How to Fix Wordy Writing
This idea was submitted by Chelsey Philpot, who teaches nonfiction writing at Boston University. She is the author of two young adult novels (“Be Good Be Real Be Crazy” and “Even in Paradise”) and her work has been published in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Slate and BuzzFeed.Teachers might use this lesson to…
Teach Writing With The New York Times: Our 2026-27 Curriculum
Our writing units are based on real-world features like narratives, opinion essays, podcasts, informational videos and more.
Over 140 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing
Think The New York Times is only for readers at a high-school reading level? Think again. Besides written articles, The Times also offers a rich collection of visuals — photos, illustrations, graphics, GIFs and short videos — that are accessible to learners of all levels. Since 2016, we’ve been featuring these images in our daily…
Teach Writing With The New York Times: Our 2025-26 Curriculum
Our eight writing units are based on real-world features like reviews, opinion essays, narratives, podcasts, photo essays and more.
Our 3rd Annual STEM Writing Contest
How do daddy longlegs grow such strange legs? Can genetically engineered bacteria help us detect buried land mines? Why does snow sometimes turn red? Can Saturn’s rings help to reveal what’s happening in the planet’s core? If you click on any of these articles, you’ll see that they are written for a general reader. Special…
Writing Comparative Essays: Making Connections to Illuminate Ideas
Notice how this student focuses. Instead of starting with a broad thesis like “We can see many parallels between the themes of ‘The Odyssey’ and our world today,” he looks only at how the Greek concept of xenia echoes today — and does so by examining just one article about Uganda. Below are the first…
Unit 4: Informational Writing
Welcome to our fourth writing unit of the school year. Below you will find a detailed description of each element, as well as ways to put them together to make your own custom unit. To learn more, visit our writing curriculum overview.Unit overviewOf the three broad types of writing that the Common Core State Standards…
Teen Writing on Spring, Mindfulness and Childhood Hobbies
I dislike spring for its assault on my nose. Every year, from March 15th to June 15th, I struggle through every day with a tissue box attached to my hip. I look like a rare Rudolph among the rest of my reindeer acquaintances, my nose bright red enough to act as a lighthouse to guide…
Writing Prompt: How Scary Should Halloween Be?
Smiling jack-o’-lanterns and spooky ghosts are being upstaged by towering skeletons and dismembered bodies. Are you a fan of the trend toward bigger and scarier?
16 Prompts for Writing and Talking about the Holiday Season
Share your traditions, weigh in on a seasonal debate, write a story, reflect on the year behind you, or prepare for the one ahead.
