creative writing video stimulus ks2

5-Minute Film Festival: 7 Video Writing Prompts for Young Authors

Looking for a new way to spark creativity in your students’ writing? Try these video writing prompts.

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National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is coming up, but the time is always ripe for encouraging students of every age to write. And how better to pique their interest and power up their pencils (or keyboards!) than with a video writing prompt? Just about any short, intriguing video can be made into a great writing prompt with the addition of a choice question or two, but I've put together a list of favorites discovered around the web. Happy writing!

Video Playlist: Video Writing Prompts for the Classroom

Watch the first video below, or watch the whole playlist on YouTube .

Short student films can provide ample fodder for creative work as illustrated by this whimsical thesis animation by Yezi Xue . Plus, it's free of dialogue, so students can write their own!

Arts educator Denise Cassano creates short films filled with ambiguous images meant to encourage critical thinking. Check out this worksheet of questions to accompany her illustrations and this article she wrote for Edutopia about using art to inspire creative writing .

RSA Shorts are animated snapshots of big ideas from speakers that pose big questions. This one, from education luminary Sir Ken Robinson , is a particular favorite of mine. Ask your high school students: What would enable you to find your passion?

Chris Van Allsburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick is a classic source for visual writing prompts. Check out this student-produced video that describes why these timeless, eerie illustrations provide such fertile ground for young writers.

Popular advertisements, like this cell phone ad out of Thailand with more than 20 million views, can be great for writing prompts if they get kids thinking. This one has a twist that tugs on the heartstrings.

John Spencer is a professor and author who is passionate about creativity in the classroom, and he also makes sketch videos, including this list of nine animated writing prompts to use with students.

TeachHUB offers a bounty of video writing prompts and accompanying lesson ideas by grade band for recent movie trailers, videos about current events and holidays, and even popular ads. Here are lesson ideas to go with Education Is .

More Resources to Encourage Creative Writing

The list above shows that you can turn almost any short video into a solid writing prompt. Of course, video is only one of hundreds of ways you can motivate and inspire young writers. I've gathered a few resources below if you need fresh ideas for videos and beyond. What are your favorite ways to engage kids in creative writing? Share in the comments section below.

• Resources for Educators via NaNoWriMo
• 30 Ideas for Teaching Writing via National Writing Project
• Twenty-Five Ways to Motivate Young Authors via TeacherVision
• Video Writing Prompts via TeachHUB
• Writing Prompts for Video Viewing via Channel One News
• Video Writing Prompts: Keeping Kids Engaged in Those "Between Units and Right Before Vacation Days" via Two Writing Teachers

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4 More Videos to Inspire Writing In Key Stage 2

Home Work by Slightly Everything on Flickr

I have been busy looking for video clips again, following my recent post of ten clips that you could use to get your class writing. I would add of course that simply watching a video is not enough, the shared talk and writing around the clip is key to the end result, namely work your class will be keen to read aloud or blog about.

Furthermore, clips like these could lead to more than just a written piece, they offer opportunities for digital presentations and tribute animations themselves . Remember to embed videos in a blog or VLE , rather than asking children to visit Vimeo directly. All of these videos have been watched and though I deem them appropriate you may disagree. It is of course  always essential to watch anything before you show it to your class!

Little Boat from nelson boles on Vimeo .

The journey of the boat is a story without a written narrative . It is like a series of illustrations without the story. With this in mind why not ask the children to write and then record a narrative. This need not be in prose it could be poetic, perhaps with a receptive refrain, such as “on little boat on”. I thought of this because the film reminded me of a sort of grown up – “Going on a Bear Hunt”

Possible Ideas

Use the journey screen in   2Create a Superstory from 2Simple or a series of Powerpoint slides to recreate your own Little Boat Journey.

Record a narrative to accompany the animation in the form of a story or a poem.

Tell the story from the point of view of the boat or perhaps one of the passengers or soldiers.

origins from Robert Showalter on Vimeo .

