Welcome to the Austin Bat Cave Online Writing Lab! The ABC OWL houses writing resources like creative writing prompts, activities, and video lessons for a variety of grade levels. These activities can be completed independently or with the whole family! The ABC OWL is an extension of our in-person programs and designed to be a resource that assists young people—no matter their skill level—in their development as writers. Our hope is that ABC’s online writing tools and resources will ignite a young person’s passion for writing.
Subscribe to the OWL Weekly
Newsletter for exclusive activities:
- Daily writing prompts/activities
- Book recommendations
- Excerpts of student writing from the Austin Bat Cave anthology
- Opportunities for young writers to share their work with us!
Writing Activities for K-5 Students
Check out and download writing activities around a topic or genre created by staff and volunteers and ready for you to use at home!
Poetry/Mindfulness Activity
Observing the Night Sky
Spend some time observing the night sky and reflecting on how it makes you feel, then experiment with journaling and writing poetry. (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish)
Creative Writing Activity
My Favorite Place on Earth
Imagine one of your favorite places to explore and write about what makes it special. When you’re finished writing, draw a picture of your favorite place!
creative writing Activity
Best Breakfast Ever
Use new vocabulary words to write about your favorite breakfast foods, from donuts to omelets! Use a worksheet to describe the best breakfast you’ve ever eaten, and when you’re done, draw your breakfast! (Grades 1-5)
Poetry/Mindfulness Activity
Writing Bingo Prompt
Make writing and journaling a fun game! Do an activity a day or play writing bingo with your family and see how many squares you can fill! (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish) (Can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades 2nd-7th grade)
creative writing Activity
Family Tree Project
Have you ever wanted to learn more about the members of your family? Learn more about interviewing them and creating your own family tree; this is good practice for aspiring young journalists!. (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish, can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades 2nd-8th grade).
creative writing Activity
Writing Choice Wheel / Rueda de Escritura
Make writing and journaling a fun game! Print this wheel and attach a brad or paperclip to spin each day for a new writing activity, or have a family member or friend spin for you! (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish) (Can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades 2nd-8th grade)
Story writing Activity
A Story Without Words
There are many ways to tell stories, and this activity will show you many different ways to tell stories using only illustrations, to write a story based on illustrations and more! (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish, can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades PreK-5th grade).
Writing Activities for Teens
Fiction writing Activity
What Would You Do If…?
Imagine what you would do if you went off the grid and returned to find out about COVID-19! (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish) (Grades 7-12)
Poetry Activity
“I Come From”
How did you come to be the way that you are? What are your roots? In this activity, use poetry to explore the people, places, stories, and experiences that have formed your identity (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish) (Grades 7-12)
JOurnal Activity
Brain Dump
Feel like you’ve got a million thoughts swirling around in your head? Put on your favorite song and try out this journaling activity (it’s like Marie Kondo for your mind). (Bilingual activity – English and Spanish) (Grades 7-12)
Poetry Activity
Teen Poetry Inspiration
Read and respond to Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman’s poetry and get tips for writing your own inspirational poem! Bilingual activity – English and Spanish) (Grades 7-12)
Music Journalism Activity
Write a Music Review
Have you ever wanted to review your favorite artist or album? In this activity, you will be able to deconstruct a song into its different layers, learn how to combine fact and opinion into a written article, become familiar with basic journalism terms, and learn how to express your passion for music in a clear and engaging manner. (Grades 6-12)
Fiction Writing ACtivity
Writing Flash Fiction
You can learn to write short short stories of different kinds in this exercise with lots of different prompts (Grades 6th-12th).
Resources for Writing Your College Admissions Essay
General Tips
College Essay Writing Tips Handout
If you are working on your college admissions applications, here are some tips for how to write a great essay! (Grades 11-12)
Tips on Style
5 Tips for More Style Handout
Want to find ways to improve your writing style and find your own writing voice? Here are some tips and tricks to make your writing pop for readers! Bilingual activity – English and Spanish) (Grades 7-12)
Video Tutorial
The Role of the College Essay
This video will guide you through the process of putting together your application portfolio and explain the role of the college essay from the perspective of the admissions officer. The video will also help you develop goals for your essay-writing process.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
Writing Wisdom for College Application Essays
This video reviews important tips for writing your essays from an experienced college essay writing coach!
