war creative writing lesson

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Creative Writing - War.

Creative Writing - War

We all heard the disquieting crunch, off in the far distance. For a few seconds, we remained still, sinking deeper into the mud, anticipating another sound to calm our nerves. Instead, a fraudulent silence followed. General Loft's reaction was delayed; his hand shot up immediately as he remembered his position. Hurriedly, he waved us down. For a second he starred hard into the dense green jungle, trying to pierce through it with his eyes. Ours were focused on his right hand, awaiting further instructions. His eyes widened, with fear and urgency he turned to face us. His mouth opened, but all we could hear was a neat and tidy screech, travelling through the sharp leaves. Blood exploded out of Loft's neck as the bullet made impact. His fall to the ground was slow; it seemed to suck out all the sound around us. As the general's body splattered into the swamp, the monstrous crackle of machine gun fire roared around us. Chests began bursting around me, blood and dirt spitting everywhere. A few men tried to run, but they were consumed by a grenade's unleashed inferno. The medic seemed to be dodging bullets for a while, until a mass of them, entered his right cheek. There were shouts of 'run', 'take cover', each with a sense of unease and terror. The bullets were not moving through the air, they were simply atmospheric. I decided it would be hopeless to try and escape, it was equally foolish to attempt to fight. I slid down onto my back, and closed my eyes. As the thunderous noise raged on, I prayed to God to spare my life.

I had joined the British Army in late 1941, without much enthusiasm. My father encouraged me to sign up after our home in Coventry, was flattened during the Blitz in 1940. He had fought in the First World War, but was sent back from the Western Front after a shell landed in his trench, blowing his leg off and killing his First Sergeant;

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 'At least one Atherton should be apart of a Great British victory' he would say. Two years my senior, my brother Michael was not seen by my father to be 'that' Atherton. He complained he was too much like my mother, who was German born. When the bombing raids began, the local community disowned my family because of this. In the eyes of my father, by helping my nation defeat the enemy, it would put things right. So I put my dreams of becoming a doctor aside, and decided to join the war effort. My mother was too frightened to come to the door, so the only goodbye I received were a few obtuse words, from my father as I walked away;

'Give the Geris a good bullocking, for your old man'. Much to my father's dismay, I would not be joining my fellow countrymen in Europe, but instead joining the war in the Far East. I was placed in 'Quick Arrow', a ground troop regiment of the British army. Our group had earned its name because of the speed and accuracy we had shown on training operations. On the 21 st  December, after three months of training in Southampton, we were sent to a large British base in Singapore. The war had begun for me, against the Japanese Empire.

 One day prior to our ambush in the jungle, we had been marching along the Bepong River, in the south of Malaya. Quick Arrow had been assigned there to resist Japanese forces, attempting a ground offences against the large base in Singapore, via Malaya. The allies were confident that if the Japanese were to attack the base, it would be by sea, not by land. Therefore, only a few other British Regiments were located in Malaya. We had been marching along the very same river for the last month. Back and forth, with no sign of the enemy. By now, even the most frightened of men wanted to fight. Troops would fire a few rounds into the air, to let out their frustration. Many suffered severe foot cramp and blisters. Our faces became dominated with mosquito bites. We had even come to the point, that we were sick and tired of the beautiful surroundings. We passed the rice farming community, as we did every day. We looked at them with baffled faces that day. They offered us their usual greetings, nodding and smiling at us. But their gestures were more anxious then usual. They seemed to have increased in number too. The eyes of four Malayan men, wearing sarongs, followed us as we walked. Staring at us with suspicious expressions. We thought nothing of it and carried on with our walk. After all, there were bound to be a few Malayans that were unhappy with our presence.

