creative writing examples for grade 5

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100 Best Fun Writing Prompts for 5th Grade: Journal Prompts

• Prompts for Narrative Essays
• Prompts for Informative Essay Writing
• Prompts for Research Writing
• Funny Fifth Grade Writing Prompts
• 5th Grade Poetry Writing Prompts
• Prompts for 5th Grade Fiction Writing
• 5th Grade Animal Writing Prompts
• 5th Grade Emotion Writing Prompts
• Journal Writing Prompts for Fifth Graders
• 5th Grade Descriptive Writing Prompts

As parents and teachers, we recognize the significance of writing as a fundamental skill that enables children to express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas. However, generating ideas and inspiration for writing can be challenging for many 5th-grade students. To aid students in this process, 5th grade writing prompts prove to be a valuable resource. Furthermore, Science Daily published an article that highlights the crucial connection between handwriting and brain activity. Writing can increase brain activity, leading to better memory retention and cognitive development. This is particularly important for students as it can positively impact their academic performance.

“Writing is the painting of the voice.” – Voltaire

By using writing prompts, children can explore various topics, develop their imagination, and hone their writing skills. In this collection, we have compiled various writing prompts that are engaging, entertaining, and sure to inspire creativity in 5th grade students. This collection has something for everyone: Persuasive writing, descriptive essays, narrative stories, and imaginative writing. Fifth grade journal prompts can help inspire creativity and reflection in their writing. So, let’s get started and explore these exciting 5th Grade writing prompts.

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Explore 5th Grade educational resources !

10 Prompts for Narrative Essays

Writing Narrative Essays? Here Are Ten 5th grade narrative writing prompts:

“A great story can lead us to new worlds, new ideas, and new ways of thinking.” – Neil Gaiman

• Write about a time when you faced a difficult decision.
• Imagine you are stranded on a deserted island. Describe what you would do?
• Create a narrative about a magical adventure.
• Write about a time when you learned something important.
• Think about the prospect of time travel. How would you react, and where would you go?
• Develop a narrative about a superhero you create.
• Describe a time when you overcame a fear.
• Imagine you can do whatever you want. Tell me what it would be and how you’d use it.
• Create a narrative about a day in the life of your pet.
• Write about a time when you had to stand up for what you believe in.

10 Prompts for Informative Essay Writing

A list of ten 5th grade writing prompts to get you started on an informative essay:

• Write an essay about a famous person who inspires you.
• Research and write an essay about a historical event that interests you.
• Write about the benefits of physical activity and exercise.
• Write an essay about the effects of technology on society.
• Research and write an essay about a country you would like to visit.
• Write about the importance of reading books .
• Write an essay about the positive and negative effects of social media.
• Research and write an essay about an animal species that is endangered.
• Write about the importance of recycling and conserving natural resources.
• Please write an essay about the role of education in shaping our future.

10 Prompts for Research Writing

Here are ten Research writing prompts for 5th grade:

“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” -Zora Neale Hurston, author and anthropologist.

• Research and write about your favorite historical figure.
• Choose a famous landmark and research its history and significance.
• Investigate and write about an important event in history.
• Research and write about a unique and interesting animal species.
• Study and write about famous inventors and their inventions.
• Research and write about the culture and traditions of a country you are interested in.
• Explore and write about a current scientific discovery or innovation.
• Investigate and write about the effects of climate change on a particular region or ecosystem.
• Research and write about a famous artist and their artwork.
• Study and write about a significant moment in space exploration history.

10 Funny Fifth Grade Writing Prompts

Here are ten prompts for Fun Writing Prompts for 5th Grade:

• Write a funny story about a talking animal.
• Imagine speaking to your pet and writing about what you would say.
• Write a comic dialog between two unlikely characters.
• Write a humorous story about a mischievous character getting into trouble.
• Create a funny story using three random objects.
• Write a funny kids’ poem . This can be about your favorite food.
• Imagine a world where everything is opposite, and develop a narrative about it.
• Develop a narrative about a silly superhero with extraordinary power.
• Create a funny dialog between a parent and a child.
• Develop a narrative about a funny and unexpected event that happened to you.

10 5th Grade Poetry Writing Prompts

The following are ten writing topics for 5th graders seeking poetry writing prompts:

• Write a poem about your favorite season.
• Imagine you are a raindrop falling from the sky. Write a poem describing your journey.
• Write a poem about a place that makes you happy.
• Choose an object in the room and write a poem about it.
• Write a poem about a dream you had.
• Create a poem that includes the words “whisper,” “twist,” and “moon.”
• Write a poem about a memorable moment with a friend.
• Describe a beautiful sunset in a poem.
• Write a poem about the ocean and all its wonders.
• Create a poem about your favorite animal.

10 Prompts for 5th Grade Fiction Writing

Opinion writing prompts 5th grade to help encourage critical thinking and self-expression in young students. Here are ten 5th grade writing prompt ideas to get them started:

• Create a story about a mysterious package that arrives in the mail.
• Develop a narrative about a person who can time travel.
• Create a story about a magic tree that grants wishes.
• Imagine being lost in the forest and creating a story about your adventure.
• Develop a narrative about a group of friends who discover a hidden treasure.
• Create a story about a person who can talk to animals.
• Create a narrative about a family vacation gone wrong.
• Imagine you could shrink to the size of an ant. Develop a narrative about your adventures.
• Create a story about a person who wakes up one day with superpowers.
• Develop a narrative about a group of people stranded on a deserted island.

10 5th Grade Animal Writing Prompts

Here are ten writing ideas for 5th grade for animal-themed assignments:

• If you could be any animal for a day, which animal would you choose and why?
• Create a narrative told from the point of view of a bear family as they emerge from their hibernation period.
• Describe the life of a whale in the deep sea.
• Write a persuasive essay on why zoos are important for conserving endangered animals.
• Describe the life of a squirrel gathering nuts for winter.
• Write a fictional story about a fox trying to outsmart a group of chickens.
• Describe the life of a butterfly from caterpillar to butterfly.
• Write a research paper on the migration patterns of birds.
• Describe the life of a lion in the savannah.
• Write a poem about the beauty of nature and the animals that live in it.

10 5th Grade Emotion Writing Prompts

Here are ten prompts for 5th grade writing prompts About Emotion:

• Describe a moment when you experienced a strong sense of self-satisfaction and accomplishment.
• Describe a moment when you felt scared and how you overcame your fear.
• Create a narrative about a character who overcomes a difficult challenge.
• Describe a time when you felt happy for someone else.
• Write a letter to your future self about your dreams and aspirations.
• Describe a time when you felt angry and how you managed your anger.
• Develop a narrative about a character who learns the importance of forgiveness.
• Describe a moment when you felt grateful for something or someone.
• Write a poem about the different emotions that people feel.
• Describe when you felt sad and how you coped with your sadness.

10 Journal Writing Prompts for Fifth Graders

The following are ten suggestions for 5th grade journal prompts to use:

• Describe an instance where you successfully conquered a challenging obstacle.
• Describe a moment when you felt proud of yourself and why.
• Write about a place that is special to you and why it is important.
• Describe a time when you helped someone else and how it made you feel.
• Write about your favorite book and what you learned from it.
• Describe an instance where you made a mistake and what you learned from it.
• Write about a person who inspires you and why.
• Describe a time when you felt grateful for something or someone.
• Write about your favorite hobby and why you enjoy it.
• Describe when you tried something new and what you learned from the experience.

When choosing 5th grade journal topics, consider selecting prompts that encourage students to explore their interests, emotions, and experiences in a safe and supportive environment.

10 5th Grade Descriptive Writing Prompts

Here are ten topics to consider when looking for descriptive writing prompts for 5th grade:

• Describe your favorite outdoor place and explain why it is special to you.
• Write a descriptive paragraph about a delicious meal you recently enjoyed.
• Imagine you’re walking through a spooky forest. Describe what you see, hear, and feel.
• Describe the view from your bedroom window. What can you see in the distance?
• Write a paragraph describing a character from your favorite book. What do they look like, and what makes them interesting?
• Describe your dream bedroom. What colors would you use, and what kind of furniture would you have?
• Imagine you’re on a deserted island. Describe the island and the environment around you.
• Write a paragraph describing a memorable moment from a family vacation.
• Describe a special item you keep in your room. Why is it important to you?
• Imagine you’re in a bustling city. Describe the sights, sounds, and smells you experience.

Encourage Fifth Graders in Becoming Writers

Writing is a significant skill that is essential for communication, expression, and personal growth. As highlighted in an article published by UCONN , writing prompts play a crucial role in engaging students’ interest in a particular topic and encouraging them to write thoughtfully and creatively. While effective prompts should introduce and limit the writing topic, they should also provide clear instructions about the writing task. It is imperative to equip 5th graders with resources and guidance to help them develop their writing skills. 

Educators and parents can provide 5th grade journal prompts and creative exercises to assist students in exploring various forms of writing and finding their unique voice. Additionally, feedback and constructive criticism can help students improve their strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, teaching 5th graders to write improves their academic and personal lives by promoting self-expression, creativity, and critical thinking.

Fifth Grade Writing Prompts for Developing Young Writers

5th-grade writing prompts can be a powerful tool for parents and teachers to help students develop their writing skills and creativity. By providing a starting point for writing, prompts can help students overcome writer’s block and find inspiration for their ideas. The prompts in this collection cover a wide range of topics and genres, encouraging students to explore their interests and experiences through writing.

“A well-crafted writing prompt can spark creativity and lead to a deeper understanding of oneself and the world around us.” – Laura Robb

Parents and teachers can inspire students to develop regular writing habits and enhance their skills by utilizing 5th grade journal prompts. According to an article published by the Journal of Instructional Research , both approaches of writing i.e. direct and indirect, have positive effects on students’ writing abilities. This article dived into exploring these approaches for promoting writing. The direct approach focuses on teaching writing skills explicitly and providing feedback on children writing. The indirect approach, on the other hand, emphasizes creating a supportive environment that encourages writing.

We can motivate students to write on a variety of topics, experiment with different writing styles, and share their work with others. By nurturing a passion for writing, we can help our students become confident, creative, and effective communicators. Why not give these prompts a try and see where they take you? Let’s encourage our young writers to unleash their creativity and express themselves through the power of writing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are these prompts suitable for all 5th class students.

These 5th grade writing prompts are designed to be accessible to most students, but they may need to be modified or adapted for students with special needs or English language learners.

How can I implement these ideas into my lesson plans?

Creative writing prompts 5th grade to use it for anything from journal entries to class discussions. Teachers can also have their students use these as a springboard for creative thinking and topic development.

Can these prompts be used for other grade levels?

Yes, many of these prompts can be adapted for other grade levels depending on the level of complexity and difficulty. Teachers can also modify the prompts better to fit the interests and abilities of their students.

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50 Exclusive 5th Grade Writing Prompts That Are Printable For Free

• February 28, 2024

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Types of prompt writing for 5th graders, 1. creativity boost, 2. encourages critical thinking, 3. confidence unlocked, 5. helps develop writing skills, 6. frees your writing, imaginative & creative writing prompts, narrative & storytelling writing prompts, descriptive & explanatory writing prompts, reflective & analytical writing prompts, collaborative & interactive writing prompts, for teachers, for students, faqs on 50 exclusive 5th grade writing prompts, we also recommend.

5th grade writing prompts can be incredibly helpful for elementary teachers looking for creative and engaging ways to encourage their students to write. Not only do writing prompts help students develop their creativity and imagination, they also help them learn the fundamentals of good writing, such as grammar and structure.

