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Tolentino Teaching

NEW Writing Prompts, Freewrites, Email Writing Activities & More!

Published 7 days ago • 2 min read

Hello Teachers,

I’m really excited about the future of this email newsletter and all of the free content I’ll be sharing.

My goal is to make this a hub of creative ideas for teachers. I see it as a place where educators can discover activities, lessons, inspiration, and practical ideas they can share with their students.

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve received so far, I think you’ll love what’s coming next.

Also, I’m excited to share that I’m beginning to work with sponsors. These partnerships help support the time and effort that goes into creating and giving away free resources.

So if you ever have a moment to click their link and check out what they offer, it genuinely helps me continue keeping this newsletter and its resources free for teachers.

Thank you for being here and for helping make this possible.

Now let's look at my latest resources...!

Writing Prompt: Ivy and the Cake Kingdom

This writing prompt was created by my 5-year-old daughter, Ivy Tolentino.

She came up with the plot, the Cake Kingdom, the butterflies, and the ladybugs, and I helped bring the rest to life.

*Side note: If you or your students have a writing prompt idea you’d like to share, email me the transcript! I’d love to turn it into a video and give full credit to the creator.

20-Minute Freewrite Final Exam

Besides our regular final exams, I like to include a “20-Minute Freewrite Final Exam.”

Students simply write.

For some students, this is where their best thinking finally appears. Without strict prompts or worrying about getting the “right” answer, they often reveal connections, insights, and understanding that traditional exams miss.

But this exam is also an assessment for me.

What actually stuck?

What do students remember without support?

What ideas, skills, books, habits, or conversations made enough of an impact to survive months later?

10-Minute Mind Dump (Writing Practice)

For this task, students simply write for 10 minutes straight.

The goal is to discover ideas, follow unexpected thoughts, and share what emerges.

More freewrite activities here:

15-Minute Microfiction Writing Challenge

This is a plug-and-play lesson.

Just play the video and students write stories within the time provided for each prompt.

I usually pause after each round and invite a few students to read their stories aloud. It’s always interesting to see how differently students interpret the same prompt, and hearing each other’s ideas often inspires even more creativity.

More Microfiction Challenges Here:

The Middle Schooler's Guide to Writing a Professional Email

Formal writing is something I intentionally work on with my students.

Many students naturally write the way they text: short, casual, and assuming the reader already understands what they mean.

But there are moments in life when writing becomes more formal: emailing a teacher, reaching out to a future employer, contacting a professor, or communicating professionally.

So I put together this quick guide on how students should write emails.

Updated Drawing and Spelling Activities

Both of these activities have received millions of views across my social media.

They are simple, straightforward, and easy to implement, and it seems that many teachers connect with that.

Thank You For the Support!

Once again, thank you your support. I am appreciative and grateful for all of you! If any of my resources have helped you and your students, feel free to Buy Me a Coffee by clicking the link below. Thanks again!

Tolentino Teaching

Building the next generation of op writers.

I'm an English teacher who sends free resources to my followers. Subscribe and join over 20,000+ newsletter readers every week!

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