creative writing class 6

Creative Writing Topics For Class 6 Format, Topics, Examples, Exercises

Creative writing topics for class 6 format, examples, exercises, introduction.

Creative writing is a powerful tool that allows individuals to express their thoughts, ideas, and emotions through the written word. It is a form of self-expression that nurtures imagination, boosts confidence, and enhances communication skills. For class 6 students, creative writing plays a vital role in their academic and personal development. In this article, we will explore the format, topics, examples, and exercises for creative writing specifically tailored for class 6 students.

Also Read: Class 11 English Creative Writing

Format Of Creative Writing Topics For Class 6

To ensure a structured and coherent piece of creative writing, it is essential to follow a proper format. The format generally includes understanding the prompt, planning the structure, writing an introduction, developing body paragraphs, and concluding the piece.

Understanding the Prompt The first step in creative writing is understanding the prompt. Read the given prompt carefully and identify the main theme or topic. Analyze the requirements and determine the purpose of your writing.

Planning the Structure Once you grasp the prompt, plan the structure of your writing piece. Outline the main ideas or arguments you want to convey and decide how to organize them logically. Creating a structure beforehand helps in maintaining clarity and coherence throughout the writing.

Introduction Begin your creative writing piece with an engaging introduction. The introduction should provide a brief overview of the topic and grab the reader’s attention. It can include an intriguing question, a captivating anecdote, or a thought-provoking statement.

Body Paragraphs The body paragraphs form the core of your creative writing. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea or argument related to the main theme. Use descriptive language, vivid imagery, and sensory details to engage the reader and create a vivid picture in their minds.

Conclusion Conclude your creative writing piece by summarizing the main points and leaving the reader with a lasting impression. Restate your thesis or main idea and provide a sense of closure to your piece.

Topics For Creative Writing Topics For Class 6

When it comes to choosing topics for creative writing, class 6 students can explore a wide range of options. Here are a few popular subjects to think about:

Personal Experiences Write about a memorable experience or a significant event in your life. Describe the emotions, thoughts, and lessons learned from that experience.

Imaginary Stories Let your imagination soar and create captivating stories set in fantastical worlds or everyday situations. Develop interesting characters, plot twists, and suspenseful narratives.

Descriptive Writing Practice descriptive writing by vividly describing a person, place, or object. Focus on sensory details and use figurative language to bring your descriptions to life.

Persuasive Writing Take a stance on a particular issue and present persuasive arguments to support your viewpoint. Use logical reasoning and compelling evidence to convince your readers.

Examples Of Creative Writing Topics For Class 6

To get a better understanding of how creative writing works, here are a few examples:

Example 1: Personal Experience

Title: “The Adventure of a Lifetime” Introduction: As the waves crashed against the shore, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement rushing through my veins. Body Paragraph: I vividly remember the day when I embarked on a thrilling adventure to explore the depths of the coral reef. Conclusion: The experience taught me the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing the unknown.

Example 2: Descriptive Writing

Title: “A Glimpse into Paradise” Introduction: The sun-kissed beach stretched as far as the eye could see, its golden sands shimmering under the azure sky. Body Paragraph: The gentle breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean, and the palm trees swayed gracefully, casting long shadows on the sand. Conclusion: In that moment, I realized that paradise was not a distant dream but a tangible reality within our reach.

Exercises For Creative Writing Topics For Class 6

To enhance their creative writing skills, class 6 students can engage in various exercises. Try the following exercises:

Writing Prompts Utilize writing prompts to stimulate creativity. These prompts can be in the form of a sentence, a question, or a picture. Allow your imagination to run wild and create a unique story or poem based on the prompt.

Story Starters Start with a sentence or a paragraph and continue the story. Build characters, add conflict, and develop a captivating narrative that keeps the readers engaged.

Brainstorming Ideas Gather with your classmates or friends to brainstorm ideas for creative writing. Share your thoughts, inspire each other, and explore different perspectives on various topics.

Peer Feedback Exchange your writing pieces with your peers and provide constructive feedback. Learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and use the feedback to improve your own writing skills.

Conclusion On Creative Writing Topics For Class 6

Creative writing offers class 6 students a wonderful opportunity to express their thoughts, ignite their imagination, and develop crucial skills. By following a structured format and exploring a variety of topics, students can unleash their creativity and improve their writing abilities. Engaging in exercises such as writing prompts and peer feedback further enhances their growth as writers. So, encourage your class 6 students to embrace creative writing and watch them flourish as confident and articulate individuals.

• Writing Tips
• 500+ Free Fiction Writing Prompts For Adults By Genre
• Self Publishing 101
• Best Writing Books
• Dragon Dictation Software Review
• Editing Software
• Email Marketing
• Formatting Software
• Gifts for Writers
• MasterClass Reviews
• Online Courses
• Scrivener 3 Review
• Website Hosting
• YouTube Channels

Select Page

100 creative 6th Grade Writing Prompts

Writing Prompts |

Disclosure: The content on this site is free. Some of the links below are affiliate links from companies like Amazon.com and if you click the links and make a purchase we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance if you decide to support our site by using our affiliate links!

100 Creative 6 th Grade Writing Prompts

Sixth grade is the right time to introduce students to activities that promote self-expression and improves their overall writing skills. In this post, we have come up with a list of 100 writing prompts — from storytelling and expository to research and creative writing prompts — to help students tap into their creativity and hone their writing skills.

In this post, we have for you:

• Storytelling writing prompts
• Research writing prompts
• Reflective writing prompts
• Narrative writing prompts
• Expository writing prompts
• Procedural writing prompts
• Creative writing prompts

So, let’s put this show on the road.

Storytelling writing prompts for 6 th grade

• When we found that the grandpa’s closet opens up to a deep forest, we decided to…
• As I was walking around the local park, a dog came up to me and said, “You have got to listen to my story.” And then he began speaking…
• The most surprising thing we have found in our school was…
• As I was cleaning the attic in my grandparent’s house, I found the genie’s lamp. I decided to…
• My brother and I were in the first fight ever. It all began when…
• Our dream family vacation to… got canceled my younger brother woke up with…
• As the world’s first 12-year scientist, I need to share my invention…
• My first road trip with my dad didn’t go as per the plan. First…
• When Lucy opened her lunch box, she couldn’t help exclaiming “Ugh” because the food looked as gross as…
• I got the biggest surprise of my life when my dog…
• I had never laid eyes on a dragon until that morning when our school took us to the nearby jungle as part of a trekking tour.
• I woke up one morning only to find I have been turned into a big bug. While I was still coming to terms with this, my mother shouted, “Hurry up or you’ll be late for the school.” So I did what I had to do, which was…

Research writing prompts for 6 th grade

• How much time do students spend on the internet?
• How much screen time students have per day?
• Does social media makes peer pressure worse?
• How long can human beings survive without water?
• How long can human beings survive without food?
• How long can fish survive out of water?
• Research your dream career? Mention all the things you must do to achieve it.
• Research the childhood of your favorite writer?
• When, why, and how was your country founded?
• How long camels can go without drinking water? Can they survive long? If yes, how do they manage that?
• How smoking affects your lungs?
• Which has been the most important discovery in the last 50 years?
• What steps can we take to minimize global warming?
• What are civil rights? Who fought for them?
• How do penguins survive in extreme cold?
• Are polar bears good swimmers? If yes, how are they able to swim efficiently in spite of their weight?
• How much food does an elephant needs in a day?
• How shark uses senses to hunt?

Reflective writing prompts for 6 th grade

• Write about a time when you were not able to keep a promise. What had happened? How did you feel?
• What’s the best thing about being in the 6 th grade?
• What’s the worst thing about being in the 6 th grade?
• What has been your biggest learning in the last six months?
• What are the qualities that a good friend must have?
• Write about three qualities you admire in your dad?
• Which sport you like the best and why?
• List your favorite extracurricular activities. What have you learned from them?
• Track the weather for five days? Which was the most comfortable day?
• How students can reduce their screen time?
• Is reading a more satisfying activity than watching television?
• What are the negative effects of social media?

Narrative writing prompts for 6 th Grade

• Do you think you can go three months without the internet?
• Write a letter to your emotional self?
• Is it important for kids to have responsibilities and chores at home?
• What advice would you give to someone who is being bullied at the school?
• Which animal in your opinion represents your personality the most and why?
• Do you like making new friends? Why or why not?
• If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be?
• Write a poem or essay about your parents?
• Describe your favorite family vacation?
• Think about the best day in your life so far. What made the day so memorable?
• Think about the worst day in your life so far. What made the day so miserable?
• Which is your favorite book? How has it impacted you?
• Which your favorite movie? Why do you like it so much?
• Think about your future self. Write about a day in your life, five years from today.
• Tell a family story from the perspective of your mom.
• Who is the fittest person you know? Would you like to become as fit as this person? Why or why not?
• Write about how it feels to spend a night at home alone?
• What are three great things about your school?
• Describe your life if you lived during the Middle Ages?
• What is the biggest problem the world is facing today? How would you solve it?
• How did computers affect our lives?
• Imagine you were asked to pick a new holiday. Describe what you’ll be celebrating and how.
• Could you live without a cell phone for a year? How would you communicate with your friends?
• How hearing and listening are two different things?
• If you could go back in time, which year would you choose?
• You meet a wise man who knows answers to all questions, but you can ask him only one question. What would you ask?
• Who is the oldest person you know?
• Think about a time you were not able to keep a New Year’s resolution? What had happened? Why did you fail?

Expository prompts for 6 th grade

• Describe your favorite short story in your own words.
• Find an interesting story in the newspaper or a local magazine and write it in your own words.
• Write an essay explaining the similarities and differences between you and your sibling or your best friend.
• In what ways Barrack Obama and Abraham Lincoln are similar? In what ways they are different?
• Is life as a sixth grader today different than it was when your parents were studying in the sixth grade? If yes, how it is different.
• Compare and contrast your two close friends.
• How has been your school year so far? What are the main highlights? 
• What was the cause of the recent argument you had with your mom or dad? How did it go?
• Compare and contrast two of your most favorite books?
• How is empathy different from sympathy? Explain the concept of empathy?
• How important is to have a hobby? Explain the benefits of having a hobby.
• Explain a problem in your school? How would you solve it?
• How has cell phone changed our lives?
• Is there really something as cell phone addiction? If yes, what it is?
• Gaming addiction is on the rise among kids? How do you think we can tackle this problem effectively?

Procedural writing prompts for 6 th Grade

• Your friend wants to learn how to play your favorite board game. Explain the steps to him or her.
• Explain a grandparent how to use Facebook.
• Explain a reader how to play your favorite computer game.
• Write step-by-step instructions to tie shoelaces.
• Explain a reader how to play your favorite card game.
• Write step-by-step instructions to create a post on Instagram.
• Explain how to complete all the levels of a video game.
• Describe how you get home from school.

Creative writing prompts for 6 th Grade

• If you could spend a week in any holiday destination in the world, where would you go?
• If you had the power to communicate with pets, what conversations would you have?
• Write a poem that describes your family.
• If you could meet one media personality, who would you choose and why?
• If you could change one thing about your country, what would you choose and why?
• You wake up one morning to find that you can fly. What adventures will you have?
•  You wake up one morning to find that you have grown taller and your clothes and shoes don’t fit you anymore. What would you do?

We hope these writing prompts will help get your pen or pencil moving. Some of these writing prompts need research, some are intellectually challenging, and some others are fun and creative. If you would like more writing prompts, have a look at this post , which offers tons of additional writing prompts you can use to unleash your writing talent. Good luck!

• Get other writing prompts for kids here :
• 3rd-grade writing prompts
• 4th-grade writing prompts
• 5th-grade writing prompts
• Middle School Writing Prompts

Related Posts

100 cool 8th grade writing prompts.

December 20, 2020

100 Writing prompts for Middle School Kids

November 7, 2020

95 Writing Prompts for Kids

October 31, 2020

100 FREE 5th Grade Writing Prompts

November 25, 2020

“This site is owned and operated by FB Global Value LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in New Jersey, USA.  FB Global Value is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from Qualifying Purchases . FB Global Value LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Bluehost, Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. Sites like Self Publishing Hub which are owned and operated by FB Global Value LLC are compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.”

• Try for free

Sixth Grade Creative Writing Worksheets

• Who Am I? – Character Description
• Scoring Rubric: Poetry
• Write Your Own Mad Libs ®
• Story Starters
• Student Proofreading Checklist
• Creative Writing with Photo Inspiration
• The Middle Ages: The Feudal System Activity Packet
• Same Name Word Puzzle
• Writing a Character Sketch
• Scoring Rubric: Research Report/Paper
• Be a Journalist!
• Poetry Terms Quiz
• The Middle Ages: Knights and Knighthood Activity Packet
• The Middle Ages: Medieval Towns Activity Packet
• The "I Remember" Poem
• Slavery Writing Prompt
• Discovering Prepositions 5
• Discovering Subjects and Predicates
• Script Writing Handout
• Writing Self-Assessment
• A Note About Witches: Fill-in-the-Blanks
• Antonyms and Synonyms
• My New Year's Resolutions (3-6)
• Discovering Pronouns 10
• Fourteen Points Writing Exercise
• Discovering Punctuation 2
• Discovering Capitalization 4
• Discovering Punctuation 9
• Scoring Rubric: Comparison/Contrast
• Scoring Rubric: Response to Literature
• More Creative Writing Printables, 6th Grade

Featured Middle School Resources

Related Resources

About the author.