We arrived back at our base later than usual that night. Our 'base' was simply a few huts that we had occupied in a local village. That particular night was cool. Silent too. Two local children sat beside me at the fire. I showed them the music box my mother gave me. A fairy would rotated on a yellow base, as the music plucked out. The children's laughs showed me how special the toy was. They scampered off as General Loft came out of his quarter's to address us;

'I just received a call from the Singapore. We'll be moving into the jungle tomorrow, so get some sleep and I'll see you boys in the morning'. There wasn't a guarantee of coming into combat with the enemy, but at least it was a change of scenery. I couldn't wait to go into the jungle.

I had been lying in the muddy ditch for two hours. The shock and fear to what had just happened had kept me there.

 My eyes rolled around, the pure smell of the jungle had been contaminated by the smell of death. A leather boot stomped directly in front of my eyes. It belonged to a short man. He pulled me up roughly and starred directly into my eyes. Another man stood next to him, two others in searching for useful artillery. All were wearing Malayan sarongs. They looked looking at me in disgust. I remember thinking to myself, 'Oh my God, these Nips are going to kill me!' I was thrown onto a truck, carrying four other British troops who had been captured. It was on its way to a Japanese base. The jungle provided an excellent division between us; a marvellous camouflage for them. I wasn't naïve in thinking that these Japs pitied me. They hadn't killed me, because they desired to execute all of us, one by one at their headquarters. As the truck staggered along the bumpy road, the Japanese officer guarding us spoke.

'You coward, you no fight'. Our heads remained faced down, we didn't know whom he was addressing, and we didn't want to know. He swiftly got up from his crouched position, ran over to me and struck my shoulder with the side of his hand;

 'You no fight, you like baby'. His words were fierce as he continued to mock me. After spitting on my shoes, he returned to his position on the truck, and with a dry throat he laughed as he watched over us. His laughter was dry, it echoed throughout the jungle. I gazed up at him, and then busted out into tears. They had blindfolded us for the last few miles of the journey. With my hands tied firmly behind my back, I was flung against a tough wall. They removed my blindfold, but left my hands as they were. The room was dark, but the walls appeared to be metallic. It was a cell. This base had been here for sometime. A crack in the wall, which allowed a small amount of light in. I was able to count the days because I this. On the third day I was fed. A plate of lentils and rice was dropped four feet away from me, much of it spilling on the floor. My hands were not untied.

 The first few months in captivity I spent sobbing and shouting. I hurled myself against the door on occasions. Nobody came to shut me up, only to take me to the toilet. Then, left me in silence, alone;

 'You bastard Nips, come and fight me.' I would curse like this for a while, with no response. This reduced me to tears. I cried myself to sleep most nights, pleading for someone to come, until I fell asleep. Then, they would come;

'You Brits, you all fucking babies' they screamed as they beat me. I always had trouble falling asleep those first few months. The unbearable moans of other prisoners rang throughout the night. cogd gdr segdgdw orgd gdk ingd fogd gd.

'Mummy, I want my Mummy!' One morning, I crawled over to the crack in the wall and looked out for the first time. I could see four men on the ground, dead. Their bodies were rotting; the circling flies said they had been dead for some time. They were placed outside my cell for a reason. If the Japs were going to kill me, they would have done it by now. I realised I wouldn't be executed; I would just be in this cell, for a very long time.

 After the first few months, I got over my troubles. The beating still occurred, but not as often. I still had to crawl for my food. But I was used to it; after all, I had forgotten how to walk. It must have been after few years, that I experience my most pleasant moment as a prisoner. It was a sunny day; the light beamed through the crack and painted my face gold. I watched the dust particles dance on the yellow ray, it was bliss. I smiled. Weber oppressed dazzle's rationalisation hypothesis.

I remained a prisoner of the Japanese army for the next four years. American soldiers freed me, and 34 other prisoners in 1946. The Japanese took the base the British Base at Singapore in February 1941. They took 80,000 prisoners of war. They had succeeded, through a ground offensive.

Document Details

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28 Writing Prompts About War

So you wanna write about war, but… war already feels written about, right?

Yeah, it’s a heavy topic with a long history.