A really colourful and vividly shot movie, which is both brief and powerful. The robot discovers where he belongs but despite his initial pride he rejects his home and move back to nature.

Possible ideas

Show the video up until the point the robot enters the factory/ warehouse space and talk with the children about what he might find. What do they imagine the symbol means and what goes on in the building marked with that sign. Talk and/or write about the factory.

How does the robot feel when he finally discovers where he has come from – ask children to write a first person piece that shows his initial pride and excitement which leads to disappointment and a rejection.

Reverso from ArtFx on Vimeo .

I love this film and the ending, which I won’t spoil for you, just keep watching! This short could be used to address difference, clearly the upside down worker is set apart from the rest of the workforce and indeed the world. He has had to make some adaptations and changes in order to just fit in and live. This could open up discussion for children to talk with sensitive interventions about issues of disability.  Though watching the film through will point to a learned behaviour rather than a condition. You could then talk about the back story to the character, why does he choose to spend his life upside down, what caused him to change his way of living?

So in short this clip lends itself to a range of discussion topics in PSHE it could also be used as a springboard for story writing around the origins of the main character.

Passing Through from Olafur Haraldsson on Vimeo .

This video would really inspire some awe and wonder in the right context, perhaps it is more suited to an RE lesson. I liked the narrative, but it maybe a bit above the heads of even the most G and T year 6 pupils. There is something about it though that makes me think I could really use this with pupils to inspire them to write.

Possible ideas Play without sound and ask children to just watch and take in what they see Spend some time talking with response partner about what they saw, perhaps even jot down some descriptive words and phrases. Now play the narration Attempt to summarise – sum up what was said in the simplest possible terms. Could the children work together to create their own narration for the clip – using a similar rhythm and tone.

Do leave a comment if you like these clips and you’d like to see more and if you have any great ideas about how they could be used.

Related articles

• 10 Videos You Could Use to Inspire Writing. (antsict.wordpress.com)

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One comment on “ 4 more videos to inspire writing in key stage 2 ”.

These are great Ant visit http://www.literacyshed.com for over 50 videos to inspire writing, the Origins – story of a lone robot is there!

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Musings of a UK Primary School Teacher

• Marking & Feedback
• Teaching Reading

Sunday, 9 July 2017

6 ks2 free-writing sessions (the literacy shed).

• Pupils review their target from the previous week.
• Teachers collect appropriate vocabulary from children on the main whiteboard.
• Teachers model possible starters to different pieces of writing based on the stimulus.
• Children are given talk time before they start writing to discuss their ideas.  
• After talk time, pupils work silently.
• Children write in a separate free-writing book.
• Various word mats, sentence prompts and dictionaries/thesauruses are out at tables. 
• Pupils edit their work throughout the writing time and afterwards. 
• Children get the chance to read through someone else's writing and share their own. 
• Teachers ask what theme or genre children would like a free writing lesson on for the following week. 
• Teachers read and check children's work and simply mark with a target for the next week. 

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Creative Writing Tasks for KS2 Students

Subject: Creative writing

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

7 March 2016

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10 Creative Writing Activities to Spark Magic in Your KS2 Primary Classroom

• 12 Jun 2024

Keeping KS2 pupils engaged with writing can sometimes feel like wrangling a roomful of kittens. But fear not! This blog post is here to reignite the writing fire with ten exciting activities that will have your learners crafting captivating stories, persuasive arguments, and beautiful descriptions in no time.

In the age of instant messaging and short-form content, nurturing a love for expressive writing is more important than ever. These activities cater to various learning styles and interests, while sneakily reinforcing key literacy skills like vocabulary development, sentence structure, and creative thinking. So, grab a pen, gather your pupils, and get ready to unleash their inner wordsmiths!

Now, let’s dive into the 10 activities and explore how they can spark magic in your classroom:

Picture Prompts Find captivating images online or in old magazines. Historical scenes, fantastical landscapes, funny animals, or even abstract shapes all work well. Project the image on the board or provide individual copies. Give children a set amount of time to study the image and jot down any thoughts, ideas, or emotions it evokes. Then, have them write a story inspired by the image. Encourage them to consider the setting, characters, plot, and mood based on their observations.

