teaching middle school creative writing

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How to Teach Creative Writing | 7 Steps to Get Students Wordsmithing

“I don’t have any ideas!”

“I can’t think of anything!”

While we see creative writing as a world of limitless imagination, our students often see an overwhelming desert of “no idea.”

But when you teach creative writing effectively, you’ll notice that  every  student is brimming over with ideas that just have to get out.

So what does teaching creative writing effectively look like?

We’ve outlined a  seven-step method  that will  scaffold your students through each phase of the creative process  from idea generation through to final edits.

7. Create inspiring and original prompts

Use the following formats to generate prompts that get students inspired:

• personal memories (“Write about a person who taught you an important lesson”)
• imaginative scenarios
• prompts based on a familiar mentor text (e.g. “Write an alternative ending to your favorite book”). These are especially useful for giving struggling students an easy starting point.
• lead-in sentences (“I looked in the mirror and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Somehow overnight I…”).
• fascinating or thought-provoking images with a directive (“Who do you think lives in this mountain cabin? Tell their story”).

Don’t have the time or stuck for ideas? Check out our list of 100 student writing prompts

6. unpack the prompts together.

Explicitly teach your students how to dig deeper into the prompt for engaging and original ideas.

Probing questions are an effective strategy for digging into a prompt. Take this one for example:

“I looked in the mirror and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Somehow overnight I…”

Ask “What questions need answering here?” The first thing students will want to know is:

What happened overnight?

No doubt they’ll be able to come up with plenty of zany answers to that question, but there’s another one they could ask to make things much more interesting:

Who might “I” be?

In this way, you subtly push students to go beyond the obvious and into more original and thoughtful territory. It’s even more useful with a deep prompt:

“Write a story where the main character starts to question something they’ve always believed.”

Here students could ask:

• What sorts of beliefs do people take for granted?
• What might make us question those beliefs?
• What happens when we question something we’ve always thought is true?
• How do we feel when we discover that something isn’t true?

Try splitting students into groups, having each group come up with probing questions for a prompt, and then discussing potential “answers” to these questions as a class.

The most important lesson at this point should be that good ideas take time to generate. So don’t rush this step!

5. Warm-up for writing

A quick warm-up activity will:

• allow students to see what their discussed ideas look like on paper
• help fix the “I don’t know how to start” problem
• warm up writing muscles quite literally (especially important for young learners who are still developing handwriting and fine motor skills).

Freewriting  is a particularly effective warm-up. Give students 5–10 minutes to “dump” all their ideas for a prompt onto the page for without worrying about structure, spelling, or grammar.

After about five minutes you’ll notice them starting to get into the groove, and when you call time, they’ll have a better idea of what captures their interest.

Did you know? The Story Factory in Reading Eggs allows your students to write and publish their own storybooks using an easy step-by-step guide.

4. Start planning

Now it’s time for students to piece all these raw ideas together and generate a plan. This will synthesize disjointed ideas and give them a roadmap for the writing process.

Note:  at this stage your strong writers might be more than ready to get started on a creative piece. If so, let them go for it – use planning for students who are still puzzling things out.

Here are four ideas for planning:

Graphic organisers

A graphic organiser will allow your students to plan out the overall structure of their writing. They’re also particularly useful in “chunking” the writing process, so students don’t see it as one big wall of text.

Storyboards and illustrations

These will engage your artistically-minded students and give greater depth to settings and characters. Just make sure that drawing doesn’t overshadow the writing process.

Voice recordings

If you have students who are hesitant to commit words to paper, tell them to think out loud and record it on their device. Often they’ll be surprised at how well their spoken words translate to the page.

Write a blurb

This takes a bit more explicit teaching, but it gets students to concisely summarize all their main ideas (without giving away spoilers). Look at some blurbs on the back of published books before getting them to write their own. Afterward they could test it out on a friend – based on the blurb, would they borrow it from the library?

3. Produce rough drafts

Warmed up and with a plan at the ready, your students are now ready to start wordsmithing. But before they start on a draft, remind them of what a draft is supposed to be:

• a work in progress.

Remind them that  if they wait for the perfect words to come, they’ll end up with blank pages .

Instead, it’s time to take some writing risks and get messy. Encourage this by:

• demonstrating the writing process to students yourself
• taking the focus off spelling and grammar (during the drafting stage)
• providing meaningful and in-depth feedback (using words, not ticks!).

Reading Eggs also gives you access to an ever-expanding collection of over 3,500 online books!

2. share drafts for peer feedback.

Don’t saddle yourself with 30 drafts for marking. Peer assessment is a better (and less exhausting) way to ensure everyone receives the feedback they need.

Why? Because for something as personal as creative writing, feedback often translates better when it’s in the familiar and friendly language that only a peer can produce. Looking at each other’s work will also give students more ideas about how they can improve their own.

Scaffold peer feedback to ensure it’s constructive. The following methods work well:

Student rubrics

A simple rubric allows students to deliver more in-depth feedback than “It was pretty good.” The criteria will depend on what you are ultimately looking for, but students could assess each other’s:

• use of language.

Whatever you opt for, just make sure the language you use in the rubric is student-friendly.

Two positives and a focus area

Have students identify two things their peer did well, and one area that they could focus on further, then turn this into written feedback. Model the process for creating specific comments so you get something more constructive than “It was pretty good.” It helps to use stems such as:

I really liked this character because…

I found this idea interesting because it made me think…

I was a bit confused by…

I wonder why you… Maybe you could… instead.

1. The editing stage

Now that students have a draft and feedback, here’s where we teachers often tell them to “go over it” or “give it some final touches.”

But our students don’t always know how to edit.

Scaffold the process with questions that encourage students to think critically about their writing, such as:

• Are there any parts that would be confusing if I wasn’t there to explain them?
• Are there any parts that seem irrelevant to the rest?
• Which parts am I most uncertain about?
• Does the whole thing flow together, or are there parts that seem out of place?
• Are there places where I could have used a better word?
• Are there any grammatical or spelling errors I notice?

Key to this process is getting students to  read their creative writing from start to finish .

Important note:  if your students are using a word processor, show them where the spell-check is and how to use it. Sounds obvious, but in the age of autocorrect, many students simply don’t know.

A final word on teaching creative writing

Remember that the best writers write regularly.

Incorporate them into your lessons as often as possible, and soon enough, you’ll have just as much fun  marking  your students’ creative writing as they do producing it.

Need more help supporting your students’ writing?

Read up on  how to get reluctant writers writing , strategies for  supporting struggling secondary writers , or check out our huge list of writing prompts for kids .

Watch your students get excited about writing and publishing their own storybooks in the Story Factory

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8 Truths About Teaching Writing to Middle Schoolers

Middle school writers are full of imagination and creativity, and teachers can honor that while teaching writing conventions.

There’s something extraordinary about middle school writers.

Maybe it’s the tension of existing between childhood and adulthood and their ability to articulate this tension. Maybe it’s their fully intact imaginations and natural inclination to creatively express themselves. Whatever it is, they’re capable of astounding us and each other if we teach them well.

What I’ve learned to be true about teaching writing to middle schoolers is rooted in the importance of both coaching them on the conventions of writing in English and giving them room to be who they are.

What I’ve Learned

1. Choice is crucial, but students need help choosing: When students are able to follow their interests and curiosity, it’s more likely that their writing will be honest and compelling. However, if left to their own devices, students sometimes begin writing about topics that don’t lead them anywhere.

Before writing, students should brainstorm and have the opportunity to talk with you—and their peers, if possible—about their ideas. They’ll need your help discerning which idea would yield the most engaging writing for them. Your guidance is invaluable.

2. Clichés are fantastic for teaching creative expression: Middle schoolers often use clichés, in the belief that using them makes their writing better. When we define clichés for them and explain the better choice of describing familiar things in fresh, unique ways, students begin taking more risks in their writing.

A colleague gave me the idea to create a cliché graveyard for my classroom—a poster cut into the shape of a gravestone that we add clichés to as we identify them. This makes hunting for clichés fun, and each time we bury a cliché, students come up with new creative descriptions. Theirs are always better.

3. Simple rubrics make a huge difference: Rubrics let students know what you’re looking for in their writing, and middle schoolers are most attentive to rubrics that include as little text as possible.

I list vertically the five to 10 elements (title, lead, thesis, etc.) that I assess on the left side of the rubric, and horizontally along the top I include four simple categories: AWESOME, Pretty good!, OK..., and a crying emoji. More text can overwhelm students and limit you when you’re grading.

4. Students should interview published writers: Middle schoolers learn a ton about the craft of writing when given opportunities to interview published writers. Thankfully, many writers are happy to visit classrooms and meet with students for free. Visits by video call also work.

Before a visit, students should read a small selection of the writer’s work and prepare five to 10 questions on that work and the writer’s process. As a class, they should ask their questions and take notes on what the writer says. It’s amazing how much ground they can cover in one class.

5. They need to name their strengths and weaknesses: When meeting with students one on one, begin by asking them to identify the strengths and weaknesses of whatever piece they’re working on. Students can often name the strengths of their writing, but you still need to encourage them to be specific: “What makes this sentence work well?”

It’s more difficult for them to name weaknesses. “I just don’t like this part,” they’ll say. Again, your job is to help them be specific.

The more students are encouraged to name the strengths and weaknesses of their writing, the more self-sufficient they become as writers.

6. We can embrace the quirks: It’s important to teach students the terminology and structures of English grammar so that they understand what you mean when you discuss the makeup of a sentence. And generally a writer should know the rules of the language before breaking them.

However, middle schoolers sometimes create sentences with peculiar characteristics that look and sound striking but are grammatically incorrect. Because they haven’t fully internalized English grammar, they’re still playful with the language.

On these occasions, I’ve found it helpful to allow them to break the rules but also let them know how they’re doing so. This way, grammatical conventions aren’t forgotten—they’re purposefully ignored to help students develop a voice on the page.

7. Letting them try on different writing styles is invaluable: A great way to help students develop their writing voices is to let them imitate others. When students read short pieces by authors with distinctive voices and as a class identify how—on the sentence level—the writing is unique and interesting, they learn practical ways to infuse writing with personality.

If given opportunities to use these styles in their own writing, students are one step closer to understanding how to make their written work more representative of who they are.

8. They need to consistently ask themselves two questions: Middle schoolers often leave important ideas off the page because they either assume you know they’re talking about or haven’t pushed themselves to think critically about what they’re saying.

If during class and in your comments you consistently challenge students to answer “How?” and “Why?” they learn to be more thoughtful and thorough in all of their writing. These simple metacognitive questions lead to fuller, more sophisticated thought processes for them and stronger pieces of writing for others to read.

