 25, the USPS held a big ceremony at the Library of Congress to honor the new stamps. Each stamp pair included a small stamp that said “P.S. Write Soon” and another that shared what letters can do, like “Letters Preserve Memories,” “Letters Lift Spirits,” and “Letters Shape Opinions.”

The USPS also helped create a 64-page booklet called All About Letters. It was given to students in grades 6 through 12. The booklet showed how to write different types of letters and included messages from Stevie Wonder, Darryl Stingley, and “Dear Abby.” It even gave addresses for pen pal groups and celebrities, explained ZIP codes, and gave tips on how to send mail safely. Today, the tradition of letter writing is still honored with World Letter Writing Day on September 1, National Letter Writing Day on December 7, and National Letter Writing Month in April. Some people also celebrate National Letter Writing Week in January.

World Letter Writing Day is celebrated every year on September 1. This day encourages people all over the world to write letters by hand. It was started in 2014 by Richard Simpkin, an Australian author and photographer. He wanted to remind people how meaningful it is to send a letter instead of just a quick message online. Schools and libraries sometimes hold letter-writing events to help kids enjoy the fun of writing and receiving letters.

Both the 1980 stamps and World Letter Writing Day show how important writing letters can be. A letter can make someone feel remembered and appreciated. It takes more time than typing a message, but it can also feel more personal. Even though we live in a digital world, writing a letter can still bring smiles and create lasting memories. The U.S. stamp and this special day both encourage people to take a few minutes to connect with others in a thoughtful way.

References:
Cover from the author’s collection
World Letter Writing Day. https://www.worldletterwritingday.com
National Postal Museum. https://postalmuseum.si.edu
https://www.mysticstamp.com/1805-10-1980-15c-letter-writing/
https://nationaltoday.com/world-letter-writing-day/

Freedom to Write and Share

I love blogging and when I started 16 years ago, I had a purpose. Recently I decided to take a step back and not blog on a scheduled basis. I realize now that I still love blogging, writing, and sharing, but my purpose has changed.

I want to share what I’m thinking or doing that others might find interesting. Sometimes I write about our travels so that in the future I can refer back to what we have done and where we went. I’m starting to write down the prices that we spend so that in the future, I will see what changes have occurred. I like to write about things that I’m doing just to keep the memory alive.

One of the things that inspired me was reading other people’s blogs. The two blogs that I have found extremely fascinating are Bedlam Farm Journal by Jon Katz and Full Moon Fiber Art by Maria Wulf.

In June I read The Story of Rose: A Man and His Dog by Jon Katz. When I find a book I like, I’m usually curious about the author so I did some research. Then I found Jon Katz’s blog and I’m fascinated with his photography and his stories. From there, I was connected to his wife’s blog and since I’m a knitter and a spinner, I was intrigued by her blog. I don’t have to agree with everything they say but I love seeing life from their point of view. I feel as if they are my friends (even though they have no clue who I am) and that they are my neighbors (even though I don’t live anywhere near them).

I look forward to their posts and how interesting they are. That is when I realized I wanted the same freedom. It was time to move away from my “Monday through Friday” educational posts. I wanted to write for the enjoyment of writing. I wanted to share things that interested me and even add my own photos that I like.

I was going to write them a note about this but decided I would put it in a blog post because I tend to be too wordy. I feel like I “know” them since they have become a part of my daily life. I added their blog to Feedly.com so I don’t miss any updates to their blogs and I look forward to their new posts.

Thank you Jon and Maria for helping me feel free to write for the joy of writing and sharing!

Photo by Fuu J on Unsplash

Historical Hall of Fame

I found this idea recently in this blog post:

Who Has Influenced Mankind? Let Your Students Be The Judge Of That – The Historical Hall Of Fame

I think this would be a great big project for any class on any level. 

“The project centers around the students getting the chance to nominate someone they believe is worthy for induction into this Hall of Fame.  This can be anyone from any time and place.  The nomination should be someone they feel has impacted or continues to impact mankind.” 

Students pick a person and fill out a nomination form including an essay saying why they think this person is worthy of the nomination. Then they do research and come up with a 3-5 minute presentation that is presented to a panel of judges. 