TeacherVision Editorial Staff

The TeacherVision editorial team is comprised of teachers, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the teaching space.

Paragraph Writing Topics for Class 6

Paragraph writing for class 6 English is a must. The following paragraphs are based on some interesting topics for Class 6 to help you with paragraphs.

Write a short Paragraph on “A Coolie’s Daring Act”

I was sitting on a bench on a railway platform. The train was coming at full speed. A child tried to cross the rails. He wanted to go to the other side. The driver of the train saw him. He gave a whistle. He applied his brakes also. But he couldn’t stop the train so quickly. A railway coolie shouted at the child to run fast. The child was so afraid that he stood dazed between the rails. In the twinkling of an eye, the coolie ran to the child and pushed him to the other side. The child was saved. But the train had run over the poor coolie’s legs. He was at the point of death!

Download the above Paragraph in PDF (Printable)

Write a short Paragraph on “A Scene at a Polling Station”

 In our town, Municipal elections were held last month. Polling was held on a Sunday. Days before the polling, the city was filled with an air of excitement. Seven candidates were contesting from our ward. They employed different methods to win the voters. They went from door to door canvassing for votes. They made tall promises. There was feverish activity on the day of polling. Luckily the polling was quite peaceful. Results were declared the next day.

Write a paragraph on the topic in about 80 words : The Scene in the School after the Bell Goes

The scene in the school after the last bel! goes is quite exciting. The students rush out of their classrooms. Their faces look bright and gay again. The school compound becomes a sea of students. You can sec streams of heads pouring in from all directions and crowding the already overcrowded courtyard. But this is only a momentary phenomenon. Hustling, nudging and jostling one another, the young students rush towards the parking places. Some board the school buses, while others ride their own conveyance. In a couple of minutes, all the noise and hustle and bustle is over. Silence surges back and the watchman closes the main gate.

Download the above Paragraph in PDF

3. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Journey by Bus

4. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Journey by Train

5. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Picnic

6. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Visit to a Bookshop

7. Creative Paragraph Writing: Travelling on the Roof of a Crowded Bus

8. Creative Paragraph Writing: Journey in a Crowded State Bus

9. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Scene at a Railway Station

10. Creative Paragraph Writing: Your Visit to a Hospital

11.Creative Paragraph Writing: MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR

12.Creative Paragraph Writing: A ROAD ACCIDENT

13. Creative Paragraph Writing: MY SCHOOL LIBRARY

14. Creative Paragraph Writing: OUR SCHOOL CANTEEN

15. Creative Paragraph Writing: MY AMBITION IN LIFE

16. Creative Paragraph Writing: AN INCIDENT I CANNOT FORGET

17. Creative Paragraph Writing: THE MORNING SCENE IN A VILLAGE

18. Creative Paragraph Writing: A VISIT TO RAJGHAT

19. Creative Paragraph Writing: A ROAD ACCIDENT

20. Creative Paragraph Writing: THE SCENE AT A VILLAGE WELL

21. Creative Paragraph Writing: My Best Friend

Write a Paragraph in about 100-150 words on the following topic:- Our School Canteen

A canteen is a favourite place of students in a school. In a vacant period, students and teachers come here for refreshment. Our school tuck shop is housed in a big hall. It is on one side of the school. There is enough space in the canteen for students and teachers. There is a separate section for the girl students. It is run by a contractor who is a kind and efficient man. He keeps the canteen neat and clean. A number of eatables are available in the tuck shop. Some items like ‘samosas’ and ‘omelette’ are prepared on order. The boys who serve as waiters are very polite and efficient. There has never been any cause of complaint. The rates of the eatables are reasonable and the service is satisfactory.

Write a short Paragraph on “My Favourite Teacher”

 Mr Dev is our English teacher. He is in his forties. He is quite handsome. He worked hard with all of us. He never scolds any student. He wins each and everyone with his sweet manners. He explains the lessons clearly. We enjoy his teaching. He teaches us observation, kindness and sympathy. I do not miss even a single class of him. I have invited him to our house many times. But I do not find time to visit him. I have yet to find a teacher like him.

Taking the information given below in the input, develop it into a paragraph (100-150 words). You can invent your own details.

Einstein — emigrated to the USA in 1933 —Nazi in Germany — could make atom bomb — letter to Roosevelt — warning of destruction — atom-bomb dropped on Japanese cities — Einstein deeply shook — advocated a world government — against war campaigned for peace and democracy — a great scientist — a visionary.

Ans.                                    Einstein – A Great Visionary

Einstein had to leave Germany. The Nazis came to power. He migrated to the United States of America in 1933. Discovery of nuclear fission in Berlin shook the World. The Nazis could develop an atom-bomb that could cause utter loss of human lives and property. The USA developed the atomic bomb and dropped it on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Einstein was deeply shaken by the extent of destruction caused by the bomb. He campaigned for peace and democracy. He hated war and arms build-up. He advocated for the formation of a world government. He was not only a scientific genius but a great visionary. This world citizen breathed his last in 1955.

Write a paragraph on the topic in about 80 words : Preparation for the Festival I Recently Celebrated

Last week we celebrated the colourful festival of Holi. My preparation for the festival was slightly hampered as my final examinations were scheduled to begin a week after Holt. But nevertheless, I bought the bright dry and wet colours, water balloons and fixed up a meeting place where I would meet my friends to celebrate Holi in their company. My mother had, it second, stocked our house with a variety of delicious delicacies and sweets and we were all geared up to greet our friends and relatives who would come to wish us ‘Happy Holi’.

Write a Paragraph in about 100-150 words on the following topic:-   A Visit to R ajghat

Rajghat is a great monument of Modern India. It is a sacred place. It is the place where the body of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, was cremated. It is situated in Delhi on the banks of the Jamuna. It has become a place of pilgrimage. I went to see it along with my school friends. We went along a stony path that led us to the inner gates. Then we reached the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. It is a mound covered with a black stone slab. On the slab, the word “Hey Ram” is carved. These were the last words uttered by the Mahatma. We saw a variety of flowers all around and an air of peace appeared to be prevailing all over the place. We paid our homage to the great soul. This place is visited by all the foreign dignitaries who come to India. It is a place of utmost sanctity.

Write a Paragraph in about 100-150 words on the following topic:- Your Visit to a Hospital

A hospital is a house of misery. Yesterday, I visited the Government hospital in our city. My friend had been admitted there. He was undergoing treatment for jaundice. I went to see him in the general ward. I found misery everywhere. Some patients were in serious condition. They were crying with pain. The doctors and nurses were looking after them. Some patients had been there for a long time. They were suffering from serious diseases but now they were recovering gradually. Just then a man was brought into that hospital. He was a patient of heart disease. After some time, another patient was brought in. He was taken to the emergency ward. He had met with an accident and was seriously wounded. After a few minutes, the loud sound of weeping came from the next ward. I Servant there and found that a patient had died. His family members were weeping loudly. That scene filled me with sadness. I came away from there with a heavy heart.

23. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Zoo

24. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Bad Neighbour

25. Creative Paragraph Writing: A Birthday Party

26. Creative Paragraph Writing: An Accident

Related Posts

Narrative Writing: A Complete Guide for Teachers and Students

MASTERING THE CRAFT OF NARRATIVE WRITING

Narratives build on and encourage the development of the fundamentals of writing. They also require developing an additional skill set: the ability to tell a good yarn, and storytelling is as old as humanity.

We see and hear stories everywhere and daily, from having good gossip on the doorstep with a neighbor in the morning to the dramas that fill our screens in the evening.

Good narrative writing skills are hard-won by students even though it is an area of writing that most enjoy due to the creativity and freedom it offers.

Here we will explore some of the main elements of a good story: plot, setting, characters, conflict, climax, and resolution . And we will look too at how best we can help our students understand these elements, both in isolation and how they mesh together as a whole.

WHAT IS A NARRATIVE?

A narrative is a story that shares a sequence of events , characters, and themes. It expresses experiences, ideas, and perspectives that should aspire to engage and inspire an audience.

A narrative can spark emotion, encourage reflection, and convey meaning when done well.

Narratives are a popular genre for students and teachers as they allow the writer to share their imagination, creativity, skill, and understanding of nearly all elements of writing.  We occasionally refer to a narrative as ‘creative writing’ or story writing.

The purpose of a narrative is simple, to tell the audience a story.  It can be written to motivate, educate, or entertain and can be fact or fiction.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING NARRATIVE WRITING

Teach your students to become skilled story writers with this HUGE   NARRATIVE & CREATIVE STORY WRITING UNIT . Offering a  COMPLETE SOLUTION  to teaching students how to craft  CREATIVE CHARACTERS, SUPERB SETTINGS, and PERFECT PLOTS .

Over 192 PAGES of materials, including:

TYPES OF NARRATIVE WRITING

There are many narrative writing genres and sub-genres such as these.

We have a complete guide to writing a personal narrative that differs from the traditional story-based narrative covered in this guide. It includes personal narrative writing prompts, resources, and examples and can be found here.

As we can see, narratives are an open-ended form of writing that allows you to showcase creativity in many directions. However, all narratives share a common set of features and structure known as “Story Elements”, which are briefly covered in this guide.

Don’t overlook the importance of understanding story elements and the value this adds to you as a writer who can dissect and create grand narratives. We also have an in-depth guide to understanding story elements here .

CHARACTERISTICS OF NARRATIVE WRITING

Narrative structure.

ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Set the scene by introducing your characters, setting and time of the story. Establish your who, when and where in this part of your narrative

COMPLICATION AND EVENTS (MIDDLE) In this section activities and events involving your main characters are expanded upon. These events are written in a cohesive and fluent sequence.

RESOLUTION (ENDING) Your complication is resolved in this section. It does not have to be a happy outcome, however.

EXTRAS: Whilst orientation, complication and resolution are the agreed norms for a narrative, there are numerous examples of popular texts that did not explicitly follow this path exactly.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

LANGUAGE: Use descriptive and figurative language to paint images inside your audience’s minds as they read.

PERSPECTIVE Narratives can be written from any perspective but are most commonly written in first or third person.

DIALOGUE Narratives frequently switch from narrator to first-person dialogue. Always use speech marks when writing dialogue.

TENSE If you change tense, make it perfectly clear to your audience what is happening. Flashbacks might work well in your mind but make sure they translate to your audience.

THE PLOT MAP

This graphic is known as a plot map, and nearly all narratives fit this structure in one way or another, whether romance novels, science fiction or otherwise.

It is a simple tool that helps you understand and organise a story’s events. Think of it as a roadmap that outlines the journey of your characters and the events that unfold. It outlines the different stops along the way, such as the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, that help you to see how the story builds and develops.

Using a plot map, you can see how each event fits into the larger picture and how the different parts of the story work together to create meaning. It’s a great way to visualize and analyze a story.

Be sure to refer to a plot map when planning a story, as it has all the essential elements of a great story.

THE 5 KEY STORY ELEMENTS OF A GREAT NARRATIVE (6-MINUTE TUTORIAL VIDEO)

This video we created provides an excellent overview of these elements and demonstrates them in action in stories we all know and love.

HOW TO WRITE A NARRATIVE

Now that we understand the story elements and how they come together to form stories, it’s time to start planning and writing your narrative.

In many cases, the template and guide below will provide enough details on how to craft a great story. However, if you still need assistance with the fundamentals of writing, such as sentence structure, paragraphs and using correct grammar, we have some excellent guides on those here.

USE YOUR WRITING TIME EFFECTIVELY: Maximize your narrative writing sessions by spending approximately 20 per cent of your time planning and preparing.  This ensures greater productivity during your writing time and keeps you focused and on task.

Use tools such as graphic organizers to logically sequence your narrative if you are not a confident story writer.  If you are working with reluctant writers, try using narrative writing prompts to get their creative juices flowing.

Spend most of your writing hour on the task at hand, don’t get too side-tracked editing during this time and leave some time for editing. When editing a  narrative, examine it for these three elements.

• Spelling and grammar ( Is it readable?)
• Story structure and continuity ( Does it make sense, and does it flow? )
• Character and plot analysis. (Are your characters engaging? Does your problem/resolution work? )

1. SETTING THE SCENE: THE WHERE AND THE WHEN

The story’s setting often answers two of the central questions in the story, namely, the where and the when. The answers to these two crucial questions will often be informed by the type of story the student is writing.

