Join the fun on our Pinterest and Write it! It’s April—National Month of Poetry— let this  be your muse. Write a poem inspired by something that is homemade. The object in question need not be a DIY art project—you could write about…

   Take inspiration from , which centers on the juxtaposition between the traditional and modern state of China, especially Shanghai. What would it be like if everyone had to visibly drag some part of the past with them, in such…

  Write a story inspired by this  by Max. Be sure to include a constant undercurrent of apprehension in your tone. For example, in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, a subtle mood of apprehension and suspense is built when Jackson…

A few years ago Sara brought me a handful of pumice from Mount St. Helens and so I began the lesson with research of the volcano. We moved from there to the chemistry of carbon. When it comes to Observation, the…

Blackbird & Company Discovery Literature & Writing Guides are designed to integrate the skills of reading and writing. Over time, the curriculum will enable your children to develop the tools necessary to independently analyze and respond to great stories. Our…

  Write about an unexpected sliver of nature found in the city. Find inspiration in the dandelion between sidewalk cracks, the butterflies in South Central L.A., rain in the parched corners of downtown.   Example: butterfly in the subway  …

The exchange always goes something like this: “I can’t teach writing.” “Yes you can! If you have ever been inspired by words on a page, then you can teach writing.”  If you can read and ask questions when you read…

Taking notes is a foundational skill that will accompany your student through their entire educational journey and beyond. Even though there is no right way of taking notes, it is important to learn how to extract relevant and pertinent information from a…

    Nothing fosters the higher-order Critical Creative Thinking that allows students to form ideas and opinions about real life, more than hashing through a story in a discussion circle. What begins as an imagining in the mind of the…

On this first day of spring step outside, celebrate the blossoming and craft a haiku greeting. How to craft haiku:   five syllables s e v e n  s y l l a b l e s five syllables  …