Grades 9–12
NarrativeSparksYour students will learn the difference between open-ended and closed-ended questions.
Your students will produce a free-write on one of the story topics they talked about during the activity.
Start by bringing the class to attention and calling on individual students. Ask them two questions: one close-ended question (yes/no) question and one open-ended question. For example:
Ask students to reflect on the answers students gave to the questions. Which question did students elaborate more on in their answer? Why do they think that is?
As an additional illustration, play a round of “Yes, And.” Explain that “Yes, And” is a popular improv warm-up game, and it is a conversation between a group of people. The conversation starts with a statement, and the group will take turns responding to each other by starting their responses with “Yes, and…” For example:
Person 1: “There’s a new sneaker drop today.”
Person 2: “Yes, and there’s already a line around the block at the store.”
by Jessica Thompson, 826 Dallas Project; and the Dallas Free Press
Students will report on a story relevant to their community, while also growing their critical media literacy skills.
by Shani Foster, 826LA
What if the room rained with glitter every time you got excited? In this Spark, students imagine a world where their feelings are expressed as visible, out-of-this-world weather.
by Ola Faleti, 826CHI
Students draw inspiration from powerful change-makers to write celebratory, haiku poetry.
by 826 National
The Character-O-Matic is a writing tool that helps students to create new characters. In this lesson, students will use it to create a character profile that reflects their own identies.
by 826 National
Candy hearts are a Valentine’s Day staple, with their funny—even punny—sayings about love. In this Spark, students will lean into the world of youth slang to write some “sweet” sayings of their own.
by 826 National, inspired by student authors of 826 New Orleans
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!
by Asia Calcagno, 826CHI
Writing can be a powerful tool when working through feelings of grief, sadness, or anger. This Spark creates an intentional opportunity for youth to write and speak about what is on their minds.
by 826 National, in partnership with Academy of American Poets
In this Spark, designed for the "Dear Poet" project, students will learn more about voice: what it is exactly, and how to name the elements of it.
by author Lisa Ko
This writing prompt from author Lisa Ko invites students to explore the impact of social movements by envisioning and writing from an ideal future.
by Shani Foster, 826LA
Students create five rules for living in their ideal universe—each one more ridiculous than the last!
by Rachel Eliza Griffiths
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.
by Lindsay Thompson, 826 Digital Educator Leader
Encourage students to confront abstract, messy topics in their writing with philosophical journal prompts.
by Ada Limón
This poetry prompt from Ada Limón invites students to consider a personal connection to an animal.
by Mariama Lockington, novelist and poet
Students revisit powerful memories to generate personal stories filled with heart.
by the Programs Team at 826 Boston
Writers have the power to make choices about the words and structures they use in their writing. In this Spark, students will learn how to wield that power with purpose.
by Spike Jonze, award-winning screenwriter and producer
A pair of prompts that invites students to consider how time, location, and dialogue can be used to construct a scene and build meaning.
by Rebecca Darugar, 826NYC
Students create an identity chart and write about parts of their identity most salient to them.
by Phil Stamper, author
With this pair of prompts, students look to the past and future for writing inspiration.
by 826 National
Students discuss the 2021 inaugural poem by Amanda Gorman and write their own poems in response to "The Hill We Climb."
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC
Students identify the power of imagery in poetry, then practice putting this power to use in a poem about their neighborhood.
by Shani Foster, 826LA
What stories would your hoodie tell? In this fun and versatile writing prompt, students write from the perspective of a favorite piece of clothing.
by Molly Sprayregen, 826CHI
Students consider the influence that labels hold and write portrait poems to empower themselves to describe their identities how they want to be seen, and with pride.
by 826 National
IT’S ALIVE! In this Spark, students will play a version of the classic Exquisite Corpse activity to create new monster characters.
by Karen Russell, novelist and short story writer
A hauntingly good pair of prompts! Students will reconsider the purpose of ghosts by either describing a haunted setting or writing from the perspective of a misunderstood ghost.
by 826 National
Engage young writers of any age at home with this collection of 826 Digital writing prompts and activities.
by 826 National, in partnership with Academy of American Poets
In this Spark, designed for the "Dear Poet" project, students explore the many ways you can connect to a poem and the poet who penned it.
by David Ehrenhaft
Daniel Ehrenhaft asks students to consider perspective in a piece of their writing with this reflective spark.
by Julia Sweeney, 826 Valencia
In this Spark, students will revise a piece of writing for sentence fluency.
by Daniel José Older, author of Flood City
This Spark introduces students to the fantastical world of Flood City and prompts them to write a journal entry from the perspective of a Flood City resident.