These prompts are designed to inspire your students to think outside the box and flex their creative muscles. Whether it’s a narrative, persuasive, or informative writing task, these prompts cover a wide range of topics that will challenge and excite your students. Say goodbye to writer’s block and hello to endless creative possibilities with these 5th grade writing prompts!

Are you searching for engaging and thought-provoking 5th grade writing prompts to ignite your student’s imaginations? Look no further! We have compiled a list of 50 exclusive prompts that are printable for free, each carefully crafted to spark creativity and provide hours of engaging writing adventures.

Imaginative & Creative:

• What-if scenarios: What if animals could talk? What if you woke up with superpowers?
• Fantasy and adventure: Invent a magical creature. Create a secret world hidden within your school.
• Humor and silliness: Write a funny commercial for a strange product. Tell a story from the perspective of your pet.

Narrative & Storytelling:

• Historical fiction: Imagine being a child living in a different historical period.
• Mystery and suspense: Unravel a hidden clue in your house. Write a detective story where the culprit is unexpected.
• Personal narratives: Describe your most embarrassing moment (turned into a triumph!). Write a letter to your future self.

Descriptive & Explanatory:

• Sensory details: Describe a place using all five senses. Write a poem about a specific emotion.
• Process writing: Explain how to build a fort, cook your favorite dish, or train your pet.
• Informative writing: Research and write about a fascinating animal, historical figure, or invention.

Reflective & Analytical:

• Character analysis: Create a diary entry from the perspective of a literary character.
• Compare and contrast: Compare two historical events or fictional characters.
• Persuasive writing: Convince your parents to get a pet or let you stay up later.

READ ALSO: Best Fantasy Writing Prompts in 2024: 200+ Ideas to Create Magic

Collaborative & Interactive:

• Chain stories: Start a story and pass it around the class for each student to add a sentence.
• Comic strip creation: Work in pairs to write and draw a funny comic strip.
• Debate prompts: Take a side on a current event or fictional conflict and argue your case.

Benefits Of Using 5th Grade Writing Prompts

Here are a few benefits of using writing prompts in 5th grade:

Prompts unlock imaginative worlds, letting students experiment with storytelling and voices. Analyzing prompts and crafting responses strengthens their ability to think logically and solve problems.

Many writing prompts require students to think critically and solve problems. They may be asked to imagine themselves in a challenging situation or analyze a complex issue. By engaging in these types of writing exercises, students develop their analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for success in various academic and real-life situations.

SEE ALSO: 50 Exclusive 3rd Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free

Writing prompts offer an opportunity for students to practice and refine their writing skills. Through regular writing exercises, students can improve their grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and vocabulary. They can experiment with different writing styles, such as descriptive, persuasive, or narrative writing, and develop a deeper understanding of the mechanics of writing.

Writing prompts offer an opportunity for 5th graders the opportunity to practice and refine their writing skills. Through regular writing exercises, students can improve their grammar, punctuation, sentence structure , and vocabulary. They can experiment with different writing styles, such as descriptive, persuasive, or narrative writing , and develop a deeper understanding of the mechanics of writing.

Writing prompts encourage free writing without self-edits. Sometimes that inner editor squashes the best ideas, metaphors, plot twists, and creativity. Regular free writing teaches us how to bind the inner editor, if for only a moment, and it permits our imaginations to fly. The resulting creativity is the very thing agents and editors are looking for in fresh manuscripts .

50 Exclusive 5th Grade Writing Prompts

• You discover a hidden portal in your attic that leads to another world. Describe what you find there.
• Your favorite toy comes to life for one day. What kind of adventure do you have together?
• Invent a board game so unique and fun, that everyone begs to play it. Explain the rules and why it’s awesome.
• If you could design your own school mascot, what would it be and what special powers would it have?
• Write a song from the perspective of a raindrop, a leaf, or a grain of sand.
• Imagine you shrink to the size of an ant. Describe your journey through your house and the dangers you face.
• Create a new holiday and explain its traditions, celebrations, and why it’s important.
• Your class gets superpowers based on your personality. What’s yours, and how do you use it to help others?
• Design a crazy contraption that solves a common problem in a wacky way. Draw a picture and explain how it works.
• Write a poem about what makes you unique and special, using metaphors and similes to paint a vivid picture.

READ ALSO: 50 Creative Narrative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Imagination

• You find a dusty journal in the attic with clues to a hidden treasure. Follow the clues and write the exciting adventure you go on.
• Create a time capsule containing objects that represent your life right now. Write a letter to someone who finds it in the future.
• Your dog runs away on a stormy night. Write the suspenseful story of your search and the emotional reunion.
• Imagine you travel back in time to meet your great-grandparents. What do you learn about their lives and how might it change your understanding of your family history?
• Write a ghost story set in your school, incorporating details that make it creepy and believable.
• You wake up to find the world frozen in time, everyone except you. Describe your journey through this silent, motionless world.
• Create a fable with talking animals that teaches a valuable lesson about friendship, kindness, or perseverance.
• Write a diary entry from the perspective of a historical figure experiencing a pivotal moment in their life.
• Your dream pet arrives, but it’s not what you expected. Describe the hilarious chaos and challenges you face together.
• Turn a boring everyday event into a thrilling adventure story by adding unexpected twists and turns.

READ ALSO: 50 Exclusive First Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free

• Close your eyes and imagine you’re standing on a beach. Use vivid sensory details to describe what you see, hear, smell, feel, and taste.
• Write a step-by-step guide on how to create the perfect sandwich, complete with your secret ingredients and why it’s the best ever.
• Choose an emotion (joy, fear, anger, etc.) and write a poem using figurative language to capture its essence.
• Imagine you’re a scientist explaining a recent discovery to a group of children. Make it clear, and engaging, and use analogies they can understand.
• Research a fascinating invention and write a report explaining how it works, its impact on society, and its possible future developments.
• Take a walk in nature and observe the details of the plants, animals, and landscape. Write a descriptive essay sharing your experience and reflections.
• Interview a family member or community member about their life and experiences. Write a profile capturing their personality and insights.
• Compare and contrast two different cultures, highlighting their unique customs, traditions, and perspectives.
• Choose an object you cherish and write a descriptive essay explaining its significance and the memories it holds.
• Create a “how-to” guide on a skill you’ve mastered, like skateboarding, playing an instrument, or drawing realistic animals.
• Choose a character from a book or movie you admire or dislike. Analyze their motivations, actions, and choices, explaining why you see them the way you do.
• Imagine you’re a news reporter covering a fictional event. Write a news article presenting the event from different perspectives and analyzing its potential impact.
• Read two poems about the same theme (e.g., nature, friendship, loss) and compare their styles, language choices, and how they convey the theme differently.
• Observe a social issue in your community (e.g., bullying, environmental concerns) and write a persuasive essay urging others to take action.
• Reflect on a challenging experience you faced. Analyze what you learned from it, how it changed you, and how you can overcome similar challenges in the future.
• Imagine you’re a scientist analyzing a fictional creature’s unique abilities. Explain its anatomy, behavior, and how it adapts to its environment.
• Choose a historical event and analyze its causes, key figures, and long-term consequences. Debate the different perspectives and interpretations of the event.
• Read a speech by a famous historical figure and analyze its rhetorical devices, persuasive techniques, and its impact on the audience.
• Imagine you’re a detective analyzing clues from a fictional crime scene. Deduce the culprit’s motive, opportunity, and methods, piecing together the evidence to solve the mystery.
• Reflect on a personal goal you’re working towards. Analyze the challenges you face, the strategies you’re using, and how you can measure your progress and stay motivated.
• Chain Story Relay: Start a story with a sentence and pass it around the class, each student adding a sentence to continue the plot. See where the story leads you!
• Comic Strip Creation: Partner up and write a funny comic strip together, dividing the writing and drawing tasks. Share your finished stories with the class.
• Debate Time: Choose a current event or fictional conflict (e.g., robots vs. humans in the future). Divide the class into opposing teams and have a lively debate, researching and presenting arguments to defend your side.
• World Building Workshop: Work in small groups to create a fantasy world together. Decide on the setting, inhabitants, magic system, and unique features. Share your world with other groups and combine elements to build a larger shared universe.
• Mystery Box Challenge: Each group receives a box containing mysterious objects (toys, props, photos). Use your creativity and collaboration to write a short story that incorporates all the objects in a suspenseful narrative.
• Mad Libs Story: Create a silly story template with blank spaces for different parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives). Take turns filling in the blanks, leading to unexpected and hilarious results.
• Collaborative Poem: Start a poem together, each student adding a line based on the previous one. Focus on a specific theme or image and see where the collective creativity takes you.
• Interactive Play Script: Write a short play script together, assigning roles and deciding on the plot, dialogue, and stage directions. Perform your play for other students or teachers.
• News Flash! Collaborative News Report: Imagine a breaking news event has happened at your school. Divide into newsgroups and write a collaborative news report with interviews, eyewitness accounts, and different perspectives.
• Story Map Challenge: Work together to create a visual map of a story you’re writing. Include locations, characters, plot points, and connections between them. Use your map to guide your writing and revise your story collaboratively.

How To Use 5th Grade Writing Prompts In The Classroom

Utilizing writing prompts in educational settings can enhance students’ writing abilities, foster creative thinking, and stimulate project ideas. This versatile tool proves effective for both individual and group assignments, enabling students to delve into diverse subjects and refine various writing styles.

Furthermore, prompts serve as catalysts for discussions on significant subjects, enabling students to grasp the material better and refine their communication aptitude. Integrating writing prompts into classroom activities empowers educators to craft compelling and lasting learning opportunities, contributing to students’ long-term development.

Here are some ideas on ways teachers and students can use writing prompts in the classroom:

Related Post: 107+ Creative Writing Prompts For Middle School Students

Before Using Prompts:

• Gather a toolbox of prompts: Compile a diverse set of prompts catering to different themes, difficulty levels, and writing skills. Choose prompts that ignite student interests and align with learning objectives.
• Plan engaging pre-writing activities: Design brainstorming exercises, mind maps, or visualization prompts to prepare students for writing.
• Set clear expectations and rubrics: Define what you expect from the writing tasks, outlining length, structure, and assessment criteria. Communicate these expectations clearly to students.
• Model the writing process: Demonstrate your own approach to prompts, share strategies for tackling challenges, and showcase good writing examples.
• Prepare differentiation strategies: Tailor the prompts or provide varying levels of support to cater to different learning needs and abilities.

While Using Prompts:

• Create a supportive and encouraging environment: Reassure students that experimentation and exploration are valued and that mistakes are opportunities to learn.
• Facilitate mini-lessons: Teach specific writing skills relevant to the prompts, like using vivid language, building characters, or crafting strong plots.
• Guide peer review sessions: Encourage constructive feedback and discussions that help students revise and improve their work.
• Offer technology integration: Incorporate digital tools like writing platforms, presentations, or research websites to enhance the writing experience.
• Connect to real-world contexts: Let students choose prompts related to their interests, current events, or community projects for meaningful engagement.

After Using Prompts:

• Conduct class discussions: Share student work and facilitate discussions about diverse approaches, ideas, and writing techniques used.
• Celebrate individual achievements: Recognize and reward students’ effort, creativity, and progress in improving their writing skills.
• Build on existing work: Use completed pieces as stepping stones for further learning activities, projects, or cross-curricular connections.

