8 HIGHLY-ENGAGING

RE E writing prompts
F

Creative Narrative Explanatory writing

Opinion Writing Personal Narrative
About This Resource
Need More Writing Prompts?
Download the complete
Writing Prompt Bundle
from Performing in
Education on
TeachersPayTeachers.

See More Writing Resources

Don’t Miss Out on

Future Freebies!
Want to get notified
when new freebies are
available? Sign up for
the email list and
optional text reminders.

©2020 Performing in Education LLC 2

 Please Read!
Downloading this product entitles the purchaser the right to reproduce
the pages for one classroom use only. Please purchase an additional
license for a discounted price in my store in order to share with
another teacher. You may do this by going to “My Purchases” in your
Teachers Pay Teachers account and clicking “Buy Additional
Licenses”. If you purchased this through another website please e-mail
april@performingineducation.com for licensing information. Discounts
for school licenses are also available.

Copying any part of this product or placing it on the internet in any

form is strictly forbidden and is a violation of the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act (DCMA). Please do not upload this resource to your
class or district website.
Fonts & clipart included in this product provided by:
 Using This
Resource
There are many ways you can use these cards in your
classroom:
– Use these cards in a writing center.
– Use as a daily warm-up.
– Give a card as writing homework.
– Use whole group for test prep.
– Use for formal essay writing.
– and MUCH MORE!

Need Help?
If you need help
implementing part of this
project in your classroom, or
are having a technical issue,
please e-mail me at
april@performingineducatio
n.com.
 Full Page Prompts w/Brainstorming
Have students read the prompt and write on it. This teaches them to evaluate
the prompt critically.

Narrative Prompts: Use the brainstorming organizer to write down the events
that happen in the story, in order.

Explanatory Prompts: Use the brainstorming organizer to organize the

information they will use in their writing piece

Opinion Prompts: Use the brainstorming organizer to write down the reasons
for why people would say “yes” and “no”. Then choose a side and begin
writing.
 Darkness

All of the electricity in the entire world

goes out for 30 minutes. Tell a story about

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

what a group of four fictional characters
do for that 30 minutes.

Include dialogue in your story. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.

Brainstorming
 Fashionably Late

There’s an important event happening and

you must be on time. Tell the fictional

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

story of the crazy events that happen that
make you late to the event. Begin your
story by telling what the event is and why
it’s so important.
Include dialogue in your story. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.

Brainstorming
 Time Capsule

A time capsule is something that is put aside

to be opened many years in the future. If
your class is making a time capsule to be

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

opened in 100 years, what one item would
you choose to go in the time capsule and
why? How would this item help people 100
years from now?
Introduce your topic clearly. Use precise language to inform about or explain the topic.

Brainstorming
 The New Fad

Choose an item that is popular right now.

Explain what this item is for and why it is

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

popular. Use facts to give detailed
information.

Introduce your topic clearly. Use precise language to inform about or explain the topic.

Brainstorming
 Should Machines Take Your Order?

Some restaurants are trying out a new idea: having

machines at the table that take your order instead of the
usual human waiters. Many people think this new
technology is great because it makes sure your order is

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

taken correctly. Others believe that it’s worth the risk to
have a real person take your order. Some are even
worried that these machines will take jobs away from
people. Do you think restaurants should have machines
take your order?
Begin your paragraph with a claim. Follow it up with reasons and evidence to support your claim.

Brainstorming

Yes No
 Should Kids Get an Allowance?

Some parents give a weekly or monthly allowance for

having good behavior at school and at home. Other
parents give an allowance for doing chores around the
house. Some parents don’t give their kids an allowance

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

at all. They believe that they shouldn’t have to pay their
kids to behave well or help out around the house. Do
you think kids should get an allowance?

Begin your paragraph with a claim. Follow it up with reasons and evidence to support your claim.

Brainstorming

Yes No
 Meeting a Goal

Tell about a time that you met an

important goal. Explain how you met the

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

goal and how you felt. If you can’t think of
a goal you’ve met, tell about a time when
you were proud of yourself.

Include dialogue in your narrative. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.

Brainstorming
 Animal Encounter

Write about a small moment when you

encountered an animal. You can tell a

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

story about a strange and exciting animal
encounter or a heart-warming tale about
when you adopted a pet.

Include dialogue in your narrative. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.

Brainstorming
 Half Page Prompts
Use the half page prompts when you want them to brainstorm and write their
essay on paper or their devices.

Have students read the prompt and write on it. This teaches them to evaluate
the prompt critically.
 Darkness

All of the electricity in the entire world goes out

for 30 minutes. Tell a story about what a group of
four fictional characters do for that 30 minutes.

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

Include dialogue in your story. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.

Fashionably Late

There’s an important event happening and

you must be on time. Tell the fictional
story of the crazy events that happen that
©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

make you late to the event. Begin your

story by telling what the event is and why
it’s so important.
Include dialogue in your story. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.
 Time Capsule

A time capsule is something that is put aside to

be opened many years in the future. If your class
is making a time capsule to be opened in 100

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

years, what one item would you choose to go in
the time capsule and why? How would this item
help people 100 years from now?

Introduce your topic clearly. Use precise language to inform about or explain the topic.

The New Fad

Choose an item that is popular right now. Explain

what this item is for and why it is popular. Use
facts to give detailed information. ©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

Introduce your topic clearly. Use precise language to inform about or explain the topic.
 Should Machines Take Your Order?

Some restaurants are trying out a new idea: having

machines at the table that take your order instead of the
usual human waiters. Many people think this new
technology is great because it makes sure your order is

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

taken correctly. Others believe that it’s worth the risk to
have a real person take your order. Some are even
worried that these machines will take jobs away from
people. Do you think restaurants should have machines
take your order?
Begin your paragraph with a claim. Follow it up with reasons and evidence to support your claim.

Should Kids Get an Allowance?

Some parents give a weekly or monthly allowance for

having good behavior at school and at home. Other
parents give an allowance for doing chores around
the house. Some parents don’t give their kids an
©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

allowance at all. They believe that they shouldn’t have

to pay their kids to behave well or help out around
the house. Do you think kids should get an allowance?

Begin your paragraph with a claim. Follow it up with reasons and evidence to support your claim.
 Meeting a Goal

Tell about a time that you met an important

goal. Explain how you met the goal and how
you felt. If you can’t think of a goal you’ve

©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

met, tell about a time when you were proud
of yourself.

Include dialogue in your narrative. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.

Animal Encounter

Write about a small moment when you

encountered an animal. You can tell a story
about a strange and exciting animal ©2021 Performing in Education, LLC

encounter or a heart-warming tale about

when you adopted a pet.

Include dialogue in your narrative. Focus on a strong beginning, transitions, and ending.
 Need Help?
If you need help implementing part of
this project in your classroom, or are
having a technical issue, please e-mail
me at:
april@performingineducation.com.

Let’s connect!
Follow me on social media for content related to this
resource.

https://www.facebook.com/performingined/

@performinginedu

performingineducation

I would love to see what your students do with this

resource! If you share photos on social media, make sure
to tag me!