Character Interviews This activity helps develop well-rounded characters with strong voices and personalities. Have pupils brainstorm character ideas – they could be historical figures, fictional heroes, or even everyday people with interesting jobs. Once they’ve chosen a character, learners can write a list of interview questions to get to know them better. What are their hopes and dreams? What are their biggest fears? Finally, children write the interview itself, embodying the voice of their character in their responses.

Setting Showdown This activity challenges pupils to adapt their writing style and vocabulary to fit different environments. Choose two contrasting settings – a bustling city square at rush hour versus a deserted island paradise, or a spaceship hurtling through space compared to a cozy cottage nestled in a forest. Have learners write a story that takes place in both of these contrasting settings. This could be a single character experiencing both environments or two separate stories linked by a common theme.

Sentence Swap This is a fantastic activity to show learners the power of sentence structure and word order. Write a short paragraph on the board, with several sentences. This could be the opening of a story, a news report, or a descriptive passage. Challenge children to swap the sentences around in different orders. Have them read the paragraph aloud after each swap to see how it changes the flow and meaning of the text. Discuss as a class how sentence order can build suspense, create emphasis, or simply improve the rhythm of the writing.

News Flash! This activity brings historical events or fictional scenarios to life and helps children with factual writing and research skills. Present learners with a historical event they might not be familiar with (the invention of the printing press, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius) or a fictional headline from a fantasy world ( “Dragons Take Over Local Bakery!”). Have pupils research the event or brainstorm the details of the fictional scenario. Then, have them write a news report on the event, complete with a catchy headline, factual information, and quotes from “witnesses” (real or imagined).

Poetry in Motion This activity is a wonderful way to bridge the gap between visual imagery and written language. Show pupils a short video clip that is particularly evocative or visually stimulating. This could be a nature documentary scene, a silent movie chase sequence, or even an abstract animation. After watching the clip, give learners some time to think about what they saw and how it made them feel. Then, have them write a poem capturing the essence of the video clip. Encourage them to use vivid language, figurative speech, and sound devices to bring their poem to life.

Dear Diary… This activity is a fantastic tool for character development and creative storytelling. Ask children to choose a historical figure, fictional character, or even an inanimate object (a tree in the schoolyard, a forgotten toy in the attic). Have them write a series of diary entries from the perspective of their chosen subject. These diary entries should reflect the character’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. For historical figures, pupils can research real diaries or letters to guide their writing.

The Persuasion Game This activity hones persuasive writing skills and encourages pupils to think critically about different viewpoints. Give learners a product, idea, or policy (flying cars, a four-day school week, uniforms in school) and have them choose whether they are for or against it. Then, have them write a persuasive letter arguing their chosen viewpoint. This letter should be addressed to a specific audience (e.g., the government, parents). Pupils should use strong arguments, factual evidence, and persuasive language to convince the reader of their point of view.

Comic Strip Capers This activity is a fun and engaging way to introduce learners to graphic novels and comic book storytelling. Provide pupils with a simple comic strip template, with a set number of panels. Challenge them to write a short story using illustrations and dialogue within the panels of the comic strip. This can be a humorous story, a dramatic scene, or even a factual account of a historical event.

Six-Word Stories This activity is a fantastic challenge for creative thinking, conciseness, and impactful writing. Challenge children to write a complete story in just six words! This forces them to think carefully about their plot, characters, and setting, and to deliver their message in an impactful way. Six-word story prompts can be provided to get pupils started (e.g., “Lost princess finds happy robot friend”, “Last human wanders through ruined city”).

Remember, the key is to make writing fun, engaging, and relevant to your children’s interests. With a little creativity, you can transform your classroom into a vibrant writing workshop where imaginations soar, and words truly come alive!

If you liked this post, you may like Beyond the Classroom Walls: 15 Outdoor Learning Activities for Key Stage 1 .

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