Before Writing:

• Read the prompt carefully: Understand what the prompt asks you to do. Identify keywords and visualize scenarios or ideas they suggest.
• Brainstorm and gather ideas: Use mind maps, lists, or freewriting to explore different possibilities and generate unique content.
• Plan your writing: Organize your thoughts by outlining key points, characters, or events you want to include.
• Ask questions if you’re unsure: Seek clarification from your teacher if any part of the prompt is unclear.

While Writing:

• Draft freely: Don’t worry about perfection initially. Focus on getting your ideas and stories down on paper.
• Show, don’t tell: Use vivid language, descriptions, and sensory details to make your writing come alive.
• Develop your characters: Create believable personalities with unique voices, thoughts, and actions.
• Craft a strong plot: Structure your story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, engaging the reader throughout.
• Read and revise: Take the time to proofread your work, edit for clarity, and improve your writing.

After Writing:

• Share your work: Read your writing to classmates, participate in peer review sessions, and learn from others’ feedback.
• Ask for help if needed: Seek guidance from your teacher if you encounter challenges or have questions about your writing.
• Celebrate your achievement: Acknowledge your progress in writing and be proud of your completed work.

5th-grade writing prompts are creative and thought-provoking topics or questions designed to inspire and encourage fifth-grade students to express themselves through writing.

Writing prompts are essential for 5th graders as they stimulate imagination, enhance writing skills, and provide a structured way for students to explore different genres and styles of writing.

Teachers can incorporate these prompts into daily writing exercises, use them for journal entries, or integrate them into specific lessons to engage students in various writing activities.

Using writing prompts is an excellent method to inspire students to express creativity and produce significant content. These prompts offer the necessary framework for students to concentrate on organizing their thoughts and ideas while preserving the freedom to explore their imaginative side. When employed effectively, writing prompts can contribute to the meaningful development of students’ writing abilities and enhance their learning experience. By employing a suitable approach and presenting captivating topics, educators can effortlessly leverage writing prompts to instill enthusiasm for writing and learning among their students.

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Journal Buddies Jill | January 12, 2024 June 23, 2022 | Prompts by Grade

72 Fantastic and Free 5th Grade Journal Prompts

5th Grade Journal Prompts and Writing Ideas for kids, teachers, and homeschoolers—   Fresh journal prompts are always a great inspiration for students, whether they’ve been writing for years or just starting out. Yeppers, it’s true…

We have a fantastic list of 5th-grade journal prompts that I think you and your writers are going to love.

Best of all…

You get complete access to these journal prompts and writing ideas for free. Plus… I made a video recently of this list of writing ideas for fifth graders and hope you get a chance to watch it.

Fifth-Grade Journal Prompts and Writing Ideas

Journaling helps students work out problems on paper, create new ideas, and work through strong feelings and emotions in a constructive way. It also provides an outlet for students to experiment creatively with their writing style and to develop a process of healthy, daily reflections.

For 5th graders, journaling is also a great tool to encourage students to share thoughts and ideas with one another. Plus, it’s an awesome tool to help students build the invaluable foundational skills that will serve them for a lifetime.

Now, we’ve put together a list of seventy-two wonderful and free 5th-grade writing prompts.

You see, these prompts aim for imagination and the process of ideas, but also will encourage students to think about their outside world and what goes on in their communities. Some prompts help students think about their interests and goals.

No matter what their individual interests may be, these 5th-grade writing prompts are sure to be a positive addition to the day for every student! Sit back, relax, and watch as your students fall in love with the ideas and inspiration that only journaling can bring.

Yeppers… if you need prompts and topics for your fifth graders, you are in luck because we have a fabulous list of ideas. You can use them in writing assignments, have your students create a journal entry with them, or perhaps use them for inspiration for an essay. Here is that list of ideas and topics to inspire your 5th-grade students this school year. Enjoy!

72 Fantastic 5th-Grade Journal Prompts

• My best day ever was
• Recycling is important because…
• My greatest accomplishment is
• If I lived in a different country, I…
• What would it be like to be a foreign exchange student?
• Once, I was worried about trying __________, but afterward _________
• Something I’d be scared to try is
• If I could live in any different century…
• I’m happy I’m an only child/older child/younger child because…
• The best book I ever read was
• If I was the president, I would ______
• I think high school will be like
• If I could drive, I would go…
• The science fair
• An awesome invention is
• The homework machine
• The best grade I ever got was
• My favorite thing on the Internet is
• People should…
• Getting ready for middle school
• What I like about my neighborhood.
• Getting lost in an invisible maze
• Finding a cave inside a tree
• The best thing to do on Halloween
• Good sportsmanship
• Traveling inside a volcano
• A trip to the museum
• A message in a bottle
• Creating a new recipe
• Living on a 5-star island resort
• Building an underground base
• If I had a radio talk show
• Donating to charity is important because…
• The benefits of a water-powered or an electric engine
• Planting trees
• Getting lost in the mall
• Spinning in a tornado

• If I could visit any historical landmark…
• The time I was most scared
• The funniest thing that ever happened to me
• The best advice I ever received
• The most influential person in my life
• I was surprised when __________
• Journaling is important because…
• A month with no computers
• My biggest goal
• Trying out for a team
• The best kind of weather is…
• Something I could never lose
• In ten years, I will ____________
• My dream job
• Who should win the election
• My favorite way to learn
• If they made a movie about my life, ______ would play me
• Living in an underground city…
• My favorite author
• If I could do one thing to make the world a better place, I would…
• Trying new things is…
• Remembering dreams
• When I need a quiet place, I go ______
• If I had a day to spend doing anything I wanted, I would ________
• If I were going on vacation, would I take a car, plane, train, boat, or _______?
• Uniforms at school are good or bad because…
• Could my family live without a car, and take bikes or walk places?
• What would happen if I saw a friend cheating on a test?
• If I was famous for something, it would be…
• A good neighbor is someone who…
• The best way to study is…
• I can’t wait until I’m old enough to…
• If I could volunteer somewhere, I would _________

Hopefully, this listing of 5th-grade journal prompts and writing topics is inspiring and useful to you and your students, children, and beloved kids. Use them with your good writers and your reluctant ones. And be sure to check our blog often as new writing prompts are added nearly every week!

104 More 5th-grade Writing Prompts for You

• 35 Awesome 5th Grade Writing Prompts
• 30 Great 5th Grade Opinion Writing Prompts
• 5 Personal Narrative Writing Prompts for 5th Graders
• 34 Fun Creative Writing and Essay Topics for Grade 5

Until next time, write on…

If you enjoyed these 5th Grade Journal Prompts and 5th Grade Writing Prompts, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!

Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator

PS – take a look at these 5th Grade Writing Printables !

Tap to See Prompts 35 Awesome 5th Grade Writing Prompts 30 Great 5th Grade Opinion Writing Prompts Power Up Your Pen: 157 Writing Prompt a Day Ideas Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7-8 Grade 9-12 All Ages ------------End of Om Added --------- Tags 5th grade , 5th grade writing , alternative education , education , Grade 5 , ignite , imaginations , journal prompts , Journaling resources , motivate , prompter , student , writing prompts , writing styles div#postbottom { margin-top: 12px; } 8 thoughts on “72 Fantastic and Free 5th Grade Journal Prompts”

my first time using it

good book! great!

awesum mi daughter luves writing she luves the prompts

I love these prompts, because i have a story due every week so i get my topics from here 🙂

Hi Klarissa!

I’m so glad you love the prompts. Keep checking back as new prompts are added to the site all of the time. 😀

Write on…

Sincerely, Jill Author and Creator of Journal Buddies books and website

Remarkable issues here. I’m very happy to peer your article. Thank you a lot and I am looking forward to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?

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Grade 5 Writing Prompts

25 writing prompts for fifth grade.

Here are some of our favorite writing prompts for Grade 5, which have been created to encourage your child to work on text complexity and think more critically about specific events!

Story sentence starters

Adverb story starters, morals and values, general prompts.

• Her eyes opened and once again she had no idea where she was. Where had her powers taken her this time?
• He heard a low growl in the distance as he clung tight to his small bag of possessions…
• She stepped out of the time machine wondering…
• The sun was setting in the distance as…
• “Help!” She awoke from a deep sleep and heard the scream that had woken her more clearly now…
• Quickly, the friends ran across…
• Suddenly, the ground shook under their feet…
• Curiously, she inched forwards and took hold of the door handle…
• Wisely, the boy crouched down so he could not be seen…
• Gracefully, the swan glided over the lake as ten-year-old Florence watched…
• How does the water cycle work?
• Why does the sun rise and set each day?
• What are stars?
• What does the word ‘science’ mean to you?
• Which scientific invention do you think has been the most important to date?

Children can base these on a historical figure or event:

• Write a story where someone shows kindness towards others.
• Write about a courageous person in the face of danger.
• Write a story about someone displaying forgiveness.
• Write a story about generosity.
• Write an inspirational story.
• If you had your own airplane, where would you go?
• What would happen if you had a dinosaur in your back garden?
• If you could go back in time, where would you go and who would you meet?
• Write about something you have learned this year.
• Imagine you could see into the future. How would you use this special power?

How Night Zookeeper can help

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100 FREE 5th Grade Writing Prompts

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Sometimes students need a little push to tap into their creativity and unleash their writing skills. To help 5 th Graders to stay at the top of their game, we have compiled 100 writing prompts, covering a range of scenarios. Feel free to try out the ones that resonate most with you. Because, after all, practice is the key to improve your writing skills.

Creative Writing Prompts for 5 th Grade

Persuasive writing prompts for 5 th grade, research writing prompts for 5 th grade, imaginative writing prompts for 5 th grade, science writing prompts for 5 th grade.

