Note to Teachers: Bellwork, or iOpeners, are invaluable for productively managing the very first seconds of class. Each of these offers an extensive, and organized, set of writing prompts to start class. Nonetheless, some can also be used for more extensive journals, discussion topics, and homework writing.

• Attendance Questions: Instead of calling roll and having students say “here,” have them share their answer to a question. The question should usually lead to a SHORT answer.  The questions can be serious or funny, asked aloud or projected on an image slide. From the oh-so-practical-and-inspiring Betsy at Spark Creativity.
• Writing Prompt Sheets: Useful handouts ask students to write something every day; then turn in for a weekly grade.
  • The Vocabulary Development Sheet requires the word, a definition, and an original student sentence using the word in such a way that its meaning is clarified. Obviously, you can prescribe a vocabulary list or have students select words on their own from their reading.
  • The Term Application Sheet includes a space for a literary term, its definition, and an original student example. Talk the Talk is a one-page handout with the most used and useful terms for AP Language and for AP Literature.
  • The Writing Skills Development Sheet has a place for a label, an original sentence, and a revision. Use it to ask students to write a particular sentence type, to use a sentence as a model to imitate, or to write a basic thesis sentence, then revise for a more sophisticated style.
• Prompts from the Advanced Placement Literature Prompts could be used for a pop quiz on last night’s reading, or even the final exam on a text. Groups can be assigned to develop a thesis and evidence citations for different prompts. As a review heading toward the AP exam, students can discuss which works they have studied fit which prompts.
• Prompts from the Timed Essays, while for 20-minute essays, work wonderfully for Socratic seminar discussions.
• Prompts from the Autobiography Portfolio work as in-class personal writing assignments, but work even better as literary responses. What better reading check than a Personal Alphabet to describe Scout Finch?
• Quick Write Rubric: a simple generic grading guide for short in-class writing activities.

PowerPoints & Online Visuals

List Love -- 101 List Prompts for Art Journals. These probably work best if students do embellish these with doodles and drawings and stickers.

I love the free resources offered by the New York Times. Much more than any teacher could ever use. A good place to start is with their Learning Network Tutorials, one of which shows how students can get a free account. Sign up for their Weekly Newsletter for teachers, listing upcoming lessons and materials to help you plan. Original daily/weekly postings from September through May, with highlights or selected materials gathered and shared at the end of each school year.

What’s Going on in This Picture? presents an intriguing image every Sunday night, stripped of captions, and then hosts a live-moderated discussion on Mondays. Introductory Video.

Film Club offers short documentary videos anbd relted discussion questions on Tuesday. Introductory Video.

What’s Going on in this Graph? on Wednesdays. Each graph offers suggestions for discussion and/or writing and follows up with an explanation. “Stat Nuggets” cover graph reading skills. Selected graphs on contemporarey topics would be great training for the synthesis question. Introductory Video.

Student Opinion—A daily question starts with broad introductory questions, exerpts from a relevant article, link to the article, with deeper more reflective follow-up questions. Introductory Video.

Word of the Day is a great place to teach vocabulary in context. Explore 14 Ways to Learn Vocabulary and Explore Language with the New York Times.

Lesson of the Day focuses on current events and provides a full lesson plan for each topic. Starting with a warm-up, each lesson includes questions for writing and discussion, and activities for going further. Check out this representative example on “The Songs That Get Us Through It.” Introductory Video.

Picture Prompts—photographs, gifs, graphics, short videos—appear Tuesday through Friday during the school year. A short video introduces ways to use these prompts. Students can share their responses and respond to other students. Every summer the newspaper selects 144 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing.

500 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing from The New York Times -- Each entry on this categorized list links to a related Times article and includes a series of follow-up questions.

Voice Lessons

Voice Lessons by Nancy Dean

PowerPoints: Each slide is a quote from Nancy Dean’s Voice Lessons. You will need a copy of the book for exercises using the quote.

• Detail • Diction • Imagery • Syntax• • Tone (Multiple Choice Questions on Passages & Answers document)

Voice Lessons by Nancy Dean Extended

PowerPoints: Each slide has activities to accompany the quotes.

Voice Lessons from Nancy Dean — Text

PowerPoint: A massive 176-slide show with ten new quotes, questions, and model responses for Tone, Diction, Detail, Imagery, and Syntax. Each quote is followed by two discussion questions and two sample responses. Created by Dina Cooper and shared on SlidePlayer.com.

If you find special ways to use these, please let me know. Email.