I’ve been thinking about characters a lot this week ~ how to authors create characters we love?  How did Betty Birney think of Humphrey and Og – what inspired her to give them the traits we love?  How Ben Guterson think of Winterhouse with Norbridge Falls, Elizabeth Somers, Leona Springer and Freddy Knox – lovers all of words, puzzles, magic and wonder?

Here is a collection of quick write ideas that might inspire you to create fabulous characters.  If something tickles your brain, it would be lots of fun to read your writing in a comment, or on your blog.

You find a time machine.  Where would you go and why?

Imagine you are a big majesty lion living in a zoo.  How do you feel being surround by people all the time?  What do you do because of those feelings?

What is a typical day for a mermaid?  What happens one day that is extraordinary?

What would you do if you have a triceratops for a pet?  How did you get it?  How will you keep it?

Your cat gets stuck on the roof.  Why?  How will you get him down?

A kid (it could be you ~ or not) gets to be invisible for one day.  Tell the story of what happens – good or bad.

What would you and your pet talk about, if they could talk?

Other ~ what’s a topic you’d enjoy writing about?

Have fun! Happy Writing!

I wonder if you’re feeling both blue and excited like I am.  I’m blue that summer is coming to an end and I’m blue that 3E is changing.  I’m excited for school to be starting again and I’m wondering how our new year will unfold.  We’ve still got a little bit of summer left, so let’s celebrate.

How will you spend your last week of summer?

What will you do to make the final days of summer special?

Write a poem about summer coming to an end.

Think back on your summer and write about something you did that you’re proud of.  What makes this accomplishment feel special?  Do you think it is something you could have achieved during the school year?

Make a list of all the things you did this summer.  Can you come up with something for every letter of the alphabet?

Have fun writing!  I can’t wait to see you – but enjoy the last bits of your summer to the fullest!

Read through the prompts, think about them for a bit and when you’re ready, find ten quiet minutes and begin writing

Use the prompts, or write about whatever idea comes to your mind.  It’s okay if you finish one idea and begin another.  It’s also okay if you don’t finish when the time is up.  Just like always,  you decide:  stop, or keep writing.   You may want to post your quick write as a comment, or on your own blog or you may what to keep it in your notebook.  This week’s writing suggestions come from the Journal Buddies Newsletter, “Happiness Happens.”

How do you feel when you witness (see) happiness?

Where does happiness come from?

Write a poem about the sound of happiness.

How can you encourage happiness?

What things make you the happiest?

What can you accomplish when you’re happy?

What does it mean to find the silver lining in a situation?

I hope you have a happy time writing. Enjoy!

Read through the prompts, think about them for a bit and when you’re ready, find ten quiet minutes and begin…  Remember to capture small, everyday moments – watching a snail eat a lupine leaf – as well as one of a kind moments – James saying “hi” to the bear at the zoo at the same moment the bear moved its head so that James was convinced they were friends.

Use the prompts, what whatever idea comes to your mind.  It’s okay if you finish one idea and begin another.  It’s also okay if you don’t finish when the time is up… you decide:  stop, or keep writing.   You may want to post your quick write as a comment here, or as a stand along post on your own blog or not at all. Have fun!

Draw a quick sketch of the first thing that pops into you head when you think, “This summer, I had fun when…”  Under your sketch list your top five highlights from that memory.

Pick a color and note all the things around you in that color.  If you go someplace else, the grocery story, the beach or your grandparent’s, try it again.  Compare your lists.  What do you discover?

Make a list of summer memories – keep track of the ordinary things, as well as the extraordinary.

What had been the funniest moment of your summer so far?

This week’s quick write are about gratitude.  We’ve written about things we are thankful for in the past, but it’s always good to take time to appreciate our blessings.  Read through the prompts, think about them for a bit and when you’re ready, find ten quiet minutes to begin…  It’s okay if you finish one idea and  begin another.  Just try to keep writing for the whole ten minutes.  It’s also okay if you don’t finish when the time is up… you decide:  stop, or keep writing.   Post your Quick Write as a comment, or on your own blog. Have fun writing!

