Coupons

SHARON’S BLOG

I recently cleaned out my purse and found seven expired coupons, most of them for clothing and craft stores. Now that you know how disorganized I am . . .

These coupons gave me an idea for a prompt you can do with your children.

Why do I suggest that you write with your children? When they see you writing, they learn that it’s a legitimate activity in which they can have success. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to read the results to each other. You might be surprised at what you learn about your kids.

Mozilla Ousts CEO for Belief in Traditional Marriage: Write the Dialog

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

What happens when the CEO of a large corporation supports traditional marriage? And what happens when he gives money to a political campaign to support traditional marriage?

FYI, we’re using the term “traditional marriage” to mean the marriage between one man and one woman.

Mozilla, a software company based in California, recently came under fire when some people discovered that their new CEO Brendan Eich had

Characterization: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

King David. Slayer of giants. Hero to many. Kingdom builder. Writer of heartfelt psalms. Follower after God.

Adulterer. Schemer. Murderer.

What gives?

How could someone be so good and so bad?

This writing prompt is about creating believable characters, those that are a realistic mix of positive and negative traits.

Define Your Terms

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

As a writer, it is important to define your terms. In fact, it’s one of your jobs. That way, all readers are on the same page with you and know what you are talking about. Why do you think Paul took up so much space in I Corinthians to define the word “love”?

Examples

“Tolerance” is a word that will need a definition when you talk to someone about it. Even the word “insane”

Tell Me about Your Life as a Trapeze Artist: Interview into Narrative Essay

SHARON’S BLOG

My great-grandmother marked the day in her journal when she received her first icebox. What was she using for refrigeration before then?

One acquaintance traveled the world with the army during the Vietnam years and isn’t even allowed to tell me what he did, though he likes to tell me about the strange food he ate on those trips.

But I’m not the only one who knows interesting folks.

People in your family, your church, and your neighborhood have led remarkable lives as well. They’ve fought in wars and been in accidents. They’ve experienced disasters, invented things, started their own businesses, overcome debilitating abuse or sickness, beat the odds, seen the world, or eaten raw squid.

These people want to tell their stories to someone who will listen. And your children, in interviewing these people, will come away with a new perspective on history and life. This type of writing activity is well worth the effort.

Be the Advice Columnist

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

Dear Listening Ear,

My girlfriend and I were shopping yesterday, and I saw her steal a necklace from the store. Today she gave the necklace to another friend as a birthday present. Should I tell someone about my friend stealing? Should I tell the girl who has the necklace that it’s stolen?

Signed,

Confused in Corning

Your Resume

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

Who is this guy?

“I can build moveable bridges for you and also blow them up. If you want your enemies’ bridges destroyed, I can do that as well. I’m pretty handy designing and making catapults and trebuchet for your defense or offense. In times of peace, count on me as an architect to design not only buildings but also waterways. I can also sculpt or paint anything you would like. Oh, and by the way, if you want a demonstration of anything I’ve listed here, I’ll be glad to oblige you. Let’s set up an appointment on your property.”

These are paraphrases from a real resume penned in the late 1400s.

Who is this guy, and would you hire him?

Noah: Devoted or Demented?

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

Noah was a righteous man who obeyed God. No, he was a psychotic mess who heard voices and saw visions.

God destroyed the earth in a worldwide flood because mankind’s sins were so great. No, he flooded the earth because we were cruel to animals and were destroying our planet.

Well, which is it?

Welcome to this week’s high school writing prompt. Is it about the new movie Noah?

Yes. And no.

Should We Ban the Word “Bossy”?

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

Bossy girls have been in the news—not really the girls themselves but the word bossy when describing girls or young women.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s former Chief Operating Officer, wants to ban the word bossy when describing girls. She believes it mischaracterizes young women with leadership skills. It seems that girls with leadership skills are sometimes called bossy, which demeans their talents, goals, abilities, and even themselves, while boys with leadership skills are not considered bossy. They are considered future leaders. You can learn more about Sandberg’s campaign by clicking here.

Other people believe the word bossy

National Reading Month

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

Treasure Island. The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Frankenstein. Pride and Prejudice.

What books should everyone read?

To celebrate National Reading Month in the United States, Amazon posted “100 Books to Read in a Lifetime.” What books do they think everyone should read? Here’s a sampling from their list,