Collection Overview
Teaching Writing #writeout place-based

STEAM-powered prompts for Writing Outside

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Layers of the Land: Prompts for Writing Outside
 
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Talking Trees: Prompts for Writing Outside
 
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Nature’s Toolbox: Prompts for Writing Outside Inspired by George Washington Carver
 
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The Bird’s Nest on The Windowsill: Prompts for Writing Outside
 
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Mapping Our Moves: Prompts for Writing Outside
 
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Bug Orchestra: Prompts for Writing Outside
 
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Our Many Trips Around The Sun: Inspired by Agate Fossil Beds
 
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Built Environment Brainstorming: Prompts for Writing Outside
 
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By Land Or By Sea ... Or Portal? Prompts for Writing Outside
 
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Innovation Station: Prompts for Writing Outside
 
10 Posts in this Collection

“The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.” -Galileo Galilei

This collection, originally curated for Write Out 2022, brings together a range of writing prompts, or “sparks,” to encourage writing outside and in public spaces in your community. With a focus on S.T.E.A.M. topics each resource includes a variety of links meant to support an exploration of these topics, while the “spark” itself is intended to engage interests and make connections.

From geology and tree masting to the stories that fossils and nature in built environments can tell, these prompts have been created by Rangers of the National Park Service, educators from sites of the National Writing Project, as well as partner educators, writers and artists. We invite you to experiment with the resources and remix them to support your local context and setting.

Image source: Cuyahoga Valley National Park

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Content type
Talking Trees: Prompts for Writing Outside
This resource is available to support place-based writing outside anytime of year and comes with related resources and age-level recommendations. Originally developed for Write Out (writeout.nwp.org).
Read more
Content type
Nature’s Toolbox: Prompts for Writing Outside Inspired by George Washington Carver
This resource is available to support place-based writing outside anytime of year and comes with related resources and age-level recommendations. Originally developed for Write Out (writeout.nwp.org).
Read more
Content type
The Bird’s Nest on The Windowsill: Prompts for Writing Outside
This resource is available to support place-based writing outside anytime of year and comes with related resources and age-level recommendations. Originally developed for Write Out (writeout.nwp.org).
Read more

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Where To Begin?…Historical Fiction and Origin Stories: Prompts for Writing Outside
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The Write Time with Author/Activist Luma Mufleh and Educators Jessica Baldizon and William King
By National Writing Project
Luma Mufleh, an activist and author of Learning America: One Woman's Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children, has a discussion with CWP-Fairfield teacher-leaders Jessica Baldizon and William King.
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Have Students Set Their Own Writing Goals
For teachers, it's vital to guide students in setting their own writing goals, promoting independence and self-reliance. Strategies like vision boards, goal-setting journals, and one-on-one conferences foster engagement and higher achievement in writing. Supporting individual goals alongside teacher objectives creates a nurturing learning environment.
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