5 Secrets for Helping Middle School Writers Succeed

Even though I spent 19 years as a middle school teacher, I frequently ask myself what makes a middle school writing classroom work. I know successful teaching is a series of flexible moving parts. I know it’s one part inspiration and a bigger part organization. I know that every middle school teacher struggles to achieve more good days than bad.

In  Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for Middle School , I share meaningful and practical ideas for using what I’ve learned about teaching writing in middle school. My aim is to validate what you already know and give you new ways to support students. I also point out obstacles to watch out for and ways around them, so you don’t sacrifice the integrity of your teaching or the writing lives of your students.

As teachers, our greatest challenge may not be understanding best practices, but implementing those practices in classrooms where writing skills vary, time is precious, and the demand for high test scores can smother even the most creative teaching. But take heart. Teaching writing well is not impossible. Here are 5 secrets I know work in middle school and will help your young writers succeed:

1.     The teacher must model how to learn.

If we want our students to write, we have to show them we are writers ourselves, which means opening ourselves up to scrutiny.

2.      Learning should be infectious.

Look for inspiration everywhere and revise you lesson plans accordingly to foster a fascination with language, not just an understanding of terms. Who knows where this might lead?

3.     Students must be active.

Engaging in lively activities, working in small groups, sitting on the floor, listening to music, using the computer, and talking about works in progress keep students moving, and therefore, learning.

4.     Students will work hard if we give them rigorous, relevant tasks.

Let students take a giant leap forward and come up with their own projects and use the skills they have learned over the years to accomplish it. What they write matters less than the fact that they choose to write with such passion and determination.

5.     Students deserve honest, detailed feedback.

Get serious about providing feedback. Students will appreciate your suggestions for making their writing smoother, clearer, and more interesting, and, like any serious writers, won’t always agree or follow them. But your students trust you to tell them the truth because they know your feedback, as difficult as it sometimes will be to convey, will help propel their work forward.

The secrets of writing, once locked away in the writing teacher’s vault, must be revealed and explored. How else will we sort out what works from what doesn’t? But you know this already. The writing lives of your middle school students depend on our getting it right.

To learn more about  Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for Middle School , you can purchase the book  here.

About the author:

Ruth Culham, Ed.D.,  has published more than 40 best-selling professional books and resources with Scholastic and the International Literacy Association on the traits of writing and teaching writing using reading as a springboard to success. Her steadfast belief that every student is a writer is the hallmark of her work. As the author of  Traits Writing: The Complete Writing Program for Grades K–8 (2012), she has launched a writing revolution.  Traits Writing  is the culmination of 40 years of educational experience, research, practice, and passion.

4 Activities to Help Middle School Students Uncover New Ideas for Writing

No matter how old you are, no matter how much writing you do, no matter how much you improve over time, finding ideas and writing about them clearly and compellingly is a challenge. Small wonder, then, that middle school writers find the ideas trait difficult to master.

Writing must make sense, and that’s what the ideas trait is all about—choosing a topic, narrowing it down, and supporting it with enough details to make the message clear and engaging. In  Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for Middle School , I outline the ideas trait’s 4 key qualities:

1.     Finding a topic

2.     Focusing the topic

3.     Developing the topic

4.     Using details

The following activities will help your students develop these qualities. Each is a creative, classroom-tested idea that allows students to try out skills and strategies that you share in warm-ups and focus lessons. These activities can take 5 minutes or 50, depending on your students’ needs and interest levels, and can be carried out by students independently or in small groups.

Finding a topic | Writer’s Notebooks

Often, the best topics are the ones students come up with themselves. As you work with students, encourage them to jot down in a notebook possible ideas for use in writing later—ideas that occur to them during science, social studies, health, fine arts, or English, or in everyday life. Let students select a notebook that makes them feel comfortable. Keep your own notebook and model how you jot down ideas for writing, words and phrases you like, intriguing information and observations, and questions to ponder.

Focusing the topic | The Best and the Worst Activity

Have your students brainstorm a list of real-world jobs that require a great deal of writing: a writer for a late-night talk show, a fund-raiser for a charity, a developer of video games, an author of children’s books, and so on. Write the jobs on a chart. Divide the class into small groups and assign one of the jobs to each group. Ask group members to prepare a panel presentation explaining the best and worst parts of the job and present it to the class, using some sort of visual aid that illustrates key points, such as a chart or diagram. Hang their creations in a prominent place for everyone to read and think about. This activity teaches students that writing is a big part of most professions—a lesson they will come to learn on their own soon enough.

Developing the topic | Top-Ten List

Ask students to write a top-ten list of things every adult should know about middle school students. Encourage them to develop each point in a fun, truthful, and interesting way. Here are examples of 2 developed points:

We don’t like to be told what to do. But if you don’t tell us, we won’t do it. And even when you do tell us, many times we don’t do it unless you get mean about it. We’re kinda flakey.

Remembering to put our names on our papers is harder than being blindfolded and sending a text message with our thumbs.

Using details | Getting Into the Details Activity

Give students a general statement, such as “I love Friday,” and ask them to work with a partner to brainstorm at least 10 details that explain why Friday is their favorite school day. Have pairs share those details with the whole class and make one long list. Now ask students to select their favorite details, at least 5 but no more than 10, and choose the one they consider the most important. From there, have pairs write a paragraph describing all the great things about Friday, emphasizing one detail they feel is most important. When they’re finished, ask students to put their paragraphs on their desks and invite their classmates to walk about and read them. Later, discuss the techniques students used to focus the reader’s attention on one detail more than others.

The time you spend teaching students where ideas come from and how to develop them effectively is critical to their success as writers. Finding a topic, focusing it, developing it, and using precise details to support it is where the writing begins.

Learn more about the ideas trait and other traits critical to writing success with  Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for Middle School . You can purchase the book  here .

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5 Ways to Help Middle Schoolers Write Beyond the Bare Minimum

Help students go beyond the required word count to create great work.

Teaching writing is not for the faint of heart—especially in middle school! By this age, it’s harder to trick students into thinking writing is fun, and that eagerness to please grown ups may be ancient history. For many students, there is no amount of cajoling, pleading, or threatening that will produce a response other than, “I don’t know what to write.” They seem to want to write the minimum word count and move on to the next task at hand.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. There are ways to help kids slay the writing dragon while maintaining peace in your kingdom. Er, I mean, classroom.

1. Offer (lots of) word lists and graphic organizers.

This might seem obvious because we all know these supports make writing more accessible for students. But I’ve been in the classroom, and I know they aren’t used often enough. We need to do this as teachers, though. It’s our job to provide students with a battle plan (because writing is a battle for many kids). There are so many graphic organizers out there, and I recommend trying a few different ones to see what your students like. You also want to make word lists easily accessible. Don’t focus on big or fancy words. Instead, concentrate on offering alternatives to “dead” words like very, a lot, great, etc.

2. Embrace mentor texts.

This is a great way to spur reluctant writers into action because they aren’t starting with a blank slate. Mentor texts are a student’s armor as they attempt more sophisticated compositions, protecting students by giving them a guide to good writing while still requiring them to be creative and use their own words. Over the years I’ve used many mentor texts. One of my favorites is the first vignette from The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. The vignette holds the same title as the book itself, and it describes the different places the main character has lived in her life. Students can model their own writing after Cisneros’ vignette by describing the places they have lived and the people they’ve known in those places along the way.

3. Let the diversity of authors inspire your students.

4. incorporate current events..

Middle school students have lots of opinions, but they often don’t watch the news or get their information from reliable sources. Providing students with a current event article, pairing it with a video, (or song lyrics, or poem, or chapter from a novel or memoir) and then asking them to put down their thoughts really inspire some passionate writing. Current events texts can be paired with nearly any fictitious work to build students’ background knowledge, widen their world view, and yes, nudge them into broadening and deepening their writing lives.

5. Let them choose the adventure.

I know it’s not always possible to let students choose the type of writing they want to do, but when possible, it’s important to let them express themselves. This will definitely help them take ownership of their own work. Think about offering a menu so they have choices—for instance give options such as writing a poem, a chapter in their own memoir, song lyrics, a fictional short story, or even an informative nonfiction article using research (for your fact-loving students!). This will help students see that there are many ways to relate what they know.

Writing is hard, and for many students it can seem like an impossible feat that will never be conquered. However, having your own teacher arsenal of writing strategies and tools will help you lead your mighty army of authors to victory, time and time again. Now, go forth, and WRITE!

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Teaching Creative Writing to Middle Schoolers

There are fewer things my students get more excited about than the chance to write their own stories. This makes sense to me—we all yearn on some deeper level to be creative. Some of my students are much more creative than others, but they all enjoy getting that chance. 

Over the past few years, I’ve taught creative writing several times. The length of the unit varies, depending on how much free time I have. Sometimes it’s as long as twelve lessons, sometimes as short as five. No matter what, these are the essential topics I always cover:

• Showing vs. Telling
• Story Structure
• Point of view, Dialogue, & Body language (on separate days or together, depending on timing)
• Endings 

If time permits, I will sometimes dive deeper with these topics:

• Finding ideas
• Diving deeper into worldbuilding (specifically if lots of students write fantasy!)
• Description using the five senses

Over many years and a concentration in creative writing, I’ve read many books about the craft of writing. However, when I’m teaching, I always return to my first craft book, which I bought at age 13. It’s written by Gail Carson Levine, author of beloved classic Ella Enchanted. 

This delightful book, Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly , covers all the topics I listed and more. Not only does it break down each topic into easy parts, but it also provides wonderful examples! Sometimes I use the same ones as Levine, and sometimes I find my own, but I am always grateful for them. Finally, each chapter ends with fun writing exercises, which I often do in class or assign as homework for my students. 

If there is a topic that you want to teach that isn’t covered in her book, she has an excellent blog that is much more comprehensive! 

While most of my lectures come from Ms. Levine’s book, I have created my own lectures for teaching story structure and character building, using Frozen and Mulan . They are available to purchase here .

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Creative Writing in the Middle School Classroom

Once upon a time . . . and they all lived happily ever after.

Creative writing that uses phrases like these shows up often in elementary writing. Once a student enters middle school, inventive writing often gets pushed aside. According to recent research, however, creative writing still offers benefits for the student beyond sixth grade.

Researcher Marissa Despins states that creative expression allows students to be able to voice emotions and build confidence. Non-academic writing also gives the writers the opportunity for thinking imaginatively, a skill that can be used for problem solving in all sorts of life areas. Even though creative writing has fewer restrictions than academic writing, it can still allow students to build writing skills, such as using new vocabulary, forming varied sentences, and finding their voice. Additionally, the skill of creative writing can also allow older writers to entertain, clarify thinking, and simply learn to read and write (Essex).

