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Our most recent and relevant resources live here, from back-to-school season to national poetry month. This collection rotates, so check back often so you don’t miss a beat!
Educator Tools provide strategies, best practices, and essential frameworks for teaching—and publishing—young writers. Discover the methods behind 826’s magic.
Watch and Write videos and lessons deliver writing inspiration directly from authors, professionals, friends of 826, and students. Each video includes a writing prompt and lesson aligned to Common Core State Standards.
Students will find gratitude all around as they thank ordinary objects in their lives in the form of an ode.
Students will find gratitude all around as they thank ordinary objects in their lives in the form of an ode.
What happens when we start from a place of gratitude? In this lesson, students will use Ross Gay’s "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude" as a catalyst for a daily gratitude journal.
What happens when we start from a place of gratitude? In this lesson, students will use Ross Gay’s "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude" as a catalyst for a daily gratitude journal.
In this workshop, young poets will write odes to praise people, places, or things they love.
In this workshop, young poets will write odes to praise people, places, or things they love.
Usually, an ode is written in celebration, but this Spark asks students to write an anti-ode—a poem about something they can’t stand!
Usually, an ode is written in celebration, but this Spark asks students to write an anti-ode—a poem about something they can’t stand!
In a prompt inspired by "Little Things", from 826 National's publication UNBOUND, students pay attention to little things in their lives they have big gratitude for.
In a prompt inspired by "Little Things", from 826 National's publication UNBOUND, students pay attention to little things in their lives they have big gratitude for.
Students will work in a collaborative, constructive setting to create a vision for your classroom as a safe space for students and teachers.
Students will work in a collaborative, constructive setting to create a vision for your classroom as a safe space for students and teachers.
This Educator Tool is designed to help you support students along their journeys in positive identity development.
This Educator Tool is designed to help you support students along their journeys in positive identity development.
Parody is a type of writing that deliberately exaggerates for comic effect. In this lesson, students will use foundational news-writing techniques to write their own parody.
Parody is a type of writing that deliberately exaggerates for comic effect. In this lesson, students will use foundational news-writing techniques to write their own parody.
Students will practice writing strong interview questions to learn new perspectives. This lesson can be used for community building or to support a research project.
Students will practice writing strong interview questions to learn new perspectives. This lesson can be used for community building or to support a research project.
Extra, extra, read all about it! In this lesson, students will learn the basics of print journalism and write an editorial for a classroom newspaper.
Extra, extra, read all about it! In this lesson, students will learn the basics of print journalism and write an editorial for a classroom newspaper.
This lesson from KQED Education asks students to choose an issue they care about and create an editorial cartoon advocating for change on a local, national, or global level.
This lesson from KQED Education asks students to choose an issue they care about and create an editorial cartoon advocating for change on a local, national, or global level.
Nicole Dungca, Investigative Reporter at The Washington Post and President of the Asian American Journalists Association, shares strategies for asking key questions.
Nicole Dungca, Investigative Reporter at The Washington Post and President of the Asian American Journalists Association, shares strategies for asking key questions.
Award-winning documentarian and journalist, Soledad O'Brien, shares why she loves her job and how she builds credibility in the field through thorough research.
Award-winning documentarian and journalist, Soledad O'Brien, shares why she loves her job and how she builds credibility in the field through thorough research.
Students will report on a story relevant to their community, while also growing their critical media literacy skills.
Students will report on a story relevant to their community, while also growing their critical media literacy skills.
In this activity, students will learn how to use elaboration as a revision strategy.
In this activity, students will learn how to use elaboration as a revision strategy.
Fee-fi-foe-fum, writing with adjectives can be lots of fun! In this lesson, students will grow their understanding of descriptive language while retelling a classic fairy tale.
Fee-fi-foe-fum, writing with adjectives can be lots of fun! In this lesson, students will grow their understanding of descriptive language while retelling a classic fairy tale.
By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.
By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.
Have you ever had a day go from bad to worse? Blame it on Murphy’s Law! In this lesson, students will create snowballing conflicts for their character to confront.
Have you ever had a day go from bad to worse? Blame it on Murphy’s Law! In this lesson, students will create snowballing conflicts for their character to confront.
Through a series of meaningful prompts, students develop an authentic character to use in their next story.
Through a series of meaningful prompts, students develop an authentic character to use in their next story.
Students will learn how to write authentic dialogue that reveals information about the characters, plot, and conflict.
Students will learn how to write authentic dialogue that reveals information about the characters, plot, and conflict.
This lesson invites students to rewrite a classic fairy tale, with a modern day twist.
Students will reconstruct classic fairy tales by choosing to focus on altering one story element: setting, point of view, or resolution.
This activity explores the way emotions change how we perceive settings. Students work in groups to create descriptions of apartments based on an emotion they draw from a hat.
