Resources for Writing Prompts:
Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections
This collection of reviewed resources includes many types of writing prompts, both visual and verbal, to inspire writing. Whether you want students to try their hand at poetry or informational writing, there are ideas here to help. Make this collection available for students to find their own inspiration for open-ended, creative writing assignments. Teachers can also use this list to find 2-3 possible choices for a targeted writing assignment. Student choice is key in helping student voice come through in their writing.
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The Story Starter, Jr. - Joel Heffner
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): creative writing (123), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Save this site in your favorites and link to it from your class webpage. For even quicker access, save this as a favorite on your Teachersfirst membership page to come back to whenever you are planning a pre or post reading/writing assignment. (If you are not already a member, join TeacherFirst for FREE.) These creative ideas are also great to file in your "emergency" lesson plan folder for a substitute teacher or when you are just looking for a spontaneous writing or journal assignment. Students may use it the traditional way by writing the story starter sentence on a piece of paper. With access to a class set of computers students could copy and paste into a word document or class wiki page and start writing their stories, poems, or journal entries. Enhance student learning by challenging them to share their writing aloud on a podcast using a site such as PodOmatic, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The Learning Network - The New York Times Company
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): news (228), vocabulary (239), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your class web page for students to find challenges or activities. Substitute teachers can always find an appropriate current events or vocabulary/writing activity if there are no lesson plans. English, social studies, and gifted teachers will want to explore the many lesson ideas that draw on current news stories. Find many prompts for student opinion blogs at this site. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Weebly, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Writing Bugs - Education World
Grades
2 to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Be sure to include this site on your teacher web page for students to access both in and outside of class for writing choices. Bind completed student stories into a class book or have students write them on a class wiki or blog.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Writing Prompts Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): creative writing (123), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Make this collection available for students to find their own inspiration for open-ended, creative writing assignments. Teachers can also use this list to find 2-3 possible choices for a targeted writing assignment.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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allwritewithme - Diane Owens
Grades
3 to 7tag(s): characterization (19), main idea (8), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Emphasize what you have presented or want to review in writing concept mini lessons. Reluctant writers as well as enthusiastic writers can gleam ideas to start writing, as well as several ideas for writing prompts. Share this site on your class website for students who need extra reinforcement with writing concepts at home or students who love to go beyond and dig deeper into writing. Part of the site includes an area to continue the started story. Be sure to monitor closely since not all posts appear to be part of the topic. Use this site as an example of ways to continue writing workshop ideas onto your own classroom blog. Share your class stories using a site such as Bookemon, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Creative Writing Practice for Secondary Students - TeachersFirst
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): essays (21), expository writing (31), process writing (38), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Share these prompts one at a time or as options for essay writing. Some of the results may end up being strong enough to warrant revision and submission as college essays. Extend the idea of quotes as writing prompts by creating a class "quote graffiti" wall on a wiki or on paper so students can offer their own quotations as possible writing prompts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Kids Should See This - Rion Nakaya
Grades
K to 8tag(s): news (228), speaking (23), video (263), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Check first to be sure the media are not blocked by school web filtering. Choose one item from the site to share on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a class discussion starter on current topics or as a lead-in to a lesson. (Example: show the YouTube video about order of the planets when beginning an astronomy unit). Share the site with students and let them explore to find interesting topics for research reports. Ask students to choose one item from the site to share with other students as a way to practice oral presentation skills. Use videos or images as writing prompts or blog prompts. ESL/ELL students can practice their language skills by retelling a favorite video. Challenge your students to create their own informative videos on a topic that your class is exploring. Share the videos using a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Brainyquote - Brainymedia
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): authors (105), themes (13), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Save this site in your favorites on Teachersfirst. If you are not already a member, just click on "My TF" to join for FREE. When you are searching for a writing prompt or universal theme to connect with your curriculum area, a famous quote provides a springboard for students to reflect on the topic they just read or studied. After reading two or three literary works or studying historic figures, you might try changing the quote into a question. Have students compare/contrast how each of the characters would respond, and support their responses by citing specific examples. Then, students could answer the question from their own point of view to relate the meaning of the quote to their lives. Create a class wiki for the quotes of the day (and student responses). Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through. Or invite students to choose a favorite quote from this site and interpret it both visually and verbally by creating an online poster using ThingLink, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Daily Writing Prompts - The Teacher's Corner
Grades
2 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
One advantage to the "Daily Writing Prompt" is that they can easily be displayed on your interactive whiteboard or projector in your classroom. They can be used in a number of ways to improve your students' writing, including daily warm-up activities, practice in writing for state assessments, journal entries, free-writing, or as an "anytime" or "when you're done" activity. The writing prompts have creative ideas and options for how to implement them. They can be easily printed to use as practical "emergency" or substitute teachers' lesson plans.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Freeology - Free Printable Graphic Organizers - Freeology.com
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): alphabet (52), calendars (37), grammar (134), graphic organizers (49), numbers (119), reading comprehension (150), Teacher Utilities (173), worksheets (69), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
This is a great site to help students sequence, brainstorm, and organize information. Use on an interactive whiteboard or projector and fill out organizers after a lesson. Print out organizers and have students use them in cooperative reading groups. Use the organizers to differentiate for students who need extra scaffolding or for students who need extension activities. As students get older and learn which study skills help them best, they will want to access this site on their own to study for tests. Be sure to save this site in your personal favorites!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Big Huge Thesaurus - Big Huge Labs
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): rhymes (21), thesaurus (22), vocabulary (239), word study (60), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Keep this link handy among the resources on your class web page or wiki, and be sure to bring it up on your screen or interactive whiteboard to remind students of the rich tools it offers as you teach grammar, revision, poetry, essay-writing, or even letter and resume writing. With primary grades, share the rhyming words to help teach spelling and phonics! As students share in revising a passage or writing a poem on the interactive whiteboard, have this thesaurus available on another window to model their search for just the right word. Encourage students to look up any new vocabulary or terminology at the start of new science or social studies units so they can gain a broader "sense" of the words themselves through a constellation of synonyms and related words. Help students refine vocabulary by having them rank the various synonyms offered for a certain word, deciding which has the most positive or negative connotations. Offer the writing prompts for student journal or blog posts or creative stories. ESL/ELL students can explore new words with this tool, even practicing the rhyming sounds and noticing their varied spellings. Check out the Big Huge Labs educator account. Easily pre-register students to avoid creating logins, view and download their creations, and view the site advertisement free. You will find information about the Educator Account here.NOTE: If students enter an inappropriate word, they WILL find classroom-inappropriate terms. As with use of any reference, your students need to know your classroom's consequences of such activity. The options are no different from students looking up body parts or pornographic terms in a print dictionary or on Google.