Sometimes instructors find teaching creative writing difficult. What topics do you assign? What steps of the writing process do you require? How do you grade creative pieces? Typically, creative writing works best when the writer goes through the basic writing process of planning, drafting, editing, and publishing. But the parameters might be more lenient than those for an academic writing project. For example, planning might consist of drawing a picture of the setting of a story. Or publishing might mean handwriting a poem in script to hang on the wall. Grading is easiest with a set rubric given at the beginning of the assignment. This might include categories such as “time spent on project,” “details given about characters/setting,” and “use of images.” Typically, word count is not an important factor in grading creative assignments.

Topics for creative writing can extend well beyond the typical writing assignment. Students can be allowed to choose their topics, but often they request some suggestions. Here are a few suggested topics for different genres of creative writing.

• Poetry: Write an abecedarian poem. This is a poem where each line begins with the next sequential letter of the alphabet. The poem does not need to rhyme (although it can), and sentences can continue through several lines. Brian Bilston wrote “An Attempt To Write an Abecedarian Poem In Praise of the Dictionary”; the first lines read,

“An unfaltering ability Bring clarity to the English language Constitutes your Defining quality.”

(You can read the entire poem here .) This type of poem is one that works well to display for other students to read; the poet may also want to illustrate the poem.

• Devotional: While this might be a more informative writing, devotionals provide a strong creative opportunity. Typical guidelines might include to choose a topic and find a Scripture passage that corresponds. Then write two to three paragraphs that tell a story that illustrates the passage. End with a paragraph that explains the point being made. This writing works well to be published in a booklet including the class’s responses–students can use this booklet for an actual devotional time.
• Bible story script: The student can choose a narrative Bible passage and write it in the form of dialogue. Include stage directions and small props. Make sure that the character amount and extras do not exceed what the class can produce, and publish by acting the script as a class project. For this one, the teacher might want to approve topic choices before the student proceeds to make sure that they are class appropriate (e.g. avoid violence and romance).
• Characters: a chef, an artist, a mechanic, a farmer, an archaeologist, a mother, a deep-sea diver, a mountain climber
• Setting: Antarctica, a desert, an inner city, a field, a bookstore, a warehouse, a train, a rocket
• Object: paintbrush, road sign, globe, flower pot, pickup truck, icebreaker ship, shovel, vine
• Conflict: thunderstorm, being chased by a dog, the electricity goes out, lack of water to drink, a broken arm, a displeased customer, a falling brick, a screaming child

Works Cited

Despins, Marissa. “Benefits of Creative Writing in Middle School.” ELA Matters . 30 Nov. 2022. https://elamatters.com/2022/11/08/benefits-of-creative-writing-in-middle-school/. Accessed 20 Dec. 2023.

Essex, Christopher. “Teaching Creative Writing in the Elementary School.” ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/writing/articles/teaching-creative-writing. Accessed 20 Dec. 2023.

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Teach Writing With The New York Times: Our 2021-22 Curriculum

A flexible, eight-unit program based on the real-world features found in newspapers, from editorials and reviews to personal narratives, profiles and podcasts.

By The Learning Network

Update, Aug. 3, 2023: Find our 2023-24 writing curriculum here.

What can the news, features, essays, interviews, photos, videos, podcasts and graphics in The New York Times teach your students about composing for a real audience? So much, we hope, that the units we detail below are just a beginning.

Our annual writing curriculum is both a road map for teachers and an invitation to students. For teachers, it organizes our offerings — lesson plans, writing prompts, mentor texts and student contests — into eight distinct units, each of which focuses on a different genre of writing that your students can find not just in The Times but in all kinds of real-world sources.

For students, it offers confirmation that they have something valuable to say, a wide range of choice in how to say it, and a global audience eager to listen. Promoting student voice has always been a pillar of our site, but in these extraordinary times we think it is critical. Through the opportunities for publication woven throughout each unit, we want to encourage students to go beyond simply consuming media to becoming creators themselves.

Though our offerings are aimed at middle and high school students, we know that they are used up and down levels and across subjects — from elementary school to college. So have a look, and see if you can find a way to include any of these opportunities in your curriculum this year, whether to help students document their lives, tell stories, express opinions, investigate ideas, interview fascinating people or analyze culture. We can’t wait to hear what they have to say!

Each unit includes:

Writing prompts to help students try out related skills in a “low stakes” way.

We publish new writing prompts every school day, and have since 2009. You can find categorized collections of these prompts, or just scroll through to see the latest. Your students can respond on our site, using our public forums as a kind of “rehearsal space” for practicing voice and technique.

Daily opportunities to practice writing for an authentic audience.

If a student submits a comment on our site, it will be read by Times editors, who approve each one before it gets published. Submitting a comment also gives students an audience of fellow teenagers from around the world who might read and respond to their work. Each week, we call out our favorite comments and honor dozens of students by name in our Thursday “ Current Events Conversation ” feature.

Guided practice with mentor texts .

Each unit we publish features guided practice lessons, written directly to students, that help them observe, understand and practice the kinds of “craft moves” that make different genres of writing sing. From how to “show not tell” in narratives to how to express critical opinions , quote or paraphrase experts or craft scripts for podcasts , we have used the work of both Times journalists and the teenage winners of our contests to show students techniques they can emulate.

“Annotated by the Author” commentaries from Times writers — and teenagers.

As part of our Mentor Texts series , we’ve been asking Times journalists from desks across the newsroom to annotate their articles to let students in on their writing, research and editing processes, and we’ll be adding more for each unit this year. Whether it’s Science writer Nicholas St. Fleur on tiny tyrannosaurs , Opinion writer Aisha Harris on the cultural canon , or The Times’s comics-industry reporter, George Gene Gustines, on comic books that celebrate pride , the idea is to demystify journalism for teenagers.

But in the 2020-21 school year, we also started asking teen winners of our contests to analyze the craft moves they made that led to successful work. Check out their ideas on how to choose a great topic , embed evidence , use metaphors and more .

A contest that can act as a culminating project .

Over the years we’ve heard from many teachers that our contests serve as final projects in their classes, and this curriculum came about in large part because we want to help teachers “plan backwards” to support those projects.

All contest entries are considered by experts, whether Times journalists, outside educators from partner organizations, or professional practitioners in a related field. Winning means being published on our site, and, perhaps, in the print edition of The New York Times.

Additional support for teachers.

For each of the eight units in this curriculum, we offer either on-demand or live webinars that feature Learning Network editors as well as teachers who use The Times in their classrooms. Our webinars introduce participants to our many resources and provide practical how-to’s on how to use our prompts, mentor texts and contests in the classroom.

We also invite teachers to join our P.L.C. on teaching writing with The Times , where educators can share resources, strategies and inspiration about teaching with these units.

Below are the eight units we will offer in the 2021-22 school year.

September-October

Documenting and Reflecting on Teenage Lives

This unit was first developed in 2020 to acknowledge the profound effects of that tumultuous year on a generation of teenagers. Our open-ended invitation to “show us — in words or images, video or audio — how the events of this year have affected you” resulted in a deluge of extraordinary submissions, some of which were featured online and in a special print section .

Now, as schools reopen, teachers have asked us to run the unit and related contest again, this time to acknowledge a new set of issues and concerns. We all hope to return to something that looks like “normal life” soon, yet we will all return changed. How can we make space for students to process their experiences, but be mindful that these months have been traumatic for many? How could a project like this one help bring school communities together? And how might teaching students to document and reflect give them skills they can use, in and out of the classroom, for the rest of their lives?

This time we are asking , Who are you now? How do you think the last year and a half has shaped — and will continue to shape — you and your generation? What can you show or tell us that might help explain what it’s like to be a teenager in 2021? In answering these questions, students can choose any aspect, big or small, of what it means to be growing up in this moment, and send us work in almost any medium they can upload digitally.

Writing will be used as a tool throughout the unit to help students brainstorm, compose and edit, and all students will be asked to craft written artist’s statements to accompany their submissions. (Contest dates: Sept. 15-Oct. 27, 2021)

October-November

The Personal Narrative

While The Times is known for its award-winning journalism, the paper also has a robust tradition of publishing personal essays on topics like love , family , life on campus and navigating anxiety . And on our site, our daily writing prompts have long invited students to tell us their stories, too. Our 2019 collection of 550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing is a good place to start, though we add more every week during the school year.

In this unit we draw on many of these resources, plus some of the 1,000-plus personal essays from the Magazine’s long-running Lives column , to help students find their own “short, memorable stories ” and tell them well. Our related mentor-text lessons can help them practice skills like writing with voice , using details to show rather than tell , structuring a narrative arc , dropping the reader into a scene and more.

As part of our “Annotated by the Author” series, we also spotlight the work of three teenage winners of this contest. We invite students to use their advice, on keeping conclusions open-ended and using metaphors, for example, as inspiration and to submit their own stories to our Third Annual Personal Narrative Writing Contest. (Dates: Oct. 13-Nov. 17, 2021)

November-DECEMBER

Book reports and literary essays have long been staples of language arts classrooms, but this unit encourages students to learn how to critique art in other genres as well. As we point out, a cultural review is a form of argumentative essay. Your class might be writing about Lizzo or “ Looking for Alaska ,” but they still have to make claims and support them with evidence. And, just as they must in a literature essay, they have to read (or watch, or listen to) a work closely; analyze it and understand its context; and explain what is meaningful and interesting about it.

In our Mentor Texts series , we feature the work of Times movie , restaurant , book and music critics to help students understand the elements of a successful review. In these and other guided lessons, we also spotlight the work of teenage contest winners from previous years.

As a culminating project, we invite students to send us their own reviews of a book, movie, restaurant, album, theatrical production, video game, dance performance, TV show, art exhibition or any other kind of work The Times critiques. (Contest Dates: Nov. 10-Dec. 15, 2021)

January-February

The Journalistic Profile

How can focusing on one form of journalistic writing teach students cross-curricular skills like researching, asking effective questions, listening, note-taking, fact-checking, storytelling, connecting with local experts, and, of course, writing and editing to compose with clarity, voice and style?

We hope to show students how to do all of this in our step-by-step guide for participating in our new profile-writing contest . First, we will introduce them to Times profiles across sections, inviting them to read pieces about people who range from the world famous to the locally distinctive. Then, our curriculum will help walk students through the steps of choosing someone they are interested in to research, interview, photograph and introduce in their own short profile pieces .

Contest Dates: Jan. 5-Feb. 16, 2022

February-March

Informational Writing

Informational writing is the style of writing that dominates The New York Times as well as any other traditional newspaper you might read, and in this unit we hope to show students that it can be every bit as engaging and compelling to read and to write as other genres.

