Writing Prompts to Support Thinking and Learning

This year, one of our focus areas in the goal area of Academic Core is to increase the amount of reading and writing in all subject areas. 

Writing to learn is a great way to support students in engaging with and thinking about the key concepts in any and all subject areas. Building classroom routines that provide time for students to explore ideas through writing in a low-stakes environment builds stamina, confidence, and increases the quality of understanding. 

Today's blog includes some writing prompts for elementary, middle grades, and high school.  Prompts are a great starting point, and these prompts encourage students to write creatively, persuasively, informatively, or share an opinion.  After writing, students can share with partners or a small group.  Some pieces of writing may become a future artifact of evidence of learning. 

These prompts have been curated from the following sources:

Todd Finley, We Are Teachers, TeachThought, Scholastic, Birmingham City Schools, College Transitions, The New York Times, Monte Syrie, Texthelp, and PBS Above the Noise

ELEMENTARY PROMPTS

MIDDLE LEVEL PROMPTS

HIGH SCHOOL PROMPTS

Writing isn’t just a tool for language arts—it’s a vehicle for critical thinking, self-expression, and deep comprehension across all disciplines. From science to math, social studies to the arts, incorporating writing into daily practice helps students process information more effectively, develop their voice, and engage in higher-order thinking.  By incorporating writing into our regular practice, we can support our students to not only become better writers, but also deeper thinkers.

Teaching and Learning: October Newsletter

The Teaching & Learning Team will be sending out a combined newsletter this year. In each month's issue you will find information and strategies you can use within your classroom. Our goal is to feature topics every month that spark conversations, build capacity, and celebrate student learning. 

Click on the links in the newsletter or click on the link below to view the October Teaching & Learning Newsletter.

October Teaching & Learning Newsletter

If you would like additional information or support, please reach out to a Teaching & Learning Team member. 

Thank you for all you do to ensure ALL students learn at high levels!

Southeast Polk's Teaching & Learning Team

Election Teaching and Learning Guidelines

We all recognize the importance of teaching about the elections as it meets an aspect of our district vision--Success for college, career, and civic life.  We also understand that navigating teaching during an election season can be challenging as we strive to address political differences within an inclusive learning environment. We value the thought teachers engage in as they prepare to teach this important topic.  Below are some additional guidelines to support your work in designing respectful and educational discussions. 

• One way to create a balanced school environment is by not expressing personal political opinions or biases. 

• Instead, focus on teaching students how to critically analyze information and form their own opinions.

• Offer a range of perspectives on political issues and avoid endorsing any particular stance.

• Reinforce the importance of respectful communication, particularly when discussing contentious issues. Establish ground rules for discussions, such as listening actively, not interrupting, and being open to differing viewpoints.

• Engage in political discussions authentically within the standards and subject areas where the content is addressed.

• Use this election season as an authentic example to teach about the democratic process, the importance of voting, and the role of different branches of government.

• Create opportunities for integration of lessons on critical thinking as well as standards that support the difference between fact and opinion and supporting claims with evidence

• For younger students, focus on general concepts of government and citizenship without delving into divisive issues. Use stories and age-appropriate activities that encourage participation and understanding of basic democratic principles.

• For older students, provide more detailed explorations of issues and encourage critical thinking without pushing them toward any particular political stance.

• Design instructional tasks where students can explore diverse perspectives. This can include role-playing, debates, or research assignments where students examine the viewpoints of others with differing opinions.

• Focus on building empathy and understanding, even in cases of strong disagreement.

• As staff members, be mindful of board policies regarding political engagement and align with established guidelines. 

We appreciate your commitment to thoughtful teaching and the development of the skills necessary to live a civic life. 

Southeast Polk University: Fall Courses

All SEP University content and information is housed on the Southeast Polk Professional Development site.  The link to the SEP University Course Catalog may be found at the top of the SEP University page. 

Once you click on the link, you will see the courses that are currently available for the fall/winter session.  These courses are self-paced, online learning opportunities.

Each module* in a course is designed to take 1 hour to complete with an additional hour for planning and implementation. (*Please note that the course catalog refers to modules as 'points')   SEP University courses may consist of 1-4 modules. Participants may earn 1 credit if they take a combination of 6 modules.