Judges can be adults within the school or school district or even business people. 

Judges’ scores and student grades determine who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A ceremony can even be planned where students receive a certificate in honor of their nomination. 

I think this would be a fun activity and would incorporate a lot of different skills. 

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

Just Get Started

In Is it OK to write when you have nothing to say? From Blue Skunk Blog by Doug Johnson shares,

“I’ve always thought of writer’s block as a form of mental hypochondria.”

I like to start off class by having students write for 5 minutes in their journals. Of course,I hear the usual grumblings and how they have nothing to say, and so on. I just tell them to just start writing and things will come to them. Sometimes their brain is working faster than they think it is.

I try to give them some prompts to help them get started.

• Yesterday I…
• Today I plan to…
• The best thing that happened yesterday was…
• The worst thing that happened yesterday was…
• It makes me mad when…

These usually spark something and once my students get started, they get annoyed when they have to stop. I usually extend writing time for five more minutes and tell them if they finish their assignment for the day, they can go back to write in it.

The best way to get past writer’s block is to just get started!

How do you help students get past writer’s block? Please share.

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Ignoring the Negative

In Maybe We Don’t Want To Tell Our Story from Ideas and Thoughts, Dean Shareski states,

“While it’s easy to say, “Ignore the haters” it’s a challenge for institutions knowing that nearly every post comes at a cost. This is particularly true on social media posts.”

With many people using social media today and many people feeling like they can say anything in a comment, I believe we need to teach our students how to handle different situations that they may encounter.

I remember when I first started my blog and encountered my first negative comment. I felt shocked and hurt but I learned how to deal with it. I learned to ask several questions that helped me deal with this.

• What perspective was the commenter coming from? Were they another teacher, or a student, or a parent?
• Was I unclear about something that I had written? If I had written it differently, would it have helped the reader understand better?
• Does the commenter make a valid point and should I rethink my position?
• Is the commenter just a troll and the comment should be deleted and ignored?

I think asking these questions, would help me understand the comments better. One reason I blog is to share my ideas and feeling. But I also want to be open to other perspectives and hopefully learn from others. Having a conversation with others (through commenting) can broaden my perspective and help me learn new things.

How do you help students deal with negative remarks? Please share.

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

Getting Students to Blog

I have been writing this blog since 2007 and I think it is important to share my ideas and my point of view. Writing is a great way to learn how to communicate with others.

There are many reasons why students should learn to blog. Here are some of the most important benefits:

• Improved writing skills: Blogging forces students to write regularly and to think about their writing in a way that they might not otherwise. This can help them to improve their grammar, spelling, and overall writing fluency.
• Developed critical thinking skills: Blogging requires students to research topics, form their own opinions, and support those opinions with evidence. This can help them to develop critical thinking skills that are essential for success in school and in life.
• Enhanced research skills: Blogging requires students to find and evaluate information from a variety of sources. This can help them to develop strong research skills that will be useful in all areas of their education.
• Increased understanding of a subject: Blogging about a topic can help students to better understand that topic. This is because they have to think about the topic in-depth and explain it to others.
• Improved communication skills: Blogging can help students to improve their communication skills, both written and oral. This is because they have to interact with others in the comments section and respond to feedback.
• Developed creativity: Blogging can help students to express their creativity and to share their unique perspectives with the world. This can be a great way for students to explore their interests and find their voice.
• Built a professional portfolio: A well-maintained blog can be a great way to build a professional portfolio for students. This can be helpful when applying for jobs or internships after graduation.
• Gained a sense of community: Blogging can help students to connect with others who share their interests. This can be a great way to make friends, learn from others, and get support.

Overall, blogging is a valuable skill that can benefit students in many ways. 

Here are some additional tips for students who want to start a blog:

• Choose a topic that you are interested in and passionate about.
• Be consistent with your posting schedule.
• Promote your blog on social media and other online platforms.
• Respond to comments and feedback from your readers.

Do you have your students blog? What do they blog about? Please share.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Using Word Walls in the Classroom

Word Walls are great to help beginning readers and spellers. I used to have a word wall in my classroom every year. These are great for any grade level or age level because you are displaying words that are relevant to them at the time.

