Tom Perrotta is the author of 9 works of best-selling fiction, including Election and Little Children, both of which were turned into Oscar award-winning films. His novel The Leftovers was adapted into an HBO series and named a 2011 Notable Book by The New York Times.
You will learn about the Journey story shape, the Day in the Life story shape, and the Super Sleuths story shape.
STEP 1 First, watch the Story Shapes video, while reading along with the Mentor Text on page 1 of the Story Shapes — Handout. After you’ve finished watching the video, answer this question in your writing journal: What did you notice about the mentor text? Which events stuck out to you the most and which events do you wish you had more information about? STEP 2 Next, read about the 3 common story shapes on page 2 of the handout: Journey, Day in the Life, and Super Sleuths. After you finish reading about each shape, answer the reflection question. Go...
by 826 National, featuring Nayeli Karunasekara, grade 6, Michigan
Through reading a Mentor Text, students learn more about the types of point of view and how different points of view impact their writing.
by 826 National
In this lesson, you will build your confidence as a writer by battling the page on a consistent basis.
by 826 National, featuring Isaac Reynolds, Grade 6
What’s the moral of the story? In this lesson, students practice identifying and summarizing a moral in a fable written by a sixth grader.
by 826 National, featuring Kaiden Griggs, Grade 6
In this lesson, students will identify the main idea and supporting details of an informational text and summarize this idea objectively.
by Amanda Gorman
Presidential Inaugural Poet, activist, and bestselling author Amanda Gorman shares one of her favorite techniques for starting a poem or getting over writers' block.
by Emily Harding
Author and TV producer, Emily Harding shows side characters some love in this writing prompt.
by 826 National
Author and illustrator Lisa Brown reads "Owl Girl. In this lesson, you will write a superhero story that introduces your character and establishes the context for your reader.
by 826 National, featuring Eloise Combs, Grade 3, Michigan
Not all poems have to rhyme, but when they do, they generally use “rhyme scheme.” In this lesson, students will write a poem with a unique sound and rhyme scheme.
by Jason Reynolds
National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and NYT Bestselling Author, Jason Reynolds, joined 826 students for a conversation on his video project, "For Every One."
by Daniel Handler
Author Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket, shows there are no limits to imagination with this interviewing activity.
by 826 National, featuring Priyanna Kumar Singhania, Grade 8
In this lesson, you will write down a story that’s been passed down to you, using precise words and phrases and sensory language, to convey a vivid picture of the event.
by Sarah Richman, 826DC
Writer and staffer at 826DC, Sarah Richman, shares an original writing prompt that will help you get aquainted with your new characters.
by Soeun Lee, Grade 8, Tenafly, New Jersey
In this poem, a student observes a dove's flight and reflects on their ability to soar.
by 826 National, featuring Soeun Lee, Grade 8, NJ
In this lesson, you will create poems that look completely different from poems you have written before!
by Amanda Dettmann, 826NYC
Poet and teaching artist with 826NYC, Amanda Dettmann, shares a simple and fun writing prompt that asks the question, "How Did You Get There?"
by Mychal Threets, librarian and literacy ambassador
Librarian and literacy ambassador Mychal Threets invites you to write about your feelings, your way with four writing prompts to explore your emotions on the page.
by 826 National
In this lesson, you will learn a strategy for writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly.
by Mac Barnett
Mac Barnett, a New York Times-bestselling author of stories for children, illustrates how to end a story...or not.
by Charlotte Yeung
Midwest Youth Poet Laureate Ambassador, Charlotte Yeung, shares one of her favorite brainstorming strategies for creating a new piece.
by 826 National
Award-winning documentarian and journalist,Soledad O'Brien, shares about why she loves her job and how she builds credibility out in the field through thorough research.
by 826 National
In this lesson, you will create a character and show how a character would respond in a specific situation by writing dialogue, resulting in a silly scene.
by 826 National
Author Carter Higgins reads "Pickup Lines Cheesier Than Cheddar," a piece written by fifth-grader Uma (826NYC).
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
Journalist and 826 MSP staffer, Cristeta Boarini, shares a poetry prompt that walks students through using shapes to convey meaning.
by Javier Zamora, 826 Valenica alumni and New York Times bestselling author
Author Javier Zamora invites you to raise your voice and write to the next President of the United States.