I "love" Nancy Atwell's idea of having students "mine" their hearts for writing ideas. Model for them by drawing a big heart shape. Then, begin to fill it in with whatever you hold dearest to your heart. What do you care most about? Put those things in the center--family, births, deaths, experiences. There are always important things on the edges, too--your favorite chair on the porch, a dark chocolate candy bar.... Cram in as much as you can. Then use those bits as springboards to writing. Have the students do the same and fill their hearts with rich ideas to write about from now until the end of school. I do believe what Donald Graves said, "Kids write best and most what they know best and most about." And that is their lives and what's in their hearts!
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