This activity explores the way emotions change how we perceive settings. Students work in groups to create descriptions of apartments based on an emotion they draw from a hat.
Students will produce a short story that includes a setting in an alternate world.
Students will produce a short story that includes a setting in an alternate world.
In this activity, students will practice analyzing a character’s internal motivations and fears before they develop their own original characters.
In this activity, students will practice analyzing a character’s internal motivations and fears before they develop their own original characters.
Over a flexible series of activities, students will learn to draw details from real life to create unforgettable characters and compelling stories.
Over a flexible series of activities, students will learn to draw details from real life to create unforgettable characters and compelling stories.
Students learn to incorporate setting as a key element of a story, starting with inspiration from collages.
Students learn to incorporate setting as a key element of a story, starting with inspiration from collages.
This Educator Tool shares a variety of prompts to help you springboard into journal writing with your students.
Like a new notebook, journal writing is full of possibilities. Consider how to intentionally implement journal writing with your students with this Educator Tool. Includes a range of prompts to get started.
Writing can be a powerful tool for supporting mental health. The writing resources and activities in this Educator Tool are designed to help your students process and reflect on how they’re feeling and help them to have a little fun while they’re expressing themselves, too.
Writing can be a powerful tool for supporting mental health. The writing resources and activities in this Educator Tool are designed to help your students process and reflect on how they’re feeling and help them to have a little fun while they’re expressing themselves, too.
This Educator Tool is designed to support and inspire you and your students wherever you are in your poetry journey.
A guide to teaching and writing poetry with students in grade 3-12, featuring favorite poetry resources from across 826 Digital
A collection of 826 resources and Mentor Texts that foster creating social change through writing.
See resources to help your students use writing to create positive social change across their communities.
This resource will support educators through the process of co-creating Community Agreements with students.
Center students in the community-building process by co-creating community agreements.
This resource will support educators in building a classroom community through writing.
Find activities and Sparks for promoting inclusion, connection, and community through writing.
This tool provides educators resources for engaging in the revision process with students.
Find strategies for approaching and practicing revision, including tips from authors like Amanda Gorman and Tiphanie Yanique.
This guide offers an abundance of resources to help students practice the basic elements that make up a short story.
See resources from 826 that focus on short story elements, including plot development, characterization, conflict, and dialogue.
A flexible, stackable series of weekly writing units that invite students to write with authentic purpose.
Students will write to reflect, write to connect, write to create, and write to advocate for themselves and their community.
A flexible, stackable series of weekly writing units that invite students to write with authentic purpose.
Students will write to reflect, write to connect, write to create, and write to advocate for themselves and their community.
A flexible, stackable series of weekly writing units that invite students to write with authentic purpose.
Students will write to reflect, write to connect, write to create, and write to advocate for themselves and their community.
A flexible, stackable series of weekly writing units that invite students to write with authentic purpose.
Students will write to reflect, write to connect, write to create, and write to advocate for themselves and their community.
A guide to publishing student writing, filled with best practices from the 826 Network.
Why publish student writing? This Educator Tool dives into the many benefits of publishing student work and shares best practices for making it happen in your learning spaces.
Students will create infinite poems using fractals, imagine life on a doughnut, and speculate about a universe where time goes crazy. Along the way, they'll explore cool, new math facts and concepts.
Students will create infinite poems using fractals, imagine life on a doughnut, and speculate about a universe where time goes crazy. Along the way, they'll explore cool, new math facts and concepts.
Students investigate the plant life that grows within their community and then select a specific species to learn about in-depth and consider how that species interacts with the overall ecosystem.
Students investigate the plant life that grows within their community and then select a specific species to learn about in-depth and consider how that species interacts with the overall ecosystem.
In this lesson, you will create a simple scrapbook that showcases the facts, definitions, and details you’ve learned about a few of the items you found in a scavenger hunt.
In this lesson, you will create a simple scrapbook that showcases the facts, definitions, and details you’ve learned about a few of the items you found in a scavenger hunt.
In this lesson, students are challenged to reevaluate the way water and land are represented on a map.
In this lesson, students are challenged to reevaluate the way water and land are represented on a map.
In this Spark, students will use backward thinking to create a four-panel comic strip story using the backward problem-solving skills of software developers.
In this Spark, students will use backward thinking to create a four-panel comic strip story using the backward problem-solving skills of software developers.
This project offers an exploration into computer science and coding. Students will learn how a knowledge of coding can make them stronger writers.
This project offers an exploration into computer science and coding. Students will learn how a knowledge of coding can make them stronger writers.
Students will use their knowledge of popular music to learn basic computer programming concepts.
Students will use their knowledge of popular music to learn basic computer programming concepts.
In this superlesson, students isolate DNA, design planes, build lairs, and engineer safe transport to help a hero save the day. Students will also take technical notes and explore new forms of poetry.
