Quick Write

or Minute Paper Activity

Low stakes writing exercises can be used to get the class thinking, to open the class, as here, and to make connections between previous learning and the new day’s activity. Low-stakes writing exercises are not graded – rather, they’re focused on helping students overcome anxiety about writing, getting students focused; the point is to teach them that they can think by writing.

A Quick Write/Minute Paper asks the class to write for one minute in response to a question (or prompt) provided. The prompt should be focused and specific, but open-ended enough to encourage thoughtful writing.

Watch a 2 minute video explaining the Quick Write activity from the K. Patricia Cross Academy.

References:

Teaching Assistant’s Training Program. (n.d.). Low stakes writing activities. Retrieved from
https://tatp.utoronto.ca/teaching-toolkit/active-learning/low-stakes-writing/

The K. Patricia Cross Academy. (n.d.). Quick Write [Video]. YouTube. https://kpcrossacademy.org/techniques/quick-write/