Supporting Writers as They Face the Blank Page

Our students have been writing all year, and some of them are beginning to struggle when staring down the blank page. Generating writing topics is a common struggle for writers of every age. We don't want students to rely on us to always come to their rescue, so how might we provide self-perpetuating scaffolding and support? 

This object lesson leads to meaningful writing connections. 

The lesson begins by providing students with a supply of recyclable materials—large pieces of cardboard, old CDs, egg cartons, and paper towel rolls—along with general supplies like tape, a stapler, paper clips and glue sticks. Students are then asked to sit quietly, look at the supplies, and generate a list of things they could create with these materials. After a few minutes, students find a partner and work together to increase their list of potential items to create. 

Then individuals select one of the items on the list and proceed to make it with the recycled materials. At the end of the allotted time, students take a few minutes to share.

After the sharing, pull students together and have a conversation around these questions, recording their thoughts on chart paper:

• What strategies did you use to help generate ideas of what to create from the recycled materials?
• What happened to your thinking and list when you brainstormed and discussed potential ideas with a partner?
• When you chose an item from your list to create, did you alter the idea by adding to, deleting, or changing it?

At this juncture we begin to weave together the connection of this activity to writing. We look over the anchor charts and make connections to potential strategies we can use when we don't know what to write about. 

It's a nonthreatening way for students to invent, explore, and apply the concepts the next time they are staring at a blank page.