Via thousands of articles a month — from front-page reporting on politics to news about athletes in Sports, deep data dives in The Upshot, recipes in Cooking, advice columns in Style and long-form investigative pieces in the magazine — Times journalists find ways to experiment with the genre to intrigue and inform their audiences.

This unit invites students to take any STEM-related discovery, process or idea that interests them and write about it in a way that makes it understandable and engaging for a general audience — but all the skills we teach along the way can work for any kind of informational writing. Via our Mentor Texts series, we show them how to hook the reader from the start , use quotes and research , explain why a topic matters and more.

At the end of the unit, we invite teenagers to submit their own writing to our Third Annual STEM Writing Contest to show us what they’ve learned. (Dates: Feb. 2-March 9, 2022)

March-April

Argumentative Writing

The demand for evidence-based argumentative writing is now woven into school assignments across the curriculum and grade levels, and you couldn’t ask for better real-world examples than what you can find in The Times Opinion section .

This unit is, like our others, supported with writing prompts, mentor-text lesson plans, webinars and more. But thanks to the fact that we’ve run the related contest for eight years now, we also have several lesson plans and videos that focus on winning teenage work, on topics as varied as policing , anti-Asian racism , toxicity in gaming , saving the snow day , the “life-changing magic” of being messy and how “Animal Crossing” might save Gen Z .

At a time when media literacy is more important than ever, we hope that our annual Student Editorial Contest can encourage students to broaden their information diets with a range of reliable sources, and learn from a variety of perspectives on their chosen issue. (Dates: March 2-April 13, 2022)

Writing for Podcasts

Most of our writing units so far have all asked for essays of one kind or another, but this spring contest invites students to do what journalists at The Times do every day: make multimedia to tell a story, investigate an issue or communicate a concept.

Our annual podcast contest gives students the freedom to talk about anything they want in any form they like. In the past we’ve had winners who’ve done personal narratives, local travelogues, opinion pieces, interviews with community members, investigative journalism and descriptions of scientific discoveries.

As with all our other units, we have supported this contest with excellent examples from The Times and around the web, as well as with mentor texts by teenagers that offer guided practice in understanding elements and techniques. (Contest Dates: April 6-May 18, 2022)

June-August

Independent Reading and Writing

At a time when teachers are looking for ways to offer students more “voice and choice,” this unit, based on our annual summer contest, offers both.

Every year since 2010 we have invited teenagers around the world to add The New York Times to their summer reading lists and, so far, over 70,000 have. Every week for 10 weeks, we ask participants to choose something in The Times that has sparked their interest, then tell us why. At the end of the week, judges from the Times newsroom pick favorite responses, and we publish them on our site.

Our related Mentor Text feature spotlights the work of past winners , explains why newsroom judges admired their thinking, and provides four steps to helping any student write better reader-responses.

Because this is one of our most open-ended contests — students can choose whatever they like, and react however they like — it has proved over the years to be a useful place for young writers to hone their voices, practice skills and take risks . Join us! (Contest Dates: June 10-Aug. 19, 2022)

Home › Study Tips › Creative Writing Resources For Secondary School Students

Creative Writing Prompts For Middle School Students

• Published February 11, 2023

Table of Contents

Creative Writing Prompts for middle school students is a fun list to help unmotivated and uninspired students use their imagination. Do you know one of the major reasons why students struggle with their writing growth is a lack of inspiration and guidance? This can result in low creative thinking leading to lower-quality work and poor confidence.

With these creative writing prompts specifically tailored to middle school students, you’ll have a starting point for your writing. There’s nothing like a spark of inspiration to get you going! Do you need more structured guidance from Oxbridge tutors to give you a massive boost in your creative writing skills? Check out our most in-demand  creative writing summer school !

Are you ready to dive in and feel inspired by exciting writing prompt ideas? Read on!

The Best Writing Prompts for Middle School

Before getting started, you may want to delve deeper into some creative writing examples to get into the swing of things. If you’ve done that, then here are a few of the best writing prompts for middle school students that help spark creativity:

• Who’s your favourite character in a book? Try journaling from the character’s perspective.
• What topic are you passionate about? Write a persuasive essay on the topic. 
• Think about your favourite place on Planet Earth. Write a descriptive essay about it.
• Write a story that begins with the sentence, “It was a dark and stormy night.”
• If you had a time machine, where you would go and what you would do.
• Recall a memorable emotion or experience. Write a poem about it. 
• Think about a current event you find interesting. Write a news article about it. 
• Who would you approach if you could ask for advice from anyone, living or dead? Write them a letter. 
• Imagine you’re an astronaut travelling through space. Write a journal entry about your experience.
• What’s one of the most memorable moments in your life? Write a personal narrative about it. 
• Write a short story about a character who overcomes a challenge or obstacle.
• What topic did you learn about recently? Write an informative essay about it.
• Write a fictional diary entry from the point of view of a historical figure.
• What specific animal do you find beautiful? Write a descriptive poem about it.
• Describe your hopes and dreams for the next five years via a letter to your future self. 
• Imagine that you are stranded on a deserted island. Write a story about your experience.
• Write a scene in a play in an unusual setting.
• What place would you like to visit? Write a descriptive paragraph about it. 
• Write a personal reflection about a significant event or experience and what you have learned from it.
• What’s your favourite animal? Write a fictional story from your fave animal’s perspective.

Creative Story Ideas: 34 Story Starters and Prompts for Middle Schoolers

• A magical pen that brings drawings to life
• A group of friends find a hidden treasure map.
• A world where animals can talk
• A robot who develops human emotions
• A strange creature is discovered in the depths of the ocean.
• A character who can see into the future
• A young detective solves a series of mysterious crimes.
• Teenage superhero navigates the challenges of middle school while saving the world.
• A group of middle school students stumble upon a secret government experiment.
• The magical kingdom is hidden in a scary forest.
• A vengeful ghost haunts the basketball court at a small school.
• Time-travel adventure to the Wild West 100 years ago. 
• Friends have to save their town from a massive alien invasion.
• A character who learns to communicate with animals to save them from illegal hunters.
• A future world where AI technology controls everything.
• A distraught character who can control time and tries to change their past.
• Four teenagers go on a survival camping trip that turns into a nightmare.
• The magical creature must find a way back home against the efforts of evil humans who want to use its powers for their own purposes.
• A young girl discovers she was born 500 years ago.
• An orphan wakes up with no memory of who they are until they accidentally stumble upon an oddly familiar house.
• Students accidentally open a portal to another dimension and try to find their way back home fast because their final exam is a week away.
• A terrifying monster lives beneath the city streets. So why did it start terrorising the city all of a sudden?
• A gamer gets stuck in a video game. How can said gamer get out? Do they even want to?
• A middle school student starts having foreboding dreams that come true. What is the universe trying to warn them?
• Students attend a school for monster-slaying magic. So what monsters are they fighting against?
• A group of kids discover a secret underground society they must fight to save modern civilisation.
• An old man saves his town from a natural disaster in 13 minutes. 
• The dragon wakes up from a century-long slumber. Only to discover it’s the only one left.
• The robot becomes self-aware and must navigate human emotions.
• A young inventor creates a machine that can read minds for a sinister purpose.
• A magical place where everyone has a special ability gets tangled up in a civil war.
• Supernatural mystery in an old, abandoned mansion that can save the world from a looming threat.
• A haunted amusement park contains secrets that can solve a criminal case.
• A young scientist creates a potion that can make people fly.
• An evil character can control the elements. How will the average human hero stop them?

Writing Prompts for Stories That Start with Dialogue for Middle Schoolers

• “I can’t believe you did that,” John says to his best friend. Write a story about what John’s best friend did. 
• “I wish I could go back in time and change everything,” laments Jane. Write a story about Jane’s regrets. What would she do differently if given a chance?
• “I found something bizarre in the backyard,” said Tom to his sister. Write a story about what Tom found. How did the discovery change their lives? 
• “I can’t do this anymore!” screamed Sarah to her parents. What is Sarah complaining about? How did her parents react?
• “I’m going to run away,” whispers Michael to his classmates. Why does Michael plan on running away? What happens when he does?
• “I knew you were hiding something,” said Jack to his friend. Write a story about Jack’s discovery and how it affects their friendship.
• Blake cries to her family, “I’m not who you think I am!” 
• Write a story about how Alex stands up for himself against a bully. Starting with this line: “I’m not going to take it anymore,” 
• “I think we might be lost,” whimpers Lucy to her friends. Where are Lucy and her friends? Why did they get lost in the first place?
• Ryan is grappling with a massive decision. Begin the story with “I think this is a sign.”
• The principal walks through the hallway, saying to Teacher Clare, “Help your students cope with the recent tragedy that plagued our halls.” What happened?

General Creative Writing Ideas for Middle School Students

Here is a list of prompts to get those creative juices flowing:

• Talk about a time you were so happy you wish the moment would last forever.
• You went to art class with a blind friend. How would you describe the painting to them? Use descriptive words.
• If you could go on your dream vacation today, what would it be like?
• Make a list of the most thought-provoking questions you can come up with.
• You’re about to meet your favourite celebrity. What interview questions would you ask them?
• If you could choose what happens next in your life until death, what will your story look like?
• Imagine how your favourite pet was created and use procedural writing to describe the process.
• If you were to insert yourself in a book you read, how would you change the story?

Want more fun writing prompts ? Check these out! Write a/an:

• Short story about reluctant writers whose writing changes the world.
• Acrostic poem about friendship or love.
• Science fiction story about a futuristic world where your favourite toy is a legendary weapon with fearsome power.
• Letter that will help inspire your past self when you were in a difficult part in your life.
• Personal narrative about a memorable event from your childhood.
• Descriptive paragraph about a person you admire.
• Write a horror science fiction story about a world where technology is advanced beyond our current understanding.
• Background story for your least favourite side character.
• List of the benefits of writing. Use persuasive writing
• Instructional essay on how to make a magical portal.
• Mystery story where the main character finds the missing heirloom of an ancient noble family.
• Story about a boy who became a millionaire because of a video game idea.
• Personal letter to a historical figure, asking questions or seeking advice.
• Descriptive poem about a specific season or weather.
• Story about time travel and the consequences of changing the past.
• Fun story about a cross-country road trip you would like to take.
• Story about a character who is an outsider and how they find a sense of belonging.
• Terrifying story about a person haunted by a past event and how they come to terms with it.
• Heroic story about a character who journeys to discover their true identity.
• Persuasive letter to a public figure expressing your thoughts on a current issue

Journaling Prompts for Middle School Writing

Here are journal prompts for middle school kids:

• Describe your hometown.
• What’s your favourite season, and why?
• What are your greatest fears? Do you want to overcome them? Why or why not?
• Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
• Write a descriptive paragraph about your favourite food and why you like it.
• What’s the meaning of your life? Use reflective writing.
• What’s your favourite food and what does it remind you of?
• If you won the lottery today, what would you buy?
• Do you have a pet dog? How do you feel about your furry friend?
• Choose one event in your life you wish didn’t happen. Why?
• What’s your dream dinner party?
• Would you rather become a normal person or a superhero? Why?
• Who would you call first when you’re in a dangerous situation?
• When was the time you felt most peaceful? Describe what was happening.
• Do you enjoy story writing? Why or why not?
• What are your top 3 greatest accomplishments so far?
• If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
• What’s the most embarrassing experience you’ve had?
• If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? Why?
• What’s your dream job? Why?
• Describe your ideal friend.
• Imagine you are stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you want to have with you?
• Write about a time you tried something new and what you learned from the experience.
• What’s the most beautiful movie science you’ve seen? Describe it.
• If you could invent any item, what features would it have? And what is its purpose?