The story’s setting can be chosen to quickly orient the reader to the type of story they are reading. For example, a fictional narrative writing piece such as a horror story will often begin with a description of a haunted house on a hill or an abandoned asylum in the middle of the woods. If we start our story on a rocket ship hurtling through the cosmos on its space voyage to the Alpha Centauri star system, we can be reasonably sure that the story we are embarking on is a work of science fiction.

Such conventions are well-worn clichés true, but they can be helpful starting points for our novice novelists to make a start.

Having students choose an appropriate setting for the type of story they wish to write is an excellent exercise for our younger students. It leads naturally onto the next stage of story writing, which is creating suitable characters to populate this fictional world they have created. However, older or more advanced students may wish to play with the expectations of appropriate settings for their story. They may wish to do this for comic effect or in the interest of creating a more original story. For example, opening a story with a children’s birthday party does not usually set up the expectation of a horror story. Indeed, it may even lure the reader into a happy reverie as they remember their own happy birthday parties. This leaves them more vulnerable to the surprise element of the shocking action that lies ahead.

Once the students have chosen a setting for their story, they need to start writing. Little can be more terrifying to English students than the blank page and its bare whiteness stretching before them on the table like a merciless desert they must cross. Give them the kick-start they need by offering support through word banks or writing prompts. If the class is all writing a story based on the same theme, you may wish to compile a common word bank on the whiteboard as a prewriting activity. Write the central theme or genre in the middle of the board. Have students suggest words or phrases related to the theme and list them on the board.

You may wish to provide students with a copy of various writing prompts to get them started. While this may mean that many students’ stories will have the same beginning, they will most likely arrive at dramatically different endings via dramatically different routes.

A bargain is at the centre of the relationship between the writer and the reader. That bargain is that the reader promises to suspend their disbelief as long as the writer creates a consistent and convincing fictional reality. Creating a believable world for the fictional characters to inhabit requires the student to draw on convincing details. The best way of doing this is through writing that appeals to the senses. Have your student reflect deeply on the world that they are creating. What does it look like? Sound like? What does the food taste like there? How does it feel like to walk those imaginary streets, and what aromas beguile the nose as the main character winds their way through that conjured market?

Also, Consider the when; or the time period. Is it a future world where things are cleaner and more antiseptic? Or is it an overcrowded 16th-century London with human waste stinking up the streets? If students can create a multi-sensory installation in the reader’s mind, then they have done this part of their job well.

Popular Settings from Children’s Literature and Storytelling

• Fairytale Kingdom
• Magical Forest
• Village/town
• Underwater world
• Space/Alien planet

2. CASTING THE CHARACTERS: THE WHO

Now that your student has created a believable world, it is time to populate it with believable characters.

In short stories, these worlds mustn’t be overpopulated beyond what the student’s skill level can manage. Short stories usually only require one main character and a few secondary ones. Think of the short story more as a small-scale dramatic production in an intimate local theater than a Hollywood blockbuster on a grand scale. Too many characters will only confuse and become unwieldy with a canvas this size. Keep it simple!

Creating believable characters is often one of the most challenging aspects of narrative writing for students. Fortunately, we can do a few things to help students here. Sometimes it is helpful for students to model their characters on actual people they know. This can make things a little less daunting and taxing on the imagination. However, whether or not this is the case, writing brief background bios or descriptions of characters’ physical personality characteristics can be a beneficial prewriting activity. Students should give some in-depth consideration to the details of who their character is: How do they walk? What do they look like? Do they have any distinguishing features? A crooked nose? A limp? Bad breath? Small details such as these bring life and, therefore, believability to characters. Students can even cut pictures from magazines to put a face to their character and allow their imaginations to fill in the rest of the details.

Younger students will often dictate to the reader the nature of their characters. To improve their writing craft, students must know when to switch from story-telling mode to story-showing mode. This is particularly true when it comes to character. Encourage students to reveal their character’s personality through what they do rather than merely by lecturing the reader on the faults and virtues of the character’s personality. It might be a small relayed detail in the way they walk that reveals a core characteristic. For example, a character who walks with their head hanging low and shoulders hunched while avoiding eye contact has been revealed to be timid without the word once being mentioned. This is a much more artistic and well-crafted way of doing things and is less irritating for the reader. A character who sits down at the family dinner table immediately snatches up his fork and starts stuffing roast potatoes into his mouth before anyone else has even managed to sit down has revealed a tendency towards greed or gluttony.

Understanding Character Traits

Again, there is room here for some fun and profitable prewriting activities. Give students a list of character traits and have them describe a character doing something that reveals that trait without ever employing the word itself.

It is also essential to avoid adjective stuffing here. When looking at students’ early drafts, adjective stuffing is often apparent. To train the student out of this habit, choose an adjective and have the student rewrite the sentence to express this adjective through action rather than telling.

When writing a story, it is vital to consider the character’s traits and how they will impact the story’s events. For example, a character with a strong trait of determination may be more likely to overcome obstacles and persevere. In contrast, a character with a tendency towards laziness may struggle to achieve their goals. In short, character traits add realism, depth, and meaning to a story, making it more engaging and memorable for the reader.

Popular Character Traits in Children’s Stories

• Determination
• Imagination
• Perseverance
• Responsibility

We have an in-depth guide to creating great characters here , but most students should be fine to move on to planning their conflict and resolution.

3. NO PROBLEM? NO STORY! HOW CONFLICT DRIVES A NARRATIVE

This is often the area apprentice writers have the most difficulty with. Students must understand that without a problem or conflict, there is no story. The problem is the driving force of the action. Usually, in a short story, the problem will center around what the primary character wants to happen or, indeed, wants not to happen. It is the hurdle that must be overcome. It is in the struggle to overcome this hurdle that events happen.

Often when a student understands the need for a problem in a story, their completed work will still not be successful. This is because, often in life, problems remain unsolved. Hurdles are not always successfully overcome. Students pick up on this.

We often discuss problems with friends that will never be satisfactorily resolved one way or the other, and we accept this as a part of life. This is not usually the case with writing a story. Whether a character successfully overcomes his or her problem or is decidedly crushed in the process of trying is not as important as the fact that it will finally be resolved one way or the other.

A good practical exercise for students to get to grips with this is to provide copies of stories and have them identify the central problem or conflict in each through discussion. Familiar fables or fairy tales such as Three Little Pigs, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Cinderella, etc., are great for this.

While it is true that stories often have more than one problem or that the hero or heroine is unsuccessful in their first attempt to solve a central problem, for beginning students and intermediate students, it is best to focus on a single problem, especially given the scope of story writing at this level. Over time students will develop their abilities to handle more complex plots and write accordingly.

Popular Conflicts found in Children’s Storytelling.

• Good vs evil
• Individual vs society
• Nature vs nurture
• Self vs others
• Man vs self
• Man vs nature
• Man vs technology
• Individual vs fate
• Self vs destiny

Conflict is the heart and soul of any good story. It’s what makes a story compelling and drives the plot forward. Without conflict, there is no story. Every great story has a struggle or a problem that needs to be solved, and that’s where conflict comes in. Conflict is what makes a story exciting and keeps the reader engaged. It creates tension and suspense and makes the reader care about the outcome.

Like in real life, conflict in a story is an opportunity for a character’s growth and transformation. It’s a chance for them to learn and evolve, making a story great. So next time stories are written in the classroom, remember that conflict is an essential ingredient, and without it, your story will lack the energy, excitement, and meaning that makes it truly memorable.

4. THE NARRATIVE CLIMAX: HOW THINGS COME TO A HEAD!

The climax of the story is the dramatic high point of the action. It is also when the struggles kicked off by the problem come to a head. The climax will ultimately decide whether the story will have a happy or tragic ending. In the climax, two opposing forces duke things out until the bitter (or sweet!) end. One force ultimately emerges triumphant. As the action builds throughout the story, suspense increases as the reader wonders which of these forces will win out. The climax is the release of this suspense.

Much of the success of the climax depends on how well the other elements of the story have been achieved. If the student has created a well-drawn and believable character that the reader can identify with and feel for, then the climax will be more powerful.

The nature of the problem is also essential as it determines what’s at stake in the climax. The problem must matter dearly to the main character if it matters at all to the reader.

Have students engage in discussions about their favorite movies and books. Have them think about the storyline and decide the most exciting parts. What was at stake at these moments? What happened in your body as you read or watched? Did you breathe faster? Or grip the cushion hard? Did your heart rate increase, or did you start to sweat? This is what a good climax does and what our students should strive to do in their stories.

The climax puts it all on the line and rolls the dice. Let the chips fall where the writer may…

Popular Climax themes in Children’s Stories

• A battle between good and evil
• The character’s bravery saves the day
• Character faces their fears and overcomes them
• The character solves a mystery or puzzle.
• The character stands up for what is right.
• Character reaches their goal or dream.
• The character learns a valuable lesson.
• The character makes a selfless sacrifice.
• The character makes a difficult decision.
• The character reunites with loved ones or finds true friendship.

5. RESOLUTION: TYING UP LOOSE ENDS

After the climactic action, a few questions will often remain unresolved for the reader, even if all the conflict has been resolved. The resolution is where those lingering questions will be answered. The resolution in a short story may only be a brief paragraph or two. But, in most cases, it will still be necessary to include an ending immediately after the climax can feel too abrupt and leave the reader feeling unfulfilled.

An easy way to explain resolution to students struggling to grasp the concept is to point to the traditional resolution of fairy tales, the “And they all lived happily ever after” ending. This weather forecast for the future allows the reader to take their leave. Have the student consider the emotions they want to leave the reader with when crafting their resolution.

While the action is usually complete by the end of the climax, it is in the resolution that if there is a twist to be found, it will appear – think of movies such as The Usual Suspects. Pulling this off convincingly usually requires considerable skill from a student writer. Still, it may well form a challenging extension exercise for those more gifted storytellers among your students.

Popular Resolutions in Children’s Stories

• Our hero achieves their goal
• The character learns a valuable lesson
• A character finds happiness or inner peace.
• The character reunites with loved ones.
• Character restores balance to the world.
• The character discovers their true identity.
• Character changes for the better.
• The character gains wisdom or understanding.
• Character makes amends with others.
• The character learns to appreciate what they have.

Once students have completed their story, they can edit for grammar, vocabulary choice, spelling, etc., but not before!

As mentioned, there is a craft to storytelling, as well as an art. When accurate grammar, perfect spelling, and immaculate sentence structures are pushed at the outset, they can cause storytelling paralysis. For this reason, it is essential that when we encourage the students to write a story, we give them license to make mechanical mistakes in their use of language that they can work on and fix later.

Good narrative writing is a very complex skill to develop and will take the student years to become competent. It challenges not only the student’s technical abilities with language but also her creative faculties. Writing frames, word banks, mind maps, and visual prompts can all give valuable support as students develop the wide-ranging and challenging skills required to produce a successful narrative writing piece. But, at the end of it all, as with any craft, practice and more practice is at the heart of the matter.

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT NARRATIVE

• Start your story with a clear purpose: If you can determine the theme or message you want to convey in your narrative before starting it will make the writing process so much simpler.
• Choose a compelling storyline and sell it through great characters, setting and plot: Consider a unique or interesting story that captures the reader’s attention, then build the world and characters around it.
• Develop vivid characters that are not all the same: Make your characters relatable and memorable by giving them distinct personalities and traits you can draw upon in the plot.
• Use descriptive language to hook your audience into your story: Use sensory language to paint vivid images and sequences in the reader’s mind.
• Show, don’t tell your audience: Use actions, thoughts, and dialogue to reveal character motivations and emotions through storytelling.
• Create a vivid setting that is clear to your audience before getting too far into the plot: Describe the time and place of your story to immerse the reader fully.
• Build tension: Refer to the story map earlier in this article and use conflict, obstacles, and suspense to keep the audience engaged and invested in your narrative.
• Use figurative language such as metaphors, similes, and other literary devices to add depth and meaning to your narrative.
• Edit, revise, and refine: Take the time to refine and polish your writing for clarity and impact.
• Stay true to your voice: Maintain your unique perspective and style in your writing to make it your own.

NARRATIVE WRITING EXAMPLES (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of narratives.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to read these creative stories in detail and the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the critical elements of narratives to consider before writing.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of story writing.

We recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with, to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

NARRATIVE WRITING PROMPTS (Journal Prompts)

When students have a great journal prompt, it can help them focus on the task at hand, so be sure to view our vast collection of visual writing prompts for various text types here or use some of these.

