Nurturing Student Voice with AI: A Creative Writing Lesson for Middle School

James Purse
Sep 18, 2025
4 min read

Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we live, work, and learn. In schools, it’s easy to see the potential for AI to support student creativity, and just as easy to worry that it might overshadow student voice. For English teachers especially, striking a balance is key. Students need to learn how to use AI responsibly while still developing their own imagination, style, and narrative skill.

This lesson plan offers one way forward: inviting students to experiment with AI as a brainstorming partner, not a ghostwriter. By using AI only to generate prompts or ideas, students get a taste of how technology can support their creativity while ensuring the final work remains fully their own. This particular lesson is an AI twist on a classic Harvard Project Zero Thinking Routine called "Beginning, Middle, End."

Student Guidance:

“For this lesson, students should use a school-approved AI platform. I recommend Flint or Microsoft Co-Pilot, which is designed for younger learners and safely powered by ChatGPT and Claude.”

Teacher Note:

Using a school-approved platform ensures student safety, protects privacy, and provides an age-appropriate interface. While many AI tools are widely available, approved platforms give teachers confidence that the technology aligns with school policies and supports responsible digital citizenship.

Lesson Plan: Creative Writing with AI as a Co-Pilot

Grade Level: Middle School (Grades 6–8)

Subject: English / LA / Creative Writing

Estimated Time: One to two 50-minute class periods/blocks

Objective (Inquiry-Driven)

Students will practice writing an original short story by investigating the following essential question:

“How can I use my imagination, personal experiences, and creativity—supported but not replaced by AI—to tell a story only I could write?”

Through this inquiry, students will:

Explore how writers generate and refine ideas.
Experiment with AI as a brainstorming partner while analyzing its limits.
Make choices about setting, character, and conflict that reflect their own voice.
Reflect on what makes a story authentically theirs versus machine-generated.

Materials

Laptops/tablets with AI access (school-approved platform).
Writing journals or digital docs.
Projector/board for class discussion.

Step 1: Introduction (10 minutes)

Open with a class discussion: “How can AI help writers—and how can it get in the way?” Establish ground rules that AI will only be used for brainstorming, not writing full stories.

Step 2: AI Brainstorming (15 minutes)

Beginning, Middle, End

This Harvard Project Zero Thinking Routine uses the power of narrative to help students make connections, find patterns, and derive meaning from a subject. It is particularly effective with artworks, images, or stories. In this case, we are adapting it for use with AI.

How it works in this context: Use AI for brainstorming three creative story starters, middles, or ends.

Ask students to choose one of three questions in the prompt writing process:

AI Prompt 1 - Give me the beginning of three imaginative stories for a middle school student

Teacher Guidance: Write in your journal (or on the computer) what might happen next?

AI Prompt 2 - Give me the middle of three imaginative stories for a middle school student

Teacher Guidance: Write in your journal (or on the computer) what happened before?

AI Prompt 3 - Give me the end of three imaginative stories for a middle school student

Teacher Guidance: Write in your journal (or on the computer) what might the story have been?

Step 3: Independent Writing (20 minutes)

Students draft a 1–2 page story, building characters, setting, and conflict. Teachers circulate to support creativity and originality.

Step 4: Peer Sharing & Reflection (20–30 minutes, Day 2)

Students share excerpts and reflect on: “What part of this story is 100% you, and how did AI help you get started?”

Tips & Tricks to Improve Student Experience

Model the Process First

Show students how to ask AI for a story starter and then demonstrate how you would begin building the story in your own words. This helps set boundaries and expectations.

Emphasize Voice Over Ideas

Remind students that AI can offer a spark but it cannot capture their humor, style, or experiences. Encourage them to highlight parts of their story that feel most personal.

Offer Choice in Brainstorming

Let students generate multiple AI prompts and pick their favorite, or adapt them into something new. Choice increases investment.

Create a Safe Writing Environment

Some students may worry their writing isn’t “as good” as AI’s suggestions. Normalize the idea that originality matters more than polish, especially in creative writing.

Limit Tech Time

To keep students focused on writing, consider turning off Wi-Fi access after the idea generation step, or have students copy down their story starters and then switch to handwriting their drafts.

Integrate Peer Feedback

Pair students to share a paragraph and ask: “What feels most like the writer’s unique voice here?” This reinforces the lesson’s focus on authenticity.

Encourage Reflection Beyond Writing

After stories are shared, invite students to think about how AI could be used in other subjects responsibly. This builds transfer skills.

Use Time Flexibly

If students need more time to draft, allow them to finish as homework so the class can focus on sharing and reflection the next day.

Extension

Have advanced students write two versions (one with AI brainstorming, one without) and compare.

Assessment Rubric

Criteria	Excellent (4)	Proficient (3)	Developing (2)	Beginning (1)
Creativity & Voice	Original, engaging, strong personal style	Mostly original, shows student’s voice	Some originality, voice less clear	Relies heavily on AI, weak voice
Story Structure	Clear beginning, middle, end; strong flow	Mostly clear, minor lapses	Some parts unclear, weak transitions	Little structure, difficult to follow
Effort & Length	Meets/exceeds length, fully developed ideas	Meets length with some detail	Shorter than required, under-developed	Very minimal, incomplete
AI Use & Reflection	Used AI responsibly; reflection is thoughtful	Used AI responsibly; reflection adequate	AI use not fully explained or uneven	Over-reliance on AI, weak reflection

Why This Matters

As schools navigate the evolving role of AI in classrooms, lessons like this build trust and agency. Students practice using AI thoughtfully, not recklessly. They learn that while AI can spark ideas, their voice is what matters most.

This activity is more than a creative writing exercise—it’s a step toward teaching the next generation how to engage with emerging technologies responsibly, critically, and with confidence.

Jimi Purse - Founder/Consultant Arcadia Education Partners