Creative Writing
Collaborate to elaborate!
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Classroom Activity
Give your pupils two nouns and a verb. Encourage them to write as interesting a sentence as possible, by adding details and using alternative verbs that add detail, but do not deviate from the meaning of the ‘mother’ verb.
The verbs and nouns in the Collaborate to elaborate! resource are just to start with. When your pupils understand the concept, ask them to set challenges for each other. You could randomise the words.
Classroom Activity
Ask your pupils to build ever more elaborate sentence stories around the three words, developing both their creativity and their collaboration skills.
The sentences they develop could then go on to provide opportunities to explore the syntax of sentences. This will also enable them to develop emotional colour and expand their vocabulary. It will also improve their critical thinking and communication skills, by encouraging them to focus on the audience for their writing.
When your pupils have mastered the art of the three word sentence starter using the Collaborate to elaborate! resource, ask them to add an abstract noun, which could form the theme of the sentence they are producing.
In another variation of this game, you could assign a short form and ask your pupils to tell their story, observing the rules that apply to that form.