I learn all about my students with 3 writing challenges that they choose from the first week of school. Of course I go over the usuals: expectations, classroom procedures, grading process, etc. However, it’s important that teachers get an idea of how well their students write sooner rather than later. Our “writing challenges” are actually benchmarks for me to not only see what they do well and what they need to improve on, but it’s also a way for me to get to know them better.
I’ve found the most efficient and effective way to do this is by using the writing platform, SparkSpace.ai. If you would like to see how SparkSpace works, check out this blog post that shares the ins and outs of this amazing AI writing tutor.
3 Writing Challenges from SparkSpace
Students can choose from 3 writing assignments from SparkSpace.ai.
- Passion Paragraph- Students write a paragraph about their favorite hobby or activity. They are given criteria right on the writing platform that they should include in the paragraph. Also, each writing assignment has a rubric. The teacher can choose to use the rubric, tweak it, or add their own.
- Best Day Ever- Students write a paragraph about their perfect day, from the time they wake up until they go to bed. They will always be provided with clear expectations as to what to include as well as a rubric.
- Mi Familia/My family- This assignment was meant for Spanish-speaking students. I changed it a little bit so that they could write in the language they spoke best. I have quite a few Hispanic and Portuguese students and want them to feel comfortable with their first writing assignment. If writing it in their native language will prove to be best for the student(s), then I want them to do that.
The video below shows you how to set up the writing challenge. Of course, you don’t have to use the challenges or criteria I chose. The video will show you how to tweak the directions and make any changes you would like. You can also create your own options as I mentioned before.
I can’t express enough how much time I’ve gotten back since I started using SparkSpace.ai. The grading help, the wide range of options, and the ready-made rubrics take so much off my plate. Oh, and did I mention it’s FREE? If you use SparkSpace, please comment about how it worked for you. I’d love to hear all about it!
**This post may contain sponsored content. Weโve partnered with SparkSpace.ai to bring you valuable insights about their AI writing platform. While this post is sponsored, all opinions and recommendations are our own.
