Postcards

We had a chilled final session, listening to Christmas music, playing Mad Libs and then writing seasonal postcards.

I was surprised to realise, the first time I used postcards as a format, just how unfamiliar many modern children were with the layout - they weren't sure where on the card you write the message or how you set out an address - so there's some educational value in simply looking at that. At the same time, for children who find writing a bit daunting, a postcard is fairly non-threatening because it's such a small space to fill.

And there are so many creative possibilities for this format. Pupils could write postcards to their favourite fictional character, or as their favourite fictional character. They could write postcards from another planet, or from a made-up world, or from the future, or from a point in history. They could imagine they were on their perfect holiday, or on the run from the police. 

As a teacher, you could mock up a postcard with a tantalising or intriguing message on it, perhaps with a bloody thumbprint or some other dramatic clue about its provenance - and then ask the children to imagine the character and story behind it.

Lots to think about over the holidays, and plenty of plans already for the spring term of Writing Club!