Describes techniques used in a 9-week unit in creative writing for elementary school children. Emphasizes the importance of learning that thinking, reading, and writing are facets of the same processes. Lists readings and books to read aloud and imitate. (DMM)

Based on the idea that poetry, like any art, is best mastered through practice, this handbook for poets combines poetry-writing exercises with personal essays by each contributing poet. Some of the poets represented in the handbook are: Maxine Kumin, Rita Dove, Roger Mitchell, Carol Muske, Sydney Lea, and J. D. McClatchy. The exercises in the…

Discusses length and speed, spontaneity, and discipline as the attributes that affect creative writing assignments, students' development as creative writers, and appropriate methods of teaching creative writing. (RL)

Presents a series of exercises aimed at helping students generate lines and ideas for their poetry. (MM)

Presents a series of three lessons based on found poems. Including a discussion on what poetry is; developing a poetic; and sharing poetry with others through peer analysis and small group discussion of each student's found poem. (RAE)

An alternative to the often artificial writing workshop model focuses on learning through imitation and on the writing process rather than the product. This alternative model also involves considerably more reading than a typical workshop class, requiring students to read the way writers do, with a critical understanding and an awareness of the…

The first of two volumes, this book is primarily concerned with the teaching of creative writing at any grade level, although some ideas may not be applicable in teaching very young students. Although concentrating on the writing of free verse poetry and short "expressive" prose, much of the material presented can be applied to any…

Reviews research indicating that children's writing moves in an age-related sequence from the literal and factual to the metaphorical and affective and shows a growth in awareness of the psychological characteristics of the self and others. Presents an analysis of children's stories that provides guidelines for teachers and researchers to use in…

Recommends drama as a technique to help children make a bridge between thinking and writing. (JL)

Shows how the technique of using actual poems and corrupted versions of poems for compare/contrast discussions helps to develop students' skills in criticism and in revising poems. (RL)

This book is designed to be a how-to-write-fiction guide that is long on specifics and short on theoretical material. Each section of the book deals with a separate element of fiction--characterization, dialogue, point of view, plot, etc. Every exercise in the book is introduced in an opening paragraph, followed by instructions for completing the…

Describes the features of a process model of writing and efforts to translate the theory into practice. (JL)

The Scenario Writing component of the Future Problem Solving Program calls for students to write a short-short story exploring variables in the future. This article describes the scenario writing process, presents samples of award-winning scenarios, and offers tips for student-authors and for coaches. (JDD)

Encouraging exploration and practice, this book offers hundreds of exercises and numerous tips covering every step involved in creating poetry. Each chapter is a self-contained unit offering an overview of material in the chapter, a definition of terms, and poetry examples from well-known authors designed to supplement the numerous exercises.…

Presents poetry written by children to illustrate the valuable qualities that result from children's lack of sophistication and their inherent freshness of vision. (JL)