I wanted a new writing "hook" to motivate and engage my 3-5 students in the new year. Even though the majority of my students are identified as academically and/or intellectually gifted, I still have some very, (and I mean VERY), reluctant writers.

So, here's my thought . . . pictures! A picture is worth a thousand words, right? So, I created a series of visual writing prompts to engage my little learners. Each writing prompt includes 4-6 pictures with purposefully open-ended labels, such as "a science experiment," "an explosion," "an unexpected outcome," and "a bewildered student." Students combine the 4-6 elements to craft an original story. Simple, easy, and engaging. And the best part - the activity is naturally differentiated. Writers at all levels can access and interact with the prompts in the way that is most appropriate for their unique strengths and abilities.




My hope is that these visual prompts will not only motivate my students, but also help to scaffold and support the writing process. It is also an opportunity for students to look at familiar objects and events in new ways (aka: a forced association). A forced association asks students to find similarities among items/ideas that are seemingly unrelated. By combining words that appear to be dissimilar, students are encouraged to think in new ways and to develop new perspectives and understandings. Forced associations are a great way to promote critical and creative thinking. (You can read more about forced associations here.)