Writing
Writing Prompts
Pick a prompt, read the starter together, then write.
72 prompts
Opinion · Unit 1
Is it better to live in a city, a suburb or a rural area? State your opinion and give two reasons.
Starter: I think the best kind of community to live in is ... because ...
Opinion · Unit 1
Which is most useful at home for pushing or pulling things: a magnet, a ramp or a rubber band? Give reasons.
Starter: In my opinion, the most useful tool is ... One reason is ...
Opinion · Unit 1
Which folktale or fable taught the best lesson? Name it and explain why its lesson matters.
Starter: The tale with the best lesson is ... because ...
Informative · Unit 1
Explain what a community is and name three communities you belong to.
Starter: A community is ... I belong to ...
Informative · Unit 1
Explain how friction slows things down. Use an example from your rolling-car test.
Starter: Friction is a force that ... When I rolled the car on ...
Informative · Unit 1
Describe the landforms and bodies of water in your region and how people use them.
Starter: In my region there are ... People use them to ...
Narrative · Unit 1
Write a story about a walk through your neighborhood. Tell what you see, hear and who you meet, in order.
Starter: One sunny morning, I stepped out my door and ...
Narrative · Unit 1
Write a story in which a magnet saves the day.
Starter: Nobody believed my little magnet could help, until ...
Narrative · Unit 1
Write your own fable with animal characters. End it with a lesson.
Starter: Once upon a time, a proud peacock and a clever mouse ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 1
Write an acrostic poem using the word PUSH or PULL. Each line names a push or pull you see every day.
Starter: P - ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 1
Draw a map of a make-believe island. Add a map key and a compass rose, then write three sentences giving directions to the treasure.
Starter: Start at the dock and walk north until ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 1
Write a 'Where I Live' poem. Each line begins with 'I live where ...' and names something you see, hear or smell.
Starter: I live where ...
Opinion · Unit 2
Which U.S. region would you most like to visit? Give two reasons with facts about that region.
Starter: I would most like to visit the ... region because ...
Opinion · Unit 2
Should every family have a fair-test science day? Give your opinion and two reasons.
Starter: I believe every family should ... First, ...
Opinion · Unit 2
Which animal has the most useful adaptation for its habitat? Explain your choice.
Starter: The animal with the best adaptation is ... because ...
Informative · Unit 2
Explain the steps an engineer follows to solve a problem. Use your magnet device as the example.
Starter: Engineers solve problems in steps. First, they ...
Informative · Unit 2
Explain a food chain from your backyard or a park, from the sun to the top consumer.
Starter: Every food chain starts with the sun. ...
Informative · Unit 2
Describe how your community began: when, where, who founded it and why there.
Starter: My community began in ... It was started by ...
Narrative · Unit 2
Write a personal narrative about a time you built or fixed something. Use time-order words.
Starter: First, I gathered ... Next, ...
Narrative · Unit 2
Write a story about an animal that must move to a new habitat. Give it a problem and a solution, and use dialogue.
Starter: "We can't stay here," said the little fox. ...
Narrative · Unit 2
Imagine you are a child in your own community in the year it began. Write about your first week: what you see, the work you do and the people you meet.
Starter: When we got to our new home, I saw ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 2
Write a 'food web' poem. Each line passes energy to the next living thing.
Starter: The sun shines on the grass, the grass feeds the ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 2
Write a riddle poem about a U.S. river, mountain range or one of the Great Lakes. Give three clues.
Starter: I am long and I flow south ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 2
Draw and label an invention that would help in your home. Write a short ad telling how it works.
Starter: Introducing the amazing ... It works by ...
Opinion · Unit 3
Is it better for animals like wolves or ants to live in groups or alone? Give reasons from what you learned.
Starter: I think living in a group is ... because ...
Opinion · Unit 3
What is the best way to move goods across the country: train, truck, ship or plane? Explain why.
Starter: The best way to move goods is ... because ...
Opinion · Unit 3
Which family or cultural tradition should everyone try? Give two reasons.
Starter: Everyone should try ... because ...
Informative · Unit 3
Explain the life cycle of a frog or a butterfly, stage by stage.
Starter: A ... goes through ... stages. First, ...
Informative · Unit 3
Write a report on the U.S. state you researched. Include its capital, geography and one landmark.
Starter: ... is a state in the ... region. Its capital is ...
Informative · Unit 3
Explain why people move to a new country and name ways newcomers help their communities.
Starter: People move to a new country for many reasons. Some ...
Narrative · Unit 3
Interview a family member about a move they made. Write their story in order.
Starter: When my ... was ... years old, they moved to ...
Narrative · Unit 3
Write a story told by a seed as it grows into a plant.
Starter: I was a tiny seed, buried in the cool dirt, when ...
Narrative · Unit 3
Write about a holiday or celebration in your family. Use sensory details.
Starter: The smell of ... filled the kitchen ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 3
Write a poem with two stanzas about a place in your local ecosystem. Use rhyme in at least one stanza.
Starter: Down by the ... where the ... grow, ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 3
Write a list poem called 'Things That Travel'. Include people, goods and animals.
Starter: Things That Travel: trucks full of apples, ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 3
Write a short poem about a food from your family's culture. Use words for taste, smell and sound.