From epic poems to gritty modern novels, war’s been dissected a million times over. But fear not, fellow wordsmiths! There’s always a fresh angle, a unique story waiting to be told.

This post is here to spark that fire. We’re diving into war-themed writing prompts right now.

Let’s check them out.

Writing Prompts About War

In the throes of World War II, a soldier writes letters to his beloved. Fifty years later, a young woman stumbles upon these letters in an old trunk and feels an irresistible urge to respond, attempting to heal old wounds and bridge the chasm of time. What messages does she pen, and what mysteries unfold as she delves deeper into the soldier’s life and times?

The physical damages of war are evident, but the emotional and psychological scars are often hidden. Your protagonist returns home from the warfront only to find that the war has followed him in haunting memories and triggering situations. How does he cope, and what strategies does he employ to help heal himself and his relationships?

Twin siblings are caught in the turbulence of a civil war. While one chooses to join the rebels, believing in their cause, the other remains loyal to the ruling government. How do their paths intersect throughout the conflict, and what choices do they make when they come face to face?

Not all roles in the war are about fighting. A nurse in a military hospital faces the harrowing task of tending to the wounded, both allies and enemies alike. As she documents her experiences in a diary, she uncovers a secret about one of her patients. What revelations await her, and how do they reshape her understanding of the war?

A pacifist is conscripted into a raging conflict. On the battlefield, he discovers not only the grim realities of war but also his own latent potential for leadership and strategy. In a world painted in shades of grey, how does he reconcile his personal beliefs with the brutal necessities of war?

Amidst the din of war, a soldier hears a haunting melody being played from the enemy camp. Enchanted, he risks his life to meet the musician and learns about the stories and hopes that inspire such beautiful tunes amidst chaos. How does this shared love for music influence the choices they make in the midst of a brutal war?

Children growing up in a war-torn city develop an intricate game that mirrors the strategies and battles they witness daily. Through their innocent eyes, the reader gets a fresh perspective on the complexities of warfare. How does this game affect their understanding of right and wrong, and what lessons do they offer to the adults around them?

In a world recovering from a long and devastating war, a journalist is tasked with interviewing the last living veterans. As she collects their stories, she’s also grappling with the war’s impact on her own family’s history. What truths does she uncover, and how do they shape her understanding of peace, loss, and memory?

In a besieged city, a renowned violinist plays nightly from the remains of a shattered building. His music captivates both sides, eventually leading to a ceasefire during his performances. What power does this music hold, and can its notes forge a path to lasting peace amidst the war?

Soldiers from opposing factions find themselves abandoned by their units in a vast, unknown terrain. To survive the harsh environment, they must rely on each other. As they journey together, how do their perceptions of the enemy change, and what bond, if any, emerges between them?

A cartographer is tasked with mapping out territories in a rapidly shifting war zone. With each change in boundary, he realizes that his maps are inadvertently influencing the course of the war. Faced with the weight of his creations, does he remain neutral or try to change the tide of conflict?

Amidst the despair of trench warfare, soldiers from both sides secretly exchange letters, sharing stories, hopes, and dreams. Their clandestine correspondence builds a bridge of understanding in the middle of chaos. How do these written exchanges affect their view of the enemy and the decisions they make in battle?

An old, dusty journal surfaces in a second-hand bookstore, recounting tales of a mysterious soldier whose actions altered key events during the war. As a historian delves into the pages, they start to question previously held beliefs about the war. What truths lie hidden within the journal, and how do they challenge the established narrative?

A spy disguises themselves as an enemy officer to gather crucial intelligence. Living in daily peril, they form an unexpected connection with someone on the opposing side. How do they balance their duty to their homeland with the new relationships they’ve formed, and what sacrifices will they have to make?

In a city reduced to rubble, a librarian strives to protect a secret collection of books that hold the cultural and historical legacy of their nation. As enemy forces close in, a choice must be made. Will the librarian save the irreplaceable collection or prioritize the lives of the city’s remaining inhabitants?