• Reflecting Writing Prompts for 5 th Grade
• Imagine you can do anything you want for a day. What are you going to do?
• Imagine you can travel to any place in the world for one month. Write about where would you go and why.
• Suppose you had the power to change one thing about your school. What would you do and why?
• Imagine your best friend is in a bit of trouble. What would you do to cheer him up?
• Imagine a local reporter wants to know about your favorite school event. Which event will you pick and why?
• Suppose you are asked to create a rule for students for one day. Write to explain what rule you will make and the reasons for picking that rule.
• Your teacher asks you to take photographs of five things you like at school. Using details, write about the pictures you would take.
• Imagine one day you wake up and find you are invisible. Write to explain what adventures you will have.
• Vincent Van Gogh famously declared, “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” Using details, write about your three most-favorite places in nature.
• Imagine you have won a $10,000 lottery. Write to explain what you would do with the money.
• Would you rather have lots of friends or lots of money?
• Would you rather read or play outdoors with your friends?
• Imagine you wake up one day and find you can fly. What would you do? Where would you go? Describe the adventures you would have in details.
• If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
• Write a letter to someone in fourth-grade telling him or her about how to succeed in fifth grade.
• Imagine you wake up one day and find you have turned into an eagle. Describe the adventures you would have.
• Imagine you are a superhero. You might be able to fly or see through walls or become invisible at a press of a button. Write about your unnatural power and how you will use it.
• Imagine you woke up one day to find a talking parrot on your window sill that squawks, “I know where a big treasure is buried.” Describe what happens next.
• Suppose you could meet your favorite sportsperson for a day. Who will you pick and why?
• Suppose you could meet your favorite role model. Who will you pick and why?
• Imagine you can go back in time and relive one moment of your life. Which event will you pick and why?
• Suppose you have the power to correct one mistake that you have made in the past. Using details, describe what you will do.
• Imagine your friend has a pet that can talk. Write to tell what happened when you met this pet.
• Imagine a famous celebrity visits your school. Using details, write a story about this event.
• Imagine one day you were outside when you came across a magical baseball bat that lets you hit home runs at will. Using details, write a story about what happens next.
• Imagine your friend has a bike that talks. The bike can do many other amazing things as well. You and your friend go for a ride on this bike. Using details, tell about the adventures you two have.
• One day you saw a big unruly kid bullying a first grader on the school playground. Write about what you did next?
• If you were principal for a month, what five things would you do?
• Describe your dream job.
• Pen a story containing these five words: ostrich, serious, however, camper, and flabbergasted.
• Should fifth grade be part of middle school or elementary school?
• Should children be allowed to vote?
• Should fifth graders be allowed to bring smartphones to school?
• Do children spend a lot of time playing video games?
• Do children spend a lot of time on social media platforms?
• Does celebrating kindness week make students kinder?
• Is the saying “There are no stupid questions” correct?
• Do American students have it too easy?
• Do camera drones help make public places safer? Or are they just an excuse to violate our privacy?
• Is being beautiful more important than being smart?
• Is being loved more important than being respected? Or is it the other way round?
• Do people speak truthfully on social media? Share your opinion with examples.
• Is your ethnicity a key part of your identity? If yes, explain how?
• Is the fear of failure a constructive thing? Share your opinion with a couple of personal examples.
• Is it important to give back to the community?
• Are teenagers spending more time in front of screens than in extracurricular activities?
• Do students need recess?
• Should fifth graders be allowed excused mental health days?
• Is depression on rise among teens?
• Should students be allowed to pick their teachers?
• Do teenagers who spend more time in extracurricular activities and less time in front of screens have better mental health?
• How much screen time is too much for teenagers?
• How does screen time affect the teenage brain?
• How much time teenagers are spending glued to a screen every day on average?
• What are the best ways to reduce teen screen time?
• Which channel has better shows: Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon?
• Are channels like Discovery and National Geography helpful to teenagers? If yes, how do they help? Explain with examples.
• Is it important for students to have a role model?
• Is it better to have multiple small breaks from school throughout the year instead of one long summer break?
• Has technology made life easier or more complicated? Explain with examples.
• Would you rather be a robot or a zombie?
• Would you rather be respected or loved?
• You would be in middle school next year. What four things you are most looking forward to?
• Would you rather be very smart or very beautiful?
• If the internet were to go down forever, how would that affect you?
• Write a scene that features a) magical shoes, b) your best friend, and c) $10 million
• You get to pick one celebrity, one food item, and one book to a remote island. Which person would you pick? Which book and food item would you choose? Why?
• What do the three friends you spend time with most have in common?
• What qualities a person needs to make friends quickly?
• If you could learn anything about your future,    what would you most like to know?
• What would it be like to be a student in a foreign country?
• If you could be the President for a week, what would you do?
• What is the best thing about getting older?
• Write a script for a new show on Netflix.
• Rewrite a classic fairytale of your choice in a way that makes the bad guy a hero.
• Do you think we would ever really find out if there’s another planet like Earth in outer space?
• Do you think virtual reality games affect our brain in any negative way?
• Which is more important for sustaining human life — plants or animals?
• What steps can we take to prevent the melting of glaciers in the Antarctic region?
• How do Penguins survive extreme cold?
• Which is the most important part of the human body?
• If you could give another name to the Earth’s moon, what name would you pick for it and why?
• Besides the sun and the water, what else can be used by us to harness energy to power our homes?
• Which is one technology that you wish scientists could make?
• Do you think smart appliances (like smart fans, bulbs, or cars) can undermine our security?

Reflective Writing Prompts for 5 th Grade

• What makes you unique? Identify three things.
• Describe what would you like to do when you grow up?
• Describe what would like to become in the afterlife?
• If you could jump to any grade, what grade would you pick?
• Should we fear failure? Share your view in detail and with examples.
• Write an email to yourself 15 years from now. What would you like to say?
• How can you tell if a fellow student is feeling anxious, insecure, or depressed?
• What real-life situations would work out better if you were a more confident person than you really are?
• How can one learn to not give in to peer pressure?
• Do social media represent people genuinely? Share your view with examples.
• What are your two most important learning experiences? Tell about them in detail.
• How important is what we think about ourselves?
• How much control you have over your life?
• Do you believe in the saying: Don’t judge a book by its cover? Give real-life examples to support your viewpoint.
• Explain why we must recycle as much as we can.

Well, that’s just about it. We hope you liked these writing prompts. But remember these writing prompts are only helpful if you use them. They help you become a better writer only if you practice writing every day.

Want more help? Check out this article . It contains scores of writing prompts to help you dig deeper into your writing practice. We recommend you to use different types of writing prompts, as that will help you become a better all-round writer.

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Writing Prompts for 5th Grade

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By fifth grade, students are developing basic fluency as writers. In order to hone their skills, fifth graders should practice supporting claims with factual information, conveying information clearly, and writing narratives in a logical order. The following fifth-grade writing prompts encourage students to develop their skills through topics that are meaningful to them.

Narrative Essay Writing Prompts

Narrative essays tell a story based on a student’s personal experience. They encourage students to use descriptive writing to reflect on their experiences, explain them in a logical manner, and draw conclusions from them.

• New Beginnings . This is your last year of elementary school. What are you most excited or most nervous about when you think of starting middle school ?
• Betwixt . Students in 5th grade are often referred to as “tweens,” meaning that they are between the young child and the teen years. What is the hardest thing about being a tween in today’s society?
• Besties . What is the best book you’ve ever read? What made it so special?
• Reflections . Do you remember your first-ever day of school ? Describe one vivid memory from that day.
• Bullies . Have you ever witnessed someone bullying another student? What happened and how did it make you feel?
• Man’s Best Friend . Do you share a bond with your dog or other pet? Describe your pet, and explain what makes your relationship unique.
• Families . A family isn’t always a mom, a dad, and their children. Write about the ways your family is the same as and different from other types of families and what makes your bonds so strong.
• Holiday Memories . Think about one of your favorite holiday-related memories. Write an essay describing it and tell why it is so unforgettable.
• Guilty . Think about a time you did something that made you feel guilty. Describe what happened.
• The Ultimate Field Trip . If you could choose anywhere in the world to go on a field trip , where would you choose and why?
• Family Game Night . Do you enjoy playing games with your family? Describe your favorite family game or activity.
• Tasty Treats . What is your favorite food? Describe it as if you were introducing it to someone who has never seen or tasted it.
• Someday . Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up? Write an essay explaining why you think you’d like that career.

Persuasive Essay Writing Prompts

Persuasive essays are those written to convince another person to agree with the writer or take action. These persuasive essay prompts inspire 5th graders to share their passions with an audience.

• Pets Day . You’ve just gone to work with your parent for “bring your child to work day.” Write an essay convincing your school to have a “bring your pet to school” day.
• Yuck . What is your least-favorite cafeteria food? Give three compelling reasons why your school should quit serving it.
• Let’s Trade . Your friend’s lunches from home always look better than yours. Write an essay convincing your buddy that you should start swapping meals every day. Be sure to highlight the benefits of the food you bring!
• Home Alone . Write an essay convincing your parents that you are old enough and responsible enough to stay at home alone.
• Sunny Day . The weather outside is beautiful for the first time in weeks. Persuade your teacher not to assign any homework so that you’ll have time to go out to play.
• The Sequel . The long-awaited sequel to your favorite book or video game is now available. Convince your brother or sister to do your chores this week so that you have plenty of time for reading or gaming.
• Seating Chart . Because of your teacher’s seating chart, you’re not going to be able to sit next to your friend all year! Persuade your teacher to let students choose their seats.
• Birth Order . Are you an only child, the oldest sibling, the youngest, or the middle? What makes your birth order the best?
• The Ultimate Game . What is the best video game on the planet? Explain why it’s better than similar games.
• Life Lessons . What are the three most important lessons parents should teach their children and why?
• Test Time . Do you think standardized tests  are helpful or harmful? Explain your answer.
• Tunes . Some studies have shown that listening to music can help students concentrate. Should students be allowed to listen to music using headphones during independent work times at school? Persuade the reader of your answer.
• Catch-22 . You’re not a big fan of writing. Write an essay  convincing your teacher that you shouldn’t have to write any more essays this year.

Expository Essay Writing Prompts

Expository essays are often called how-to essays. They usually teach the reader something or provide facts about a particular topic.

• Let’s Play . Your family frequently attends community theater productions, but your friend has never seen one. Write an essay describing what he or she can expect during the evening.
• Band . You're graduating elementary school, and a younger student is taking your spot in the school band. Explain to him or her how to clean and care for your  musical instrument .
• Lessons Learned . Write an essay to a younger sibling explaining two or three key strategies for having a positive 5th-grade experience.
• Class Pet . You’ve cared for your class pet this week, but now it’s another classmate’s turn. Explain how to feed and care for the pet properly.
• Upgrade Ahead . You have an idea to improve your school. Explain it.
• Safety Zone . Explain three of the best steps kids can take to be safe online.
• Family Traditions . Does your family have any customs or traditions that might be unfamiliar to a classmate? Describe them.
• Pen Pal . Describe for your pen pal who lives in another state an animal native to your area, including its physical characteristics, behaviors, and any sounds that it makes.
• Creepy Crawlies . Compare and contrast two insects or animals that are similar, but have different characteristics such as a bumblebee and a yellow jacket or a horse and a mule. How are they alike and how are they different?
• Clean Up . Your class is going to spend a day cleaning up at a local park. You’ve done this with another group before, but some of your classmates haven’t. Explain the process.
• Action . Your favorite book was made into a movie. Compare and contrast the film and book versions.
• Team Players . Explain how contributing responsibly helps or how it hurts a group when someone doesn’t do his part.
• Tell and Show . Your class is having a “tell and show” day. You have to describe your item in as much detail as possible without naming it. Only when the class guesses or gives up can you show your item. Write out the description of your item.

Creative Writing Essay Prompts

Creative writing allows students to engage their imaginations and story-telling skills while also practicing vital writing skills such as sequence and description.

• Magic Lamp . You’ve just found a magic lamp. What happens when you rub it?
• Say Cheese . You are given an exceptional camera. Everything you take a picture of becomes yours, but you can only take three pictures. Tell a story about the photos you take.
• Invisible Man . One morning, you glance in the mirror and realize that you don’t have a reflection. You’ve become invisible! Write a story about your day.
• Gone to the Dogs . Write a story from your pet’s point of view.
• All Hail the King . Imagine that you discover an uncharted land that you claim as a new country. And, you’re the ruler! Describe your country, its people, and your newfound position of power.
• Part of the Story . One night, you doze off after reading the latest book in your favorite series. When you wake, you discover that you’re in the story! Write about your adventures.
• Before or After . Imagine that you live either 100 years in the past or 100 years in the future. What is your life like?
• Dr. Doolittle . You’re walking through a pet store when you discover that you can talk to the animals. What happens next?
• Meet and Greet . Imagine that you can meet anyone you’re studying in school right now from famous scientists to historical figures to the characters in the class read-aloud . Write a story about your meeting with that person.
• Switcheroo . If you could switch lives with anyone in your school, who would it be? Write about your day in the life of that person.
• Holiday Loop . Imagine you get to relive your favorite holiday every day. What’s that like?
• Tall Tales . Tall tales are possibly true stories that contain highly exaggerated actions or events. Create a tall tale about something that happened in your family.
• Teacher's Pet . Imagine that your teacher is actually your parent. Describe a day in class.
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51 Fantastic 5th Grade Writing Prompts

By Suzanne Brown | Last Updated May 4, 2022

Using writing prompts may be a great way to spark your imagination and get your creative juices flowing, especially when you’re not feeling particularly motivated. Writing prompts are great because they can take in so many various ways, one of the most appealing aspects. Tell us how you felt and how it influenced your thoughts and feelings about what happened and the emotions that you experienced. You could also want to discuss how that dread made you feel after the conversation.