• On a recent European trip, you find your travel group booked into the stunning and mysterious Castle Frankenfurter for a single night…  As night falls, the massive castle of over one hundred rooms seems to creak and groan as a series of unexplained events begin to make you wonder who or what else is spending the evening with you. Write a narrative that tells the story of your evening.
• You are a famous adventurer who has discovered new lands; keep a travel log over a period of time in which you encounter new and exciting adventures and challenges to overcome.  Ensure your travel journal tells a story and has a definite introduction, conflict and resolution.
• You create an incredible piece of technology that has the capacity to change the world.  As you sit back and marvel at your innovation and the endless possibilities ahead of you, it becomes apparent there are a few problems you didn’t really consider. You might not even be able to control them.  Write a narrative in which you ride the highs and lows of your world-changing creation with a clear introduction, conflict and resolution.
• As the final door shuts on the Megamall, you realise you have done it…  You and your best friend have managed to sneak into the largest shopping centre in town and have the entire place to yourselves until 7 am tomorrow.  There is literally everything and anything a child would dream of entertaining themselves for the next 12 hours.  What amazing adventures await you?  What might go wrong?  And how will you get out of there scot-free?
• A stranger walks into town…  Whilst appearing similar to almost all those around you, you get a sense that this person is from another time, space or dimension… Are they friends or foes?  What makes you sense something very strange is going on?   Suddenly they stand up and walk toward you with purpose extending their hand… It’s almost as if they were reading your mind.

NARRATIVE WRITING VIDEO TUTORIAL

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

When teaching narrative writing, it is essential that you have a range of tools, strategies and resources at your disposal to ensure you get the most out of your writing time.  You can find some examples below, which are free and paid premium resources you can use instantly without any preparation.

FREE Narrative Graphic Organizer

THE STORY TELLERS BUNDLE OF TEACHING RESOURCES

A MASSIVE COLLECTION of resources for narratives and story writing in the classroom covering all elements of crafting amazing stories. MONTHS WORTH OF WRITING LESSONS AND RESOURCES, including:

NARRATIVE WRITING CHECKLIST BUNDLE

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES ABOUT NARRATIVE WRITING

Narrative Writing for Kids: Essential Skills and Strategies

7 Great Narrative Lesson Plans Students and Teachers Love

Top 7 Narrative Writing Exercises for Students

How to Write a Scary Story

Story Writing Class 6 Format, Examples, Topics, Exercises

In Online Education Story writing is an art. It is the oldest form of written composition. It is a work of imagination that is writ ten in easily understandable grammatical structure. A short story is meant to be read in a single sitting and therefore it should be as direct and brief as possible.

This grammar section explains English Grammar in a clear and simple way. There are example sentences to show how the language is used. You can also visit the most accurate and elaborate NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English . Every question of the textbook has been answered here. https://ncertmcq.com/story-writing-class-6/

Online Education for Story Writing Class 6 Format, Examples, Topics, Exercises

Main point’s related to story writing

• Title: The title of the story must be interesting and it should evoke curiosity.
• Planned and logical series of events must be reflected and the events should not deviate the story from its theme.
• There must be an interesting theme of the story which is the controlling idea of the story.
• The depiction of the characters must be interesting and convincing.
• The language of the story must suit the story. It should be as per the setting of the story.

Story Writing Solved Examples With Answers for Class 6 CBSE

Story Writing For Class 6 Question 1. mountain mouse mountain ________ thing mouse ___________ neither big__________ nor small __________ big size ___________ big advantages stop the clouds ___________ across the sky. agreed the mouse. __________ can’t stop making big holes ___________ foundation ____________ tiny mouse outwitted mightly mountain.

The Mountain and the Mouse

Answer: One day there was a battle of wits between a mountain and a mouse. The mountain said, “What a poor little thing you are!” The mouse snapped, “I know I am not as big as you are. But, then, you are not as small as I am.” “Big size has big advantages,” said the mountain, “I can stop the clouds sailing across the sky.” “So you can,” agreed the mouse. “But you can’t stop me from making big holes in your very foundation, can you?” The tiny mouse outwitted the mighty mountain.

Story Writing Class 6 Question 2. __________ a lamb __________ to a stream to drink water. __________ a wolf came _________ saw the lamb ___________ flesh _________ must be soft and sweet __________ catch him for ____ food ___________ went closer _________ said __________ making my drinking water dirty it can’t be so ____ _____ water is flowing down _________ wolf said don’t argue _________ rude fellow _________ abused ?ne last month __________ Iamb said _________ not even born ________ must be mother ___________ wolfjumped poor lamb killed him.

‘The Wolf and the Lamb

Answer: Once a lamb went to a stream to drink water. As he was drinking water, a wolf also came there for drinking water. He saw the lamb and thought, “The flesh of this little one must be soft and sweet. I should catch him for my food.”. So he went closer to the lamb and said, “You are making my drinking water dirty.” The lamb said, “No, it can’t be so, because the water is flowing down to me from your end.” The wolf said, “Don’t argue with me. Perhaps you are the same rude fellow who abused me last month.” The lamb said, “I was not even born last month.” The Wolf said, “In that case, it must be your mother who abused me.” So saying, the wolf jumped upon the poor lamb and killed him.

Story Writing In English For Class 6 Question 3. _________ four cows lived in a jungle ________ fast friends, ________ always together ________ lived in peace. fought the enemy unitedly. A tiger had an eye __________ not dare to attack __________ as they were united. ___________ cows fell out went separately the tiger ________ the opportunity ___________ killed the cows _______ ate them ___________.

The Cow And The Tiger

Answer: Once upon a time, four cows lived in a jungle. They were fast friends. They were always together. They lived in peace. If any wild animal ever attacked them, all the four of them fought the enemy unitedly and drove him away.

A tiger had an eye on these cows. But he did not dare to attack them as long as they were united. The cows fell out one day. Each one went separately her own way. Now the tiger had the opportunity that he was looking for. He killed the cows one by one and ate them up.

Story Writing With Hints For Class 6 Question 4. ____________ two frogs fell into ___________ churn of milk, ___________ swam round _________ tried to hop __________ no solid support __________ not possible hop out _________ escape. ___________ one of the frogs completely tired, I can’t swim ___________ giving up _________ other frog go on swimming something will happen __________ save me. __________ His movements churned the milk __________ turned it _________ butter frog climbed pat of butter ___________ hopped out ____________.

The Two Frogs

Answer: One day two frogs fell into a churn of milk, They swam round and round and tried to hop out. As there was no solid support under their feet, it was not possible for the frogs to hop out and escape.

After some time, one of the frogs said, “I am completely tired. I can’t swim any longer. I am giving up. “He gave up and went down to the bottom of the churn. He was drowned.

The other frog said, “I will go on swimming. I hope something will happen and save me.” So he went on swimming. His movements churned the milk and turned it into butter. After some time, the frog climbed up on the pat of butter and hopped out of the churn.

Story Writing For Class 5 Question 5. __________a farmer had a magic goose. __________laid a golden egg. _________ farmer sold _________ a good price __________ became rich ___________ built a ‘arge house __________ lived _________ with wife and children, _____________ good food to eat. ____________ fine clothes ____________ one night a wicked idea ___________ could be very rich ___________ golden eggs from the body of the goose. ___________ neet morning ___________ killed the goose __________ tore her body went mad __________ goose was dead ________ not get golden.

The Farmer and the Magic Goose

Answer: Once upon a time a farmer had a magic goose. Every day she laid a golden egg. The farmer sold the egg at a good price. In course of time, the farmer became rich. He built a large house. He lived there with wife and children. They had good food to eat. They had fine clothes to wear.

This went on for a long time. Suddenly one night a wicked idea came to his mind. He thought that he could be very rich by taking out all the golden eggs from the goose. The next morning the farmer killed the goose with a big knife. When he tore her body wide open, went mad with misery because the goose was dead and he would not get golden eggs any more.

Story Writing Topics For Class 6 Question 6. _________ summer _________ and beautiful __________ plentiful grasshopper ate __________ content sang merrily __________ ants collecting . He laughed __________ said to an ant __________ greedy _________ ant said _________storing food for the winter __________ came winter __________ food _________ scarce __________ hopper found __________ difficult __________ get food __________ to starve, ___________ one day hopper knocked at the door _________ the ant ________ requested thing to eat _________ ant said _________ lazy creature __________ shut her door _________ the ant _________ requested thing to eat _________ ant said ___________ lazy creature __________ shut her door.

The Grasshopper and the Ant

Answer: In summer everything was bright and beautiful. Food was plentiful. A grasshopper ate to its heart’s content and sang merrily. He saw ants collecting and carrying food. He laughed at them. He said to an ant who was his friends, “How greedy you people are! You are working when it is the time for joy. What a pity!” The ant said, “My dear friend, we are storing food for the winter.”

After summer, came winter. The brightness of summer was gone. Food was getting scarce. The grasshopper found it difficult to get food for himself. And at last came the time for him to starve. So one day the grasshooper knocked at the door of his friend, the ant. He requested her to give him something to eat. The ant said, “You spent the summer singing merrily. Now you spend the winter dancing. I won’t give anything to a lazy creature like you.” And she shut her door on his face.

Class 6 Story Writing Question 7. An eagle ________ his nest high up on a mountain wall. At the foot ________ tree ________ lived a crow ________ eagle swooped picked up a lamb __________ flew high up __________ returned ___________ crow saw ____________ wonderful feat ___________ on go thought _______________ can’t I? _________ one day___________ flew as high as he could _________ swooped down _________ great force. But instead _______ dashed against the ground ___________ his head and beak cracked _________.

The Eagle and the Crow

Answer: An eagle had his nest high up on a mountain wall. At the foot of the mountain, there was a tree in which lived a crow. One day the eagle swooped down from his nest and picked up a lamb from the earth. Then he flew high up and returned to his nest. The crow saw that the eagle had performed the wonderful feat in one go. He thought, “If the eagle can perform this feat, why can’t I?” So one day the crow flew as high as he could. Then he swooped down with great force. But instead of land ing upon a lamb, he dashed against the ground. His head and beak cracked. That was the end of him.

Story Writing In English Class 6 Question 8. ________ to boys going along a road _________ saw a nut _______ the ground _______ ran quickly to pick it up picked ________ other boy said _________ my nut _______ I ________ to see _________ it is mine _________ said the boy _________ to pick it __________ a tall boy came _________ give me the ____________ I’ll settle ___________ quarrel ____________ tall boy took the nut _________ cracked __________ separated __________ into two parts _________ of the shell ___________ one boy _________ the other part __________ other boy __________ the tall boy the fruit seed _________ his mouth ___________ remaining is mine _______ helping.

The Two Boys and a Nut

Answer: One day two boys were going along a road. They saw a nut on the ground. Both of them ran quickly to pick it up. One boy picked it up. The other boy said, “It is my nut because I was the first to see it.” “It is mine,” said the boy who was holding it, “because I was the first to pick it up.”

Just then a tall boy came there. He said to the boys, “Give me the nut. I’ll settle your quarrel.”

The tall boy took the nut. He cracked the nut and separated its hard shell into two parts. He gave one part of the shell to one boy and said, “This half is yours.”

Then the tall boy popped the fruit-seed into his mouth and said, “The remaining is mine for helping.

Story Writing Topics For Grade 6

Story Writing Practice Examples With Answers for Class 6 CBSE

1. Cap seller – going to market – felt tired – slept under a tree – a basket – caps for sale – monkeys on the tree – came down – opened the basket – took the caps – wore them – started making noise – Cap seller woke up – no cap in the basket – looked up in wonder – monkeys wearing caps – tried several methods to collect the caps – failed – out of frustration threw his cap – monkeys also threw the caps – Cap seller collected the caps and went away happily.

2. A fox fell into a well – a thirsty goat came to the well – fox invited the goat to have a drink of fresh water – the foolish goat jumped into the well – fox tried to step on the goat’s back and jumped off – promised to draw out goat afterward – the goat agreed – the fox went away – foolish goat stayed there.

3. A hungry box – saw a crow with a piece of meat in its beak. Fox.thought of a plan – praised the crow – the crow listened – felt very happy – fox requested the crow to sing a song – foolish crow very pleased – began to sing – the piece of meat fell down – Fox picked up – ran away.

4. A farmer had a goose – it laid a golden egg every day – greedy farmer – wanted to more golden eggs at once – thought of a plan – killed the goose – opened its stomach – no golden egg – Moral.

5. An Arab has a camel Arab sleeps inside a tent Camel Shivers outside Arab agrees to let the camel put its neck inside then its forelegs camel enters tent and pushes the Arab outside.

Free Printable Creative Writing Worksheets for 6th Grade

Creative Writing: Discover a world of imagination with our free printable Reading & Writing worksheets for Grade 6 students. Enhance your students' skills and creativity with Quizizz's diverse resources.

Explore Creative Writing Worksheets by Grades

• kindergarten

Explore Other Subject Worksheets for grade 6

• Social studies
• Social emotional
• Foreign language
• Reading & Writing

Explore printable Creative Writing worksheets for 6th Grade

Creative Writing worksheets for Grade 6 are an excellent resource for teachers looking to engage their students in the world of reading and writing. These worksheets provide a variety of activities and exercises designed to help students develop their skills in fiction writing, as well as other forms of creative expression. By incorporating these worksheets into their lesson plans, teachers can provide a structured and supportive environment for students to explore their creativity and improve their writing abilities. With a focus on reading and writing, these Grade 6 worksheets offer a comprehensive approach to developing students' literacy skills, ultimately preparing them for more advanced writing tasks in the future.