A word wall is a visual display of important words that students are learning. It is a great way to help students learn new vocabulary and to reinforce their understanding of existing vocabulary. Word walls can be used in any grade level, but they are especially helpful for younger students who are still developing their vocabulary skills.

Here are some tips on how to use a word wall in the classroom:

• Choose the right words. When you are choosing words for your word wall, make sure to select words that are important for your students to know. You can use a variety of sources to find words, such as your curriculum, the dictionary, or even the words that your students are struggling with.
• Organize the words in a way that makes sense. There are many different ways to organize words on a word wall. You can organize them alphabetically, by part of speech, or by theme. The way you organize the words will depend on your student's needs and the purpose of the word wall.
• Make the words easy to see. The words on your word wall should be large and easy to read. You can use different colors, fonts, or backgrounds to make the words stand out.
• Include additional information about the words. In addition to the word itself, you can also include other information about the word, such as its definition, part of speech, or synonyms. This additional information can help students learn more about the words and how to use them.
• Use the word wall regularly. The most effective word walls are the ones that are used regularly. Make sure to point out the word wall to your students and encourage them to use it as a resource. You can also use the word wall as a part of your lessons or activities.

Here are some additional ideas for using a word wall in the classroom:

• Have students create their own word walls. This is a great way to get students involved in the process and to help them learn about the words.
• Use the word wall to play games. There are many different games that you can play with a word wall. This is a fun way to help students learn the words and to reinforce their understanding.
• Use the word wall to help students with their writing. When students are writing, they can refer to the word wall to find the words they need. This can help them to write more accurately and fluently.

Word walls are a versatile tool that can be used in a variety of ways. By following these tips, you can create a word wall that is effective and engaging for your students. Having word walls will help students be more successful in whatever subject they are studying at the time.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

National Superhero Day

“National Superhero Day is a day dedicated to celebrating both real and fictional heroes. The holiday was created by Marvel Comics in 1999 to celebrate fictional heroes at first, but then transitioned into honoring those who help fight crime and save lives in the real world. According to Zavvi, Spiderman is the most popular superhero in 2022. National Superhero Day is celebrated annually on April 28th.”

It would be great to give prompts on this topic such as:

• If you could be any superhero, who would you be?
• What superpower would you want to have?
• If you were a superhero, what would you look like?
• Who is your real-life superhero and why?

It would also be fun to do some research on Marvel comics and have students discuss which comic hero is their favorite.

Take a poll and divide the class into four groups with each group taking the top four superheroes. They need to convince the rest of the class why their superhero is the best.

What other activities would you do on this day? Please share. 

National Pizza Day

National Pizza Day is February 9. Nobody really knows who or when National Pizza Day was created but it sounds like a good day to celebrate Pizza! When I heard about this day, I thought about activities you can do in the classroom with Pizza as a theme.

Writing:

• What is your favorite pizza topping and why?
• What is your least favorite pizza topping and why?
• What is the perfect pizza? Tell about the crust and all the toppings.

Math:

• Pizza is a great way to teach fractions. Students can identify fractions by looking at the slices. 
• Addition and Subtraction of fractions can also be done using pizza.

History:

• Look up the history of pizza. When was it first eaten?
• When did pizza become popular in the US and why?

Art:

• Draw your favorite pizza with your favorite toppings.
• You can also use old magazines and ads with pictures. Have students cut out a pizza and attach pictures of the toppings to it.

What other activities could you do with the pizza theme? Please share.

Writing Your Biography

In Your autobiography from Seth Godin's Blog, Seth Godin states,

“We write our own autobiography each day by deciding what to focus on, what to rehash, and what to worry about.”

Many times I ask my students to tell me about their family and their interests as it is today. I ask what matters to them now but wouldn’t it be fun to have them imagine the future?

I would have them write about themselves as if it was twenty years from now.

• What career do they have?
• What kind of family do they have?
• What do they like to do when they aren’t working?
• Where do they live?
• What kind of place do they live in (apartment or house) and what does it look like?
• Do they have pets and if so, what are they?
• What kind of car do they drive?

I think it is good to encourage students to imagine a better or different life than they have now. Looking towards the future will help guide them to better decision-making. It will help students see that some of the decisions they make now can impact what happens to them in the future. If they are only looking at the here and now, they don’t see that there are so many possibilities for them in the future.