Please write about another instance in your life when anything made you feel uncomfortable. The following is a collection of creative writing prompts for 5th-grade pupils, including some examples.

1. What is the most valuable thing you own? Why is it unique?

2. Describe a cherished memory of spending time with your family. Why was it enjoyable?

3. Give us a rundown of your current top ten favorite tunes

4. Do you know the most successful method for helping others who are less fortunate than you?

5. Write down a piece of advice you received from a friend or family member that you’ve never forgotten

6. Make a list of five places you’d want to see

7. What are the top six skills you possess?

8. The finest location to live is where?

9. Tell your favorite movies that you never grow tired of viewing

10. Write about something you’d like to get better at

11. What three things can you do today to go closer to realizing your goals?

12. To get started, pick a word and write anything based on the image that comes to mind

13. What’s your weirdest habit? In what way did you come up with it?

14. Write about a person who has positively impacted your life

15. Which present would you most want to receive?

16. A perfect morning routine should write down so that you can follow it all the time

17. Were there three things you’d like to learn from your teacher?

18. How can you aid others who are less fortunate than you?

19. What can you do to cultivate a more positive self-perception?

20. A list of 10 things you like about yourself

21. Are there any activities that should reserve for guys or girls? Why or why not?

22. Is there something lacking in your life that you would like more?

23. Do you have any unhealthy habits or attitudes that you need to eliminate?

24. What measures can you take to be the most confident version of yourself?

25. What’s preventing you from being happy, and what can you do?

26. What is the most enjoyable program on TV today? 

27. One thing that would make anybody in the world ecstatic is

28. Where would you go if you could go to any place in the world?

29. What do you plan to carry with me in the future?

30. Write a thank-you note to yourself

31. What one thing would you alter about the world if you could?

32. What can you do daily to show your love and concern for the people in your life?

33. Is it possible to see the good in your five worst shortcomings, and how do you go about accepting them?

34. What would you alter about the world if you had the power to do so?

35. In your opinion, what makes a good buddy the best person you know?

36. The most essential thing in your life is

37. What five accomplishments can you point to that are very satisfying?

38. Create a picture of your perfect “dream life”

39. Is it better to be the most intelligent, nice, or funny person in the class? Why?

40. What can you do during the week to better care for yourself?

41. Prior to December 31, what are your top three goals for the year?

42. Is it fair to hold your parents responsible for your mistakes?

43. What can I do each day to show others greater compassion and love?

44. In your opinion, what are the top ten things that bring you the most joy?

45. Should students be required to wear uniforms,  and why? To what end?

46. Write a letter to your future self that is full of positive advice

47. Choosing between giving and receiving, which would you prefer do?

48. In their own words, how would your close friends characterize you?

49. Do you think there are extraterrestrial life forms?

50. Which do you value more, natural ability or learned ability?

51. What do you like best about where you go to school?

5th Grade Creative Writing Prompts

David has taught Honors Physics, AP Physics, IB Physics and general science courses. He has a Masters in Education, and a Bachelors in Physics.

Table of Contents

Practice, practice, practice, autobiographical essay prompts, aspirational journal prompts, fictional story prompts.

The more time students spend practicing writing, the better writers they will become. Writing practice helps students in many ways. Through reflective and imaginative writing exercises, they not only improve their writing, editing and reading skills, but prepare for the language arts skills required in middle school and beyond. Coming up with dozens of writing prompts for students over the course of a year can be quite time-consuming. Save yourself some valuable class preparation time by checking out these ideas for creative writing prompts suitable for fifth graders.

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Students enjoy telling others about themselves and what they've done in their lives. Use these prompts to get to know your students better while helping them develop reading and writing skills:

• Describe a time when you were truly proud of yourself.
• Describe a time when you were brave. What does it mean to be brave?
• Tell a story about your favorite moment at school so far.
• Describe an experience when time flew by because you were having so much fun.
• Tell a story about the best vacation you've been on.
• What did you do last summer? Did you like it? Why or why not?
• Who is your favorite teacher? Why is he or she your favorite?
• Write down a funny conversation you had at school.
• Tell a story about a friend who did something nice for you.
• What is the best thing about your parent or guardian? Tell a story that shows an example of this amazing trait.
• Describe a dream that you had. How did the dream make you feel?

Keeping personal journals can help students to thrive in the classroom. Journal writing not only gives students an opportunity for self-reflection but provides a fun, engaging way for them to improve their writing over time through daily or weekly exercises. Here are a few prompts to offer students for their journal entries:

• If you could learn any single skill, what would it be? Why would you like to learn that skill in particular?
• What would you like to be doing in 10 years? Why?
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do there?
• What would you say or do if you met the President of the United States?
• Describe your dream job. Why would you like to do that job?
• Think of a character in a movie or TV show that you truly admire. What is it about the character that you admire? Why?
• Do you think living in an eco-friendly way is important? Explain why or why not.
• Why is it important to work hard in school? Write as many reasons as you can think of.

Children are so imaginative! When students are encouraged to write fictional stories, they not only enjoy themselves but gain valuable experience using their language arts skills. Here are a few interesting fiction prompts for fifth graders:

• Tell a story about yourself becoming a superhero. What power do you gain and what do you do with it?
• One day you're wandering down the street where you live, when someone approaches you with something really urgent and important to say. Who is the person? What does the person tell you? What happens next?
• You and a friend are playing at a park when an alien spaceship lands right in front of you. Tell a story about what happens next.
• On your way home from school, you see a door in a wall that you've never noticed before. You find the door is unlocked. Tell a story about what happens to you when you open the door and go through the doorway.
• Tell a story about finding a treasure map and following it to find treasure. Where does the map lead you? What treasure do you find?
• You're at the beach when you find a message in a bottle. What does the message say? What happens next?
• Think of a movie or TV show that you really love. What happens in the story after the movie or TV show ends? What do the characters do next?

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31 Narrative Writing Prompts For 5th Grade

Narrative writing helps students develop storytelling skills by reflecting on their own experiences, or using their imagination, and writing about a series of events.

These assignments encourage students to think about the order of events, practice some of the most important aspects of writing, and use logic to learn from their experiences.

Below, you’ll find a list of narrative writing prompts that will help your 5th graders practice their narrative writing skills.

Some are nonfiction and some are fiction—but they’re all sure to have your students writing.

Using This Guide:

Our writing prompt guides are for you to use in whatever way makes sense for your classroom. As long as your students are working through the process of narrative writing, they’re already on the right track. 

But if you need a few ideas on how to help students get started, give one of these a try:

• Ask the student to count the number of letters in their whole name. That number will be the prompt that they use.
• Have students browse the list quickly, and use the first prompt that catches their eye.
• Students can use the date of their birth to choose their prompt.
• Have students pick their prompt using their favorite number.

Here are the Prompts:

• Describe the best birthday you’ve ever had.
• Write about the day you met your best friend. Where did you meet? Did you become friends instantly, or over time?
• Write a newspaper article with the headline: BOY BECOMES PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY!
• If you know the story, explain how you got your name.
• Have you ever told a lie and got caught? What did you lie about? How was the issue resolved?
• Write about your first day of kindergarten.
• Write a story using the following words: notorious, appreciate, dialogue, participate
• Tell a story about an ant who was determined to reach a piece of watermelon on a picnic blanket.
• Pretend you are planning a surprise party for your best friend. Who do you invite? How do they react?
• Write about the best prank you’ve ever pulled on someone.
• Write a spooky story that begins with, “The cabin in the woods was never meant to be found…”
• Tell a story about a time when you were afraid.
• Write a story using the following words: costume, bundle, exhausted, communicate
• Pretend you’re a superhero who protects your town. How did you become a hero? What do you do to protect people?
• Write about a time when you helped someone without being asked.
• Retell the story of the first day of this school year.
• Tell the story of your favorite vacation.
• Describe a time when you were in charge. What were you doing? How did you feel?
• Write a fairy tale that begins with, “The princess had a cold…”
• Write a story using the following words: bread, planet, yesterday, confused
• Write a newspaper article with the headline: GIRL FINDS BURIED TREASURE IN HER SANDBOX!
• Tell a story about a day when it felt like everything was going wrong.
• Pretend you were transported into your favorite game for a day. What do you do? How do you feel?
• Write a story about a dog who is trying to cheer up his person.
• Retell the story of your favorite holiday memory.
• Have you ever witnessed someone being bullied? What did you do?
• You are at the beach when you find a message in a bottle. What does the message say? What do you do with it?
• Write about how you felt at the beginning of the pandemic. How do you feel about it now?
• Tell a story about a kid who always interrupts the teacher when she’s talking.
• Write about a crowd of moviegoers who get transported into the movie they are watching.
• There’s a loud crash, and you look out the window. A spaceship just landed on your school’s playground. Tell the story of what happens next.

Looking For More?

We have a ton of fun and engaging writing prompts and resources to keep young writers interested and help their teachers keep them on the right track.

If you’re looking for something specific and can’t find it, reach out and let us know. We love to hear all of your wonderful ideas!

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• Writing a Descriptive Paragraph (Gr. 5)
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• The "I Remember" Poem
• Discovering Prepositions 5
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• Fill in the Beginning and End of Comic Strips
• Script Writing Handout
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• Make Your Own Holiday
• A Note About Witches: Fill-in-the-Blanks
• Antonyms and Synonyms
• Immigration Picture Prompts
• My New Year's Resolutions (3-6)
• Discovering Pronouns 10
• Discovering Punctuation 2
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• More Creative Writing Printables, 5th Grade

Featured 5th Grade Resources

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5th grade writing doesn’t have to be a struggle! This blog post will provide all of my best tips and ideas for teaching your fifth graders to succeed as writers.

I’ve had classes where writing was a struggle allll yearrrr longggg. I’ve also had classes where I’d swear my students were one step away from writing professionally.

Your groups will never be the same and that’s ok. Just roll with it!

Take heart in the fact that when students leave your class at the end of the year, they will be MUCH better writers than when they entered in the fall.

No matter how good (or bad) my students are at writing when 5th grade begins, we always start at the very beginning and work on writing strong sentences.

This post will give you a step-by-step breakdown of how I help my students move from dull to dazzling sentences: How to Help Your Students Write Better Sentences

Once they’ve got the hang of writing an excellent sentence, then we move on. Your class may move slowly or quickly but be sure to watch their writing closely for clues that you may need to slow down.

You need to know where you’re going to know how you should plan the journey. So, the next section lays out my end-of-the-year goals for my 5th grade writers. Everything I do all year leads to the completion of these goals.

My end-of-the-year goals for my 5th grade writers….