Count Your Blessings – In what ways are you fortunate?  Make a list of at least 10 things you are grateful for.  Include people and things, events and experiences, past or present.

What do you like about North Hampton?  Why are you grateful to live there?

Write about something good that happened to you this week.   What’s the story?

What talent do you have that you are grateful for?  How do you use your talent?  How do you share it?

Invent a holiday to celebrate a person you care about – “Aunt Ann Day” or “Dad Appreciation Day” for example.  Write a paragraph expressing three reasons why you’re thankful for having this special person in your life.  Give them your paragraph.

Of course you can write about anything … enjoy creating!

I thinking about NOTEBOOKS – Reader Response Notebooks, Writers’ Notebooks, Science Notebooks, notebooks to capture thinking in…  If we keep them, over time can we see our learning?  If we take time to capture our thinking, will we learn more from it?  If we don’t write it down or draw it out, how will we know what we know?  What do you think about notebooks?

This week’s quick write suggestions combine science and imagination.  I wonder what you’ll choose and what you’ll write. Read through the prompts, think about them for a bit and when you’re ready, find ten quiet minutes to begin…  It’s okay if you finish one idea and  begin another.  Just try to keep writing for the whole ten minutes.  It’s also okay if you don’t finish when the time is up… you decide:  stop, or keep writing.   Post your Quick Write as a comment, or on your own blog. Have fun writing!

If trees could talk, what sorts of things would they have to say?  What might they say to people?  What might they say to each other?

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself able to communicate with animals?

Go outside and watch the clouds.  Thank write about the shapes and they things you saw.  What do you think is going on up there?

You and your friend time travel to a place in the distant future…what is your mission there?  Write a story describing what happens.  (Maybe you’ll meet Roz.)

Read through the prompts, think about them for a bit and when you’re ready, find ten quiet minutes to begin…  It’s okay if you finish one idea and  begin another.  Just try to keep writing for the whole ten minutes.  It’s also okay if you don’t finish when the time is up… you decide:  stop, or keep writing.   Post your Quick Write as a comment, or on your own blog. Have fun writing!

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

Set 3 goals for the summer – and write about how you will achieve them.

Do your parents feel glum or excited about the beginning of a new summer vacation?  How do you feel?  Tell why.

Describe a summer day using all five senses.

Happy Writing!  I miss you a ton.

Mrs. Eaves

There are a lot of things going on in 3E.  We’ve got some growing experiments and some paragraph writing.  We’re learning about mapping and what it means to be part of a caring community.  We have much to be grateful for as we learn about our place in the world.

Here are the prompts we chose from today.  Please enjoy finding out what we chose to blog about.  After reading our posts, please leave a comment or two.  We love hearing from you!  Thanks.

• Post your seed paragraph and add a photograph of your seeds at the start of the project and you seeds as they are growing now.
• Create and post your TOP 10 Gratitude List. Make the most of your lead!
• Post a photograph of the map you created of your yard and write about the five things all maps include.

Once you’ve shared at least one of these prompts,  finish a post you began a while ago, or choose your own new topic.

We’re thinking about the importance of kindness.  We’ve realized that if we are quiet, kind and focused we are able to put forth our best effort and accomplish more.  It’s exciting to be more and more successful.

Some of us finished blog posts started a while ago.  Other chose our own ideas to blog about.  Still others chose one of the following suggestions:

• How can you influence others to be kind? Write about what you do and what you will try to do from now on to share a little kindness.
• What does kindness teach people?
• Write about a time someone was kind to you? Write about the act of kindness and how it made you feel.
• How can you share more kindness in 3E and our school? Something nice I could do for one of my classmates is…
• What kindness means to me
• Write a story about Kevin the Kind Koala
• If everyone in the world did just one kind thing each day…
• Other…

We’re trying to do something extra-kind each day.  We hope to make the world a better place.