Using newly developed technology, soldiers at the frontlines receive holographic messages from their families back home. While these messages offer a brief respite from the horrors of war, they also blur the lines between reality and longing. How do these glimpses of home shape a soldier’s resolve and their choices on the battlefield?

In a world inundated with propaganda, a radio operator begins intercepting cryptic broadcasts from an unknown source. These messages offer a starkly different perspective on the ongoing war. As the operator deciphers these broadcasts, how does this newfound knowledge influence his role in the war and his loyalty to his nation?

After a major battle, engineers from both warring factions are stranded in a no-man’s-land. They decide to cooperate and build a bridge to their respective sides. Through their collaborative effort, do they find common ground and perhaps a blueprint for peace?

A renowned war medic, committed to saving lives regardless of allegiance, is captured and is forced to serve the enemy. With limited resources and facing dilemmas daily, how does the medic prioritize, and can healing serve as a catalyst for broader understanding?

Years after the war, a curator designs an exhibit that showcases personal artifacts from soldiers, civilians, and others affected by the conflict. Each item tells a unique story. As visitors navigate the exhibit, how do these intimate glimpses into personal experiences reshape collective memories of the war?

A soldier, unable to speak the local language, is separated from his unit and taken in by a rural family. Through gestures, shared tasks, and unexpected moments, they communicate. In the heart of enemy territory, can genuine human connection transcend the barriers of language and war?

A submarine crew, cut off from the world due to a malfunctioning communication system, surfaces years after the war has ended. Unaware of the war’s outcome and the world’s current state, how does the crew navigate this unfamiliar reality, and what legacy do they carry from their time submerged?

In an occupied city, unknown artists use graffiti to communicate messages of hope, resistance, and unity. Their artwork becomes a beacon for the oppressed. When the identity of the artists is threatened with exposure, what choices will the community make to protect their symbols of hope?

In a region torn by conflict, a village decides to come together for their annual harvest festival, inviting even those from the opposing faction. The festival becomes a temporary truce, a momentary escape from the war’s realities. Can a shared cultural celebration sow the seeds of lasting reconciliation?

An acclaimed painter is commissioned to create a portrait of a high-ranking general from the opposing army as a gesture of tentative peace. Throughout the sessions, the two share stories, philosophies, and regrets. As brush meets canvas, can art capture the essence of a man beyond his uniform, revealing the complexities of the human soul?

A photojournalist embedded with a unit captures the raw and unfiltered moments of the war, focusing not on the battles, but on the quiet moments in-between – a shared meal, a tearful letter reading, a soldier’s introspection. With each snapshot, what untold stories emerge, offering a poignant commentary on the costs of war?

During an excavation for a wartime bunker, soldiers uncover an ancient battleground filled with relics and writings from a forgotten civilization that once faced a similar conflict. Can lessons from a long-lost civilization influence contemporary strategies and potentially provide a roadmap to peace?

A war-ravaged city operates a train that, legend says, leads to a sanctuary untouched by conflict. Desperate civilians and disillusioned soldiers alike seek passage. As they journey together, what stories unfold in each compartment, and does the train’s destination hold the promise they all yearn for?

Founder and Chief Content Curator @ Digital Phrases

I'm a writer, words are my superpower, and storytelling is my kryptonite.

Creative writing in the third person inspired by Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly'

I can rewrite two paragraphs of Katherine Mansfield's short story 'The Fly' (1922) shifting the focus from the boss to the character of Macey, the boss's employee.

Lesson details

Key learning points.

• Katherine Mansfield’s 'The Fly' is written using a third person omniscient narrator.
• A third person narrator uses 'she', 'he' and 'they' rather than 'I'.
• A third person narrator might focus more on one or more character’s experiences.
• Using third person means that the reader often has to interpret why a character does something rather being told why.
• We learn little about the character of Macey, but there are suggestions of his devotion to the boss.