By the time my students walk out of my classroom for the last time…

1. I want them to be able to efficiently organize their ideas and plan/write a five paragraph essay.

2. I want my students to be able to construct narrative, informative, and opinion essays.

3. I want my students to be able to choose appropriate sources and write a simple research report. 

4. I want my students to be able to closely read two paired passages and write an essay in response to a prompt. 

If you’re looking for a hyperlinked pdf version of my pacing and sequence for 5th grade writing, click the link below to have it sent to your email address. As a bonus, you’ll become a member of my weekly VIP email club just for upper elementary teachers. 🙂

Obtain a Writing Sample!  

Give students a simple prompt and ask for a response in a paragraph or two. Emphasize to students that you are not grading writing samples for grammar, spelling, or structure. You are interested in the quality of their ideas. 

This writing sample will be valuable as the year goes on. Your students will improve so much that their first samples will (hopefully) be pathetic compared to their new, improved writing pieces.

I usually whip out their first samples after we’ve written a few five paragraph essays. Students feel inspired to keep growing their writing skills when they see how far they’ve come in just a few months. 

Example Writing Sample Prompts: 

• Describe a talent or characteristic that makes you unique and different.
• Tell about a time when you set a goal for yourself and reached that goal.
• Pretend you live in a society where children are required to choose their future career paths in the 5th grade. What path would you choose? Explain.

Create Writing Reference Notebooks with students! 

I’ll admit it – I’m a little obsessed with writing reference notebooks. We use composition notebooks to create these amazing sources of knowledge and we use them all year long. 

So, where do we start with creating writing reference notebooks?

The beginning section of students’ notebooks hold reference materials. I want students to have plenty of resources at their fingertips to improve their sentence writing, including alternatives for overused words and my specialty, sparkle words. Sparkle words are words that are just a little bit special and make my students’ writing shine, like scandalous, embrace, and intriguing.

Other ways that my students use their writing reference notebooks:

• Writing journal entries
• Creating a personal thesaurus
• Writing topics & ideas list
• Taking notes on writing skills lessons
• Writing first drafts of longer assignments

This resource will give you an idea of the printable pages that I use for students’ notebooks: Writing Interactive Notebook – Reference Pages

Do I take grades on students’ writing reference notebooks? Not really. I want these notebooks to be a safe space for students to jot ideas and take risks with their first drafts. I do sometimes take a participation grade on their notebooks. This encourages students to keep their notebooks organized and up to date.

Start with sentences!  

When teaching 5th grade, you can expect students to start the year writing complete sentences, right?! No, sorry. Whether it’s the long break or maybe your students’ 4th grade teachers never required a lick of writing, your 5th graders will often begin the year with less-than-stellar sentences. 

So, I just plan to start with sentences first every year. We work on building and expanding sentences for about two weeks. Yes, two weeks probably seems like a really long time, but spectacular sentences are the foundation for creating great writers.

To improve my students’ sentences, I take the basic, simple sentences that students write and we work on adding more specific details and interest. First, I give students a list of five nouns and ask them to write one sentence using each noun.

I usually get sentences similar to these:

• Pie is my favorite dessert.
• My dad’s car is red.
• I wear my jacket when it is cold.
• This school is a nice place to learn.
• The tree is tall.

This is where I want students to get in their sentence-writing before moving on:

• Pecan, cherry, apple, or pumpkin… any type of pie is delicious!
• My dad spends his Saturdays washing and shining up his candy apple red Jeep.
• A puffy, hooded jacket is the first thing I reach for on chilly mornings.
• My school, North Hills Elementary, has the best teachers and students.
• The tall Redwood tree in my front yard is a welcome sight to visitors and makes my house look spectacular.

My students write every single day!  

I vividly remember being in 5th grade myself and writing long papers on the most boring topics ever, like “The Science of Light” and “The History of Mapmaking.” Snooze fest! I vowed to never do that to my students. Instead, I took a different route.

Students absolutely need to learn to write full reports and five paragraph essays, but they don’t need to do this every week. They do, however, need to continually practice writing. I find that if I make writing assignments engaging, my students don’t complain and actually seem to enjoy writing.

I assign Weekly Writing Choice Boards . This writing has made all the difference in my classroom! Students are now excited about writing class. They see writing as a treat and a fun way to express their thoughts and opinions.

I hand out a new choice board every week and students must complete three assignments from the board. I don’t grade these on perfect grammar, spelling, or punctuation, instead I look for ideas and effort. Even imperfect writing practice will improve your students’ writing skills tremendously!

Enter your first name and email address below for a free set of 6 Weekly Writing Choice Boards! The pdf file will be sent directly to your inbox. As a bonus, you’ll become a member of my weekly VIP email club just for upper elementary teachers. 🙂

If you teach social studies in addition to writing, this blog post will give you a bunch of engaging social studies journal entries that will help you tie social studies into your writing instruction.

Train students in proofreading and editing!  

Student need to practice proofreading and editing their writing (and the writing of other students) near the beginning of the school year.

Repeatedly practicing the steps of the proofreading/editing process will help your students to internalize this procedure. You’ll find that they will start to catch their mistakes earlier and more independently.

I find it valuable to establish and consistently use a common “proofreading language” in my classroom. It takes a little time up front to teach students the markings and their meanings but having a common system for proofreading will save loads of time throughout the school year.

This resource will give you an idea of the proofreading marks and practice that I use in my classroom: Proofreading and Editing Activity Pack

Asking your students to proofread and edit their own writing is a must but it’s also a good thing to have students pair up and look over a partner’s writing also. Your students will receive valuable feedback on their writing, editing ideas, and they’ll get to see some writing styles that are a little different from their own.

Teach five paragraph essays one piece at a time! 

Simple Paragraphs

Once my students are stellar sentence writers, we move to simple paragraphs. The simple paragraphs that I use with students consist of a topic sentence, three detail sentences, and a closing sentence.

Starting with simple paragraphs is much less threatening than jumping straight into five paragraph essays, so I find that spending some time helping students write excellent simple paragraphs is the perfect bridge into essays.

Additionally, we color-code our simple paragraphs. This allows students to think critically about what sentence types they have written and provides a visual for students (and for me) to see that all required parts of the paragraph are included.

The color-code I use with students:

• Topic sentence – green
• 3 detail sentences – yellow
• Closing sentence – red

Planning and Writing Body Paragraphs

Once students are able to write great simple paragraphs, we dive into the planning and writing of body paragraphs.

This isn’t too much of a jump for students because the body paragraphs are structured similarly to the simple paragraphs that we have practiced over and over. The only difference is that they are using one prompt to write three body paragraphs.

Many teachers think they have to start with the first paragraph of the essay, the introduction paragraph. This isn’t what I recommend. Starting by teaching students to write the three body paragraphs helps to steer the rest of the essay.

Adding an Introduction Paragraph

Now that students are able to write their three body paragraphs, it’s time to add the introduction paragraph.

The introduction paragraph contains a hook, commentary, and a thesis sentence.

The hook is a sentence (or two) that “hooks” readers and builds interest in the upcoming essay. I teach my students several types of hooks, including quotes, questions, bold statements, or sharing a memory.

After the hook, I ask students to write a sentence or two of commentary on the hook or on the prompt in general. This helps to “bulk up” their introduction paragraph a bit and make it more interesting.

The final part of the introduction paragraph is the thesis sentence. Because students already learned to write the body paragraphs, crafting a thesis sentence is so much easier.

The formula for writing a thesis sentence: Restate the prompt briefly + detail 1 + detail 2 + detail 3.

Additionally, I teach transition teams at this point. Students need to use a transition word or phrase at the beginning of each body paragraph, so that’s where transition teams come in. Transition teams are sets of three transition words or phrases that work well together.

Examples of transition teams:

• First, Second, Finally
• To begin, To continue, To end
• One reason, Another reason, A final reason

Adding a Conclusion Paragraph

When conclusion paragraph day finally arrives, my students are so excited because they can finally write an entire five paragraph essay.

In my opinion, conclusion paragraphs are super easy to teach because they only have two parts. Here’s the conclusion paragraph formula: Write the thesis sentence in a different way + add a closing thought.

I allow students to be creative with their closing thoughts. I tell them that this is the final thought that your readers will take with them, so it needs to relate well to your entire essay while being engaging and thought-provoking for readers. Some examples of closing thoughts are calls to action, quotes, personal opinions, and brief personal experiences.

Teach, Discuss, & Practice with Rubrics

I inform my students that from this point on in their school journey, they will be graded with rubrics fairly often, so this is a good time to learn about rubrics and become familiar with them.

I create or find five paragraph essay samples that are good, bad, and in-between. We read and examine the samples as a class and circle the applicable parts of the rubric. If students are able to grade a few assignments using a rubric, it’s not this unknown, scary thing anymore. 

Are you grading every single word and making a million corrections on students’ essays? I give you permission to stop doing that! 🙂

You are going to burn yourself out and get to where you hate grading and teaching writing. To be honest, your students will not become better writers when their papers are marked all over with suggestions in the margins.

Help! I need more support…

Please visit the following blog post for in-depth explanations and examples of my five paragraph essay teaching and grading process: 

Tips for Teaching and Grading Five Paragraph Essays

This resource will provide you with a full, scaffolded unit that will help you to teach the five paragraph essay process to students! Five Paragraph Essay Instructional Unit

Narrative, Informative, and Opinion Essays

As much as we’d like to just have our students write simple, straightforward five paragraph essays all year, that’s just not feasible.

But I promise, once your students can crank out those five paragraph essays on simple topics, moving to other modes of writing is no sweat! 

In my classroom, we spend time learning to write opinion essays, narrative essays, and informative essays. 

I start with opinion writing because my students have a lot of opinions, haha! We channel those opinions into five paragraph essay format. 🙂

Research Reports

The skills involved in writing a research report are valuable for 5th graders. They need to be able to judge the reliability of a source and cite their sources properly. 

Research reports also teach students to organize their ideas, take notes, make an outline, write a draft, and create a final report. 

I’d like to point you to the following blog post where I detailed my entire process for teaching research reports.

The Step-By-Step Guide to Teaching Research Reports

Paired Passages

5th graders are too young to compare two passages and write a response. Right?! 

No, this is not true at all. I think that reading paired passages and using them to craft a written response is a valuable skill for 5th graders. 

Steps to analyzing paired passages and writing an essay to answer a prompt:

First, dissect the prompt.

Second, closely read the paired texts.

Third, organize thoughts using the prompt.

The following blog post explains my paired passage writing steps in detail. Take a moment to check it out. You’ll be glad you did! 

How to Teach Writing Using Paired Passages

My Sequence & Pacing for Teaching 5th Grade Writing

Don’t stress! This sequence and pacing guide is hyperlinked and ready to be sent to your email address. Go to the bottom of this blog post to request the guide.

1st Month of School

We start school in the middle of the month, so I only have two weeks to teach during the first month of school.

This is the rundown for the remainder of the month:

Month 1, Week 3

The first week of the school year is all about teaching and practicing procedures. Teach it right or teach it all year! 🙂

Classroom Procedures – I recommend you check out this blog post:  5 Tips for Establishing Procedures in the Upper Elementary Classroom

Welcome Activities –  Welcome to 5th Grade: First Week of School Activities

Blog Post – Back to School Writing Prompts for 5th Graders

Month 1, Week 4

During this week, I review and continue practicing procedures with students but we do go ahead and start working on writing.

I establish my expectations and procedures for my students’ Weekly Writing Choice Boards.

We set up writing notebooks together, including the table of contents, cover page, and an  About the Author  page. 

Obtain a writing sample

We start working on improving sentences.

2nd Month of School

Month 2, Week 1

We continue working on improving sentences.