Quizizz is a fantastic platform that complements Creative Writing worksheets for Grade 6, offering teachers a variety of interactive and engaging activities to further enhance their students' learning experience. This platform provides a wide range of quizzes and games that can be tailored to specific topics, such as reading and writing or fiction writing, allowing teachers to reinforce key concepts and assess their students' progress. In addition to its extensive quiz library, Quizizz also offers a variety of other resources, including flashcards and interactive presentations, making it an invaluable tool for teachers seeking to create a dynamic and immersive learning environment for their Grade 6 students. By incorporating Quizizz into their lesson plans, teachers can ensure that their students are not only developing their creative writing skills but also having fun in the process.

Notice Writing for Class 6 | Format, Topics, Examples [2024 Guide]

Notice Writing for Class 6: In this article, we’ve discussed the notice writing format for class 6 with examples. This notice writing format is also helpful for students of classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. After reading this article, you’ll be able to learn how to write a notice in English. So, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

What is a Notice?

A notice is a short, formal type of composition. It is used to announce meetings, events, tours/camps, exhibitions/fairs, etc. It is also used to give an invitation or issue a warning. Individuals or organizations issue such notices.

A notice is meant to be pasted/pinned on a board. It may also be circulated or appear in newspapers.

Objective of a Notice

The notice is written to : (i) provide information about an event, function, celebration. (ii) extend invitation. (iii) issue a warning. (iv) spread general awareness, etc.

Notice Writing Format For Class 6

1. Write the name of the issuing authority (organization) on the top. 2. Write the word ‘NOTICE’ below the name of the organization. 3. Give the date of issuing the notice. 4. Give a suitable catchy title or heading. 5. Day, date, time, place, and programme must be mentioned. 6. Signature/name with designation of the issuing authority must be mentioned at the end. 7. Do not exceed the limit of 50 words. 8. Put the notice in a box.

Notice Writing Topics/Examples for Class 6

Let’s learn the format of notice writing for class 6 through some examples-

Example 1: Notice Writing on Teachers’ Day

Q. As the secretary of the Students’ Association of your school write a notice urging the students to participate in the Teachers’ Day program of your school.

DOON PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE

Teachers’ Day Celebration

The Teachers’ Day will be observed on 05.09.20XX at 11 a.m. in the school hall. The teachers have been doing so much for us. This is a grand occasion for paying our regards to them. All the students are earnestly requested to assemble on the occasion and make it a grand success.

XYZ (Secretary, Students’ Association)

Example 2: Notice on Annual Day/Function Celebration

Q. Your school is going to observe its Annual Day very soon. As a secretary of the cultural club of your school issue a notice inviting the students to participate in the program.

GYAN BHARATI SCHOOL NOTICE

23rd September, 20XX

Annual Day Celebration

Our school is going to celebrate the Annual Day on 1st of October 20XX at 11 a.m. in the school auditorium. Various cultural programs like dancing, singing, role play etc will be there. The district collector will be the chief guest of the program. Students who want to participate are requested to enrol their names to their respective class teachers before 27th September.

For more details, contact the undersigned.

ABC (Secretary, Cultural Club)

Also Read: Notice Writing Format, Tips, Topics, Examples

Example 3: Notice on Tree Plantation Program

Q. Suppose you are the secretary of the environment club of your school. Write a notice on tree plantation program in your school.

BLOOM PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE

31st March 20XX

Tree Plantation Program

All the students are hereby notified that our school is going to organize a tree plantation program on World Environment Day. Under this drive, 1000 new trees will be planted in the school campus. All the students are invited to take part in the program to make it a grand success. All the details of the program are as follows:

Date: 5th June. Time: 11 am to 2 pm. Venue: School Campus

For more details contact the undersigned.

XYZ (Secretary, Environment Club)

Example 4: Notice Writing for Class 6 Lost and Found

Q. You have lost your wristwatch in the school ground. Draft a notice for the school noticeboard regarding that.

MAYUR PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE

March 8, 20XX

Lost and Found

I have lost my wrist watch on March 7, 20XX in the school playground while playing. It is a Sonata watch with a blue dial and a black strap. If anyone finds it kindly return it to the undersigned. The finder will be rewarded with a good treat.

Rohan Dey Class VI-A

Example 5: Notice on Garbage Cleaning Operation

Q. Your school has decided to organize a Garbage Cleaning Program. As a secretary of the cultural committee of your school prepare a notice giving information about the program.

CALCUTTA PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE

Garbage Cleaning Operation

It is hereby notified that Delhi Public School is going to organize a ‘Garbage Cleaning Operation’ on 25th May. Our school premises and surrounding areas will be cleaned by the students under the guidance of class teachers. The program will start at 10 am. All the necessary items like bucket, bleaching powder, phenyl etc. will be provided by the school. The students are requested to participate in the program and make it successful.

Rahul Sharma (Secretary, Cultural Committee)

Also Read: Notice Writing for Class 7 | Format, Topics, Examples

Example 6: Notice For Inter-School Singing Competition

Q. On the occasion of Silver Jubilee of your school an inter-school singing competition has been organized. As a secretary of the cultural club write a notice for the school notice board regarding that.

DELHI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NOTICE

March 5, 20XX

Inter-School Singing Competition

On the occasion of Silver Jubilee of our school, the cultural club is going to organize an inter-school singing competition. More than 10 schools from the city will participate here. There will be exciting prizes for the winners. The details of the program are as follows:

Date: 20 March 20XX Time: 11 am to 3 pm Venue: School Auditorium

Interested students can register their names to the undersigned by March 15. For more details kindly contact the undersigned

XYZ (Secretary, Cultural Club)

Example 7: Notice on Debate Competition

Q. Suppose you are the secretary of the Debating Society of your school. The society is hosting an inter-class debate competition. Write a notice informing the students about that.

RAVINDRA PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE

Debate Competition

Our society has decided to organize a debate for the students of class VI and VII on the 20th December. 20XX at 11 a.m. The topic of the debate is ‘ Science – a blessing or a curse ‘. Students of the above classes, desirous of participating in the debate are invited to submit their names to the undersigned before 15th December.

ABC (Secretary, Debating Society)

Example 8: Notice Writing on Annual Sports Day

Q. As the sports secretary of your school write a notice for the school notice board inviting students to participate in various sports events to be held at the school ground on the occasion of Annual Sports Day.

BAL BHARATI PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE

2nd February, 20XX

Annual Sports Day

The Annual Sports Day of our school is going to take place on 15th February at 10 am in the school playground. Different sports like 100m Race, 200m Race, Kabaddi, Volleyball, marble spoon race etc. will be there. The district magistrate will inaugurate the program as the chief guest. Students who wish to take part in any event, should register their names to the undersigned by 10th February.

For further details contact the undersigned.

XYZ (Sports Secretary)

Example 9: Notice on Educational/Study Tour

Q. Your school is organizing an educational tour to Agra for 5 days. As the captain of your school write a notice giving information about the tour.

SALT LAKE SCHOOL NOTICE

Educational Tour

Our school has arranged an educational tour to Agra on 15.12.20XX for 5 days. The fee is Rs. 1000/- per head. All the willing participants are requested to submit their names to the undersigned before 10.12.20XX. The written permission of the guardian is mandatory to participate. For further details, contact the undersigned.

ABC School Captain

Example 10: Notice Writing on Charity Show

Q. Imagine you are the cultural secretary of your school. Issue a notice inviting the students to participate in a charity show organized by your school.

ST XAVIERS COLLEGIATE SCHOOL NOTICE

Charity Show

The Welfare Association of our school has decided to organize a charity show for collecting funds for the flood victims of Kerala. All students are requested to make their liberal contributions to the fund set up for the purpose on or before 10th August. The entire collection will be sent to the chief minister’s flood relief fund.

XYZ (Cultural Secretary)

Read More: Notice Writing on Lost and Found – Format, Examples

Related Posts

Blood Donation Camp Notice Writing – Format, Examples [2024]

Notice Writing Format, Tips, Topics, Examples [2024 Guide]

Notice Writing for Class 7 | Format, Topics, Examples [2024 Guide]

Notice Writing on Lost and Found – Format, Examples [2024]

1 thought on “notice writing for class 6 | format, topics, examples [2024 guide]”.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Question and Answer forum for K12 Students

Letter Writing For Class 6 Format, Topics, Examples, Exercises

Letter writing for class 6 in english.

Letter writing is an essential skill that every student should learn. It is a form of communication that has been around for centuries, and it is still relevant today. In fact, letter writing has become even more important in the digital age. With the rise of email and social media, many people have lost the art of writing a proper letter. However, there are still many situations where a handwritten or typed letter is the best way to communicate.

For Class 6 students, letter writing is an important skill to learn. They will need to write letters for various purposes throughout their academic and personal lives. Whether it is a formal letter to a teacher, a thank-you note to a friend, or a letter to a pen pal, knowing how to write a letter is crucial. In this article, we will discuss the format, topics, examples, and exercises that will help Class 6 students improve their letter-writing skills.

By the end of this article, students will have a clear understanding of how to write different types of letters and will be able to apply this knowledge to real-life situations. They will also have access to various exercises and examples that will help them practice their letter-writing skills. With this knowledge, Class 6 students will be well-equipped to communicate effectively through the written word.

Also Check: Letter Writing for Class 7

Understanding Letter Writing

Letter writing is an essential skill that students must learn in their academic journey. It is a form of communication that helps individuals express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a written format. In class 6, students are introduced to the basics of letter writing and are taught how to write different types of letters, including formal and informal letters.

The first step in understanding letter writing is to know its purpose. Letters are written for various reasons, such as to express gratitude, request information, seek permission, or convey important news. The tone and language of a letter depend on its purpose and the person to whom it is addressed.

The format of a letter is another crucial aspect that students must learn. A letter consists of three main parts: the heading, the body, and the closing. The heading includes the sender’s address, the date, and the receiver’s address. The body of the letter is where the main message is written, and the closing includes a polite ending phrase, such as “Yours sincerely” or “Best regards.”

To help students understand the different types of letters, teachers provide them with various topics and exercises. Some of the common topics for letter-writing exercises include writing a letter to a friend, a family member, a teacher, or a public figure. These exercises help students practice their writing skills and familiarize themselves with the different types of letters.

In conclusion, letter writing is a crucial skill that students must learn in class 6. It helps them communicate effectively and express their thoughts and ideas in a written format. By understanding the purpose and format of letters and practicing different types of letter-writing exercises, students can develop their writing skills and become proficient in letter writing.

Types of Letters

Formal letters.

Formal letters are written for official or business purposes. They follow a specific format and are usually addressed to a specific person or organization. The language used in formal letters is polite and respectful. Formal letters are used for job applications, complaints, inquiries, requests, and other official purposes.

The format of a formal letter includes the sender’s address, date, recipient’s address, salutation, body, complimentary close, and signature. The sender’s address and date are usually placed at the top right corner of the letter. The recipient’s address and salutation are placed below the sender’s address. The body of the letter includes the main message, and the complimentary close is a polite way to end the letter.

Informal Letters

Informal letters are written for personal or casual purposes. They are usually addressed to friends, family members, or acquaintances. The language used in informal letters is casual and friendly. Informal letters are used for congratulating someone, apologizing, inviting someone, or just catching up with friends.

The format of an informal letter is flexible. It can be written in any format that the sender feels comfortable with. However, it is important to maintain a friendly tone throughout the letter. Informal letters can include personal anecdotes, jokes, and other informal language.

In summary, formal letters are used for official or business purposes, while informal letters are used for personal or casual purposes. The format and language used in these letters differ depending on the purpose of the letter.

Format Of Letter Writing For Class 6

Letter writing is an important skill that everyone should master. Writing a letter requires a specific format that should be followed to ensure the letter is clear and effective. The following sub-sections will outline the format of a letter.

Sender’s Address

The sender’s address should be written on the top right-hand side of the page. It should include the sender’s full name, street address, city, state, and zip code. This information should be single-spaced and left-justified.

The date should be written below the sender’s address. It should include the month, day, and year. The date should be single-spaced and left-justified.

Receiver’s Address

The receiver’s address should be written below the date. It should include the full name of the person or organization the letter is being sent to, their street address, city, state, and zip code. This information should be single-spaced and left-justified.

The salutation is the greeting at the beginning of the letter. It should be written two lines below the receiver’s address. The salutation should include the recipient’s name and a colon. If the recipient’s name is unknown, use “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam.” The salutation should be followed by a comma.

Body of the Letter

The body of the letter is where the writer expresses their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. It should be single-spaced and left-justified. The first paragraph should introduce the purpose of the letter. The following paragraphs should provide details and supporting information. Each paragraph should contain one main idea. The final paragraph should summarize the letter and provide any necessary conclusions.

The closing is the end of the letter. It should be written two lines below the last paragraph of the body. The closing should be followed by a comma. Common closings include “Sincerely,” “Yours truly,” and “Best regards.” The writer’s full name should be written below the closing.

Following this format will ensure that your letter is clear, effective, and professional.

