Students are more than halfway into the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge! We would love for you to share feedback and comments on the Padlet, whether you are participating with a class or not! If you joined the Challenge in March, then you know how much comments energize writers.
Be Inspired!
Participating in this Challenge is an achievement, even if students don’t slice every single day! Mining your life daily for slice-worthy moments increases awareness but can also lead to some blank pages. This tendency happens for many students when a narrative unit lasts a long time, as students really do run out of ideas. What are some ways to stimulate ideas and inspire students when looking for slice-peration? (Credits to Leah Koch for the new word!)
Often, offering a different form of narrative writing can jumpstart stuck writers. Offering the choice of realistic fiction, fantasy, or an animal as a main character during a personal narrative writing unit may get writers…writing. Admittedly, they might not be mining their own lives for important moments, but they are practicing the skills of narrative writing.
Just as I expand the options in a narrative writing unit, I’m offering some options in the middle of the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge. What if you suggest that students write:
- A slice of life about what they wish would happen?
- A slice of life from the perspective of an animal, even an imaginary animal at the scene?
- A story about something that could not happen (but they wish it would) like getting a ride on an eagle or from dolphin?
Sometimes the goal can expand and encompass any form of writing, and that’s okay. The title of Katie Wood Ray’s 2001 book, The Writing Workshop: Working through the Hard Parts (And They’re All Hard Parts) reverberates in my mind. Yes, all of the parts of writing are hard parts, idea generation included and sometimes especially! Let’s celebrate that students are writing.
Let’s Have a Conversation!
Teachers: What tips would you add to this list? How do you help writers who struggle to find slice-peration? Share your advice in the comments below. We would also love to see photos of your students’ idea expansions!
TWO WRITING TEACHERS 
Some students in my class this week realized that they can write about ANYTHING. They were stuck thinking their writing had to be about that day. “Wait, so I can write about something that hasn’t happened yet? Can I write something made up?” YES! Thanks for the encouragement and motivation, Melanie!
LikeLike