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Make Beliefs Comix - Bill Zimmerman
Grades
2 to 12This site also features writing prompts. To find the writing prompts, click Comic Starters or Writing from the top menu. Registration is NOT required unless you want to save your comic; in that case, use an email address or login with your Google account.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): comics and cartoons (55), communication (139), digital storytelling (153), summarizing (23), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
This resource is ideal for an interactive whiteboard or projector. Demonstrate the tool on the whiteboard or projector and allow the class to create a strip together before you share the link on your teacher web page. Have students create strips as a quiz or other assignment and email the links to you. No more papers to carry around and grade! Build a collection of comics on different curriculum topics to use as anticipatory sets/activators or to spark discussion. Use the writing prompts to excite reluctant writers. Have younger students make comic strip greeting cards for Mother's Day. There are many new features including Free eBooks and Printables, new characters, interactive PDFs, and more. The possibilities are endless. Use the links on the website to use Makebeliefscomix in a variety of languages including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Latin, Portuguese, Chinese, Croatian, Dutch and many others in addition to English.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Toasted Cheese - Stephanie
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): creative writing (123), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
This site is worth it if only for the variety of the daily prompts; however, there is a lot here to engage students. The story examples (such as the "Pushcart Prize Nominations"), the online literary journal, and the assortment of writing exercises give teachers a smorgasbord of activities to choose from. Just be sure to preview whatever material you wish to use in class and do so on a teacher-controlled machine. Or avoid recommending the site itself and find ideas you can use by projecting a writing prompt alone on your interactive whiteboard or projector, having students brainstorm ideas and write on their own to avoid potential "public" content here. Introduce blogging using one of these prompts. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph. This blog creator requires no registration!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Prompts - Creativity-Portal.com
Grades
2 to 12There is a submission option at this site. You are able to submit articles or projects, suggest websites with FREE learning content, creativity journey blogs, or inspiring success stories. Before you submit any students' work, be sure to check with your school's Acceptable Use Policy and always get parental permission.
tag(s): drawing (61), journals (15), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Use these writing prompts with your ESL or ELL students to get them to incorporate new vocabulary into a written piece. Share the on your teacher web page for all students to use as starters for blog writing or journaling. Have students share their own ideas of writing prompts, drawings, and photos that they feel may help others start writing. Submit students' work and ideas, after the proper precautions have been taken.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dragon Writing Prompts - Joyce Fetteroll
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): creative writing (123), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Assign a small group of students to each kind of prompt category and create a writing contest for each week or month. You can create prizes, publish bulletin boards, or even create your own class online writing magazine wiki with the results.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Writing Prompts/Journal Topics - CanTeach
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Use these prompts for morning work, journaling or blogging. Cut prompts into strips and place in a grab-bag. Have students "pull-a-prompt" from the grab bag as a guided reading center or after-lunch activity. The prompts could also be used as conversation starters during morning meetings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thoughtful Learning - Write Source: Writing Topics - Houghton Mifflin Co.
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blogs (65), essays (21), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Have the students choose their own prompt from the list and then share their writing within a small group, with the class, or on their own blogs. Replace paper and pencil and have your younger students create a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here., while older students can use Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. Use the models and anonymous sharing on an interactive whiteboard to create a "safe" way for students to share writing as process and hear how others do it. Take this a step further and enhance student learning by having them use a collaborative writing tool like Penflip, reviewed here, or Google Docs. There is also the option of altering student learning and PUBLISHING student models with Book Creator, reviewed here, or Ourboox, reviewed here, as a motivator. Be sure to get parent permission!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Painless Writing - Richard Guidone
Grades
3 to 9tag(s): process writing (38), writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Mark this one as a Favorite so you can find a writing prompt at a moment's notice. These idas would work well with blogs or journals. You cna also use the prompts to model writing techniques on an interactive whiteboard-- always a motivator!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Big Read - The National Endowment for the Arts
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): literature (218), resources (87), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
You will want to save this website to your favorites to return to it often and implement materials to fit your curriculum. The materials may be projected on your classroom whiteboard or projector to enhance background information, comprehension, and critical thinking for the literary selection you are currently studying. Thought provoking questions could be used for both oral and written responses.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Story Starter - Joel Heffner
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): writing (323), writing prompts (60)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and link this site to your class page, or for even quicker access, save this as a favorite on your *Teachersfirst page to come back to The Story Starter whenever you are planning to begin or end a class lesson with a writing prompt. These creative ideas are fantastic and practical when you need a quick emergency lesson plan for a substitute teacher or when you are just looking for a spontaneous writing assignment. Students may use it the old fashion way by writing the story starter sentence on a piece of paper, or copy and paste it into a word document and start writing their stories or essays.*If you are not already a member, just log on to www.teachersfirst.com and join for FREE.
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