100 Writing Prompts from the New York Times

With the cold weather we have been having, people might be staying indoors more than usual. They also might be a bit down because of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Writing can be a great outlet both inside and outside the classroom, and it is always nice to get some new inspiration for writing prompts. Check out these prompts about literature and life. Here is just one example. These prompts are related to the following article:

Do You Think Anxiety Is A Serious Problem Among Young People?

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us:

— What details from the article, if any, resonate with your own experiences with anxiety and stress, or in observing anxiety and stress in others?

— Which of the causes of anxiety that are identified in the article do you think are the most harmful? Why?

— Have you observed an increase in anxiety levels in yourself and the people around you over the past few years? If so, to what do you attribute this change?

— What do you think would help people feel less anxious? Explain.

— Whom do you think is in the best position to help young people who are experiencing anxiety—parents, teachers, medical professionals, friends? Why?

— The article suggests that online culture is both a cause of anxiety and a source of relief from it. How do you understand this? What examples you can give to back your ideas?

Students can also read about 40 moderated comments related to the article, and they can even upload their own comment to the New York Times for their editors to review.