Start proofreading/editing instruction and practice.

Month 2 , Week 2

Review the process for writing excellent sentences.

Finish proofreading/editing instruction and practice.

Month 2, Weeks 3-4

Writing simple paragraphs (include color-code)

3rd Month of School

Month 3, Weeks 1-2

Planning & writing body paragraphs (include color-code)

Month 3, Weeks 3-4

Teach introduction paragraphs

Writing introduction plus body paragraphs (include color code)

Transition teams

4th Month of School

Month 4, Weeks 1-2

Teach students how to write conclusion paragraphs.

Students will write their first full five paragraph essays this week.

Month 4, Weeks 3-4

Write 5 paragraph essays with a variety of basic prompts.

Have students proofread/edit other students’ essays.

Provide mini-lessons on grammar structure or other issues you are noticing in students’ writing.

5th Month of School

This is where our winter break falls, so I only have two weeks to teach this month.

This is a great time to review what we’ve been working on all year and assign some fun journal prompts.

Also, writing mini-lessons are good fillers for this time.

This Winter Writing Project is a student favorite right before winter break!

6th Month of School

Month 6, Week 1

When we come back from winter break, I like to teach the research report process. I spend a week teaching the process and giving students time to research while I’m there to help.

Month 6, Week 2

Student complete their research reports, including outlines, citing sources, and etc.

I ask my students to do super quick presentations on their research topics. It’s 1-2 minutes max. I don’t want them to read their reports aloud because that’s boring. Instead, I want them to quickly highlight what they learned about their topics and what was fascinating to them.

Month 6, Week 3

We review the five paragraph essay process and write/proofread/edit an essay with a simple prompt.

Month 6, Week 4

I start opinion writing this week. You’ll find that students will slide into opinion writing easily because they already know five paragraph essay structure.

7th Month of School

Month 7, Week 1

Continue working on opinion writing. By the end of this week, students should be able to write an opinion essay using a prompt.

Month 7, Weeks 2-3

We spend two weeks on narrative writing. By the end of the second week, students should be able to write a narrative essay using a prompt.

Month 7, Week 4

This week, I teach the process of writing an informative essay.

8th Month of School

Month 8, Week 1

Continue working on informative essays. Students should be able to write an informative essay using a prompt by the end of this week.

Month 8, Weeks 2-3

Teach students how to write an essay using paired passages.

For more information on how I teach the steps above, visit this blog post: How to Teach Writing Using Paired Passages

Month 8, Week 4

Now that students know the process of using paired passages, I provide a set of paired passages and ask students to answer prompts in a variety of genres, like opinion, narrative, informative, poetry, and etc.

This resource makes it easy:

Paired Passages with Writing Prompts and Activities Bundle

9th Month of School

Month 9, Week 1

Continue working on using paired passages to write in a variety of genres.

Talk about last minute standardized testing tips to help students with their writing tests.

The rest of the month is taken up with standardized testing, so I do a lot of review activities, free writing, and etc.

I do have a set of suspense stories that my students love to write during this month. Check them out here: Suspense Stories Bundle

10th Month of School

During this month, we are wrapping up the year. Students participate in multiple activities and field trips, so there’s not much teaching time.

If you are still feeling overwhelmed, don’t dismay. Instructing young, inexperienced writers is a challenge. Just work on one step at a time to avoid overwhelming yourself and your students. Once you’ve taught writing for a year or two, you’ll feel like an old pro. Promise! 

If you’d like to keep this blog post for later, simply save this pin to your teacher Pinterest board!

Are you that teacher saying, “oh my goodness, please just give me the print ‘n go pages so that i can start teaching writing tomorrow” it’s all here for you:.

I’m not a teacher, perhaps in my heart I am. I am an older Mom who adopted late in life as God gave us our newborn in our 50’s! By His grace, we are healthy, fit, youngish 50’s LOL! I love your stuff and have always supplemented Fi’s education., for I find the California standards quite low. Now that I have her in a college-prep school (5th Grade) I find she is much more prepared because of your wisdom! Thank you. Sophia Joy is someone who has always had to work hard at school, but it is paying off! Thank you and God bless you richly for being so generous with your wisdom,it will all come back to you 100-fold! Sincerely, Susan, Sophia Joy’s Mom

Thank you so much, Susan! You certainly have a heartwarming story with your precious girl 🙂

Hello When you do the back to school journal prompts, where do you have students complete these? On single paper, google classroom?

Hi Sarah! Usually, I have students complete the prompts in their social studies interactive notebooks. This year, however, we were virtual at the beginning of the year, so I had students type their entries onto Google Docs.

Hi! I am a new 5th grade teacher, and I’m wondering if your school uses a particular writing curriculum? Your website has been so helpful – thank you!!

Hi Jenny! We don’t use a particular writing curriculum at my school. I use my own resources to teach writing. Please reach out to me at [email protected] if I can help or answer any questions for you 🙂

Do you have any resources in Spanish?

Hi Danielle! The only resources I have in Spanish are my Parent’s Guide to Reading resources, grades K-5.

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PICTURE PROMPTS

144 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing

A school year’s worth of short, accessible image-driven posts that invite a variety of kinds of writing.

By The Learning Network

We’ve been publishing our Picture Prompts series four days a week since 2016. These short, accessible, image-driven prompts invite students to create short stories, poems and memoirs; share experiences from their lives; analyze illustrations, graphs and charts; and weigh in on hot-button issues.

Here, we’ve rounded up all the Picture Prompts we published for the 2019-20 school year and organized them by the type of writing they ask students to do. You can find even more in our roundups for the 2016-17 , 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years. That’s over 600 prompts in all. And many are still open for comment by students 13 and up.

To learn how you can use Picture Prompts to build literacy skills, promote critical thinking, spark discussion and foster creativity in your classroom — physical or virtual — watch our on-demand webinar, “ A Picture Prompt Is Worth a Thousand Words .” For dozens more ideas, see our lesson plan, “ How to Teach With Our Picture Prompts (and Other Times Images) .”

If you use this feature with your students, or if you have other ideas for how to use photos, illustrations and graphics to encourage writing, let us know in the comments.

What story does this image inspire for you?

Trapped Inside Wilderness Wayfaring Magical Chores I’m Sorry Dollar Bills Dinosaurs Endless Conversation Looking Back Social Distancing Vibrant Youth Fake Ice United States of Love Over the Falls Marching Band Heavy Head Night Circus Submerged Subway Ride Subway Balloons Under the Ice Resourceful Raccoon Calendar Vivid Voices Writing a Novel Passport Scramble Racing Pug Castle on a Hill Clowns Travel In the Hallway Striking Out Meeting in the City

Share experiences from your own life.

Collect Them All The Stories Maps Can Tell Strange Times, Strange Dreams Songs of Hope Drawing Ramadan in Isolation Across Divides Instagram Challenges Book Updates Funny Flicks Stuck in Paradise Pandemic Projects Home Cooking Your Learning Space Empty Spaces Helpers Favorite Flops St. Patrick’s Day Birthdays The Agony of Defeat Alligators in the Sewers In Memoriam Sibling Dynamics Slumber Parties Food Favors Super Bowl LIV Morning Moods Lunar New Year Internet Affirmation Pet Keepsakes Stargazing New Year, New You? Last-Minute Shopping Car-Free Travel Feasting With Family Mister Rogers ‘No.’ Dream House Strange Cuisine Multitasking Headless Horseman Music Therapy The Heroic Ideal A Place of Solace Pet Pampering Notes of Lavender Neighborhood Celebrations Fashion Idols Tributes Family Cooks Favorite Season Back to School

What do you think this image, chart or cartoon is saying?

‘OK Boomer’ Shadows Open and Shut Baseball Eyeballs Protesting Carrying the Weight Music Notes Flickering Sign Helping Hands Brick Wall Inside a Book Talking and Listening Maze Credit and Blame Newspaper City Pack of People ‘A 📖 of Two 🏙’ Head Spinning You Love You, Bro The President’s Tweets Split Reflections Forest in a Stadium Chasing ‘They’ Missiles, Hummers and Tanks Looking Over the Edge

What’s your opinion on this issue?

Masks The Front Page Teenage Drivers Graduation in a Pandemic Most Challenged Books Brady’s Big Move Mascot Working From Home Mall Rats ‘Bracelet of Silence’ Optimism Government Buildings Valentine’s Day Prizewinning Poodle Library Books Oscar Nominations 2020 Hologram Musicians Baby Yoda Hit Holiday Songs 2019 in Pictures World’s Big Sleep Out Snow Days Tesla’s ‘Cybertruck’ Fortune Tellers Scooters Everywhere Popeyes Chicken Sandwich World Series Champions Small Talk Big City, Small Town Tipping Summer Hits

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150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity (Free Google Slides)

Use a picture to write a thousand words!

Creative writing is a challenge for many students, often because they can’t come up with anything to write about. That’s why we love picture writing prompts. Each one sparks the imagination and helps young writers jump right into crafting a story to match. We rounded up a whole collection of intriguing images for use with kids in grades K-12 along. Plus we designed a set of free Google Slides featuring all of the prompts so you can easily share them with students.

Tip: Start by showing students the picture (or let them choose from among several) without making any comment about what they’re seeing. For kids who still struggle to get started, suggest a potential title or opening sentence, like the examples included here.

Don’t miss our free downloadable. Grab your full set of ready-to-go Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all of the prompts below.

Elementary Picture Writing Prompts

Middle school picture writing prompts, high school picture writing prompts, art picture writing prompts.

When kids first see these picture writing prompts, they may or may not immediately feel inspired. If they need some help, ask them questions like “What led up to this moment?” or “What’s going to happen next?”

When Larry fell in love, he fell hard.

When the new sign appeared on Main Street, everyone in town wondered exactly what it meant.

Snowy Footprints

After that crazy day, all that was left to show for it was footprints in the snow.

Dinosaur Bones

“Come with me if you want to live!” Ash said, reaching out a hand.

Undersea Treasure

For years, no one saw the locked treasure chest but the local fish, who wondered what it could contain.

A Game of Fetch

To Scout, it was a game, but to Mr. Freezy, it was much more.

Ladybug Gossip

The ladybug’s picnic was an excellent chance to meet up with old friends and hear all the latest gossip.

We met them when they peeked into our window, watching us as we ate lunch and watched cartoons.

King of the Jungle

It wasn’t the crown that made Amari the king of all he surveyed.

The Final Pitch

It all came down to this—the final pitch in a game that was tied 2-2.

Doggie Massage

Every dog in the neighborhood knew that Rocky gave the best massages and was always willing to lend an ear too.

Skateboard Life

When Charli got her first skateboard, she made herself a promise.

Garden of the Past

The woman walked in the garden every day, never saying a word.

Sunset Friends

They met on the jungle gym every day at sunset, sharing everything about their days.

Pink Umbrellas

When the pink umbrellas first appeared, Toni thought they might be magic.

Firefly Forest

Olivia was surprised to discover that the fireflies didn’t just glow, they also sang.

Robot Spider

When it first crawled ashore, the mechanical spider moved slowly.

Fallen House

Staring at their house, which was now on its side, the whole family was in shock.

Red Riding Hood

If only she’d been riding her faithful steed the day she’d met the Big Bad Wolf, things might have been very different.

Kangaroo Fall

“Well, this is embarrassing,” thought Bouncer, as laughter filled the air around him.

Daci’s big brother said her signs wouldn’t help them find their runaway cat, but he was wrong.