Topics For Letter Writing For Class 6

Letter writing is an essential skill that every student should learn. It helps in expressing thoughts and ideas in a clear and concise manner. Here are some of the topics for letter writing that Class 6 students should know:

Informal Letter Writing Topics

• Write a letter to your friend inviting him/her to your birthday party.
• Write a letter to your cousin describing your recent vacation.
• Write a letter to your grandparents thanking them for a gift.
• Write a letter to your teacher apologizing for not submitting your homework on time.
• Write a letter to your pen pal in another country and tell them about your culture and traditions.

Formal Letter Writing Topics

• Write a letter to the principal of your school requesting a leave of absence.
• Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing your concern about the pollution in your city.
• Write a letter to the manager of a bank requesting a loan for your father’s business.
• Write a letter to the local government requesting them to repair the roads in your area.
• Write a letter to a company requesting information about their products or services.

Creative Writing Topics

• Write a letter to your future self, describing your goals and aspirations.
• Write a letter to your favorite author, expressing your admiration for their work.
• Write a letter to a fictional character, asking them for advice.
• Write a letter to a historical figure, asking them about their life and experiences.
• Write a letter to your pet, telling them how much you love them.

These topics can help Class 6 students improve their letter-writing skills. It is important to remember to follow the correct format and use appropriate language depending on whether the letter is formal or informal.

Examples Of Letter Writing For Class 6

Class 6 students can learn letter writing through various examples. Here are a few examples of letter writing that can help students understand the format and structure of different types of letters.

Formal Letter Writing Examples

• Complaint Letter: Students can write a complaint letter to the local authorities about any issue they face in their locality, such as poor road conditions, lack of street lights, or garbage disposal problems.
• Job Application Letter: Students can write a job application letter to apply for a job vacancy in a company. They should include their educational qualifications, skills, and experience in the letter.
• Letter to the Editor: Students can write a letter to the editor of a newspaper to express their views on a social issue, such as pollution, global warming, or poverty.

Informal Letter Writing Examples

• Letter to a Friend: Students can write a letter to their friends to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. They can also include some interesting anecdotes or jokes to make the letter more engaging.
• Thank You Letter: Students can write a thank you letter to express their gratitude to someone who has helped them in some way, such as a teacher, parent, or friend.
• Invitation Letter: Students can write an invitation letter to invite their friends or relatives to a party, function, or event.

Exercises for Letter Writing

Apart from the above examples, students can also practice letter writing through various exercises. Some of the exercises that can help students improve their letter-writing skills are:

• Fill in the Blanks: Students can fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete a given letter.
• Rearrange the Sentences: Students can rearrange the given sentences to form a coherent letter.
• Match the Columns: Students can match the columns of salutations, closings, and body paragraphs to form a complete letter.

By practicing letter writing through various examples and exercises, students can improve their communication skills and express their thoughts and ideas effectively.

Exercises For Letter Writing For Class 6

To master the art of letter writing, it is essential to practice regularly. Here are some exercises for Class 6 students to improve their letter-writing skills:

• Write a formal letter to the Principal of your school: In this exercise, the student should write a formal letter to the Principal of their school, requesting permission to organize a cultural event. The letter should follow the correct format and include all the necessary details.
• Write an informal letter to your friend: In this exercise, the student should write an informal letter to their friend, inviting them to a birthday party. The letter should be written in a friendly tone and include all the relevant details.
• Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper: In this exercise, the student should write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper, expressing their views on a current issue. The letter should be well-structured and persuasive, with clear arguments and evidence to support the student’s position.
• Write a job application letter: In this exercise, the student should write a job application letter for a part-time job. The letter should be well-written and professional, highlighting the student’s skills and experience.
• Write a complaint letter: In this exercise, the student should write a complaint letter to a company or organization, expressing their dissatisfaction with a product or service. The letter should be polite but firm, with clear details of the problem and a request for a resolution.

By practicing these exercises, Class 6 students can improve their letter-writing skills and develop the confidence to write effective and persuasive letters for a variety of purposes.

Tips For Effective Letter Writing For Class 6

When it comes to writing letters, the key is to be clear, concise, and courteous. Here are some tips that can help Class 6 students write effective letters:

• Identify the purpose of the letter: Before starting to write, it is important to identify the purpose of the letter. Is it a formal or informal letter? What is the main message that needs to be conveyed? Having a clear understanding of the purpose of the letter can help in structuring it effectively.
• Choose the right format: Depending on the purpose of the letter, students need to choose the appropriate format. Formal letters have a specific format that includes the sender’s and recipient’s addresses, date, salutation, body, and closing. Informal letters, on the other hand, can be more flexible in terms of format.
• Use simple language: The language used in the letter should be simple and easy to understand. Avoid using complex vocabulary or jargon that the recipient may not be familiar with. It is also important to use proper grammar and punctuation.
• Be courteous: Regardless of the purpose of the letter, it is important to be courteous and respectful. Use polite language and avoid using negative or offensive language. Thank the recipient for their time and consideration.
• Proofread: Before sending the letter, it is important to proofread it for errors. Check for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and formatting issues. A well-written and error-free letter can make a positive impression on the recipient.

By following these tips, Class 6 students can write effective letters that convey their message clearly and respectfully.

Recommended Reading: Letter Writing For Class 6

Conclusion On Letter Writing For Class 6

In conclusion, letter writing is an important skill that students should learn at an early age. It not only helps them communicate effectively but also teaches them valuable life skills such as organization, critical thinking, and empathy.

When writing a letter, it is important to follow the proper format and structure. This includes addressing the recipient appropriately, using a clear and concise tone, and including all necessary information. Students should also proofread their letters carefully to ensure that there are no errors or mistakes.

Furthermore, letter writing can be a fun and creative exercise for students. They can use their imagination to come up with interesting topics and ideas and experiment with different writing styles and formats. Teachers can also incorporate letter-writing exercises into their lesson plans to make learning more engaging and interactive.

Overall, letter writing is an essential skill that students should develop in order to communicate effectively in both personal and professional settings. By following the proper format and structure, and incorporating creativity and imagination, students can become proficient and confident writers.

French Journal of English Studies

Home Numéros 59 1 - Tisser les liens : voyager, e... 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teac...

36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teaching Travel Writing and Mindfulness in the Tradition of Hokusai and Thoreau

L'auteur américain Henry David Thoreau est un écrivain du voyage qui a rarement quitté sa ville natale de Concorde, Massachusetts, où il a vécu de 1817 à 1862. Son approche du "voyage" consiste à accorder une profonde attention à son environnement ordinaire et à voir le monde à partir de perspectives multiples, comme il l'explique avec subtilité dans Walden (1854). Inspiré par Thoreau et par la célèbre série de gravures du peintre d'estampes japonais Katsushika Hokusai, intitulée 36 vues du Mt. Fuji (1830-32), j'ai fait un cours sur "L'écriture thoreauvienne du voyage" à l'Université de l'Idaho, que j'appelle 36 vues des montagnes de Moscow: ou, Faire un grand voyage — l'esprit et le carnet ouvert — dans un petit lieu . Cet article explore la philosophie et les stratégies pédagogiques de ce cours, qui tente de partager avec les étudiants les vertus d'un regard neuf sur le monde, avec les yeux vraiment ouverts, avec le regard d'un voyageur, en "faisant un grand voyage" à Moscow, Idaho. Les étudiants affinent aussi leurs compétences d'écriture et apprennent les traditions littéraires et artistiques associées au voyage et au sens du lieu.

Index terms

Keywords: , designing a writing class to foster engagement.

1 The signs at the edge of town say, "Entering Moscow, Idaho. Population 25,060." This is a small hamlet in the midst of a sea of rolling hills, where farmers grow varieties of wheat, lentils, peas, and garbanzo beans, irrigated by natural rainfall. Although the town of Moscow has a somewhat cosmopolitan feel because of the presence of the University of Idaho (with its 13,000 students and a few thousand faculty and staff members), elegant restaurants, several bookstores and music stores, and a patchwork of artsy coffee shops on Main Street, the entire mini-metropolis has only about a dozen traffic lights and a single high school. As a professor of creative writing and the environmental humanities at the university, I have long been interested in finding ways to give special focuses to my writing and literature classes that will help my students think about the circumstances of their own lives and find not only academic meaning but personal significance in our subjects. I have recently taught graduate writing workshops on such themes as "The Body" and "Crisis," but when I was given the opportunity recently to teach an undergraduate writing class on Personal and Exploratory Writing, I decided to choose a focus that would bring me—and my students—back to one of the writers who has long been of central interest to me: Henry David Thoreau.

2 One of the courses I have routinely taught during the past six years is Environmental Writing, an undergraduate class that I offer as part of the university's Semester in the Wild Program, a unique undergraduate opportunity that sends a small group of students to study five courses (Ecology, Environmental History, Environmental Writing, Outdoor Leadership and Wilderness Survival, and Wilderness Management and Policy) at a remote research station located in the middle of the largest wilderness area (the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness) in the United States south of Alaska. In "Teaching with Wolves," a recent article about the Semester in the Wild Program, I explained that my goal in the Environmental Writing class is to help the students "synthesize their experience in the wilderness with the content of the various classes" and "to think ahead to their professional lives and their lives as engaged citizens, for which critical thinking and communication skills are so important" (325). A foundational text for the Environmental Writing class is a selection from Thoreau's personal journal, specifically the entries he made October 1-20, 1853, which I collected in the 1993 writing textbook Being in the World: An Environmental Reader for Writers . I ask the students in the Semester in the Wild Program to deeply immerse themselves in Thoreau's precise and colorful descriptions of the physical world that is immediately present to him and, in turn, to engage with their immediate encounters with the world in their wilderness location. Thoreau's entries read like this:

Oct. 4. The maples are reddening, and birches yellowing. The mouse-ear in the shade in the middle of the day, so hoary, looks as if the frost still lay on it. Well it wears the frost. Bumblebees are on the Aster undulates , and gnats are dancing in the air. Oct. 5. The howling of the wind about the house just before a storm to-night sounds extremely like a loon on the pond. How fit! Oct. 6 and 7. Windy. Elms bare. (372)

3 In thinking ahead to my class on Personal and Exploratory Writing, which would be offered on the main campus of the University of Idaho in the fall semester of 2018, I wanted to find a topic that would instill in my students the Thoreauvian spirit of visceral engagement with the world, engagement on the physical, emotional, and philosophical levels, while still allowing my students to remain in the city and live their regular lives as students. It occurred to me that part of what makes Thoreau's journal, which he maintained almost daily from 1837 (when he was twenty years old) to 1861 (just a year before his death), such a rich and elegant work is his sense of being a traveler, even when not traveling geographically.

Traveling a Good Deal in Moscow

I have traveled a good deal in Concord…. --Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854; 4)

4 For Thoreau, one did not need to travel a substantial physical distance in order to be a traveler, in order to bring a traveler's frame of mind to daily experience. His most famous book, Walden , is well known as an account of the author's ideas and daily experiments in simple living during the two years, two months, and two days (July 4, 1845, to September 6, 1847) he spent inhabiting a simple wooden house that he built on the shore of Walden Pond, a small lake to the west of Boston, Massachusetts. Walden Pond is not a remote location—it is not out in the wilderness. It is on the edge of a small village, much like Moscow, Idaho. The concept of "traveling a good deal in Concord" is a kind of philosophical and psychological riddle. What does it mean to travel extensively in such a small place? The answer to this question is meaningful not only to teachers hoping to design writing classes in the spirit of Thoreau but to all who are interested in travel as an experience and in the literary genre of travel writing.

5 Much of Walden is an exercise in deftly establishing a playful and intellectually challenging system of synonyms, an array of words—"economy," "deliberateness," "simplicity," "dawn," "awakening," "higher laws," etc.—that all add up to powerful probing of what it means to live a mindful and attentive life in the world. "Travel" serves as a key, if subtle, metaphor for the mindful life—it is a metaphor and also, in a sense, a clue: if we can achieve the traveler's perspective without going far afield, then we might accomplish a kind of enlightenment. Thoreau's interest in mindfulness becomes clear in chapter two of Walden , "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," in which he writes, "Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face?" The latter question implies the author's feeling that he is himself merely evolving as an awakened individual, not yet fully awake, or mindful, in his efforts to live "a poetic or divine life" (90). Thoreau proceeds to assert that "We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn…. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor" (90). Just what this endeavor might be is not immediately spelled out in the text, but the author does quickly point out the value of focusing on only a few activities or ideas at a time, so as not to let our lives be "frittered away by detail." He writes: "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; … and keep your accounts on your thumb nail" (91). The strong emphasis in the crucial second chapter of Walden is on the importance of waking up and living deliberately through a conscious effort to engage in particular activities that support such awakening. It occurs to me that "travel," or simply making one's way through town with the mindset of a traveler, could be one of these activities.