In this superlesson, students isolate DNA, design planes, build lairs, and engineer safe transport to help a hero save the day. Students will also take technical notes and explore new forms of poetry.
Students will learn about endangered species, how animals become endangered, and then write either a poem or a story about a day-in-the-life about an endangered animal of their choosing
Students will learn about endangered species, how animals become endangered, and then write either a poem or a story about a day-in-the-life about an endangered animal of their choosing
Students will become naturalists for the day by performing field observations and recording their thoughts in a field journal.
Students will become naturalists for the day by performing field observations and recording their thoughts in a field journal.
In this Spark, students will write haikus from two different perspectives, one of a hero and one of an engineer, to design a secret lair for a superhero.
In this Spark, students will write haikus from two different perspectives, one of a hero and one of an engineer, to design a secret lair for a superhero.
Through an upcoming zombie apocalypse, students will explore multiple STEM disciplines and the importance of scientific modeling. They'll write technical notes and create an ongoing narrative.
Through an upcoming zombie apocalypse, students will explore multiple STEM disciplines and the importance of scientific modeling. They'll write technical notes and create an ongoing narrative.
In this Spark, students will develop a setting that captures the environment of an alternate world.
In this Spark, students will develop a setting that captures the environment of an alternate world.
In this lesson, students imagine a fictional sport for fantastic beings, create a statistic for that sport, and write a newspaper article about the championship game.
In this lesson, students imagine a fictional sport for fantastic beings, create a statistic for that sport, and write a newspaper article about the championship game.
Author and educator Tony Weaver, Jr. invites you to explore science fiction through different writing prompts that will activate your inner superpowers.
Activate your inner superpowers by writing bold new science fiction stories!
Students will create a poem filled with sounds from a chosen environment.
Students will create a poem filled with sounds from a chosen environment.
Author Javier Zamora was an undocumented immigrant when he was a student. Now, he invites you to raise your voice and write to the next President of the United States.
Author Javier Zamora was an undocumented immigrant when he was a student. Now, he invites you to raise your voice and write to the next President of the United States.
This poetry prompt from Ada Limón invites students to consider a personal connection to an animal.
This poetry prompt from Ada Limón invites students to consider a personal connection to an animal.
Students recall “last times” in their lives and revisit the depth of their experience through writing.
Students recall “last times” in their lives and revisit the depth of their experience through writing.
Students will write a personal narrative where they describe themselves as a place. Not a specific place, but all the things a "place" consists of.
In this Spark from Jason Reynolds, students will write a personal narrative where they describe themselves as a place. Not a specific place, but all the things a "place" consists of.
This Spark asks students to write a poem that celebrates the ordinary objects and figures in their lives.
This poetry prompt from Rachel Eliza Griffiths asks students to consider the ordinary in their lives—then write a poem that celebrates those ordinary objects and figures.
What lives inside a word? Find out how to trace connections between two dissimilar words with this playful Spark from award-winning poet Aracelis Girmay.
What lives inside a word? Find out how to trace connections between two dissimilar words with this playful Spark from award-winning poet Aracelis Girmay.
In this Spark, students will mine their home and their habits for story and personal essay ideas.
In this Spark, students will mine their home and their habits for story and personal essay ideas.
A pair of prompts that invites students to consider how time, location, and dialogue can be used to construct a scene and build meaning.
A pair of prompts that invites students to consider how time, location, and dialogue can be used to construct a scene and build meaning.
This writing prompt from author Lisa Ko invites students to explore the impact of social movements by envisioning and writing from an ideal future.
This writing prompt from author Lisa Ko invites students to explore the impact of social movements by envisioning and writing from an ideal future.
Students create an identity chart and write about parts of their identity most salient to them.
Students create an identity chart and write about parts of their identity most salient to them.
Students will identify their favorite sensory memories and transfer them to a visual heart map.
Students will identify their favorite sensory memories and transfer them to a visual heart map.
In this social-emotional learning writing prompt, students create a poem that shares the "happys" in their life.
In this social-emotional learning writing prompt, students create a poem that shares the "happys" in their life.
Why does kindness count? Students consider acts of kindness that they’ve experienced and reflect on the difference that kindness makes in the world.
Why does kindness count? Students consider acts of kindness that they’ve experienced and reflect on the difference that kindness makes in the world.
In this lesson, students will imagine a narrative in the form of a craigslist advertisement to showcase a typically scary monster as a down to earth creature.
In this lesson, students will imagine a narrative in the form of a craigslist advertisement to showcase a typically scary monster as a down to earth creature.
Students learn how to pair sound words (onomatopoeia) with feelings to create vivid, specific descriptions of different emotions.
Students learn how to pair sound words (onomatopoeia) with feelings to create vivid, specific descriptions of different emotions.
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