Write Like London

To prepare for this lesson, I located a great resource for finding Jack London stories.  I took the first lines from about ten different stories and typed them into a Word document.  Then, I made copies and chopped up the papers.  So, I had a basket of assorted first lines from London.  

I signed up for the computer lab, and the class met me there.   When they came in, I introduced the assignment, which was to make an original piece of creative writing, starting with a line from London.  I then walked around with the basket and students each took a slip of paper.

Then, they got to work.

After the students had their prompts (and I did allow a few exchanges for students who really didn't connect with their original prompt,) students wrote.  I circulated, moving around the room as needed, but they used the dedicated time for the appropriate purpose -- to write. (Wow, I love second-semester eighth-graders...they have grown up so much!)

(See my reflection about my struggle to be quiet and not disturb their work.)