What other questions would you ask? Please share.

Bad Girls Never Say Die - A Book Review

I recently read Bad Girls Never Say Die by Jennifer Mathieu. I read a review copy compliments of Netgalley and I am not being paid to give this review.

What a great young adult book to read! It was so good that I couldn’t put it down! The main character deals with so many social issues at the same time and I can imagine many who are dealing with the same issues today. Something happens to Evie one night, and someone she would never have been friends with before this, happens to be the one who is there for her when needed.

I think this book would be great for a high school class novel because it deals with so many social issues and would lead to rich discussions. I can see the story also being used for writing prompts and encouraging students to share their views and feeling. Topics could include social-economic pressures on teens, dysfunctional families, true love, teenage pregnancy, domestic abuse, friendships, sexual assault, underage drinking, loyalty, and grief.

Even if this wasn’t used as a class novel, I think this would be a great book for a high school library. I highly recommend this book for high school and older readers.

Fourteen Years Later

I have been writing on this blog for fourteen years. My first post was on September 16, 2007.

Time flies when you are having fun. I’ve been writing posts every Monday through Friday for fourteen years. When I first started this, I told myself I would quit when it stopped being fun. I guess I’m still having fun.

Here is my first post on “Why I’m Doing This.” My reasons are still the same but I throw in some lessons I’ve learned through my travels and sometimes some other personal memories. I still hope that others enjoy reading my posts and get something out of them.

Here are the stats from Google Analytics:

• Over 2.3 million people have read my blog.
• I have 261 followers.
• Over 3730 posts.
• Over 3500 comments
• Most people use Chrome.
• Teaching is the most popular keyword used for search.
• The top locations that view this site are the US, France, Russia, UK, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Brazil, and the Philippines. 

Overall, I think I’m meeting my goal of having meaningful content for my readers.

I want to thank everyone who has visited and supported me over these 14 years.

Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

Thesaurus

(During the summer months, I like to take the A-Z Challenge and come up with words alphabetically and see how they apply to education. I think it’s a great exercise for teachers and students to give this a try.)

When I was a child, I was given a thesaurus and taught how to use it. It was so much fun. Yet, we don’t teach our students how to use a thesaurus anymore, either in print or online.

I know when students are in elementary school, we teach them about synonyms. I believe it is during this time that we introduce them to the thesaurus. I show my students a print version (they can usually be found in the library). If there are multiple copies, I put students in groups and give each group a list of words. I have them find the “best” word that is a synonym for each word. Then I will have each group share their words and then we vote on the “best” word. This is such a fun activity that the students really enjoy it.

Next, I will find a paragraph in a book and display the paragraph. I ask students to pick a word that we think would be better if we found a different word to use. Then I have them look up the word in the thesaurus and give me some choices for a better word. At first, they want to look up every word and then they find out that some words are just better as they are.

Next, I have my students write a paragraph about their favorite toy or trip. When I review the paragraphs, I underline words that I want the students to look up in the thesaurus to find a more interesting word to use. Then they will share their paragraph with a partner or the class. This activity can also be done with a poem.

Some word processing programs will have a thesaurus in the program. It is good to show students how to use one if it is available.

Do you have your students use a thesaurus in class? If so, what activities do you do? Please share.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Wordtune – Review

I was recently asked to try out Wordtune and share my thoughts about it.

I have tried the free version and the premium version. It is an extension that you add for free on the Chrome browser. They even show a video on how to use it.

The free version includes suggestions for words and phrases. If you highlight a sentence and then click on “rewrite” it will provide you with suggestions on how to write that sentence differently. I believe that this feature has enhanced my writing tremendously. I have used it a lot when writing in Google Docs for my blog posts.

The premium version gives you the same features as the free version and a lot more. It can make your sentences longer or shorter. It can also change the tone of your sentence and make it more formal or casual. It can also give you other examples of your sentence or find words you can’t quite think about. The premium version is $9.99 per month. If you write professionally or do a lot of writing for your business, I believe this is well worth the money.

They offer a 50% discount to students and educators with a .edu email. There is also a 50% discount for non-profit and NGOs.