6 It is in the final chapter of the book, titled "Conclusion," that Thoreau makes clear the relationship between travel and living an attentive life. He begins the chapter by cataloguing the various physical locales throughout North America or around the world to which one might travel—Canada, Ohio, Colorado, and even Tierra del Fuego. But Thoreau states: "Our voyaging is only great-circle sailing, and the doctors prescribe for diseases of the skin merely. One hastens to Southern Africa to chase the giraffe; but surely that is not the game he would be after." What comes next is brief quotation from the seventeenth-century English poet William Habbington (but presented anonymously in Thoreau's text), which might be one of the most significant passages in the entire book:

Direct your eye sight inward, and you'll find A thousand regions in your mind Yet undiscovered. Travel them, and be Expert in home-cosmography. (320)

7 This admonition to travel the mysterious territory of one's own mind and master the strange cosmos of the self is actually a challenge to the reader—and probably to the author himself—to focus on self-reflection and small-scale, local movement as if such activities were akin to exploration on a grand, planetary scale. What is really at issue here is not the physical distance of one's journey, but the mental flexibility of one's approach to the world, one's ability to look at the world with a fresh, estranged point of view. Soon after his discussion of the virtues of interior travel, Thoreau explains why he left his simple home at Walden Pond after a few years of experimental living there, writing, "It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves" (323). In other words, no matter what we're doing in life, we can fall into a "beaten track" if we're not careful, thus failing to stay "awake."

8 As I thought about my writing class at the University of Idaho, I wondered how I might design a series of readings and writing exercises for university students that would somehow emulate the Thoreauvian objective of achieving ultra-mindfulness in a local environment. One of the greatest challenges in designing such a class is the fact that it took Thoreau himself many years to develop an attentiveness to his environment and his own emotional rhythms and an efficiency of expression that would enable him to describe such travel-without-travel, and I would have only sixteen weeks to achieve this with my own students. The first task, I decided, was to invite my students into the essential philosophical stance of the class, and I did this by asking my students to read the opening chapter of Walden ("Economy") in which he talks about traveling "a good deal" in his small New England village as well as the second chapter and the conclusion, which reveal the author's enthusiasm (some might even say obsession ) for trying to achieve an awakened condition and which, in the end, suggest that waking up to the meaning of one's life in the world might be best accomplished by attempting the paradoxical feat of becoming "expert in home-cosmography." As I stated it among the objectives for my course titled 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Or, Traveling a Good Deal—with Open Minds and Notebooks—in a Small Place , one of our goals together (along with practicing nonfiction writing skills and learning about the genre of travel writing) would be to "Cultivate a ‘Thoreauvian' way of appreciating the subtleties of the ordinary world."

Windy. Elms Bare.

9 For me, the elegance and heightened sensitivity of Thoreau's engagement with place is most movingly exemplified in his journal, especially in the 1850s after he's mastered the art of observation and nuanced, efficient description of specific natural phenomena and environmental conditions. His early entries in the journal are abstract mini-essays on such topics as truth, beauty, and "The Poet," but over time the journal notations become so immersed in the direct experience of the more-than-human world, in daily sensory experiences, that the pronoun "I" even drops out of many of these records. Lawrence Buell aptly describes this Thoreauvian mode of expression as "self-relinquishment" (156) in his 1995 book The Environmental Imagination , suggesting such writing "question[s] the authority of the superintending consciousness. As such, it opens up the prospect of a thoroughgoing perceptual breakthrough, suggesting the possibility of a more ecocentric state of being than most of us have dreamed of" (144-45). By the time Thoreau wrote "Windy. Elms bare" (372) as his single entry for October 6 and 7, 1853, he had entered what we might call an "ecocentric zone of consciousness" in his work, attaining the ability to channel his complex perceptions of season change (including meteorology and botany and even his own emotional state) into brief, evocative prose.

10 I certainly do not expect my students to be able to do such writing after only a brief introduction to the course and to Thoreau's own methods of journal writing, but after laying the foundation of the Thoreauvian philosophy of nearby travel and explaining to my students what I call the "building blocks of the personal essay" (description, narration, and exposition), I ask them to engage in a preliminary journal-writing exercise that involves preparing five journal entries, each "a paragraph or two in length," that offer detailed physical descriptions of ordinary phenomena from their lives (plants, birds, buildings, street signs, people, food, etc.), emphasizing shape, color, movement or change, shadow, and sometimes sound, smell, taste, and/or touch. The goal of the journal entries, I tell the students, is to begin to get them thinking about close observation, vivid descriptive language, and the potential to give their later essays in the class an effective texture by balancing more abstract information and ideas with evocative descriptive passages and storytelling.

11 I am currently teaching this class, and I am writing this article in early September, as we are entering the fourth week of the semester. The students have just completed the journal-writing exercise and are now preparing to write the first of five brief essays on different aspects of Moscow that will eventually be braided together, as discrete sections of the longer piece, into a full-scale literary essay about Moscow, Idaho, from the perspective of a traveler. For the journal exercise, my students wrote some rather remarkable descriptive statements, which I think bodes well for their upcoming work. One student, Elizabeth Isakson, wrote stunning journal descriptions of a cup of coffee, her own feet, a lemon, a basil leaf, and a patch of grass. For instance, she wrote:

Steaming hot liquid poured into a mug. No cream, just black. Yet it appears the same brown as excretion. The texture tells another story with meniscus that fades from clear to gold and again brown. The smell is intoxicating for those who are addicted. Sweetness fills the nostrils; bitterness rushes over the tongue. The contrast somehow complements itself. Earthy undertones flower up, yet this beverage is much more satisfying than dirt. When the mug runs dry, specks of dark grounds remain swimming in the sunken meniscus. Steam no longer rises because energy has found a new home.

12 For the grassy lawn, she wrote:

Calico with shades of green, the grass is yellowing. Once vibrant, it's now speckled with straw. Sticking out are tall, seeding dandelions. Still some dips in the ground have maintained thick, soft patches of green. The light dances along falling down from the trees above, creating a stained-glass appearance made from various green shades. The individual blades are stiff enough to stand erect, but they will yield to even slight forces of wind or pressure. Made from several long strands seemingly fused together, some blades fray at the end, appearing brittle. But they do not simply break off; they hold fast to the blade to which they belong.

13 The point of this journal writing is for the students to look closely enough at ordinary reality to feel estranged from it, as if they have never before encountered (or attempted to describe) a cup of coffee or a field of grass—or a lemon or a basil leaf or their own body. Thus, the Thoreauvian objective of practicing home-cosmography begins to take shape. The familiar becomes exotic, note-worthy, and strangely beautiful, just as it often does for the geographical travel writer, whose adventures occur far away from where she or he normally lives. Travel, in a sense, is an antidote to complacency, to over-familiarity. But the premise of my class in Thoreauvian travel writing is that a slight shift of perspective can overcome the complacency we might naturally feel in our home surroundings. To accomplish this we need a certain degree of disorientation. This is the next challenge for our class.

The Blessing of Being Lost

14 Most of us take great pains to "get oriented" and "know where we're going," whether this is while running our daily errands or when thinking about the essential trajectories of our lives. We're often instructed by anxious parents to develop a sense of purpose and a sense of direction, if only for the sake of basic safety. But the traveler operates according to a somewhat different set of priorities, perhaps, elevating adventure and insight above basic comfort and security, at least to some degree. This certainly seems to be the case for the Thoreauvian traveler, or for Thoreau himself. In Walden , he writes:

…not until we are completely lost, or turned round,--for a man needs only be turned round once with his eyes shut in this world to be lost,--do we appreciate the vastness and strangeness of Nature. Every man has to learn the points of compass again as often as he awakes, whether from sleep or any abstraction. Not till we are lost, in other words, not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations. (171)

15 I could explicate this passage at length, but that's not really my purpose here. I read this as a celebration of salutary disorientation, of the potential to be lost in such a way as to deepen one's ability to pay attention to oneself and one's surroundings, natural and otherwise. If travel is to a great degree an experience uniquely capable of triggering attentiveness to our own physical and psychological condition, to other cultures and the minds and needs of other people, and to a million small details of our environment that we might take for granted at home but that accrue special significance when we're away, I would argue that much of this attentiveness is owed to the sense of being lost, even the fear of being lost, that often happens when we leave our normal habitat.

16 So in my class I try to help my students "get lost" in a positive way. Here in Moscow, the major local landmark is a place called Moscow Mountain, a forested ridge of land just north of town, running approximately twenty kilometers to the east of the city. Moscow "Mountain" does not really have a single, distinctive peak like a typical mountain—it is, as I say, more of a ridge than a pinnacle. When I began contemplating this class on Thoreauvian travel writing, the central concepts I had in mind were Thoreau's notion of traveling a good deal in Concord and also the idea of looking at a specific place from many different angles. The latter idea is not only Thoreauvian, but perhaps well captured in the eighteen-century Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai's series of woodblock prints known as 36 Views of Mt. Fuji , which offers an array of different angles on the mountain itself and on other landscape features (lakes, the sea, forests, clouds, trees, wind) and human behavior which is represented in many of the prints, often with Mt. Fuji in the distant background or off to the side. In fact, I imagine Hokusai's approach to representing Mt. Fuji as so important to the concept of this travel writing class that I call the class "36 Views of Moscow Mountain," symbolizing the multiple approaches I'll be asking my students to take in contemplating and describing not only Moscow Mountain itself, but the culture and landscape and the essential experience of Moscow the town. The idea of using Hokusai's series of prints as a focal point of this class came to me, in part, from reading American studies scholar Cathy Davidson's 36 Views of Mount Fuji: On Finding Myself in Japan , a memoir that offers sixteen short essays about different facets of her life as a visiting professor in that island nation.

17 The first of five brief essays my students will prepare for the class is what I'm calling a "Moscow Mountain descriptive essay," building upon the small descriptive journal entries they've written recently. In this case, though, I am asking the students to describe the shapes and colors of the Moscow Mountain ridge, while also telling a brief story or two about their observations of the mountain, either by visiting the mountain itself to take a walk or a bike ride or by explaining how they glimpse portions of the darkly forested ridge in the distance while walking around the University of Idaho campus or doing things in town. In preparation for the Moscow Mountain essays, we read several essays or book chapters that emphasize "organizing principles" in writing, often the use of particular landscape features, such as trees or mountains, as a literary focal point. For instance, in David Gessner's "Soaring with Castro," from his 2007 book Soaring with Fidel: An Osprey Odyssey from Cape Cod to Cuba and Beyond , he not only refers to La Gran Piedra (a small mountain in southeastern Cuba) as a narrative focal point, but to the osprey, or fish eagle, itself and its migratory journey as an organizing principle for his literary project (203). Likewise, in his essay "I Climb a Tree and Become Dissatisfied with My Lot," Chicago author Leonard Dubkin writes about his decision, as a newly fired journalist, to climb up a tree in Chicago's Lincoln Park to observe and listen to the birds that gather in the green branches in the evening, despite the fact that most adults would consider this a strange and inappropriate activity. We also looked at several of Hokusai's woodblock prints and analyzed these together in class, trying to determine how the mountain served as an organizing principle for each print or whether there were other key features of the prints—clouds, ocean waves, hats and pieces of paper floating in the wind, humans bent over in labor—that dominate the images, with Fuji looking on in the distance.

18 I asked my students to think of Hokusai's representations of Mt. Fuji as aesthetic models, or metaphors, for what they might try to do in their brief (2-3 pages) literary essays about Moscow Mountain. What I soon discovered was that many of my students, even students who have spent their entire lives in Moscow, either were not aware of Moscow Mountain at all or had never actually set foot on the mountain. So we spent half an hour during one class session, walking to a vantage point on the university campus, where I could point out where the mountain is and we could discuss how one might begin to write about such a landscape feature in a literary essay. Although I had thought of the essay describing the mountain as a way of encouraging the students to think about a familiar landscape as an orienting device, I quickly learned that this will be a rather challenging exercise for many of the students, as it will force them to think about an object or a place that is easily visible during their ordinary lives, but that they typically ignore. Paying attention to the mountain, the ridge, will compel them to reorient themselves in this city and think about a background landscape feature that they've been taking for granted until now. I think of this as an act of disorientation or being lost—a process of rethinking their own presence in this town that has a nearby mountain that most of them seldom think about. I believe Thoreau would consider this a good, healthy experience, a way of being present anew in a familiar place.

36 Views—Or, When You Invert Your Head

19 Another key aspect of Hokusai's visual project and Thoreau's literary project is the idea of changing perspective. One can view Mt. Fuji from 36 different points of views, or from thousands of different perspectives, and it is never quite the same place—every perspective is original, fresh, mind-expanding. The impulse to shift perspective in pursuit of mindfulness is also ever-present in Thoreau's work, particularly in his personal journal and in Walden . This idea is particularly evident, to me, in the chapter of Walden titled "The Ponds," where he writes:

Standing on the smooth sandy beach at the east end of the pond, in a calm September afternoon, when a slight haze makes the opposite shore line indistinct, I have seen whence came the expression, "the glassy surface of a lake." When you invert your head, it looks like a thread of finest gossamer stretched across the valley, and gleaming against the distinct pine woods, separating one stratum of the atmosphere from another. (186)

20 Elsewhere in the chapter, Thoreau describes the view of the pond from the top of nearby hills and the shapes and colors of pebbles in the water when viewed from close up. He chances physical perspective again and again throughout the chapter, but it is in the act of looking upside down, actually suggesting that one might invert one's head, that he most vividly conveys the idea of looking at the world in different ways in order to be lost and awakened, just as the traveler to a distant land might feel lost and invigorated by such exposure to an unknown place.