• These modules may be taken beyond the contract day and are eligible for TQ funding*.

• These modules may be used as a part of building professional development.

• These modules may be used as a part of learning for collaboration teams.

*TQ funding only applies to modules taken outside of the school day.

We appreciate your ongoing commitment to learning. Please contact members of the Teaching and Learning team for any questions regarding Southeast Polk University.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated September 15 (Independence Day in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) and continues until October 15. The month also includes Mexico’s Independence Day (September 16) and Chile’s Independence Day (September 18). 

This year’s theme, “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together”, highlights the trailblazers who have led the way for future generations through their innovation, leadership, and unwavering dedication to progress in various fields, 

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Americans who have ancestry in countries that speak Spanish, including Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. It was started as a way to celebrate the contributions of Americans who have come to the United States from Spanish-speaking countries. Today's blog has ideas and resources from the Smithsonian Institute to help educate and celebrate Hispanic Heritage in our schools. 

What is Hispanic Heritage Month?

Why is Hispanic Heritage Month Important? 

How can we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?

District Professional Development: Friday, September 20th

We are looking forward to a day of professional learning next Friday, September 20th.  The day will be half district focus (AM), and half building focus (PM).  

For the district portion, all certified staff should report to the High School Auditorium at 8:00 AM.  We are honored to be hosting Chris Nikic and his dad, Nik Nikic.  Chris is not only a two-time ESPY award winner, but he also holds the distinction of being the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman and run all six global marathon majors. As a global ambassador for the Special Olympics and the Ironman group, Chris exemplifies the power of perseverance, demonstrating how the mindset of getting "1% better" every day can lead to extraordinary achievements.

Together, Chris and his father co-authored the book "1% Better: Reaching My Full Potential and How You Can Too." The book outlines their philosophy that achieving big things doesn’t happen overnight, but through consistent, small improvements over time. Much like training for sports, Chris dedicated himself daily to the writing process, and Nik was amazed at the cognitive growth Chris experienced through his commitment.

As we welcome Chris and Nik next week, their story reminds us of the importance of perseverance and incremental growth—principles that resonate deeply with our district’s mission. Just as Chris has applied the 1% better mindset to his athletic and personal success, we too can adopt this approach in our work to meet the achievement goals for ALL students. Every small improvement we make, every intentional effort we put in, brings us closer to creating lasting impact in the lives of our students.

We look forward to hearing their inspiring story and learning from their perspectives next Friday. Let's embrace this opportunity to reflect on how we can each make that 1% improvement every day—for ourselves, our students, and our district as a whole.

“My hope is that people realize that 1% Better is a lifestyle, one where we can all be successful because we measure success based on progress and not results. When it becomes a habit and part of your lifestyle, then anything is possible. Our hope is that it leads readers to believe they can achieve their goals and dreams.”

Nik Nikic

Engagement Course

As we continue to move into this school year, I want to let you know about a course that will be offered at Southeast Polk this fall.  The class "Creating a Resilient Classroom Environment: Trauma-Informed Instruction and Student Engagement Strategies for K-12 Teachers" is a hybrid course that you may register for if interested.

• The course will use the book "Confronting the Crisis of Engagement: Creating Focus and Resilience for Students, Staff, and Communities" and this book will be provided. 
• This course is available for 1 credit (license renewal or graduate) if interested.
• It is being offered as a blended course.  Much of the work in this course will occur online in Canvas.  Online course sessions will be held using Zoom.
• This course aligns with the district's Climate and Culture goal for the 2024-2025 school year. 

Below are the dates of the course:

• Prior to October 23: 2.5 hours asynchronous
• 10.23: Face to Face- 4:30 PM - 6:30 
• 10.29: Online- 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
• 11.6:   Online- 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
• 11.13:  Online- 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
• 11:20: Online- 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
• 12:11:  Online- 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

If you are interested in taking this course, please submit the form below.  This does not register you for the course, but indicates you are interested in taking the course. 

The form must be submitted by October 4th so we can get the books ordered.  Please note there is a capacity of 30 students for this class. 

Creating a Resilient Classroom Environment: Trauma-Informed Instruction and Student Engagement Strategies for K-12 Teachers