I enjoy having students read each other’s writing. I also encourage them to identify a ‘golden idea or line’ from a classmate’s work and explain why they found it intriguing, interesting, or insightful. Here is the video explanation and worksheet for the activity. Worksheet: If you like what you see, feel free to donate to Tolentino Teaching by clicking below. Thank you!

Flash fiction teaches students the art of brevity. Flash fiction also teaches students a new way of being creative. When your words are limited – you must rethink the way you convey ideas. Here are some flash fiction activities I use with my students. Activity 1: Write 10 Short Stories Worksheet: Activity 2: Six-Word Memoirs (Write 40, 20, and 6-Word Stories) Six-Word Memoir Examples: Activity 3: Flash Fiction Challenge! Worksheet: Activity 4: Write a Six-Word

Here is a writing prompt on the topic of freedom. This is an “idea-generating” activity. First – students are expected to “stretch” their ideas by writing 250 words or more in response to a simple, yet philosophically dense question: What does freedom mean to you? After “stretching” their ideas, students are expected to “condense” their thinking by writing a 20-word summary. This is where students must sift through their thinking to find the essential ideas