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
This activity prompts students to use words related to community and identity to reframe ancestral stories of resistance, growth, and survival.
by Kendra Lappin, 826 Valencia
In this activity, students will learn how to use elaboration as a revision strategy.
by 826 National
Imagine you’re free to write about anything: no rules, no limits, only possibilities. "Infinite Words" invites students to share their writing for a chance to become a published author!
by Isaac Fitzgerald
In this Spark, students will mine their home and their habits for story and personal essay ideas.
by 826 National, in partnership with Academy of American Poets
What words do we carry with us? This Spark introduces students to the Poem in Your Pocket Day celebration and invites them to create a pocket-sized poetry zine.
by Jason Reynolds, The New York Times Best-Selling Author & National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
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.
by 826 National
These 10 prompts ask students to browse the 826 Digital Student Writing Gallery for writing inspiration.
by Debra Mitchell, 826CHI
Students pose questions to the magic 8 ball in this activity centered on character motivation.
by Katie Manning and Brandon Brown, 826LA
Students enter a Writing Laboratory, no lab coats required, and use methods of observation to embark on their writing process.
by Amanda Gorman, Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of the U.S. and 2021 Inaugural Poet
Students recall “last times” in their lives and revisit the depth of their experience through writing.
by 826 National
By combining two classic games, students will learn how storytelling and art can build community or help them break through writer’s block.
by Maria Villareal, 826CHI
An effective writing prompt about a significant threshold.
by Kelly Jensen, writer and editor
Make space for creativity in nonfiction! Students will play with traditional nonfiction formats with these two writing prompts from Kelly Jensen, writer and editor.
by Dave Eggers, 826 Valencia & 826 National
Through a series of short drawing activities, students will explore the ways observable details can have a major impact on their writing.
by Rebecca Stead
Using a place with personal meaning, students will learn a strategy for getting over the hurdle of beginning the writing process.
by The New York Public Library
At a time of rising book bans, The New York Public Library invites all teens to reflect on the essential freedom to read.
by 826 National
Students consider perspectives of activists speaking up against racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd and use imagery to capture protest scenes in writing.
by author and activist P. Carl
Author and activist P. Carl asks students to write dialogue that captures two distinct and opposing voices, crafting a scene of action and discord.
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
Author bios offer students another opportunity to express themselves through writing and to feel like a real author. This Spark walks students through the process of writing one.
by author of the Annabelle Unleashed series Leslie Margolis
Leslie Margolis invites students to consider their own personhood and what determines or defines it with two short prompts.
by 826 National
This Spark provides students with the opportunity to get to know their classmates by sharing personal stories about a specific topic.
by the Programs Team at 826 Boston
How is a scene different from a summary? In this Spark, students will explore the answer to that question and put both techniques into practice.
by Princess McDowell, the 826 Dallas Project
Whether students write to process, to remember, to imagine, or to heal, this collection of prompts asks students to recognize how their world has changed in response to COVID-19.
by G.D. Falksen
Students draw inspiration from a real or fictional location and use this sense of place to develop an in-setting document.
by Summer Medina, 826NYC
The “meet cute” is a tried-and-true way of introducing two characters destined for love or friendship. In this Spark, students will learn about the meet cute and then write their own.
by author Tiphanie Yanique
In this Spark, students will explore two taboo emotions, desire and fear, by mapping where these feelings dwell in their bodies and using tactile language to describe their impact.
by Jillian Wasick, 826 Valencia
To jumpstart their own poems, students take inspiration from the poetry of the others.
by Aracelis Girmay in collaboration with Aarti Monteiro & Nico Garbaccio, 826NYC
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.
by Anna Griffin, 826 National
Students plot significant memories on a timeline in this reflective writing activity.
by Klariza Alvaran, 826CHI
This spark activity is designed to get your students on their feet while reinforcing the need for strong dialogue in narratives.
by Maria Villareal, 826CHI
This activity prompts students to write words unspoken, in letters undelivered.
by 826 National
This Spark engages students in journaling as a practice that builds writing stamina, helps sort through ideas, and makes space for processing big feelings.
by Jessica Thompson, 826 Dallas Project, and the Dallas Free Press
In this Spark, students will learn more about conducting interviews and practice by interviewing a classmate.
by Dave Eggers, 826 Valencia & 826 National
Students will collectively create a running list of golden details—details and descriptions that are singular, completely original, and make one's subject unforgettable.
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