Wednesday Writing: Getting Ideas

Learn to write, write to learn! But if you don't have an idea, that's easier said than done. By providing your students with their very own idea list, you can avoid writer's block altogether. I have my students make a list of ideas every so often. Once a quarter is plenty. 

Model creating your own idea chart. Come up with at least one idea for each section. Fill in the blank on the last section with a broad topic--sports, dinosaurs, games, etc. Make sure students understand that they get to pick the category in that section. This gives them more ownership of the chart, and in so doing makes it more exciting. 

Have your students keep the idea chart in their desk or writing folder so that it is accessible whenever a new writing project is about to take shape.

Keep it class-y, ya'll.