Notes from the Inkpot

Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.

The Best Netflix Shows and Films to Use in the Secondary Classroom

The Best Netflix Shows and Films to Use in the Secondary Classroom

Streaming doesn’t have to mean “switching off.” Netflix is packed with series and films that open up rich discussions in the secondary English classroom — from dystopian cautionary tales like Black Mirror to tender coming-of-age stories like Heartstopper. Used thoughtfully, these titles can spark debate, connect literature to students’ lives, and bring themes like identity, grief, and power into focus. This guide rounds up some of the best options, with classroom pairings, creative activities, and cross-curricular links to help you use screen time as a powerful teaching tool.

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70 Survival Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

70 Survival Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

Survival stories push characters to their limits, forcing them to find courage, resourcefulness, and resilience when everything is at stake. From wilderness challenges to natural disasters, and from deserted islands to post-apocalyptic ruins, this collection invites teen writers to explore what it truly means to endure. Inspired by classics like Lord of the Flies and modern YA adventures, these 70 prompts offer story starters, titles, characters, settings, and picture prompts to keep creativity alive in even the harshest conditions.

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70 November Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

70 November Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

November is full of contrasts — cozy fires and autumn leaves, but also secrets, shadows, and sudden chaos. From Bonfire Night and the Gunpowder Plot to Thanksgiving tables and Black Friday crowds, this month brims with inspiration. These 70 prompts include story starters, titles, characters, settings, and picture prompts to spark teen writers’ imaginations all season long.

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70 Dark Fairytale Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

70 Dark Fairytale Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

Fairytales weren’t always sweet and sparkly. The originals were filled with darkness and danger. Cinderella’s stepsisters cut off parts of their feet, the Little Mermaid walked in constant pain, and Sleeping Beauty’s tale was far more unsettling than a simple kiss. These 70 prompts invite teen writers to reimagine classic tales with eerie settings, haunting characters, and endings that blur the line between wonder and horror. Perfect for classrooms, clubs, or independent writers who want fantasy with a sinister twist.

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1000 Creative Writing Prompts: Spark Imagination in Every Classroom and Notebook

1000 Creative Writing Prompts: Spark Imagination in Every Classroom and Notebook

Discover a free collection of 1000 Creative Writing Prompts designed to spark imagination in every classroom and notebook. From eerie openings to beautiful settings and clever twists, this downloadable PDF is packed with story ideas for teachers, students, and writers who want to make creativity part of their daily routine.

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10 Haunting Poems to Teach This Halloween (That Aren’t Just The Raven)

10 Haunting Poems to Teach This Halloween (That Aren’t Just The Raven)

Halloween isn’t just for spooky short stories — poetry can be just as haunting. From Poe’s The Raven to eerie ballads like The Unquiet Grave, these poems bring atmosphere, symbolism, and Gothic chills into the classroom. Perfect for middle and high school, this list offers ten haunting poems that make October lessons both literary and seasonal.

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70 Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

70 Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

Dark fantasy blends wonder with menace—cursed kingdoms, perilous magic, and choices that always carry a cost. These prompts invite teen writers to craft atmospheric, morally complex stories with eerie plot hooks, striking titles, opening and closing lines, characters, settings, and picture prompts. Perfect for classrooms, clubs, or solo writing when you want fantasy with sharper teeth.

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From Overwhelm to Alignment: How I’m Using Tarot to Map My Business Growth

From Overwhelm to Alignment: How I’m Using Tarot to Map My Business Growth

Running a creative teaching business can feel overwhelming — so I turned to tarot for clarity. Not as fortune telling, but as a reflective tool, like analysing symbols in literature. This spread showed me how to steady myself, experiment with new ideas, and build momentum with structure and alignment. In this post, I share how each card offered insight into growing Ink & Insights, and why sometimes the best business strategy comes from unexpected places.

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10 Books by Young Authors That Show Students Their Voices Matter

10 Books by Young Authors That Show Students Their Voices Matter

Many students believe they’re “too young” to write something meaningful. Yet history proves otherwise. From Anne Frank’s diary to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Malala Yousafzai’s memoir, young authors have created works that changed literature, history, and even global movements. This post explores ten powerful books written by teenagers and young writers, showing how their voices can inspire students to write with confidence today.

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70 Paranormal Mystery Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

70 Paranormal Mystery Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

Paranormal mysteries mix eerie suspense with the thrill of uncovering secrets. These prompts invite teen writers to explore strange clues, shadowy figures, and unexplained events — from a glowing rotary phone ringing in an abandoned house to a cracked mirror showing a city that doesn’t exist. With 70 ideas covering titles, opening lines, characters, and picture prompts, this collection will keep imaginations racing.

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70 October Writing Prompts for Teens: Spooky Starters, Autumn Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

70 October Writing Prompts for Teens: Spooky Starters, Autumn Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

October is the perfect month for storytelling—misty nights, glowing lanterns, and the thrill of Halloween in the air. This collection of 70 October writing prompts for teens is packed with spooky plot hooks, atmospheric titles, eerie opening and closing lines, character and setting ideas, and detailed picture prompts to spark your imagination. Whether you’re writing ghost stories, autumn adventures, or a hint of magical realism, you’ll find inspiration to carry you through the season.

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70 Halloween Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

70 Halloween Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

Get into the spooky spirit with 70 Halloween writing prompts designed for teen writers. From eerie plot hooks and chilling titles to haunted settings and creepy character ideas, this collection brings the mystery and magic of October to life. Perfect for classrooms or young writers, these prompts encourage creativity through suspense, atmosphere, and a touch of fear.

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You Don’t Kill Someone for Their Ideas: What Charlie Kirk’s Murder Means for Classrooms

You Don’t Kill Someone for Their Ideas: What Charlie Kirk’s Murder Means for Classrooms

Charlie Kirk’s murder is an extreme reminder of where unchecked intolerance can lead. His wife, his children, and a crowd of students witnessed an act meant to silence, when what they expected was debate. As teachers, we can’t solve political violence — but we can shape how young people learn to disagree. In our classrooms, the habits we model and the structures we build matter: separating the person from the idea, listening before responding, refusing caricatures, and treating disagreement as an invitation, not a threat. This isn’t glamorous work. It won’t stop every act of hate. But it gives students practice in something the wider world has forgotten — how to live with difference without resorting to violence.

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