Add+a+Line



This activity was adapted from a poetry workshop that my students participated in, during my internship.

It is a good way to get students thinking about writing and starting the process of writing, for the day.

Directions

1. Choose a theme, relevant to your subject area or unit topic. Place a quotation, theme, or topic on the board. For example: Social Studies- War, Science- photosynthesis, Elementary- the color red, Language Arts- deceit, Math- Hexagons.

2. Ask the class to take two minutes to reflect on the quotation, theme, or topic and jot down three words.

3. Separate the class into groups of 4 or 5.

4. Ask one student to take out a piece of paper and each student to take out a pen or pencil.

5. Designate a student to begin the activity and write two lines of poetry or prose, using their reflection notes.

6. After 35 seconds, ask the author to cover their first line and switch writers.

7. Continue until each student has written 2 lines, using only the last line of the previous person’s writing.

8. Once the Add a line activity is complete, ask students to share out their work.