Tonight, I presented my Advanced Comp students with a writing exercise inspired by one of our readings, with an imaginative twist. I wrote it myself this semester. And I am blown away by their creativity. Following the assignment directions (feel free to use this with your own students and share the results!) is the list of diseases my students developed. Enjoy!
Writing Prompt: Self-Diagnosis
Diagnose yourself with a disease. Not just ANY disease - not one that already exists in reality. Use your imagination and consider your character flaws, quirks, habits, and behaviors that you know you could work on and turn one of those elements into a disease.
Make up a name for your disease and be consistent when you refer to it.
Write a diagnosis for yourself in third person (you are the doctor AND the patient). Include a brief history of the disease in your patient's life (when was the first onset? What are the triggers that bring on flare-ups? Etc.), list out some symptoms and behaviors or medications taken or tried in order to correct the problem (that have, thus far, proven unequal to the task), and recommend a course of action and treatment to help your patient (you) overcome and beat this terrible affliction. (Bonus points for the wildest, funniest disease.) Have fun!
As an added incentive, I also offered small packets of "Crazy Cores" Skittles (TM) to the five most creative diseases - suggested by the class after I wrote them all on the board. Definitely one of the most fun and satisfying (and hysterical) writing prompts I've created. The students also seemed to enjoy it, which is the ultimate point - getting students to think of writing as FUN. ;)
Here are their diseases:
Shitfurbrain (Alternate Spelling: Shytfurbrain)
Gingervirus
Bratabiphita
Hypofoodisplatiatransformatia
Textitis
Patriowlism
Blurtitis
Hearteevious
Cerphileriosis
Miseraphobia
Apologetic Disorder
Tallskinnyasskidneosis
Nagatosis
Alien Ghost Poop Disorder (AGPD)
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