Common misconception

If you are writing in third person, then you can't know the internal feelings of characters because you are not inside their head.

Writers that use a third person narrative voice can still explore and present the internal thoughts and feelings of one or more of their characters. You can develop their psychology without having to use the pronoun 'I'.

Devotion - love, loyalty

Internal - inside

Omniscient - all-knowing

Third person narrative - the narrator is not a character in the story, and uses pronouns like 'she', 'he', 'they' rather than 'I'

Blotting paper - absorbent paper that soaks up excess ink from a pen

You will need a copy of Katherine Mansfield's short story 'The Fly', which can be found in the additional materials.

Content guidance

• Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
• Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
• Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited ( 2024 ), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Starter quiz

6 questions.

the boss -  

a successful businessman in the City

Mr. Woodifield -  

a retired and frail gentleman

Mr. Woodifield’s wife and daughters -  

care for Mr. Woodifield

unnamed son -  

the boss’s son, deceased

Mr. Woodifield’s son, deceased

an office employee

First person -  

the narrator is, or pretends to be, a person in the story using ‘I’

Second person -  

the narrator talks directly to the reader using ‘you’, ‘your’

Third person -  

the narrator isn’t a character in the story; uses ‘she’, ‘he’, ‘they’

third person -  

omniscient -  

the narrator is ‘all-knowing’ about the events and characters

narrator -  

the person telling the story

Additional material

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Teaching War Poetry through Creative Writing

2017, New Methodological Approaches to Foreign Language Teaching

The present chapter focuses on the teaching of British poetry from the First World War. Rather than following a traditional approach, in which students are introduced to the historical context of the First World War and are later on asked to read and analyse some of the poems written by representative authors such as Owen or Sassoon, it is my intention to present a proposal in which creative writing is used as a means to teach war poetry to students of literature whose L1 is other than English.

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This paper outlines research conducted on a sophomore content-based Media English course taught at two private universities in Japan. The genesis of the course was informed by the belief that, as Western culture has saturated global media environments, attempting to bring an analysis of media into the Japanese classroom was of paramount importance. Because literary texts can provide authentic cultural enrichment, whilst training the mind and sensibility, the instructors strove to teach ideas from literary texts and critical theories. Through the use of thinkers such as McLuhan, Hall, Freud, and Wordsworth, ideas were scaffolded to allow for critical light to be cast upon recent trends in different media, such as music, movies, social networking and corporate news reportage. The study was also informed by a desire to see students utilize modern media and technology for creative, course-based means and also as a vehicle to input critical, substantial response. Effectiveness of the course is assessed through triangulated research data which encompasses i) evaluation of student questionnaire responses, ii) examinations of vocabulary comprehension data and iii) assessment of essay vocabulary usage and frequency. The paper concludes with a discussion that outlines plans for further course improvement and research.

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This paper attempts to present the results of a project that took place during three consecutive years (2016-2017-2018) designed by members of the English curriculum design team together with Plan de Lectura at La Pampa Ministry of Education. The project took place in different state primary and secondary schools with the presence of English Language Assistants from British Council. Among the objectives of the project were to promote collaborative and interdisciplinary work within the institutions, to encourage the pleasure of reading different genres in Spanish and English and to stimulate intercultural reflection through the cultural representations expressed in the texts chosen. The project also encouraged teachers’ creativity and autonomy and the stimulation of written and oral expressions as practices that enable creativity and stimulate the development of communicative and intercultural competence in the students. During its three-year implementation the project constituted an instance of in-service teacher professional development (INSET) and as such it followed a format that consisted of four face-to-face meetings. The first encounter was developed by first asking teachers to answer about their own reading biography, after that they were presented with the rationale for the bilingual literature proposal. At the next meeting, we shared bilingual literature projects from previous years and we accompanied them in the design of their own didactic sequences. After that, with the presence of the English language assistant we accompanied the implementation of the project in different courses at different schools. Finally, there was always a closing plenary or celebration with members of the educational community: parents, teachers from other disciplines and supervisors. For the purposes of this paper, we have selected work done in one primary school (number 74, Santa Rosa) and two secondary schools (9 de Julio High School and Médano Cortado Catriló). In the development of the paper we will show the design of digitalized materials for the bilingual literary projects and the narrative assessment reports presented by teachers as well as students’ interviews that helped assess the project. In the conclusion I will discuss the pedagogical implications of this project in terms of students ‘learning outcomes and professional development opportunities. Key words: Bilingualism- Literature-Creative writing -Interdisciplinary work-INSET