If you feel like challenging yourself then check out our high school creative writing prompts .

There you have it – a fun list of favourite writing prompts for middle schoolers to enjoy. What are your favourite ideas to write so far? And,

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What Can a Week of Work Experience in Health and Biotech Teach You?

• Share article

(This is the first post in a two-part series.)

The new question-of-the-week is:

What is the single most effective instructional strategy you have used to teach writing?

Teaching and learning good writing can be a challenge to educators and students alike.

The topic is no stranger to this column—you can see many previous related posts at Writing Instruction .

But I don’t think any of us can get too much good instructional advice in this area.

Today, Jenny Vo, Michele Morgan, and Joy Hamm share wisdom gained from their teaching experience.

Before I turn over the column to them, though, I’d like to share my favorite tool(s).

Graphic organizers, including writing frames (which are basically more expansive sentence starters) and writing structures (which function more as guides and less as “fill-in-the-blanks”) are critical elements of my writing instruction.

You can see an example of how I incorporate them in my seven-week story-writing unit and in the adaptations I made in it for concurrent teaching.

You might also be interested in The Best Scaffolded Writing Frames For Students .

Now, to today’s guests:

‘Shared Writing’

Jenny Vo earned her B.A. in English from Rice University and her M.Ed. in educational leadership from Lamar University. She has worked with English-learners during all of her 24 years in education and is currently an ESL ISST in Katy ISD in Katy, Texas. Jenny is the president-elect of TexTESOL IV and works to advocate for all ELs:

The single most effective instructional strategy that I have used to teach writing is shared writing. Shared writing is when the teacher and students write collaboratively. In shared writing, the teacher is the primary holder of the pen, even though the process is a collaborative one. The teacher serves as the scribe, while also questioning and prompting the students.

The students engage in discussions with the teacher and their peers on what should be included in the text. Shared writing can be done with the whole class or as a small-group activity.

There are two reasons why I love using shared writing. One, it is a great opportunity for the teacher to model the structures and functions of different types of writing while also weaving in lessons on spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

It is a perfect activity to do at the beginning of the unit for a new genre. Use shared writing to introduce the students to the purpose of the genre. Model the writing process from beginning to end, taking the students from idea generation to planning to drafting to revising to publishing. As you are writing, make sure you refrain from making errors, as you want your finished product to serve as a high-quality model for the students to refer back to as they write independently.

Another reason why I love using shared writing is that it connects the writing process with oral language. As the students co-construct the writing piece with the teacher, they are orally expressing their ideas and listening to the ideas of their classmates. It gives them the opportunity to practice rehearsing what they are going to say before it is written down on paper. Shared writing gives the teacher many opportunities to encourage their quieter or more reluctant students to engage in the discussion with the types of questions the teacher asks.

Writing well is a skill that is developed over time with much practice. Shared writing allows students to engage in the writing process while observing the construction of a high-quality sample. It is a very effective instructional strategy used to teach writing.

‘Four Square’

Michele Morgan has been writing IEPs and behavior plans to help students be more successful for 17 years. She is a national-board-certified teacher, Utah Teacher Fellow with Hope Street Group, and a special education elementary new-teacher specialist with the Granite school district. Follow her @MicheleTMorgan1:

For many students, writing is the most dreaded part of the school day. Writing involves many complex processes that students have to engage in before they produce a product—they must determine what they will write about, they must organize their thoughts into a logical sequence, and they must do the actual writing, whether on a computer or by hand. Still they are not done—they must edit their writing and revise mistakes. With all of that, it’s no wonder that students struggle with writing assignments.

In my years working with elementary special education students, I have found that writing is the most difficult subject to teach. Not only do my students struggle with the writing process, but they often have the added difficulties of not knowing how to spell words and not understanding how to use punctuation correctly. That is why the single most effective strategy I use when teaching writing is the Four Square graphic organizer.

The Four Square instructional strategy was developed in 1999 by Judith S. Gould and Evan Jay Gould. When I first started teaching, a colleague allowed me to borrow the Goulds’ book about using the Four Square method, and I have used it ever since. The Four Square is a graphic organizer that students can make themselves when given a blank sheet of paper. They fold it into four squares and draw a box in the middle of the page. The genius of this instructional strategy is that it can be used by any student, in any grade level, for any writing assignment. These are some of the ways I have used this strategy successfully with my students:

* Writing sentences: Students can write the topic for the sentence in the middle box, and in each square, they can draw pictures of details they want to add to their writing.

* Writing paragraphs: Students write the topic sentence in the middle box. They write a sentence containing a supporting detail in three of the squares and they write a concluding sentence in the last square.

* Writing short essays: Students write what information goes in the topic paragraph in the middle box, then list details to include in supporting paragraphs in the squares.

When I gave students writing assignments, the first thing I had them do was create a Four Square. We did this so often that it became automatic. After filling in the Four Square, they wrote rough drafts by copying their work off of the graphic organizer and into the correct format, either on lined paper or in a Word document. This worked for all of my special education students!

I was able to modify tasks using the Four Square so that all of my students could participate, regardless of their disabilities. Even if they did not know what to write about, they knew how to start the assignment (which is often the hardest part of getting it done!) and they grew to be more confident in their writing abilities.

In addition, when it was time to take the high-stakes state writing tests at the end of the year, this was a strategy my students could use to help them do well on the tests. I was able to give them a sheet of blank paper, and they knew what to do with it. I have used many different curriculum materials and programs to teach writing in the last 16 years, but the Four Square is the one strategy that I have used with every writing assignment, no matter the grade level, because it is so effective.

‘Swift Structures’

Joy Hamm has taught 11 years in a variety of English-language settings, ranging from kindergarten to adult learners. The last few years working with middle and high school Newcomers and completing her M.Ed in TESOL have fostered stronger advocacy in her district and beyond:

A majority of secondary content assessments include open-ended essay questions. Many students falter (not just ELs) because they are unaware of how to quickly organize their thoughts into a cohesive argument. In fact, the WIDA CAN DO Descriptors list level 5 writing proficiency as “organizing details logically and cohesively.” Thus, the most effective cross-curricular secondary writing strategy I use with my intermediate LTELs (long-term English-learners) is what I call “Swift Structures.” This term simply means reading a prompt across any content area and quickly jotting down an outline to organize a strong response.

To implement Swift Structures, begin by displaying a prompt and modeling how to swiftly create a bubble map or outline beginning with a thesis/opinion, then connecting the three main topics, which are each supported by at least three details. Emphasize this is NOT the time for complete sentences, just bulleted words or phrases.

Once the outline is completed, show your ELs how easy it is to plug in transitions, expand the bullets into detailed sentences, and add a brief introduction and conclusion. After modeling and guided practice, set a 5-10 minute timer and have students practice independently. Swift Structures is one of my weekly bell ringers, so students build confidence and skill over time. It is best to start with easy prompts where students have preformed opinions and knowledge in order to focus their attention on the thesis-topics-supporting-details outline, not struggling with the rigor of a content prompt.

Here is one easy prompt example: “Should students be allowed to use their cellphones in class?”

Swift Structure outline:

Thesis - Students should be allowed to use cellphones because (1) higher engagement (2) learning tools/apps (3) gain 21st-century skills

Topic 1. Cellphones create higher engagement in students...

Details A. interactive (Flipgrid, Kahoot)

B. less tempted by distractions

C. teaches responsibility

Topic 2. Furthermore,...access to learning tools...

A. Google Translate description

B. language practice (Duolingo)

C. content tutorials (Kahn Academy)

Topic 3. In addition,...practice 21st-century skills…

Details A. prep for workforce

B. access to information

C. time-management support

This bare-bones outline is like the frame of a house. Get the structure right, and it’s easier to fill in the interior decorating (style, grammar), roof (introduction) and driveway (conclusion). Without the frame, the roof and walls will fall apart, and the reader is left confused by circuitous rubble.

Once LTELs have mastered creating simple Swift Structures in less than 10 minutes, it is time to introduce complex questions similar to prompts found on content assessments or essays. Students need to gain assurance that they can quickly and logically explain and justify their opinions on multiple content essays without freezing under pressure.

Thanks to Jenny, Michele, and Joy for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

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Making English Fun

100 Creative Writing Prompts for Middle and Grade School Students

Creative writing is an important activity for middle and grade school students, as it nurtures imagination, enhances writing skills, and promotes self-expression.

Writing prompts provide a structured yet open-ended way for young writers to explore new ideas and build confidence in their abilities.

Here are 100 creative writing prompts designed specifically for middle and grade school students to inspire their creativity and help them develop their writing talents.

You can also download these from the link just below and at the end of the article

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts

Using creative writing prompts with middle and grade school students can be both fun and educational. Here are some steps to make the most out of these prompts:

• Choose a Prompt : Select a prompt that aligns with the students’ interests or current lessons. Make sure it is age-appropriate and exciting.
• Set a Writing Time : Allocate a specific amount of time for the writing activity, such as 10-20 minutes. This helps students focus and stay on task.
• Encourage Free Writing : Allow students to write freely without worrying too much about spelling or grammar. The goal is to get their ideas flowing.
• Share and Discuss : After writing, encourage students to share their stories with the class. This builds confidence and helps them learn from each other.
• Reflect and Expand : Discuss the stories and provide positive feedback. Encourage students to expand on their ideas and develop their stories further.

Tips for Using Prompts:

• Be Flexible : Allow students to interpret the prompts in their own way. There are no right or wrong answers.
• Incorporate Visuals : Use pictures or objects related to the prompts to stimulate imagination.
• Make it Fun : Turn it into a game or challenge, such as a “story of the day” or “writing marathon.”
• Encourage Creativity : Praise creative and unique ideas to boost students’ confidence and motivation.

