Session 3: Brainstorm Prompts

PLAY Mentor Story Share

Purpose: To emphasize the importance of obstacles in stories and for mentors to model vulnerability for the writers.

Instructions:

1. Share a story with the group about a time you had a goal and an obstacle got in the way. 2. In your group, share the first version of the story, which will include character, setting, goal, and a part of the resolution. Just share the goal you had, where you were, who you were at the time this happened in their life, and whether you achieved your goal. Do not share the obstacle that stood in the way. 3. After sharing, ask your writers what they thought of the story. a. Was it interesting? b. Is there anything else that can be added to make it a more engaging story? 4. Then reshare the story with the obstacle. Include how the obstacle got in your way, how it made you feel, and how you dealt with the obstacle to try to achieve the goal. 5. After sharing the last version of their story, ask their writers what was different about this version and how it created a richer story for them (the audience)?

LEARN / CREATE

Use this time to help your writers think about different times in their lives when they felt misunderstood. Students will sit with their workbooks and you will call out the prompts, giving time in between for students to jot down notes. Ask your group to jot down anything that comes to mind about that time. This worksheet can be found on page 10 of the Writer Workbook.

Brainstorming Worksheet

Prompts

There was something you really wanted and someone else didn’t understand why it was important to you.

Someone wanted you to do something you didn’t want to do and didn’t understand why you didn’t want to do it.

You felt like you got in trouble for something that wasn’t really your fault.

You felt like someone wasn’t really listening to you.

You had a hard time understanding yourself.

Your Idea

Once complete, ask your group to consider the following questions. ● What 1-3 prompts did you have the most to write about when brainstorming? ● What kinds of thoughts and feelings came up when thinking about those experiences? ● Was there an experience that you had the most memories and feelings about? ● What experience do you want to write about more? Circle the experiences that you have chosen.

SHARE

Writers Reflect ● Ask students to finalize which prompt they want to expand upon and fill out the prompt below on page 11 of their Writers Workbook. ● Share with a partner if time.

Writing Prompt How were you misunderstood? What are you really like? This is how you want to be seen.

Example: I will write about the time I was accused of cheating on a test. Example: My friends thought I had cheated because I got a perfect score. Example: I am honest. I studied hard and earned that grade.