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Teaching World War 1 poetry

Starkly powerful and deeply affecting, the poetry of World War I can be challenging to teach, particularly with younger students. Here's a selection of thoughtful classroom resources to help English students engage with the work of the celebrated soldier-poets of the great war.    

If you are looking for classroom resources and activities for World War One poetry, you might be introducing first world war poetry through unseen poems, teaching a complete unit on the poetry of the great war at KS3, or teaching WW1 and its aftermath for the AQA A-level English Literature specification.

Here are some carefully selected resources that you might like:  

Pre-reading and starter activities

WW1 facts - true or false?  is a quick, low-stakes quiz that includes a range of useful contextual information for students to discuss before you start teaching World War One poetry. Is it right and fitting?  is a powerful and affecting PowerPoint that explores the wider context of trench warfare, and the use of gas, and will lead to lots of on-topic classroom talk.

WW1 poetry research  is a group research and presentation task, which is perfect for KS5 students and asks students to find out more about women in WW1, life in the trenches, the Craiglockhart hospital, the impact of the war and its causes. Life in the trenches  is a ready-made context resource, with a series of engaging follow-up tasks and creative writing activities that will appeal to younger students. 

Helping students to respond to war poetry 

Poetry to prose  helps students to respond to Wilfred Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est' by focusing on the senses he explores in the poem. Write your own war poem  helps students to explore the language of Rupert Brooke's poem 'The Soldier' and Wilfred Owen's 'The Sentry' and encourages experimentation with word choices.   

If you want to encourage students to engage with poems more independently,  War poetry presentation  takes them step-by-step through a group activity, and  A letter home  takes Wilfred Owen's poem 'Exposure' as a starting point for a poignant letter-writing task. 

Exploring the work of the most celebrated war poets

Our extensive collection of resources on Wilfred Owen's poetry  includes classroom worksheets and activities on some of his most celebrated and powerful poems, including 'Spring Offensive', 'Exposure', 'Mental Cases', 'The Send-off', 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'.  'The Send-off' by Wilfred Owen is a carefully scaffolded resource that offers students different interpretations for the poem to select and includes a useful series of PEE activities — perfect for building younger students' analytical skills. 

Our Rupert Brooke  and Siegfried Sassoon resources include a range of engaging classroom activities such as word quarry, sequencing and poetry tasks to help students respond more personally to the war poets' work.

Unseen poems

If you want to introduce WWI poetry through the unseen poetry route, Trevor Millum, Teachit's poet in residence, has created two resources to develop students' confidence.  Responding to unseen poems with confidence: 'In Memoriam' by E.A. Mackintosh  is a helpful classroom resource that also includes a comparative element. He suggests an 'immersive' approach to looking at Edward Thomas' poem, 'The Owl', in Approaching an unseen poem with confidence . This thoughtful resource includes teaching ideas and sentence starters to help KS3 students develop a more analytical approach to their writing. 

Another scaffolded resource, Comparing two unseen poems , helps students to compare Jessie Pope's 'Who's for the Game?' and Wilfred Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est' with an accessible Venn diagram task. 

More classroom resources and teaching packs

If you are looking for a complete scheme of learning for KS3 students, our World War I poetry teaching pack  includes 8 lesson plans with a range of classroom resources and activities. It focuses on the significant contribution of Empire soldiers and women to the poetry of the great war and explores life on the home front as well as in the trenches. Along with some of the most celebrated poems including John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’, there are less iconic, but equally powerful poems by poets including Isaac Rosenberg, Ivor Gurney, Henry Smalley Sarson and Sarojini Naidu.