I think that students will benefit greatly from this program. My husband hated to write and once he learned how to use the spellcheck feature on the computer, he felt more comfortable doing it. Wordtune will make students feel more comfortable with their writing and less hesitant to start.

If you haven’t given Wordtune a try, I suggest you head over there and add it to your Chrome browser.

Poetry in the Classroom

In Ekphrastic Poetry from Engage Their Minds, engagetheirminds shares,

“Today I want to give you some ideas for using ekphrastic poetry in your classroom. If, like me, you have no idea what that is, don’t feel ashamed.”

April is National Poetry Month. This author shares some resources to use when planning ahead for this month. I was intrigued when she talked about Ekphrastic Poetry. Not only can I barely pronounce but I had no idea what it was.

According to ThoughtCo:

“Ekphrastic poetry explores art. Using a rhetorical device known as ekphrasis, the poet engages with a painting, drawing, sculpture, or other form of visual art.”

This would be a great classroom activity that all students of various abilities can take part in.

First I would teach them different types of poetry such as rhymed poetry, haiku, limerick, blank verse, and free verse. I wouldn’t pick more than five because I think it would be too overwhelming for the students. I would pick one type and spend a few days teaching about it by showing examples, substituting words, and then making up our own.

After I have taught all the different types, we would start looking at different pictures of art. I would give students a choice of artwork and ask them to pick out three and write a poem for each but each poem must be a different type of poetry.

For students having difficulty with writing, I may pick out some poems and have them create their own artwork to go with the poem.

I believe this would help students appreciate poetry and artwork at the same time. By helping students see that poetry can be fun, I think this lesson would be successful for the entire class.

How do you teach poetry to your students? Please share.

Photo by Trust "Tru" Katsande on Unsplash

Doodle for Google Contest

The Doodle for Google contest has started again. Grades K-12 can enter the contest.

“We're excited to see some strong doodles this year! Students can work with any materials they want, but all doodles must be entered using the entry form. Parents and teachers can mail us the completed entry form or submit it online as a .png, or .jpg. The contest is open for entries until February 26, 2021 11:59pm Pacific Time (PT)…

Doodles will be judged on the following parameters:

Artistic merit: Based on artistic skill

Creativity: Representation of the contest theme, use of the letters in the Google logo, and the unique approach to the doodle

Theme communication: How well the contest theme is expressed in both the artwork and the written statement

Doodles will be grouped and judged by the following 5 grade groups:

• Grades K-3
• Grades 4-5
• Grades 6-7
• Grades 8-9
• Grades 10-12

Finalists will be judged on a state-by-state basis as described below.

• State and Territory Winners:10 or more winners for each grade group, 54 in total
• National Finalists:1 finalist for each grade group, 5 in total
• National Winner: Featured on Google.com”

Peace of Mind

In What gives you peace of mind? From Blue Skunk Blog, Doug Johnson shares what gives him peace of mind. He states,

“Increased anxiety seems to be a common symptom of the CORONA virus and the isolation many people feel because of it.”

This would be a good story prompt for students.

What gives you peace of mind?

I remind students many times that we can’t control what other people do or think but we can control our own actions and thoughts.

So, the things that give me peace of mind are the following things:

• I keep in touch with family and friends.
• I keep a prayer journal and I pray several times a day.
• I keep a bullet journal and try to be productive every day.
• I exercise regularly to stay healthy.
• I choose healthy things to eat.
• I avoid eating many things that I know are bad for me.
• I keep track of the foods I eat.
• I read every day.
• I pay my bills on time.
• I don’t spend more money than I have.
• I keep my house clean.
• I work on having positive thoughts.
• I look for the good in people instead of the negative things.
• I only watch the news on TV once a day.
• I encourage others as much as I can.

What gives you peace? Please share.

Photo by Colton Duke on Unsplash

Quality Not Quantity

Next year I will be attending a knitting retreat and I’m one of the knitwear designers in the Designer Showcase. At first, I wasn’t sure if I should be in it since I haven’t published a lot of designs this year. When I talked with a group of people about it, someone pointed out to me that the number of patterns I published wasn’t as important as the quality of patterns I publish.