Benefits of Creative Writing Prompts:

• Enhance Creativity : Prompts encourage students to think outside the box and use their imagination.
• Improve Writing Skills : Regular writing practice helps improve grammar, vocabulary, and overall writing ability.
• Build Confidence : Successfully completing writing tasks boosts students’ confidence and self-expression.
• Promote Critical Thinking : Analyzing prompts and developing stories helps build critical thinking skills.

Creative writing prompts are a great way to engage middle and grade school students in writing activities. They provide a structured yet flexible way to explore ideas and develop writing skills in a fun and supportive environment.

We also have Creative writing prompts for high school students here on the site as well.

Fantasy and Imagination

• Magic Pet : Imagine you have a magical pet. What kind of pet is it, and what adventures do you go on together?
• Secret Door : Write a story about finding a secret door in your school. Where does it lead?
• Superhero for a Day : If you could be a superhero for a day, what powers would you have, and how would you use them?
• Living in a Fairy Tale : Write about living in your favorite fairy tale. What role do you play?
• Time Travel : Imagine you can travel through time. Where do you go, and what do you see?
• Invisible for a Day : What would you do if you were invisible for a day?
• Talking Animals : If animals could talk, what would they say? Write a conversation between you and your pet.
• Wizard School : Describe your first day at a school for wizards. What classes do you take?
• Magic Potion : You find a magic potion that grants one wish. What do you wish for, and what happens?
• Adventure in Space : Imagine traveling to another planet. What is it like, and who do you meet?

Real-Life Scenarios

• Best Day Ever : Write about the best day you’ve ever had. What made it so special?
• Neighborhood Detective : You are a detective solving a mystery in your neighborhood. What clues do you find?
• Helping Hand : Describe a time when you helped someone. How did it make you feel?
• Dream Vacation : Write about your dream vacation. Where do you go, and what do you do?
• New Hobby : You decide to try a new hobby. What is it, and what do you learn?
• Favorite Holiday : Describe your favorite holiday and how you celebrate it.
• A Day with a Celebrity : Spend a day with your favorite celebrity. What do you do together?
• School Play : Write about being in a school play. What character do you play, and what is the story about?
• Pen Pal Adventure : You have a pen pal from another country. Write about your first letter to them.
• Sports Hero : Imagine you are a famous athlete. What sport do you play, and what challenges do you face ?

Animals and Nature

• Bird’s Eye View : Write a story from the perspective of a bird flying over your town. What do you see?
• Animal Adventure : If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be, and what would you do?
• Garden Fairy : Imagine you discover a fairy living in your garden. What adventures do you go on together?
• Forest Friends : Write about a day in the life of animals living in a forest .
• Underwater World : Describe an adventure under the sea. What creatures do you meet?
• Rescue Mission : You rescue an injured animal. How do you help it recover?
• Pet’s Perspective : Write a story from the perspective of your pet. What do they think about their day?
• Wild Safari : Imagine going on a safari. What animals do you see, and what adventures do you have?
• Seasonal Changes : Describe how your favorite place changes with the seasons.
• Nature Walk : Write about a walk in the woods. What do you see, hear, and feel?

Adventure and Exploration

• Hidden Treasure : Imagine you find a map leading to hidden treasure. What do you discover?
• Pirate’s Life : Write about a day at sea as a pirate searching for treasure.
• Mountain Climb : Describe an adventure climbing a mountain. What challenges do you face?
• Desert Journey : Write about traveling through a desert. What do you encounter?
• Island Survival : You are stranded on a deserted island. How do you survive and what do you do?
• Space Mission : Describe a mission to explore outer space. What do you discover?
• Haunted House : Write a story about exploring a haunted house. What mysteries do you uncover?
• Lost in a Maze : You are lost in a maze. How do you find your way out?
• Undercover Agent : Imagine you are an undercover agent on a secret mission. What do you have to do?
• Wild West : Write about an adventure in the Wild West. What characters do you meet?

Relationships and Emotions

• Friendship : Write about how you became friends with your best friend. What brought you together?
• Family Traditions : Describe a special family tradition. Why is it important to you?
• Acts of Kindness : Reflect on a time when someone showed you unexpected kindness. How did it impact you?
• Conflict Resolution : Write about a conflict between two friends and how they resolve it.
• First Day : Describe your first day at a new school. What emotions do you feel?
• Sibling Adventures : Write about an adventure with your siblings. What do you do together?
• New Friend : Imagine meeting a new friend from a different country. How do you communicate and what do you learn from each other?
• A Helping Hand : Write about a time you helped someone in need. What did you do, and how did it make you feel?
• Courage : Describe a time when you had to be brave. What happened, and how did you find the courage?
• Special Bond : Write about a special bond you have with a family member or pet. How do they make your life better?

School and Learning

• Favorite Subject : Write about your favorite school subject. Why do you enjoy it, and what have you learned?
• Class Project : Describe a class project you worked on. What was it about, and what did you learn from it?
• School Adventure : Imagine an unexpected adventure happening at your school. What happens?
• Teacher for a Day : If you could be a teacher for a day, what would you teach, and how?
• School Play : Write about being part of a school play. What role do you play, and how do you prepare for it?
• Field Trip : Describe a memorable field trip. Where did you go, and what did you experience?
• Homework Helper : Write about a time you helped a friend with their homework. How did you explain the concepts?
• Classroom Pet : Imagine your classroom has a pet. What kind of pet is it, and how do you take care of it?
• Science Experiment : Describe a science experiment you conducted. What was the hypothesis and the outcome?
• Reading Journey : Write about a book you read that had a big impact on you. What did you learn from it?

Holidays and Celebrations

• Holiday Magic : Write about your favorite holiday and what makes it special.
• Birthday Surprise : Describe a surprise birthday party you threw for a friend or family member.
• Festive Fun : Write about a holiday tradition you look forward to every year. How did it start, and what do you do?
• Halloween Adventure : Imagine going trick-or-treating in a magical neighborhood. What characters do you meet?
• New Year’s Goals : Write about your goals for the new year. How do you plan to achieve them?
• Christmas Wish : Describe a special Christmas wish you have. What would you do if it came true?
• Thanksgiving Feast : Write about preparing a Thanksgiving feast with your family. What dishes do you make?
• Easter Egg Hunt : Describe an Easter egg hunt adventure. What surprises do you find?
• Fourth of July : Write about celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks and fun activities.
• Valentine’s Day : Imagine planning a Valentine’s Day celebration for your friends. What do you do to make it special?

Science and Technology

• Future Inventions : Imagine you invented something that changes the world. What is it, and how does it work?
• Space Explorer : Write about being an astronaut on a mission to explore a new planet. What do you discover?
• Robot Friend : Describe a day with a robot friend. What can the robot do, and how does it help you?
• Eco-Friendly World : Imagine living in a world where everyone uses eco-friendly technology. What is daily life like?
• Underwater City : Write about a city built underwater. How do people live and what challenges do they face?
• Science Fair : Describe a science fair project you create. What is the hypothesis Section 8: Science and Technology (continued)
• Science Fair : Describe a science fair project you create. What is the hypothesis, and what are the results?
• Gadgets of the Future : Imagine a gadget that makes life easier. What does it do, and how does it work?
• Virtual Reality Adventure : Write about an adventure you have in a virtual reality world. What do you experience?
• Tech in School : How do you think technology will change schools in the future? Describe a day in a high-tech classroom.
• Space Station Life : Imagine living on a space station. What is your daily routine, and what challenges do you face?
• AI Assistant : Describe a day with an AI assistant that helps you with everything. How does it improve your life?
• Eco-Inventions : Write about an invention that helps protect the environment. How does it work?
• Exploring the Deep Sea : Imagine being a marine biologist exploring the deep sea. What creatures do you discover?
• Solar-Powered City : Write about a city that runs entirely on solar power. How is it different from other cities?
• Robotics Competition : Describe a robotics competition you participate in. What kind of robot do you build, and what challenges do you face?

Mystery and Thriller

• Lost Treasure : Write about finding a lost treasure map. What do you discover on your adventure?
• Haunted Library : Imagine exploring a haunted library. What spooky things do you encounter?
• Secret Agent Mission : You are a secret agent on a mission. What is your assignment, and how do you accomplish it?
• Mysterious Disappearance : Write about the mysterious disappearance of a class pet. How do you solve the mystery?
• Hidden Passage : You find a hidden passage in your home. Where does it lead, and what do you find?
• Unexplained Events : Describe a series of unexplained events happening in your town. How do you investigate them?
• Ghostly Encounter : Write about meeting a ghost. What does the ghost want, and how do you help it?
• Secret Society : Imagine discovering a secret society at your school. What do they do, and how do you join?
• Locked Room : Write a mystery set in a locked room. How do you solve the puzzle?
• Spy Gadget : Describe a high-tech spy gadget you use on a mission. How does it help you?

Diverse Cultures and Perspectives

• Cultural Festival : Write about attending a cultural festival from another country. What do you see, hear, and taste?
• Pen Pal from Afar : Imagine having a pen pal from a different country. What do you learn about their culture?
• Family Heritage : Describe a tradition from your family’s heritage. How is it celebrated, and what does it mean to you?
• Language Learning : Write about learning a new language. What challenges and fun experiences do you have?
• Global Adventure : Imagine traveling around the world. What different cultures and people do you encounter?

Creative writing prompts are an excellent way to inspire middle and grade school students to explore their imagination and improve their writing skills.

By engaging with diverse themes and scenarios, young writers can develop a deeper understanding of the world and their place in it.

Encourage your students to use these prompts regularly, share their stories, and continue honing their creative writing abilities.

Happy writing!

• https://storywritingacademy.com/creative-writing-prompts-middle-school/
• https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/writing-prompts-for-middle-school/

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Making English Fun!

I have been a teacher of English for over 15 years, in that time i made hundreds and thousands of resources and learnt so much i think its worth sharing. Hopefully to help teachers and parents around the world.

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Education Producer

• Madison, Wisconsin
• PUBLIC MEDIA/PBS WISCONSIN
• Public Broadcasting
• Partially Remote
• Staff-Full Time
• Opening at: May 21 2024 at 14:50 CDT
• Closing at: Jun 4 2024 at 23:55 CDT

Job Summary:

PBS Wisconsin Education's Education Producer develops and produces classroom media for upper elementary and middle school science, social studies, local history and culture, and English Language Arts studies. This may include identifying topics, themes, and/or learning goals, conducting research, writing scripts, interviewing guests, or directing hosts. This position primarily produces in video format, but may also produce interactives, animations, and educational text supports. In this hybrid role you will bring your aesthetic and creative skills to select stories and generate ideas for in-classroom learning media, manage logistics for and lead in the production of that media, and oversee and/or participate in post-production tasks all the way through media publishing. We are looking to fill two Education Producer positions. One position will primarily be focusing on producing science education content, while the other position will focus on Arts and Culture content produced for ELA classrooms. Both producers will be expected to assist with the production of media that focuses on other curricular content areas produced by our team. This position works with colleagues across the educational ecosystem to ensure that the content we create is aligned with educational standards in use in Wisconsin and works with advisors to ensure that the content is accurate and inclusive. This position reports to the Executive Producer of Education.

