Describes an activity in which students must invent graffiti that might have been written by one of the characters studied in the class's literature assignments. (HTH)

Explains how an exercise for high school or college students can be disguised as a lecture. States that the first step is to have the students write a conversation, and that after this is done, a whole range of writing devices can be demonstrated, including use of characterization, tone, environment, and plot movement. (PA)

Emphasizes classroom study of poetic patterns and images to enable students to see how poems work without overwhelming them with terminology. (MS)

Describes an exercise that encourages writing by students. Each student is given a limited amount of time to write about anything that comes to mind, the papers are redistributed and a second student adds to what has been written, a third student adds more, and a fourth student writes a conclusion. (TJ)

Provides a method for students to involve themselves in the lives of characters from two books, "The Catherine Wheel" and "Love Medicine." Presents writing assignments that actively engage students with these characters who confront emotions in radically different ways. (MS)

Provides a step-by-step approach to teaching students the elements of poetry, such as similes, acrostics, metaphors, and odes. Copies of handouts are included. (HTH)

Describes three exercises which use creative spelling in student-generated advertising, poetry, and dialect. (MM)

Describes a collaborative writing activity, designed to promote free and creative writing, in which groups of students each write one section of a collective short story. (MM)

Describes an activity that develops student writers' individual voices, even when collaborating closely in a writing workshop. Notes that the writing workshop allows students access to each other's writing processes and encourages consensus on revision directions. (MM)

Provides eight sequential, process-oriented writing assignments: (1) diagnostic essay, (2) personal account, (3) ghost writing, (4) summary, (5) developing a thesis, (6) exploratory essay, (7) proposal, and (8) final paper. (HTH)