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.
Grades 7–12
Narrative
Memories of Home with Rebecca Stead
by Rebecca Stead
Spark Summary
Using a place with personal meaning, students will learn a strategy for getting over the hurdle of beginning the writing process.
Grades 9–12
Social-Emotional Learning
Identity Statements
by Rebeca Darugar, 826NYC
Spark Summary
Students create an identity chart and write about parts of their identity most salient to them.
Grades 6–9
Poetry
Neighborhood Poem
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC
Spark Summary
Students identify the power of imagery in poetry, then practice putting this power to use in a poem about their neighborhood.
Grades 1–3
Poetry, Social-Emotional Learning
What do Feelings Sound Like?
by Molly Sprayregen, 826CHI
Spark Summary
In this social-emotional learning writing prompt, students reflect on the sound of feelings and use onomatopoeias in their poetry.
Grades 1–3
Social-Emotional Learning
Overcome the Overwhelm
by Molly Sprayregen, 826CHI
Spark Summary
In this social-emotional learning writing prompt, students write about strategies for recognizing and overcoming the feeling of overwhelm.
Grades 1–3
Poetry, Social-Emotional Learning
Make Me Laugh
by Molly Sprayregen, 826CHI
Spark Summary
In this social-emotional learning writing prompt, students write a poem describing the silliest creature they can imagine.
Grades 1–3
Poetry, Social-Emotional Learning
What’s Your Happy?
by Molly Sprayregen, 826CHI
Spark Summary
In this social-emotional learning writing prompt, students create a poem that shares the "happys" in their life.
Grades 7–12
Narrative
Perspectives with Daniel Ehrenhaft
by David Ehrenhaft
Spark Summary
Daniel Ehrenhaft asks students to consider perspective in a piece of their writing with this reflective spark.
Grades 5–9
Narrative
A Day in the Life of Flood City
by Daniel José Older, author of Flood City, in collaboration with New Leaf Literary & Media
Spark Summary
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.
Grades 7–12
Informational, Social-Emotional Learning
What Makes a Person? with Leslie Margolis
by Leslie Margolis
Spark Summary
Leslie Margolis invites students to consider their own personhood and what determines or defines it with two short prompts.
Grades 1–5
Poetry
If Poems
by 826 New Orleans
Spark Summary
Students will imagine what they would do if they were someone or something else.