Creative Writing
Using index cards or slips of paper, write down a variety of characters (for example, Goldilocks, a basketball star, a panda bear named Sol, etc.) and a variety of actions (for example, won the lottery, took swimming lessons, fell down and broke his crown, etc.). Make sure you have at least two characters or two actions per writer. Now mix them up and have each writer choose two from each stack. Set a timer for 15 minutes, and ask each writer to write a short story that includes the two characters and the two actions. Then read these aloud, and see if you can guess what characters and actions were drawn from the stacks. (Hint: add several characters and actions to make it harder for your listeners to guess.)
We all know plenty of old proverbs, such as “A stitch in time saves nine.” This activity lets you make up some fresh proverbs of your own. Make a list of the first half of familiar proverbs. For example:
Early
to bed, early to rise . . .
A
penny saved . . .
The
squeaky wheel . . .
Better
to have loved and lost . . .
Too
many cooks . . .
Better
safe . . .
Waste
not . . .
Absence
makes . . .
Each
writer is given a list and asked to complete the proverb by inventing the
second half of it. Children are especially good at this since they
might not have heard the old cliché version of a proverb.
Encourage everyone to use a lot of imagination.
After you’ve done the proverb activity, ask each writer to select a favorite proverb from the list and then write a fable to go with the proverb. A fable is a story with animal characters that behave in human ways, and every fable has a moral or a lesson. Be sure to read the fables aloud so everyone can enjoy them.
Once you’ve tried this, take fables to the next level. Ask everyone to invent an important moral or lesson and then write a fable to go with it. Children tend to write about issues that they are currently dealing with, such as tattling or sharing. This is a great way for them to explore the lessons they are trying to learn.
Children love to read and write poetry because poetry is word play at its very best. Though poetry does not have to rhyme or conform to a certain rigid structure, here are some activities you might like to try with your budding poets:
Magnetic poetry. There are kits available in bookstores that are comprised of words and letters printed on magnetic strips that adhere to any metal surface such as the refrigerator. Invest in a set of these, or make your own from magnetic tape that you can purchase in a craft supply store. Post these magnets in a prominent place where family members can compose magnetic poems whenever the mood strikes them.
Found poems. Found poems are composed of words that are found in books, newspapers, magazines, old letters, and so on. To prepare, gather a variety of print sources and cut out letters, words, and short phrases. Next supply everyone in the family with paper and glue. Invite family poets to select and arrange the cut-out words and phrases to form a poem.
Phone number poems. Write your phone number vertically on a sheet of lined paper. Now compose a poem in which each line contains the same number of syllables as one digit of your phone number. For example, if your number is 555-1234, then your first three lines would contain five syllables each, the fourth line would contain one syllable, the fifth line two syllables, and so on. The same thing could be done with birthdates, social security numbers, etc. Children find this a fun "secret code" for sharing their phone numbers with others.
Concrete poems. A concrete poem is one in which the words are arranged in a shape that resembles the topic of the poem. For example, at Christmastime last year, we wrote poems in the shapes of trees, stockings, bells, and gingerbread boys. This is even more challenging when done on the computer.
Haiku. A haiku is a three-line poem that contains 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, 5 syllables in the third line. Haiku are usually about seasons of the year and generally include natural images. However, you can adapt the form in any way that suits you.
A fun way to explore scriptwriting is to hire all of your family writers as news reporters and ask them to compose a nightly news report. Some of the reporters can be on the scene of breaking news while others serve as news anchors reading their scripts from the news desk. Make this more challenging, depending on the ages of your reporters, by agreeing on certain parameters for the story. For example, the newscast might contain four stories: one family, one local, one national, and one global. The stories might contain interviews with an expert, a celebrity, a victim, and so on. You might even want to videotape your family's nightly news.
This
site is part of a sabbatical project created by Linda Evans, English Department,
Mesa Community College, and funded by the Maricopa County Community College
District. Please send comments, suggestions, and ideas to Linda Evans,
English Department, Mesa Community College, 1833 W. Southern Ave., Mesa,
AZ, 85202 or email levans@mail.mc.maricopa.edu.