Starter: Warm ... on my plate, ...
Opinion · Unit 4
Should kids be allowed to vote on some family or school decisions? Write an opinion essay with an introduction, two reasons and a conclusion.
Starter: Kids should (or should not) vote on ... First, ...
Opinion · Unit 4
Which climate would you most like to live in: tropical, temperate, polar or arid? Give reasons with facts.
Starter: The climate I would choose is ... because ...
Opinion · Unit 4
What is the most important job of a local government? Support your opinion with examples.
Starter: The most important job of local government is ... For example, ...
Informative · Unit 4
Explain the three branches of government and what each one does.
Starter: Our government has three branches. The first ...
Informative · Unit 4
Explain the difference between weather and climate, with an example of each.
Starter: Weather is ... Climate is ...
Informative · Unit 4
Explain how to stay safe during one kind of severe weather. Use headings for 'Before', 'During' and 'After'.
Starter: Before a ... , families should ...
Narrative · Unit 4
Write a story about a class election. Show how the characters feel through their actions and words.
Starter: Maya's hands shook as she taped up her last poster. ...
Narrative · Unit 4
Write about a day when the weather changed your plans.
Starter: I woke up ready for ..., but when I looked outside ...
Narrative · Unit 4
Write a story about a character who has to choose between two things they want. Show what they give up.
Starter: Jayden had saved enough for only one thing: ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 4
Write a weather report for an imaginary planet. Include the temperature, wind and rain.
Starter: Good morning, Planet ...! Today's forecast is ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 4
Write an acrostic poem with the word VOTE or CITIZEN about how people help their community.
Starter: V - ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 4
Design a weather instrument and write directions for how to use it.
Starter: To use my ..., first ...
Opinion · Unit 5
Is it better to spend money right away or to save it? Give reasons and an example.
Starter: I think it is better to ... because ...
Opinion · Unit 5
Which animal has the best adaptation for a hot or cold climate? Use facts from your research.
Starter: The animal best built for the ... is ... because ...
Opinion · Unit 5
What is the most useful kind of map: a resource map, a population map or a climate map? Explain.
Starter: The most useful map is ... because ...
Informative · Unit 5
Explain the difference between goods and services, with three examples of each in your community.
Starter: Goods are ... Services are ...
Informative · Unit 5
Explain the difference between an inherited trait and a learned behavior, with animal examples.
Starter: An inherited trait is ... A learned behavior is ...
Informative · Unit 5
Write a research report on an animal. Include sections on its habitat, body features and food, and list your sources.
Starter: The ... lives in ... One body feature that helps it is ...
Narrative · Unit 5
Write a story about running a market stand. What do you sell, and what happens?
Starter: On Saturday morning, I set up my ... stand ...
Narrative · Unit 5
Write a story about a young animal that looks like its parents in some ways and different in others.
Starter: Little ... had her mother's ... but ...
Narrative · Unit 5
Write a story about a forecast that turned out to be wrong.
Starter: The forecast said sunny skies, so we ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 5
Write a poem using two expressions that do not mean exactly what they say, like 'raining cats and dogs'. Then tell what each really means.
Starter: It's ..., and ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 5
Write a cloud poem. Describe what a cloud looks like and what weather it might bring.
Starter: Up high, the ... clouds ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 5
Make a budget for a pretend class party with $50. Use whole-dollar prices. List the items, their prices, the total and how much is left.
Starter: Our party budget: ... costs $... ...
Opinion · Unit 6
What issue in your community most needs action? Choose one kids can help with, like a park, a book drive or safer crossings. Give reasons and evidence.
Starter: The issue that most needs action is ... One reason is ...
Opinion · Unit 6
Which was the best thing you learned this year? Give two reasons.
Starter: The best thing I learned this year was ... because ...
Opinion · Unit 6
Should people give some of their time or things to help others? Explain your opinion.
Starter: I believe families should ... because ...
Informative · Unit 6
Explain what fossils tell us about places long ago.
Starter: Fossils are ... They can tell us ...
Informative · Unit 6
Explain your science fair investigation: your question, your steps and what you found.
Starter: My question was ... To test it, I ...
Informative · Unit 6
Explain your civic action plan: the problem, your research and the steps you will take.
Starter: The problem I chose is ... I learned that ...
Narrative · Unit 6
Write about the day you presented your project. How did you feel before, during and after?
Starter: My heart was pounding as I walked to the front ...
Narrative · Unit 6
Imagine you find a fossil in your backyard. Write a story about what happens next.
Starter: I was digging in the garden when my shovel hit something hard ...
Narrative · Unit 6
Write a letter to next year's third grader about your year. Tell your best memory as a short story.
Starter: Dear Future Third Grader, Let me tell you about ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 6
Write a reader's theater script for two characters about helping the community. Include stage directions.
Starter: NARRATOR: One morning, two friends noticed ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 6
Write a poem called 'Third Grade Was ...'. Each line names something you did or learned.
Starter: Third grade was ...
Poetry & creative · Unit 6
Write a 'Save, Spend, Give' poem with three stanzas, one for each choice.
Starter: When I save, I ...