Story Writing Topics for Grade 5

1. Write a story about a puppy with a penchant for solving puzzles—and

saving people!
2. Write a story about what life was like for your grandmother as a young
girl.
3. Write a story about a weird new store that opens up in town and only
sells items that begin with the letter “P.
4. Write a story about a friendly robot who has an unusual set of skills.
5. Write a story about a game of hide and seek that catches everyone by
surprise.
6. Write a story about what happens when one student accidentally loses
the class pet.
7. Write a story about a young pair of friends who wake up one day to
realize they can read one another’s minds.

Story Writing Topics for Grade 6

1. Write a story about a science fair experiment gone awry.
2. Write a story about a young boy who is eating alphabet soup—when
suddenly, the letters start forming words on their own!
3. Write a story about an alien’s visit to Earth—and what their first
impressions of human life are like.
4. Write a story about a family who learns something very surprising about
their new pet
5. Write a story about a group of friends who accidentally stumble upon a
secret otherworldly realm during a sleepover.
6. Write a story about the future and imagine what types of new careers,
homes, and methods of schooling people will enjoy. Be as descriptive
and imaginative as possible!
7. Write a story about a boy who creates an award-winning new pizza
recipe—that has a very special secret ingredient that is in short supply.
 Story Writing Topics for Grade 7
1. Write a story about a family that wins the lottery—and then
chooses not to accept the winnings!
2. Write a story about a young boy who has a dream of growing up
and leaving the small town he lives in.
3. Write a story about a young teen who gets the chance to guest
star on their favorite TV show—only to find out that things behind
the scenes are very different than they seem.
4. Write a story about a young girl who discovers an old book in the
attic—and opens it to find that it is full of ancient spells!
5. Write a story about a family that decides to sell their house and
live on a boat—and all the exciting travels and challenges they
face in their new lives.
6. Write a story about a washed-up magician who desperately needs
to learn a new trick.
7. Write a story about a man who tries to help out someone in need,
only to realize that he has accidentally made the other person’s
situation worse!

Story Writing Topics for Grade 8

1. Write a story about a hyped basketball game that everyone is excited
for—and what it will mean to the community if the local team manages
to win.
2. Write a story about a family reunion with a surprising twist.
3. Write a story about a brother and sister who are always arguing—until
one day when they are forced to have one another’s backs.
4. Write a story about a teen who receives a surprise visit from a time
traveler—who happens to be their future self!
5. Write a story about a famous movie star who is struggling with the fact
that he didn’t follow his true passion in life—accounting.
6. Write a story about a group of friends—and the summer vacation they
had that was unlike any other.
7. Write a story about an unexpected announcement that takes the whole
world by surprise.
 Story Writing Topics for Grade 9
1. Write a story about a pair of friends who struggle to remain close as
they begin taking different paths in their lives.
2. Write a story about an old shade tree in a park and some of the
moments it sees over the years.
3. Write a story about a high school student who is struggling to adjust to
life in their new city.
4. Write a story about a secret island where time moves slower—and
people can spend years there while only seeming like they are gone for
a couple weeks to the rest of the world.
5. Write a story about an astronaut who travels to space to complete a
mission—and then has an unusual discovery about herself on the way
back to Earth.
6. Write a story about a day in the life of a people zoo—and what all the
animals who come to visit think of the humans and the way they act.
7. Write a story about someone winning a major award that they don’t
really feel like they have earned.

Four Essential Reasons to Use Story

Writing Topics in Your Classroom
1. Story Writing Topics Hone Discipline and Logic
While people typically imagine that anything goes in a fictional story, an
effective story actually requires a great degree of control.

When students begin using story writing topics and prompts, they will start to
get a better handle on how to express their ideas logically in order for the
story to make sense. Clear writing and descriptive sentences are essential
components of a believable, engaging story.

Regular use of story writing topics also teaches students discipline. Though
they may not have many ideas when they sit down to write, they’ll quickly
learn how to push through creative blocks when they need to put words down
on the page each day.
2. Story Writing Topics Promote Inspiration, Spontaneity, and Thinking
Outside the Box
One of the best reasons to use writing prompts with students is to expose
them to new topics and types of writing that they might not otherwise choose
on their own.

While some students are more interested in creating unusual situations,

others prefer to explore a character’s actions and ideas. However, by
assigning story writing topics, you can ensure that each student tries several
different types of writing and learns how to work in genres and styles that fall
outside their comfort zones.

Regardless of their typical preferences, your students will get to thoroughly

exercise their imaginations when they use story writing topics regularly.

3. Story Writing Topics Help Students Express Their Emotions

Expressing emotions and ideas is tough for many teens and tweens. Kids that
age often worry that they will be judged or made fun of if they give voice to
their truest thoughts. However, when students write stories, they have the
chance to distance themselves from their emotions in a healthy manner.

Though many students will model characters on themselves and their own
experiences, they can write without fear of embarrassment because they have
the plausible deniability that following a writing prompt offers—and at the end
of the day, it’s all just fiction anyway, right?

Though they may grow more confident in claiming their own experiences
when they get older, in the meantime, writing stories can be a healthy way for
kids to get their feelings out.

4. Story Writing Topics Allow Students to Improve Writing Skills

Naturally, writing stories is also a great way for students to improve their
overall writing skills. From structuring sentences to practicing spelling to
learning more about grammar and punctuation, stories incorporate numerous
aspects of writing into a single activity.

Practice makes perfect, and giving students the chance to put the writing
lessons they’ve learned into use is the best way to help them retain
knowledge and become more comfortable expressing their thoughts and
creative ideas.
And best of all, using story writing topics and prompts exposes students
to a wide variety of genres and styles that they will need to use
throughout high school, college, and their adult lives!