That struck a chord with me because I feel that way about my students’ work.

When I give my class a writing assignment, many times, someone will ask me how long it has to be. They want to know the number of pages or words that I expect. I can understand what they are feeling because I remember asking the same questions. Now as a teacher, I understand why my teachers would respond that the amount needed to be whatever it took to full complete the assignment. They were looking for quality and not quantity. I know some teachers even limited it to no more than a certain amount because there was always that one student that went overboard and thought more meant better. I had one teacher who told us that our grade would be lowered the more “fluff” that we added.

Yet, I believe students need guidance. I hated the answer I got and I try not to do the same thing to my students. I don’t like vague answers and I feel more comfortable with guidelines. Without guidelines, I spend more time worrying about the details than about the topic. I stress about whether I have given enough detail rather than whether I have given enough evidence. This affects the quality of what I’m writing. Even when I’m writing here, I try not to worry about how many words I write but rather whether I’m getting my point across clearly.

I think it is important to tell students what I expect. If I expect to see just a sentence, a paragraph, several paragraphs, or pages, students need to know this. I think it is better to give students some idea of my expectations so I may say, “Please write at least 3 paragraphs on this topic.” Or I might say, “ I expect one to two pages.” This tells students that I want some details. Once they have some idea of what is expected, they can focus on the actual work and not the rules.

I want to know if my students understand a concept or topic. I want to know if they can support their ideas and statements in their writing. Basic writing rules (Complete sentences, punctuation, grammar) always apply but the amount of writing expected should be made clear to students. This should not be a guessing game for students.

How do you share your writing expectations with your students? Please share.

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

Delight

In The Delight Project from Ideas and Thoughts, Dean Shareski shares, 

“So I want to think more about delight and I’m going to challenge myself to a delight project. I’m going to try and share something daily that brings me delight.”

Please check out his description of what delight is and the things that give him delight.

I don’t know how I missed this but he started this project five months ago and I thought it sounded like a wonderful project. I think this would be a great thing to do in the classroom. It seems like it is so much easier to find the negative things in the world or things that annoy us but it is much harder to find things that delight us and give us joy.

I am going to try to keep a journal and write down things each day that delight me and then share some of these things with you.

This would be a great writing project for students to do. Ask them to keep a journal and each day, write at least one thing that delighted them yesterday. Then once a week, have them write about one of the things. What happened that delighted them? Why did it delight them?

Maybe if we start looking at things that delight us and give us joy, we might find more happiness and hope in living each day. We might start smiling more. We might make being happier contagious.

What delights you and gives you joy? Please share. 

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Scary Stories

 One of my favorite times for creative writing in my classroom was during October and the Halloween season. For some reason, my students were at the peak of creativeness during this time. Monsters and unique situations were all in the land of possibilities. Nothing odd or unusual was off-limits (other than sex, drugs, or illegal activities) in their stories. This was the land of pretending for all ages. 

I usually set the mood off with some scary music. I played some of my favorite old songs especially Monster Mash. 

Sometimes I would give a list of scary story prompts to the students and let them pick one of them. Or they could make up one of their own stories. I had them first picture the scene in their minds and then I had them describe the scene.  I would do the same thing for their characters. Have the student describe them. They can jot down words on the paper or even draw a picture.  Once this was done, I would have them get out a fresh sheet of paper and have them start writing the story. 

I had a little recipe that would help them get started.

• Write about the setting so the reader can picture what it looks like. Where are the characters? What does the surrounding area look like? What does it feel like? Is it cold or hot? 
• What are the characters like? Describe them. Are they tall or short? What makes them look scary? What things do they do that scares others? 
• Then I have them begin the narrative. Tell me what is happening. 
• How does the story end? What happened? 

Usually, when students follow this recipe, they write very interesting stories. When they are done, I will help them make corrections and write up a display copy to be shown either on a bulletin board, or a newsletter or to parents. They can also draw an illustration of the story to go with it. 

Here are some prompts you can use: 

• The Monster in the Closet. 
• My friend, the Monster. 
• The Scary Monster
• The Friendly Monster
• The Scariest Thing that Happened to Me. 
• One Dark and Spooky Night. 

What other prompts would you add to this list? Please share.