Responsibilities:

• 25% Researches and develops production strategy for one or more programs across broadcast and digital platforms
• 35% Produces, develops, and edits content that may include identifying topics, themes, guests, conducting pre-interviews and/or interviews, writing, and/or integrating content for multimedia platforms
• 10% Performs daily operational activities for live and pre-recorded content, and may direct the editorial and creative process of production activities
• 15% Collaborates with other content creators in pre- to post-production processes, prepares materials, and handles logistics for broadcast and/or digital publications
• 5% Maintains familiarity with studio equipment and/or applicable technology for production
• 5% May schedule and direct operational activities for content production, including live/recorded studio or field productions
• 5% Collaborate with project partners, educators, and cross-department units to ensure produced media aligns with agreed upon or desired learning goals.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Preferred Bachelor's Degree in media production and/or science education/ELA curricular areas.

Qualifications:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - Experience producing video and/or creating educational resources. - Competency in video production; experience with pre-production, production, and/or post-production processes. - Strong written communication skills as needed for the pre-production process. e.g. Script development, curriculum development etc. - Proven ability to translate topics into easily understood material, with an ability to employ engaging, creative approaches. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Technical cinematography skills, including knowledge of DSLR and/or cinema-style cameras, lenses, and lighting. - Technical knowledge of video editing post-production, including familiarity with Adobe Premiere and motion graphics. - Familiarity communicating topics for learning, familiarity with National or Wisconsin state standards - For the Education Science Producer; experience communicating science topics for learning, familiarity with National or Wisconsin state science standards, and familiarity with environmental education and climate science. - For the Education Arts & Culture Producer, familiarity communicating ELA topics for learning, familiarity with National or Wisconsin state ELA standards, and familiarity with ELA education.

Full Time: 100% This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $56,112 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications We expect to pay in the mid to high 50's to low 60's. Actual pay will depend on qualifications.

Additional Information:

The person in this position will be required to comply with the Ethical Guidelines for All Staff of Wisconsin Public Radio and Television located here: https://www.wpr.org/wpr-ethical-guidelines , in addition to the UW-Madison code of ethics. Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. #PBS

How to Apply:

The following must be received for your application to be complete: 1) Resume 2) A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, including additional information on any of the required or preferred experience bullet points that connect to your experience and background. 3) A portfolio that includes two to four video pieces that you have worked on. We will also accept other media formats, such as animations, interactives, or other educational media. Choose samples where the intent of the piece is to explain or educate on a topic. Include a paragraph explaining your exact role in creating the resource or media, what aspects you were not directly responsible for or involved in, and what you think is successful about the work. 4) Optional (not required to complete application): Samples of lesson plans or curriculum development, or a cinematography reel. Finalists will be asked to provide a list of at least three professional references with titles, emails, and phone numbers (including at least one supervisory reference). Note that references will not be contacted without your prior knowledge.

Amanda Vinova [email protected] 608-262-0598 Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Multimedia Producer II(PB007)

Department(s):

A46-PUBLIC MEDIA/PBS WISCONSIN

Employment Class:

Academic Staff-Renewable

Job Number:

The university of wisconsin-madison is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer..

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Khabarovsk Krai

Administrative divisions, heavy industry, demographics, ethnic groups, settlements, sister relations, external links.

Being dominated by the Siberian High winter cold, the continental climates of the krai see extreme freezing for an area adjacent to the sea near the mid-latitudes, but also warm summers in the interior. The southern region lies mostly in the basin of the lower Amur River , with the mouth of the river located at Nikolaevsk-on-Amur draining into the Strait of Tartary , which separates Khabarovsk Krai from the island of Sakhalin . The north occupies a vast mountainous area along the coastline of the Sea of Okhotsk , a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean . Khabarovsk Krai is bordered by Magadan Oblast to the north; Amur Oblast , Jewish Autonomous Oblast , and the Sakha Republic to the west; Primorsky Krai to the south; and Sakhalin Oblast to the east.

The population consists of mostly ethnic Russians , but indigenous people of the area are numerous, such as the Tungusic peoples ( Evenks , Negidals , Ulchs , Nanai , Oroch , Udege ), Amur Nivkhs , and Ainu . [10]

Khabarovsk Krai shares its borders with Magadan Oblast in the north; with the Sakha Republic and Amur Oblast in the west; with the Jewish Autonomous Oblast , China ( Heilongjiang ), and Primorsky Krai in the south; and is limited by the Sea of Okhotsk in the east. In terms of area, it is the fourth-largest federal subject within Russia. Major islands include the Shantar Islands .

Taiga and tundra in the north, swampy forest in the central depression, and deciduous forest in the south are the natural vegetation in the area. The main rivers are the Amur , Amgun , Uda , and Tugur , among others. There are also lakes such as Bokon , Bolon , Chukchagir , Evoron , Kizi , Khummi , Orel , and Udyl , among others. [11]

Khabarovsk Krai has a severely continental climate with its northern areas being subarctic with stronger maritime summer moderation in the north. In its southerly areas, especially inland, annual swings are extremely strong, with Khabarovsk itself having hot, wet, and humid summers which rapidly transform into severely cold and long winters, where temperatures hardly ever go above freezing. This is because of the influence of the East Asian monsoon in summer and the bitterly cold Siberian High in winter. The second-largest city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur has even more violent temperature swings than Khabarovsk, with winter average lows below −30   °C (−22   °F) , but in spite of this, avoiding being subarctic because of the significant heat in summer.

The main mountain ranges in the region are the Bureya Range , the Badzhal Range (highest point 2,221 metres (7,287   ft) high, the Gora Ulun ), the Yam-Alin , the Dusse-Alin , the Sikhote-Alin , the Dzhugdzhur Mountains , the Kondyor Massif , as well as a small section of the Suntar-Khayata Range , the Yudoma-Maya Highlands , and the Sette-Daban in the western border regions. The highest point is 2,933 metres (9,623   ft) high, Berill Mountain . [12] [13]

There are a number of peninsulas along the krai's extensive coast, the main ones being (north to south) the Lisyansky Peninsula , Nurki Peninsula , Tugurskiy Peninsula , and the Tokhareu Peninsula .

The main islands of Khabarovsk Krai (north to south) are Malminskiye Island , the Shantar Islands , Menshikov Island , Reyneke Island (Sea of Okhotsk) , Chkalov Island , Baydukov Island , and the Chastye Islands . The island of Sakhalin (Russia's largest) is administered separately as Sakhalin Oblast , along with the Kuril Islands .

The charts below detail climate averages from various locations in the krai. Khabarovsk is set near the Chinese border at a lower latitude far inland, while Komsomolsk-on-Amur being further downstream on the Amur river at a higher latitude. Sovetskaya Gavan and Okhotsk are coastal settlements in the deep south and far north, respectively.

According to various Chinese and Korean records, the southern part of Khabarovsk Krai was originally occupied by one of the five semi-nomadic Shiwei , the Bo Shiwei tribes, and the Black Water Mohe tribes living, respectively, on the west and the east of the Bureya and the Lesser Khingan ranges.

In 1643, Vassili Poyarkov 's boats descended the Amur , returning to Yakutsk by the Sea of Okhotsk and the Aldan River , and in 1649–1650, Yerofey Khabarov occupied the banks of the Amur. The resistance of the Chinese, however, obliged the Cossacks to quit their forts, and by the Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689), Russia abandoned its advance into the basin of the river.

Although the Russians were thus deprived of the right to navigate the Amur River, the territorial claim over the lower courses of the river was not settled in the Treaty of Nerchinsk of 1689. The area between the Uda River and the Greater Khingan mountain range (i.e. most of Lower Amuria) was left undemarcated and the Sino-Russian border was allowed to fluctuate. [20] [21]

Later in the nineteenth century, Nikolay Muravyov conducted an aggressive policy with China by claiming that the lower reaches of the Amur River belonged to Russia . In 1852, a Russian military expedition under Muravyov explored the Amur, and by 1857, a chain of Russian Cossacks and peasants had been settled along the whole course of the river. In 1858, in the Treaty of Aigun , China recognized the Amur River downstream as far as the Ussuri River as the boundary between Russia and the Qing Empire, and granted Russia free access to the Pacific Ocean. [22] The Sino-Russian border was later further delineated in the Treaty of Peking of 1860 when the Ussuri Territory (the Maritime Territory ), which was previously a joint possession, became Russian. [23]

Khabarovsk Krai was established on 20 October 1938, when the Far Eastern Krai was split into the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krais . [24] Kamchatka Oblast , which was originally subordinated to the Far Eastern Krai, fell under the Jurisdiction of Khabarovsk Krai, along with its two National Okrugs, Chukotka and Koryak . In 1947, the northern part of Sakhalin was removed from the Krai to join the southern part and form Sakhalin Oblast . In 1948, parts of its southwestern territories were removed from the Krai to form Amur Oblast . In 1953, Magadan Oblast was established from the northern parts of the Krai and was given jurisdiction over Chukotka National Okrug, which was originally under the jurisdiction of Kamchatka oblast. In 1956, Kamchatka Oblast became its own region and took Koryak National Okrug with it. The Krai took its modern form in 1991, just before the USSR's collapse when the Jewish Autonomous Oblast was created within its territory. On 24 April 1996, Khabarovsk signed a power-sharing agreement with the federal government, granting it autonomy. [25] This agreement would be abolished on 12 August 2002. [26]

During the Soviet period, the high authority in the oblast was shared between three persons: The first secretary of the Khabarovsk CPSU Committee (who, in reality, had the biggest authority), the chairman of the oblast Soviet (legislative power), and the Chairman of the oblast Executive Committee (executive power). Since 1991, CPSU lost all the power, and the head of the Oblast administration, and eventually the governor, was appointed/elected alongside elected regional parliament .

The Charter of Khabarovsk Krai is the fundamental law of the krai. The Legislative Duma of Khabarovsk Krai is the regional standing legislative (representative) body. The Legislative Duma exercises its authority by passing laws, resolutions, and other legal acts and by supervising the implementation and observance of the laws and other legal acts passed by it. The highest executive body is the Krai Government, which includes territorial executive bodies, such as district administrations, committees, and commissions that facilitate development and run the day to day matters of the province. The Krai Administration supports the activities of the Governor , who is the highest official and acts as guarantor of the observance of the Charter in accordance with the Constitution of Russia .