Try our World War One poetry library for more lesson ideas, worksheets and classroom activities for KS3-5 students. 

This article was also published as an Editor's pick newsletter in 2022. 

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Kate Lee is Head Strategist at Teachit, and a former Head of English and performing arts. She has a background in digital learning as an e-learning leader and was actively involved in initial teacher education throughout her 10-year career in further education. 

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Eight Free Creative Writing Lessons

February 17, 2012 by Ami 17 Comments

I know I throw around the word favorite all the time. But this is the truth: teaching creative writing lessons is my favorite. 

I have taught creative writing enrichment for summer school students. I have taught creative writing in various homeschool settings and co-ops. I have taught big students and little students. And I love it. 

Since I love to share homeschool co-op class ideas , I have compiled the creative writing lessons from a co-op class that I taught. 

Creative Writing Lessons for a Homeschool Co-op Class

First, please remember that any teacher can use these creative writing lessons. You don’t need to be teaching homeschoolers. You can be a classroom teacher or a homeschool teacher at home with one student. You can even be a librarian who needs a fun program series.

Second, I used these creative writing lesson plans with upper elementary students (with maybe a few 7th graders thrown in). However, you can adapt and use them for older students or younger students!

Creative Writing Lesson Plans

Creative writing lesson one.

The first lesson focuses on cliché and metaphor. It prompts students to consider how words matter.

Grab lesson one here .

Creative Writing Lesson Two

The second lesson teaches students about sensory details: why they are important and how to include them in their writing. Students will begin using sensory details to evoke smells and sounds and sights.

Grab lesson two here.

Creative Writing Lesson Three

The third lesson introduces showing vs. telling. Students learn how to recognize authors who utilize showing, and students are able to articulate the difference between showing and telling.

Grab lesson three here.

Creative Writing Lesson Four

The fourth lesson teaches students how to capture images. We use examples of poetry and prose to discuss this important writing skill.

Grab lesson four here.

Creative Writing Lesson Five

The fifth lesson introduces the story elements of character and conflict.

Note: You may choose to split this lesson into two lessons since it covers two big elements. I only had nine weeks with my students, so I had to jam character and conflict together.

Grab lesson five here.

Creative Writing Lesson Six

The sixth lesson introduces the students to point of view and perspective. We have fun reading poems and using pictures to write descriptions from different points of view.

Grab lesson six here.

Creative Writing Lesson Seven

The seventh lesson puts everything we’ve learned together. I read the students some fractured fairy tales, and we watch some, too. Students then use the prewriting activities and their imaginations to begin drafting their own fractured fairy tales.

Grab lesson seven here.

Creative Writing Lesson Eight

The eighth lesson focuses on revision. After a mini-lesson, students partner up for peer editing.

Grab lesson eight here .

For our final class day, students bring revised work, and I host coffee shop readings. This is a memorable experience for students (and their teacher).

Creative Writing Lessons FAQ

Since posting these creative writing lessons, I have had lots of questions. I decided to compile them here in case you have the same question.

Q: What are copywork quotes? A: Copywork quotes are simply great quotes that students copy as part of their homework assignments. You can use any quotes about writing. I’ve included my favorites throughout the printable packs.

Q: Can I use this with a younger or older student? A: Absolutely! Just adapt it to meet the needs of your student.

Q: Can I use this for my library’s programming or my homeschool co-op class? A: Yes! I just ask that it not be used for profit.

Do you have any questions about teaching creative writing? What’s your biggest hang-up when it comes to teaching creative writing? I’d love to hear from you and help you solve the issue.

January 7, 2016 at 1:57 pm

Hi Theresa,

As long as you are not profitting from using them, they are yours to use! Enjoy! Wish I could be there to help facilitate all those young writers! 