Worksheet
Writing Wisdom for College Application Essays
Use this worksheet to follow along with the video above to learn guidelines and tricks for writing an essay that conveys your personality to the college admissions officer.
Video Tutorial
Four College Essays
This video provides examples of four types of college essays and reviews the features of each essay to help you learn how to strengthen your writing. Role-play the job of a college admissions officer and learn which of these essays led to the student getting accepted!
Worksheet
Four College Essays
This worksheet shares a sample of four college admissions essays written by real high school seniors. Read these essays along with the video above to learn pros and cons of these different approaches.
Video Tutorial
Generating Topics for College Essays
This video will help you use the Topic Generator Worksheet (below) to choose the right essay topic to tell your story and will prepare you to begin drafting. Remember, there are no bad topics!
Worksheet
Topic Generator for College Admission Essay:
Use this worksheet with the video above to determine a topic for your essay that compliments and strengthens the rest of your application portfolio.
Video Lessons and DIY Tutorials
Check out these DIY writing activities and tutorials created by staff and volunteers on different topics and genres for you to use at home!
Tutorial
Mini-Zine Tutorial
Learn how to create your own mini-zine (recommended for young writers in 3rd-8th grade but can be adapted for all ages). Note: This video is bilingual (English and Spanish)
Tutorial
DIY Creating Shape Poems Tutorial
Writing poems can be fun and different when you make the shape of your poem match the content! Try out this activity and have fun creating poetry and art at the same time! (Can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades 3rd-8th grade-you will need to make a Canva.com account).
Tutorial
DIY Creating Blackout Poetry Tutorial
Have you ever wanted to create your own poetry but you’re having trouble getting started? Try out this activity to make poetry using language/text from someone else’s writing! (Can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades 2nd-8th).
Here are some texts that you can use for your blackout poems:
If you want to create a blackout poem on your device or computer, use this page.
And learn more about blackout poetry from poet Austin Kleon:
https://austinkleon.com/newspaperblackout/
Tutorial
DIY Choose Your Own Story Tutorial
Want to write your own adventure story but don’t know where to start? Try using this video lesson using the “Choose Your Own Adventure” story structure to create your own fictional story. (Can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades 3rd-8th).
Tutorial
Creating a 2020 Time Capsule Tutorial
As we move through a turbulent and changing time, take some time to create a written time capsule to document what this year has been like for you so far. This video will show you how to create a time capsule for this year using collage and writing (Can be used for all ages, but most appropriate for Grades 7th-12th).
Here are the prompts that are listed at the end of the video to create your own time capsule.
Tutorial
How to Create a Nature Journal Tutorial
In this DIY tutorial, you will learn how to create your own nature journal to observe and write about what you notice in nature each day! This will help you to connect to your surroundings and can improve your understanding of the natural world (Grades 1st-12th).
Tutorial
Writing with Tokens
In this DIY video, Austin Bat Cave volunteer Lindsay will teach you how to use tokens, or objects that have some memory or meaning attached, to journal and free write to feel more connected to that token (appropriate for student writers in grades 2nd-12th).
Tutorial
How to make an Origami Lotus Flower
Have you gotten your copy of the 2021 Austin Bat Cave Anthology? If you got your copy and found the center of the labyrinth, here is a tutorial on how to make your origami lotus flower. Follow the instructions to create your own!
Submit your Writing!
Calling all Austin Bat Cave students! Part of our mission is to create opportunities for you to publish your writing and share it with a wider audience through readings and digital platforms. If you respond to a writing prompt from the OWL Weekly Newsletter or website and share it with ABC, we will feature it in the next Weekly Newsletter and on the ABC website! We will also consider your work for publication in the 2021 ABC student anthology, and your work may also be selected for a live reading on ABC’s Dispatches from the Bat Mobile on Instagram! To submit your writing, email our Regional Program Manager.
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