On 9 July 2020, the governor of the region, Sergei Furgal , was arrested and flown to Moscow. The 2020 Khabarovsk Krai protests began on 11 July 2020, in support of Furgal. [27]

Khabarovsk Krai is the most industrialized territory of the Far East of Russia, producing 30% of the total industrial products in the Far Eastern Economic Region.

The machine construction industry consists primarily of a highly developed military–industrial complex of large-scale aircraft- and shipbuilding enterprises. [28] The Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association is currently among the krai's most successful enterprises, and for years has been the largest taxpayer of the territory. [28] Other major industries include timber-working and fishing , along with metallurgy in the main cities. Komsomolsk-on-Amur is the iron and steel centre of the Far East; a pipeline from northern Sakhalin supplies the petroleum-refining industry in the city of Khabarovsk . In the Amur basin, there is also some cultivation of wheat and soybeans . The administrative centre , Khabarovsk, is at the junction of the Amur River and the Trans-Siberian Railway .

The region's mineral resources are relatively underdeveloped. Khabarovsk Krai contains large gold mining operations (Highland Gold, Polus Gold), a major but low-grade copper deposit being explored by IG Integro Group , and a world-class tin district which was a major contributor to the Soviet industrial complex and is currently being revitalised by Far Eastern Tin (Festivalnoye mine) and by Sable Tin Resources Archived March 13, 2017, at the Wayback Machine , which is developing the Sable Tin Deposit (Sobolinoye) , a large high-grade deposit, 25   km from Solnechny town.

Population : 1,292,944   ( 2021 Census ) ; [29] 1,343,869   ( 2010 Census ) ; [9] 1,436,570   ( 2002 Census ) ; [30] 1,824,506   ( 1989 Census ) . [31]

Vital statistics for 2022: [33] [34]

• Births: 12,404 (9.6 per 1,000)
• Deaths: 18,209 (14.0 per 1,000)

Total fertility rate (2022): [35] 1.50 children per woman

Life expectancy (2021): [36] Total — 67.85 years (male   — 62.91, female   — 72.94)

According to a 2012 survey, [37] 26.2% of the population of Khabarovsk Krai adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church , 4% are unaffiliated generic Christians , 1% adhere to other Orthodox churches or are believers in Orthodox Christianity who do not belong to any church, while 1% are adherents of Islam . In addition, 28% of the population declared to be "spiritual but not religious", 23% are atheist , and 16.8% follow other religions or did not give an answer to the question. [37]

There are the following institutions of higher education in Khabarovsk Krai. [39] [40]

• Pacific National University
• Far Eastern State University of Humanities
• Far Eastern State Medical University
• Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law   [ ru ]
• Far Eastern State Transport University
• Far Eastern Academy of Government Services
• Far Eastern State Physical Education University
• Khabarovsk State Institute of Arts and Culture
• Komsomolsk-on-Amur State Technical University
• Komsomolsk-on-Amur State Pedagogical institute

• Amur Khabarovsk , a professional hockey club of the international Kontinental Hockey League and plays its home games at the Platinum Arena .
• FC SKA-Energiya Khabarovsk is a professional association football team playing in the Russian Football National League , the second tier of Russian association football.
• SKA-Neftyanik is a professional bandy club which plays in the top-tier Russian Bandy Super League at its own indoor venue Arena Yerofey . In the 2016–17 season , the club became Russian champion for the first time. [41]

The city was a host to the 1981 Bandy World Championship as well as to the 2015 Bandy World Championship . For the 2015 games, twenty-one teams originally were expected, which would have been four more than the record-making seventeen from the 2014 tournament , but eventually, only sixteen teams came. The A Division of the 2018 Bandy World Championship was again to be played in Khabarovsk. [42]

• List of Chairmen of the Legislative Duma of Khabarovsk Krai
• Tourism in Khabarovsk Krai

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• ↑ Президент Российской Федерации.   Указ   №849   от   13 мая 2000 г. «О полномочном представителе Президента Российской Федерации в федеральном округе». Вступил в силу   13 мая 2000 г. Опубликован: "Собрание законодательства РФ", No.   20, ст. 2112, 15 мая 2000 г. (President of the Russian Federation.   Decree   # 849   of   May 13, 2000 On the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in a Federal District . Effective as of   May 13, 2000.).
• ↑ Госстандарт Российской Федерации.   №ОК 024-95   27 декабря 1995 г. «Общероссийский классификатор экономических регионов. 2.   Экономические районы», в ред. Изменения №5/2001 ОКЭР. ( Gosstandart of the Russian Federation.   # OK 024-95   December 27, 1995 Russian Classification of Economic Regions. 2.   Economic Regions , as amended by the Amendment   # 5/2001 OKER. ).
• 1 2 Charter of Khabarovsk Krai, Article   4
• ↑ "Оценка численности постоянного населения по субъектам Российской Федерации" . Federal State Statistics Service . Retrieved September 1, 2022 .
• ↑ "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года" . Federal State Statistics Service . Retrieved January 23, 2019 .
• ↑ "Об исчислении времени" . Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011 . Retrieved January 19, 2019 .
• ↑ Official throughout the Russian Federation according to Article   68.1 of the Constitution of Russia .
• 1 2 Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том   1 [ 2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol.   1 ] . Всероссийская перепись населения 2010   года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service .
• ↑ Chaussonnet, p.109
• ↑ Topographic map N-53; M 1: 1,000,00
• ↑ Khabarovsk Krai Mountains - PeakVisor
• ↑ Google Earth
• ↑ "Pogoda.ru.net" (in Russian) . Retrieved November 8, 2021 .
• ↑ "Habarovsk/Novy (Khabarovsk) Climate Normals 1961–1990" . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved November 2, 2021 .
• ↑ "climatebase.ru (1948-2011)" . Retrieved April 28, 2012 .
• ↑ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia" . Weatherbase. 2012. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
• ↑ "Weather and Climate-The Climate of Okhotsk" (in Russian). Weather and Climate (Погода и климат). Archived from the original on December 3, 2019 . Retrieved December 3, 2019 .
• ↑ "Ohotsk (Okhotsk) Climate Normals 1961–1990" . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved December 3, 2019 .
• ↑ "1689, Nerchinsk – Russia" . China's External Relations .
• ↑ Alexei D. Voskressenski (2002). Russia and China: A Theory of Inter-State Relations . Routledge. pp.   107–108. ISBN   978-0700714957 .
• ↑ "1858, Aigun – Russia" . China's External Relations .
• ↑ Alexei D. Voskressenski (2002). Russia and China: A Theory of Inter-State Relations . Routledge. pp.   112–113. ISBN   978-0700714957 .
• ↑ Decree of October   20, 1938
• ↑ Solnick, Steven (May 29, 1996). "Asymmetries in Russian Federation Bargaining" (PDF) . The National Council for Soviet and East European Research : 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022.
• ↑ Chuman, Mizuki. "The Rise and Fall of Power-Sharing Treaties Between Center and Regions in Post-Soviet Russia" (PDF) . Demokratizatsiya : 146. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022.
• ↑ "Anger at Kremlin Grows in Latest Massive Russian Far East Protest" . The Moscow Times . July 25, 2020.
• 1 2 "KNAAPO Komsomolsk na Amure Aviation Industrial Association named after Gagarin - Russian" . www.globalsecurity.org .
• ↑ Russian Federal State Statistics Service. Всероссийская перепись населения 2020 года. Том 1 [ 2020 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1 ] (XLS) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service .
• ↑ Russian Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов   – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3   тысячи и более человек [ Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000 ] (XLS) . Всероссийская перепись населения 2002   года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).
• ↑ Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989   г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров [ All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers ] . Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989   года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly .
• ↑ "Национальный состав населения" . Federal State Statistics Service . Retrieved December 30, 2022 .
• ↑ "Information on the number of registered births, deaths, marriages and divorces for January to December 2022" . ROSSTAT . Archived from the original on March 2, 2023 . Retrieved February 21, 2023 .
• ↑ "Birth rate, mortality rate, natural increase, marriage rate, divorce rate for January to December 2022" . ROSSTAT . Archived from the original on March 2, 2023 . Retrieved February 21, 2023 .
• ↑ Суммарный коэффициент рождаемости [ Total fertility rate ] . Russian Federal State Statistics Service (in Russian). Archived from the original (XLSX) on August 10, 2023 . Retrieved August 10, 2023 .
• ↑ "Демографический ежегодник России" [ The Demographic Yearbook of Russia ] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat) . Retrieved June 1, 2022 .
• 1 2 3 "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia" . Sreda, 2012.
• ↑ 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps . "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. Archived .
• ↑ The Institutions of Higher Education in Khabarovsk Krai Archived December 28, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
• ↑ "Independent Russian and Ukrainian Interpreters" . RusMoose.com .
• ↑ "Google Translate" . translate.google.co.uk .
• ↑ "Annual Congress in Sandviken, Sweden on Jan 30 2017 2017-01-28" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2017 . Retrieved February 23, 2017 .
• ↑ Gyeongsangnam-do official website English Archived September 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
• ↑ "Sister cities of the Hyogo Prefecture" . Archived from the original on October 29, 2007 . Retrieved January 10, 2009 .
• Хабаровская краевая Дума.   Постановление   №150   от   30 ноября 1995 г. «Устав Хабаровского края», в ред. Закона №152 от   23 декабря 2015 г.   «О внесении изменений в статьи   26 и   34 Устава Хабаровского края». Вступил в силу   16 января 1996 г. Опубликован: "Тихоокеанская звезда", №№7–8, 13 и 16 января 1996 г. (Khabarovsk Krai Duma.   Resolution   # 150   of   November   30, 1995 Charter of Khabarovsk Krai , as amended by the Law   # 152 of   December   23, 2015 On Amending Articles   26 and   34 of the Charter of Khabarovsk Krai . Effective as of   January   16, 1996.).
• Президиум Верховного Совета СССР.   Указ   от   20 октября 1938 г. «О разделении Дальневосточного края на Приморский и Хабаровский края». ( Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR .   Decree   of   October   20, 1938 On Splitting Far Eastern Krai into Primorsky and Khabarovsk Krais . ).
• Chaussonnet, Valerie (1995) Native Cultures of Alaska and Siberia . Arctic Studies Center. Washington, D.C. 112p. ISBN   1-56098-661-1
• (in Russian) — Official website of Khabarovsk Krai
• Information concerning the Shiwei tribes and their relationship with the Khitans
• (in Russian) — Brief history of Khabaovsk Krai