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Writing Lesson: Completing a Civil War Reseach Paper for Middle or High School Students

• Kellie Hayden
• Categories : High school english lesson plans grades 9 12
• Tags : High school lesson plans & tips

Civil War Research Paper

In this lesson students will learn how to write a proper research paper for the Civil War. The paper will follow a proper format about any

topic related to the American Civil War.

Step 1 – Decide on the length of the research paper – the older the students, the longer the paper. However, short but well written research papers from high school students can be just as an important as a learning experience.

Format & Organization of Research Paper

Step 2 – Share an example of a model research paper. The Write Source or Writer’s Inc. books by Great Source have example MLA and APA formatted research papers for students to view as well as the research process, which is explained in detail.

Step 3 – Explain steps for completing a research paper: complete research, take notes on note cards or highlight, make an outline of paper, make a Works Cited or bibliography, write a draft, and then write a final draft.

Tip: For middle school students, note cards are difficult to organize and to write. Allow students to print off sources from the Internet and highlight important information. Make students turn in highlighted notes with rough draft of paper to check for plagiarism.

Choose Civil War Topic

Step 4 – Students need to choose a theme or topic for their poems and short stories. They could can come up with ideas on their own or choose an idea from the following list:

• Battles: Antietam, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, The Wilderness, Richmond, Mechanicsburg, Murfreesboro, New Orleans, Vicksburg, Shiloh and Morgan’s Raid
• People: Grant, Lee, McClellan, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Sheridan, Sherman, Stonewall Jackson, Clara Barton, Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Henry Clay, Louisa May Alcott, John Brown
• Other: The Calvary, The Emancipation Proclamation, Weapons, Battlefield Health Care, The Ironclads and Civil War Prison Camps
• Pictured above: Mathew Brady, Historian With a Camera

Research and Organizing Notes

Step 5 – Take students to the library or computer lab to complete research. A few great resources are Kennesaw State University’s Civil War Links for Students and Education World&rsquo;s article . Of course, there are many more resources available online and in print.

Step 6 – Students need to make note cards or highlight notes. Make sure that students are organized and put important bibliography information on cards. Assign a number of note cards that are due in conjunction with the length of the paper.

Tip: Students tend to write too much on one note card. Remind them that they need one idea per note card. And, they can and should paraphrase many of their note cards.

Step 7 –Direct students to write an outline . It is important that students include a thesis statement (one sentence that tells what the paper is about) in this outline. The outline length will depend on the length of the paper. This will help students to write an organized paper.

Works Cited Page & Write Draft

Step 8 -- Tell students to write a draft of the Works Cited page. The website Son of Citation Machine is a free online resource that is extremely helpful.

Step 9 -- Assign students to write a draft the paper. This can be typed or hand written. If students are required to include parenthetical notation, make sure this is included in the rough draft.

Step 10 -- Asses the students’ research paper with a rubric . The criteria for the rubric could be the amount of information, organization, following format (MLA, APA or Chicago), and spelling and grammar.

Step 11 – Type a final copy of paper following the proper format.

This is just the beginning of the Civil War Writing Activities Series. The writing lesson: research paper for the Civil War will make each student an expert on one small part of the war. Students can share what they learned in an informal speech or a formal one.

This post is part of the series: Civil War Creative Writing Lessons

This five-part series uses the Civil War as a topic for incorporating creative writing lessons in to your classroom.

• A Lesson Writing a Short Story on a Civil War Theme
• Writing Poetry About the Civil War: Lesson Plan
• Writing a Research Paper on the Civil War: Lesson Plan
• Writing a Position Paper &ndash; Civil War Creative Writing Lesson
• A Creative Writing Lesson: Civil War Character Sketch

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GCSE English Language Paper 1 - Section B Creative Writing (Sensory Description)

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

26 September 2024

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A lesson and resources to support low ability learners in planning creative writing using the senses to support their description.

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