21 After asking students to write their first essay about Moscow Mountain, I give them four additional short essays to write, each two to four pages long. We read short examples of place-based essays, some of them explicitly related to travel, and then the students work on their own essays on similar topics. The second short essay is about food—I call this the "Moscow Meal" essay. We read the final chapter of Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006), "The Perfect Meal," and Anthony Bourdain's chapter "Where Cooks Come From" in the book A Cook's Tour (2001) are two of the works we study in preparation for the food essay. The three remaining short essays including a "Moscow People" essay (exploring local characters are important facets of the place), a more philosophical essay about "the concept of Moscow," and a final "Moscow Encounter" essay that tells the story of a dramatic moment of interaction with a person, an animal, a memorable thing to eat or drink, a sunset, or something else. Along the way, we read the work of Wendell Berry, Joan Didion, Barbara Kingsolver, Kim Stafford, Paul Theroux, and other authors. Before each small essay is due, we spend a class session holding small-group workshops, allowing the students to discuss their essays-in-progress with each other and share portions of their manuscripts. The idea is that they will learn about writing even by talking with each other about their essays. In addition to writing about Moscow from various angles, they will learn about additional points of view by considering the angles of insight developed by their fellow students. All of this is the writerly equivalent of "inverting [their] heads."

Beneath the Smooth Skin of Place

22 Aside from Thoreau's writing and Hokusai's images, perhaps the most important writer to provide inspiration for this class is Indiana-based essayist Scott Russell Sanders. Shortly after introducing the students to Thoreau's key ideas in Walden and to the richness of his descriptive writing in the journal, I ask them to read his essay "Buckeye," which first appeared in Sanders's Writing from the Center (1995). "Buckeye" demonstrates the elegant braiding together of descriptive, narrative, and expository/reflective prose, and it also offers a strong argument about the importance of creating literature and art about place—what he refers to as "shared lore" (5)—as a way of articulating the meaning of a place and potentially saving places that would otherwise be exploited for resources, flooded behind dams, or otherwise neglected or damaged. The essay uses many of the essential literary devices, ranging from dialogue to narrative scenes, that I hope my students will practice in their own essays, while also offering a vivid argument in support of the kind of place-based writing the students are working on.

23 Another vital aspect of our work together in this class is the effort to capture the wonderful idiosyncrasies of this place, akin to the idiosyncrasies of any place that we examine closely enough to reveal its unique personality. Sanders's essay "Beneath the Smooth Skin of America," which we study together in Week 9 of the course, addresses this topic poignantly. The author challenges readers to learn the "durable realities" of the places where they live, the details of "watershed, biome, habitat, food-chain, climate, topography, ecosystem and the areas defined by these natural features they call bioregions" (17). "The earth," he writes, "needs fewer tourists and more inhabitants" (16). By Week 9 of the semester, the students have written about Moscow Mountain, about local food, and about local characters, and they are ready at this point to reflect on some of the more philosophical dimensions of living in a small academic village surrounded by farmland and beyond that surrounded by the Cascade mountain range to the West and the Rockies to the East. "We need a richer vocabulary of place" (18), urges Sanders. By this point in the semester, by reading various examples of place-based writing and by practicing their own powers of observation and expression, my students will, I hope, have developed a somewhat richer vocabulary to describe their own experiences in this specific place, a place they've been trying to explore with "open minds and notebooks." Sanders argues that

if we pay attention, we begin to notice patterns in the local landscape. Perceiving those patterns, acquiring names and theories and stories for them, we cease to be tourists and become inhabitants. The bioregional consciousness I am talking about means bearing your place in mind, keeping track of its condition and needs, committing yourself to its care. (18)

24 Many of my students will spend only four or five years in Moscow, long enough to earn a degree before moving back to their hometowns or journeying out into the world in pursuit of jobs or further education. Moscow will be a waystation for some of these student writers, not a permanent home. Yet I am hoping that this semester-long experiment in Thoreauvian attentiveness and place-based writing will infect these young people with both the bioregional consciousness Sanders describes and a broader fascination with place, including the cultural (yes, the human ) dimensions of this and any other place. I feel such a mindfulness will enrich the lives of my students, whether they remain here or move to any other location on the planet or many such locations in succession.

25 Toward the end of "Beneath the Smooth Skin of America," Sanders tells the story of encountering a father with two young daughters near a city park in Bloomington, Indiana, where he lives. Sanders is "grazing" on wild mulberries from a neighborhood tree, and the girls are keen to join him in savoring the local fruit. But their father pulls them away, stating, "Thank you very much, but we never eat anything that grows wild. Never ever." To this Sanders responds: "If you hold by that rule, you will not get sick from eating poison berries, but neither will you be nourished from eating sweet ones. Why not learn to distinguish one from the other? Why feed belly and mind only from packages?" (19-20). By looking at Moscow Mountain—and at Moscow, Idaho, more broadly—from numerous points of view, my students, I hope, will nourish their own bellies and minds with the wild fruit and ideas of this place. I say this while chewing a tart, juicy, and, yes, slightly sweet plum that I pulled from a feral tree in my own Moscow neighborhood yesterday, an emblem of engagement, of being here.

Bibliography

BUELL, Lawrence, The Environmental Imagination: Thoreau, Nature Writing, and the Formation of American Culture , Harvard University Press, 1995.

DAVIDSON, Cathy, 36 Views of Mount Fuji: On Finding Myself in Japan , Duke University Press, 2006.

DUBKIN, Leonard, "I Climb a Tree and Become Dissatisfied with My Lot." Enchanted Streets: The Unlikely Adventures of an Urban Nature Lover , Little, Brown and Company, 1947, 34-42.

GESSNER, David, Soaring with Fidel: An Osprey Odyssey from Cape Cod to Cuba and Beyond , Beacon, 2007.

ISAKSON, Elizabeth, "Journals." Assignment for 36 Views of Moscow Mountain (English 208), University of Idaho, Fall 2018.

SANDERS, Scott Russell, "Buckeye" and "Beneath the Smooth Skin of America." Writing from the Center , Indiana University Press, 1995, pp. 1-8, 9-21.

SLOVIC, Scott, "Teaching with Wolves", Western American Literature 52.3 (Fall 2017): 323-31.

THOREAU, Henry David, "October 1-20, 1853", Being in the World: An Environmental Reader for Writers , edited by Scott H. Slovic and Terrell F. Dixon, Macmillan, 1993, 371-75.

THOREAU, Henry David, Walden . 1854. Princeton University Press, 1971.

Bibliographical reference

Scott Slovic , “ 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teaching Travel Writing and Mindfulness in the Tradition of Hokusai and Thoreau ” ,  Caliban , 59 | 2018, 41-54.

Electronic reference

Scott Slovic , “ 36 Views of Moscow Mountain: Teaching Travel Writing and Mindfulness in the Tradition of Hokusai and Thoreau ” ,  Caliban [Online], 59 | 2018, Online since 01 June 2018 , connection on 02 April 2024 . URL : http://journals.openedition.org/caliban/3688; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/caliban.3688

About the author

Scott slovic.

University of Idaho Scott Slovic is University Distinguished Professor of Environmental Humanities at the University of Idaho, USA. The author and editor of many books and articles, he edited the journal ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment from 1995 to 2020. His latest coedited book is The Routledge Handbook of Ecocriticism and Environmental Communication  (2019).

By this author

• Introduction (version en français) [Full text] Introduction [Full text | translation | en] Published in Caliban , 64 | 2020
• To Collapse or Not to Collapse? A Joint Interview [Full text] Published in Caliban , 63 | 2020
• Furrowed Brows, Questioning Earth: Minding the Loess Soil of the Palouse [Full text] Published in Caliban , 61 | 2019
• Foreword: Thinking of “Earth Island” on Earth Day 2016 [Full text] Published in Caliban , 55 | 2016

The text only may be used under licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 . All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.

Full text issues

• 67-68 | 2022 Religious Dispute and Toleration in Early Modern Literature and History
• 65-66 | 2021 Peterloo 1819 and After: Perspectives from Britain and Beyond
• 64 | 2020 Animal Love. Considering Animal Attachments in Anglophone Literature and Culture
• 63 | 2020 Dynamics of Collapse in Fantasy, the Fantastic and SF
• 62 | 2019 Female Suffrage in British Art, Literature and History
• 61 | 2019 Land’s Furrows and Sorrows in Anglophone Countries
• 60 | 2018 The Life of Forgetting in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century British Literature
• 59 | 2018 Anglophone Travel and Exploration Writing: Meetings Between the Human and Nonhuman
• 58 | 2017 The Mediterranean and its Hinterlands
• 57 | 2017 The Animal Question in Alice Munro's Stories
• 56 | 2016 Disappearances - American literature and arts
• 55 | 2016 Sharing the Planet
• 54 | 2015 Forms of Diplomacy (16 th -21 st century)
• 53 | 2015 Representing World War One: Art’s Response to War
• 52 | 2014 Caliban and his transmutations

Anglophonia/Caliban

• Issues list

Presentation

• Editorial Policy
• Instructions for authors
• Ventes et abonnement

Informations

• Mentions légales et Crédits
• Publishing policies

Newsletters

• OpenEdition Newsletter

In collaboration with

Electronic ISSN 2431-1766

Read detailed presentation  

Site map  – Syndication

Privacy Policy  – About Cookies  – Report a problem

OpenEdition Journals member  – Published with Lodel  – Administration only

You will be redirected to OpenEdition Search

2024 -“Juried Undergraduate Exhibition,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID -At Invitation, University of Idaho’s President’s House, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID -“In Medias Res,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID (Forthcoming)

2023 -At Invitation, “Painting Show,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID -“VAC is Back!”, Reflections Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID -“Pens, Pencils & Paint,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID -At Invitation, University of Idaho’s President’s House, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. 2023-2024 -“Palouse Plein Air,” Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. (Winner: City Purchase Award) -“Mirage,” Reflections Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. -At Invitation, “Painting Show,” Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. Fall 2023-Spring 24

2022 -“Figures”, Downtown Arts Center, Honolulu, HI -“Palouse Plein Air”, Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. (Winner: Best Watercolor) -At Invitation, “Student Painters,” Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. -At Invitation, “Student Printmakers,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. -“Clay?!”, Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID.

2021 -At Invitation, “Student Show”, Iolan’i Gallery, Windward Community College, Kaneohe, HI.

2020 -“Foundations Juried Exhibition”, The Looking Glass Gallery, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.

2019 -“Student Show”, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC.

2024 Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting and Ceramics, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. (Forthcoming)

Extracurriculars and Honors

2022-2024 President of Visual Arts Community (VAC), University of Idaho President of Vandal Print Guild (VPG), University of Idaho Volunteer Artist, Vandaljacks, University of Idaho Dean’s List, University of Idaho Alumni Award for Excellence, University of Idaho

2019-2020 Resident Artist, Cannon Hall, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.

Work Experience/Training

2021-2022 Gallery Attendant, Iolan’i Gallery, Windward Community College, Kaneohe, HI.

Studied Under: Kelly Oakes, Durham, NC. 2019-2020. William Zwick, Honolulu, HI. 2020. Mark Brown, Honolulu, HI, 2020-2022. Daunna Yanoviak, Kailua, HI. 2021- 2022. Mark Norseth, Honolulu, HI. 2021-.

Art: “Introduction to Figure Drawing,” Stacey Leanza, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2018. “Printmaking; Mono-prints,” Stacey Leanza, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2018. “Mixed Media,” Stacey Leanza, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2018. “Introduction to Portrait Drawing,” Kelly Oakes, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Painting Portraits in Alla Prima,” Kelly Oakes, Workshop, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Demystifying the Modern Portrait,” Marie Rossettie, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Intuitive Painting,” Heather Gerni, Workshop, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Oil Painting Crash Course,” Vanessa Murray, Workshop, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Live Portrait Sessions,” Alla Parsons, Downtown Arts Center, Honolulu, HI. 2023. “Introduction to Watercolor,” Dwayne Adams, Class, Downtown Arts Center, Honolulu, HI. 2023.

Creative Writing: “Writing the Killer Mystery,” C1121, Central Carolina Community College, 2019. “Flash Fiction Made Easy,” C1058, Central Carolina Community College, 2019. “Charting Your Path To Publication,” C1060, Central Carolina Community College, 2019.

Newspapers and Articles

Long, Maryanne, “Windward Artists Turn Impression Into Expression,” Windward O’ahu Voice, February 9th, 2022