Jump Write In!: Creative Writing Exercises for Diverse Communities, Grades 6-12

Through poetry, fiction, personal narrative, and playwriting, students will improve their writing skills by being invited to put their truths on the page. Perfect for a moment of inspiration as well as for deeper exploration, these easy-to-use and field-tested activities engage students from a variety of ethnic, educational, and economic backgrounds and encourage the recognition that their voices matter. The book's eleven chapters include:

• Dozens of exercises accompanied by teacher notes and suggestions.
• Links to standards for each activity.
• Examples of student work.
• An overview of the writing process from icebreakers to editing.
• Suggestions for further reading.

WritersCorps helps low-income children and teens improve their literacy and communication skills through creative expression. Tannenbaum and Bush, both affiliated with WritersCorps, offer numerous exercises that engage students in personal expression and reinforce standards-based lessons. Exercises are grouped into eleven chapters, from ice breakers to editing, and inspire students to write poetry, fiction, personal narrative, and plays. Some exercises develop ideas sequentially over several class sessions. Each exercise includes links to standards and examples of student work. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

WritersCorps helps low-income children and teens improve their literacy and communication skills through creative expression. Founded in 1994 with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, WritersCorps operates programs in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and The Bronx, NY.
In San Francisco, WritersCorps is a project of the San Francisco Arts Commission (www.writerscorps.org).

Editor Judith Tannenbaum, who has written widely on community arts and cultural democracy, serves as WritersCorps's training coordinator.

Valerie Chow Bush has edited four WritersCorps publications of student writing.