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The Radical Revision
University of Alaska Anchorage instructor Alyse Knorr offers a composition revision exercise geared toward crossing boundaries of medium and genre.
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Literacy Narrative Assignment
University of Alaska Anchorage instructor Kate Partridge shares a narrative writing exercise, including student examples.
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The Photovoice Project
In the Photovoice project in Anchorage's Mountain View neighborhood in 2009, teens were given photography instruction and guided in writing commentary to explain the pictures they took, giving the rest of their city a new window on Mountain View.
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How to Interview an Elder
All around us are older people who have wisdom, knowledge, and life stories to share. And you won't believe how interesting they are. All you have to do is ask a few questions to get them started.
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Dictation Exercise - Grades 3-10
This exercise by Clifton Bates gives students the opportunity to hear and pay attention to the rhythm of a sentence, to learn about writing conventions, to listen to ideas related to other disciplines as well as to improve their handwriting and spelling.
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Writing About Place Intro
As part of her work in Antarctica, Alaskan Gretchen Legler developed a "Writing About Place" curriculum for use by Alaskan teachers of writing, or anyone interested in experimenting with different approaches to writing about the land.
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The Dictionary Game
This exercise works especially well in writing groups or small writing classes. It's a writing exercise masquerading as a parlor game among friends.
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Exercises in Discovering a Subject, Storytelling, and Nature Writing
Creative Writing professor and author Sherry Simpson passes on Annie Dillard's advice: Write about what frightens you and what fascinates you. She provides three exercises that call for doing just that.
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Masked Writers at Mat-Su Alternative School
(2 pages)
Students at Mat-Su Alternative School in Wasilla learn to write using masks, personal dictionaries and word etymology. The writing that burgeons from these high schoolers reflects innovative teaching that fosters student creativity.
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Writing a Letter to an Author
Books can make us happy, but they can also frighten or anger us or spur us into action. This exercise helps students explore why they react the way they do to literature. It not only helps teach writing but it also helps teach students something about themselves.
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Poetry Scavenger Hunt Exercise
This exercise focuses on sensory images and how they work in poetry and prose. It asks students to experience their environment in a new way and helps them find the precise words and phrases to express their feelings.
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