Penguin Bookshop

A visit to Mr. Pickerel’s Penguin Bookshop is always an adventure.

Of all the eggs in the carton, Ella was the one who could always crack you up.

That was the year Min was finally tall enough to ride the Sky Swings, but now she wasn’t so sure.

Rubber Duck Parade

It was truly an honor to be asked to lead the Spring Duck Parade.

Teddy Story Time

Every afternoon, the three friends gathered for story time in their favorite spot in the woods.

Underwater School

Nia thought going to school underwater would be exciting, but some days she really missed going outside for recess.

The day Amos started his journey down the river, the sun was shining brightly.

Turtle Trouble

“None shall pass,” growled the old sea turtle, blocking the way.

Dinosaur Race

Pia was supposed to keep Balthazar on a leash, but once they reached the forest, she set him free and they both began to run.

Finally Seeing Eye to Eye

“So, we meet at last, face to face,” Lord Squeakerton said to his enemy, the Count of Catnip.

It takes a lot to surprise a monkey, but you don’t see something like this every day.

Not Coming Out

The day started out normally enough, but by the end, Chris knew he was in over his head.

Life on Other Planets

“Hurry up,” Grnklor told his robopup. “We have to get back inside before nightfall.”

Reindeer Games

The wind had died down, but the setting sun seemed to take all the warmth of the day with it.

Something to Celebrate

Their classmates could hear their shouts of joy from all the way down the hall.

Home Sweet Mushroom

When the fairies that lived in the garden invited her to stay with them for awhile, Maria wasn’t sure what to expect.

Loch Ness Mystery

“There it is! I told you Nessie is real!” Angus whispered to Lee.

Lonely Bear

It was hard to say who was lonelier that night, Amil or his lost stuffed bear, Jasper.

Sometimes You Lose

When his team lost the championship, Miguel was crushed, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him.   

Middle school writing prompts can be a little more complex, with pictures that have a lot of potential interpretations. Encourage students to delve deeper into the story by describing how the characters feel and why they behave the way they do.

Morgan was incredibly proud of those shoes, paid for entirely with money from after-school jobs.

Never Lose Hope

With his last bit of energy, Kai scrawled his message in the wet paint.

The keyboard button could only be used once, and no one knew exactly what happened when you pressed it.

Piano Lessons

Before she could even speak, Arya was drawn to the black and white keys.

There was no doubt about it, this was was indeed a very special kind of garden.

No matter how you looked at it, it had been a very rough day to be the Easter Bunny.

Empty Chairs

By sunset, all four chairs were empty, and the only signs of life were the gulls swooping down from above.

Floating Treasure

To the birds, it was simply a convenient place to land, but Ali and I knew it was much more than that.

Shadow Question

That was the day they discovered that just because you were invisible didn’t mean your shadow was.

Letter and Key

The day she turned 12, Vivi’s aunt handed her an envelope containing the family secret.

Space Target

Onyx paused, knowing that once their arrow hit the target, there was no knowing what would happen.

Mermaid Mystery

It was a mermaid—or was it?

World on a String

Her dad had promised to give her the world, but she wasn’t expecting three more planets as well.

Bee Standoff

“This flower ain’t big enough for the both of us!” said Bianca.

Solitary Seat

For as long as anyone could remember, Angus McGee spent his evenings in the same chair next to the woodstove.

Best Friends

When you decide to run away from home forever, you can’t possibly leave your best friend behind.

Dinosaur Demise

In retrospect, setting the time machine to randomly choose a day and time in the past might not have been such a good idea.

Magic Lamps

“Choose wisely,” said the old shopkeeper, “for only one of these lamps is truly magic.”

Message in a Bottle

The message floated at sea for more than 50 years before the day we found it on the beach.

Barrel Boat

Of all the ways to impress someone, Jonah thought to himself, this had to be one of the most ridiculous.

Dragon Guardian

When your parents give you your own dragon guardian, your childhood is bound to be enchanted.

Octopus’s Garden

Wouldn’t you like to be under the sea, in an octopus’s garden in the shade?

Around the Corner

After finally pressing “send,” she couldn’t resist peeking around the corner to watch him read the text.

Beam Me Up!

Milo’s earliest memory was of watching his beloved tricycle float into the sky above him, caught in a beam of light.

Poison Apple

To join the club, all Aaron had to do was creep up and snatch the apple from the skeleton’s hand without being seen.

Giraffe Council

“It is now 3 p.m., and I call this meeting of the Mighty Council of Giraffes to order,” announced Imari.

Mystery Creature

At first glance, it was hard to tell whether the little creature was friend or foe.

As the sky turned orange, Keisha ran faster than ever and used the last of her energy to push off and soar over the water below.

The End of Days

Despite their best efforts, they arrived too late—the battle had already begun.

Out of the Book

“Happily ever after” was about to take on a whole new meaning.

Stopped Clock

I was sure that the time on the broken clock was the clue to solving the mystery.

Dueling Webs

It’s never a good idea to build your web too close to another spider’s, but this time I had no choice.

Do Shoes Grow on Trees?

The day I threw my own shoes into the tree was the day I really started to grow up.

Abstract Art

“So,” asked their art teacher, “what do you think this painting means?”

Wandering Robots

Everything about NB-317 was made of cardboard except his heart—that was made of flesh and blood and very capable of being broken.

Dream Come True

It all started when Quinn watched her favorite movie the night before they assigned partners for the eighth grade science fair project.

Mysterious Cave

The cave was unlike anything we’d ever seen before, and what was more, it almost seemed like the rock was alive.

Storm at Sea

As the rain lashed his face and lightning tore apart the sky, Kiran had to admit he’d always thought it would be a lot more fun being a pirate.

Grasshopper Close-Up

That’s when Javed realized it wasn’t that the grasshopper was too big—it was that he was suddenly very, very small.

UFO Parking

“Well, that’s convenient,” Javdok remarked to Qabow when they saw the sign.   

High school writers are ready to dig deep, exploring character development and detailed plots. These pictures offer a jumping-off point to set their imaginations free.

Cyborg Girl

When she was 14, Tasha’s parents finally told her the truth about what she really was.

BBQ Cookout

“So, I’m guessing no one told you I’m a vegetarian?” asked Sadie with a smile.

The latest app was like a time machine, allowing people to look back in time, but it also had a dark side.

She was surrounded by people but never felt more alone.

Hippo Troubles

Like all parents, hippos sometimes really need a break from their kids.

iPad Farmer

Grandpa Jack never failed to surprise us.

Marching Band Blues

Kaleel sat sadly on the bench, watching the rest of the band march away in jaunty time to the music.

Never-Ending Tunnel

The tunnel seemed to stretch to infinity, but Jayma knew what was at the end, and it terrified her.

Carving Out Love

For years, we wondered who “WP” was, and who it was who loved them so much they carved it into a tree for all to see.

Glowing Globe

Just then, the globe began to glow, and Jaxson knew he was about to leap through space and time once again—destination unknown.

See No Evil

It seemed like a funny joke to pose the skeletons in front of old Mrs. Petoski’s house, but then she turned up dead, and the police said it was murder.

Upside Down

It’s an odd feeling to wake up one morning and find yourself able to walk on the ceiling.

Face at the Fence

So much depended on which side of the fence you were on.

Bicycle Race

Finley had trained too hard for this race to come in third—it just wasn’t good enough.

Family Travels

In the picture, my grandmother’s expression is hard to interpret, but she’s told me the story many times.

Laundromat Antics

Dani never expected to meet her first love feet first.

Molly’s mom probably didn’t mean for her to be the one to find the note, but that’s how things turned out.

Through the Storm

Javier knew it would have been smarter to stay put, but he had to make sure his mom was safe before the worst of the storm arrived.

Lifetime Friends

They’d been friends for as long as they could remember—even longer, in fact.

Stray Kitten

“I am NOT taking you home with me,” Kai told the tiny mewling kitten firmly.

Abandoned Greenhouse

Willow was free to leave at any time, but she couldn’t make herself go.

Amani’s earliest memory was razor wire—miles and miles of it.

Church Graveyard

Everyone feels differently in a graveyard, but for me, they’re very peaceful places.

Orb of Death

“Do you really want to know?” Death asked. “Because once you know, you won’t be able to forget.”

Missed Shot

Steve was sure his shot would make it, but it bounced off the rim just as the buzzer rang to end the game.

First Contact

This was it—the moment that would change what it meant to be human forever.

One Life To Live

His face said his life had been a hard one, but his eyes told a different tale.

Winter Walk

Snow fell, creating a blank canvas to record the story of that fateful walk.

Train to Nowhere

It certainly wasn’t the most luxurious way to travel, but then again, no one really wanted to make this trip in the first place.

Modern Mary Poppins

She dropped into our lives on a gray day in midwinter, a hint of the spring that was to come.

All That Remains

Dust motes filled the air of the abandoned hallway, replacing the voices once heard there.

From the day he found the little creature, Luis refused to go anywhere without him.

The Question

Their happily ever after began quietly, with a bouquet of wildflowers.

Night Lights

Misty rain both blurred and emphasized the lights that lit Suri’s way home that evening.

Forest of Fear

At first, Mateo thought it was a joke, but the screams that followed told him there was nothing remotely funny about it.

At the elite level, being a spy meant serious commitments.

The Yellow Door

On their 14th birthday, every resident of Fresnia was required to stand before the Wall of Doors and make a choice.

Graffiti Palace

To strangers, it seemed random, but every mark on those walls had deep meaning for us.

Fossil Fish

Millions of years ago, the fish gave one final flop before lying still in the deep mud.

On the Rails

Aliyah stood on the tracks, uncertain of where to go next.

These picture prompts are all works of art, some more well known than others. Try providing them to students without sharing the titles first, then offer up the titles if they need some help getting started.

The Dance Class (Edgar Degas)

Greek Funerary Plaque (520-510 BCE)

Washington Crossing the Delaware (Emanuel Leutze)

Kyōsai’s Pictures of One Hundred Demons

First Steps, After Millet (Vincent van Gogh)

Lady Lilith (Dante Gabriel Rossetti)

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (Georges Seurat)

After the Hurricane, Bahamas (Winslow Homer)

Drawing Lots for Prizes (Kitagawa Utamaro)

Portions of Field Armor (Jacob Halder)

Sadie Pfeifer, a Cotton Mill Spinner (Lewis Wickes Hine)

Still Life With Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers (Jean Baptiste Oudry)

Man Leading a Giraffe, 5th Century Byzantine

The Three Skulls (Paul Cézanne)

The Madame B Album (Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier)

Coiled Trumpet in the Form of a Snarling Feline Face (c. 100 BCE to 500 CE)

Crazy Quilt With Animals (Florence Elizabeth Marvin)

Storytime (Eugenio Zampighi)

Cubist Village (Georges Gaudion)

Zig-Zag Passenger and Freight Train (Unknown)

The Power of Music (William Sidney Mount)

The Large Tree (Paul Gauguin)

After the Bath (Mary Cassatt)

Wedding Gown (Korea, Late 1800s)

The Contemplator (Eugène Carrière)

The Girl I Left Behind Me (Eastman Johnson)

24c Curtiss Jenny Invert Single

Creeping Baby Doll Patent Model

Wrecked Zeppelin (British Library)

Skeleton (Tales of Terror Frontispiece)

Get Your Free Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides

Just click the button below to fill out the form and get instant access to free downloadable Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all the prompts included above.

How do you use picture writing prompts in your classroom? Come share ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

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