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.
Grades 7–12
Narrative
Last Times
By Amanda Gorman, Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of the US
Spark Summary
Students recall “last times” in their lives and revisit the depth of their experience through writing.
Grades 9–12
Narrative
Life in the Time of Coronavirus
by Princess McDowell, the 826 Dallas Project
Spark Summary
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.
Grades 6–12
Informational, Narrative, Persuasive, Poetry
Write Here, Write Now
by 826 National
Spark Summary
These 10 prompts ask students to browse the 826 Digital Student Writing Gallery for writing inspiration and extend their imagination beyond the walls of their home.
Grades 1–12
Informational, Narrative, Persuasive, Poetry
A Good Time to Write: Remote Learning Kit
by 826 National
Spark Summary
Engage young writers of any age at home with this collection of 826 Digital writing prompts and activities.
With a little folding and loads of creativity, students make their own zines that feature abstract recipes.
Grades 4–8
Narrative
Setting the Tone
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC
Spark Summary
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.
Grades 6–12
Narrative, Poetry
Memory Line
by Anna Griffin, 826 National
Spark Summary
Students plot significant memories on a timeline in this reflective writing activity.
Grades 9–12
Narrative
Four Corners
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
Spark Summary
This activity prompts students to use words related to community and identity to reframe ancestral stories of resistance, growth, and survival.