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LaurelLit.com

Writer, Reader, English Teacher

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Writing Tips & Lessons

I'm constantly developing new lessons for my College Writing and/or my Creative Writing classes. I'll post and explain some of my favorite writing tips and lessons here.

5 Steps to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Laurel Osterkamp · February 21, 2021

My college writing students seemed intimidating by writing a rhetorical analysis essay, so I tried to break it down and make it more approachable with this video. …

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Phobia Story with Jamboard

Laurel Osterkamp · November 28, 2020

I did this Jamboard as an example for my students, for a Creative Writing assignment. I have been working on creating new assignments that will engage them via distance learning. This one is done in steps. The first step is to chose a phobia and do some research. As my example, I chose alektorophobia, which is an intense fear of chickens. The second step is to create a jam board, with post-its about the phobia, and ideas for a protagonist who suffers from it, along with their ideas for setting, …

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Write about Fear

Laurel Osterkamp · October 10, 2020

I thought this would be fun for Halloween. If you're a teacher and planning to use this for your class, you'll obviously need to press pause throughout, and give students writing time. Hope it works well! …

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Best Friend Poem using Similes

Laurel Osterkamp · September 26, 2020

I created this as another way to warm up my students in Creative Writing class. I think it will be fun. Who doesn't like writing about their best friend? Who doesn't love a good simile? …

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Five Object Poem

Laurel Osterkamp · September 19, 2020

This warm up idea came from the Creative Writing: Daily Warm-Ups, Level II. Years ago I made a slide show with my objects and examples, but I thought I'd update it into a video for distance learning. While my Creative Writing class is studying poetry, I find it fun to start class with a concrete task about something so abstract. …

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