Prompt
Tips
The best prompts are the ones that spark a personal connection
between the writer and their ideas. Provided here are some
tips on how to write your own prompts. These self-written
prompts will offer better starting blocks for your students
than the generic prompts because they spring from the immediacy
of their lives.
When you set out to create workable prompts, the following
suggestions are a good thing to keep in mind:
Let the writer draw on experience
Avoid prompts that require specialized knowledge
Allow choice
Use open-ended prompts with room for divergent responses
Allow for choice of topics within a prompt or provide a choice
between two similar prompts
Offer a prompt that will spark the writer's imagination
Sometimes the only way to learn whether a prompt will fly
is to try it out!
Don't do the thinking for the writer
Too many suggestions within a prompt can be overwhelming
Highly creative or clever prompts sometimes backfire
Avoid built-in positives and negatives
Leave students room to go in their own directions
Don't be nosy
Some students (and parents!) may resent prompts that require
sharing personal details
Thoughtful wording can spark insight–even passionate
beliefs–without putting a student in the hot seat
Make the purpose clear
Good writing is good writing, but if you want student responses
to fit a particular purpose, make sure that all expectations
and criteria are explicit
Narrative
It is 20 years from now. Your name has just been called and
you are about to receive an award. Tell the story of how you
came to be so successful and win this award.
Rewrite a fairy tale from a different point of view. For instance,
The Three Pigs as the wolf would tell it
Hansel & Gretel as the witch would tell it
Write a story based on one of the following:
Where is it?
Breaking loose
If I had my way ...
Suddenly, in the headlights ...
That noise!
Don't even remind me
The biggest nuisance
Annoying!
At last!
Think of your best or worst day in school. Tell the story
of what happened.
Write a story based on ONE of the following
Little brothers (or sisters)!
Older sisters (or brothers)!
A narrow escape
My first memory
I'd like to go back
You won't believe it, but ...
Think of a friend you have, in or out of school. Tell one
story that comes to mind when you think of this friend.
You won't believe it, but here's what happened ...
Think of a place that's so special to you that you just love
thinking about it. It might be as big as a city, or as small
as one corner of a room. Tell one story that comes to mind
when you think of this place.
Think of a place that's so special to you that you just love
thinking about it. It might be as big as a city, or as small
as one corner of a room. Describe this place so clearly that
your reader will know just what it's like to be there.
Think of something you have done that brought you satisfaction,
pleasure, or a sense of accomplishment. Write about that activity
or event and tell why it sticks in your mind.
Describe a place that's so special to you that you just love
thinking about it.
Think of a teacher you have had that you will remember for
a long, long time. Describe this teacher so clearly that your
reader will know just what made you remember him or her.
Think of a person you have known who has been important to
you. Describe why he or she made such an impression on you
or made a difference in your life.
Expository
Think of something you made with your own hands. How did
you do it? What might you do differently next time? Write
an explanation so clear and complete that someone with little
to no experience could follow your directions and make the
same thing.
Many parents worry about helping their students be successful
in school. Create a piece of writing that could become a how-to
brochure for parents: How to Help Your Child Succeed in School.
Inventions are all around us. Think of an invention that has
been especially helpful or harmful to people, and write a
paper that explains why.
Pretend your class is putting together a time capsule. It
might not be opened by anyone for 100 years or more. This
time capsule will tell people in the future what life on earth
was like in the 1990s. You can choose one thing to go inside.
Explain what you will choose and why.
Think of the most valuable thing you own that was not bought
in a store. Explain why it is important to you.
Write about your name.
Write about what you would bring for show and tell and why.
Persuasive
Choose one film or book review that you have recently seen
or read. (It's all right to have a copy of the review in front
of you as you write, if you wish) Briefly, summarize the review,
giving the name of the book or film. Then, state whether you
agree or disagree with the review and why. Give enough information
and detail to convince a reader to agree with you. (Hint:
Do NOT summarize the book or film; instead, tell whether you
think it is worth reading/seeing and why.)
Write an essay in which you strongly and clearly AGREE OR
DISAGREE (but NOT both!) with ONE of the following:
Fads never really go out of style
Life in the 21st Century will be better than ever
People are happier than they used to be
Americans are too concerned with material goods
You can tell a lot about people by what they eat
You can tell a lot about people by what they read
The Internet is the best thing to ever happen to education.
People worry too much about __________. Fill in the blank
with any topic you like. Then, write a paper that supports
your statement. Convince others to agree with you.
Write a paper in which you AGREE OR DISAGREE with this statement:
It's more fun to be a child than to be an adult.
Pick something you're wearing or something in your desk or
pocket. Write an advertisement for this thing that would convince
someone to buy it.
Think of ONE thing about television advertising you would
like to see changed. Then, write a letter to the Advertising
Council explaining the change you want and the reasons you
think this change is important.
"The most important quality any person can have is a
sense of humor." Do you agree or disagree? Write a paper
in which you take a clear stand, agreeing or disagreeing with
this statement, and explain your position so the reader can
understand fully why you came to feel the way you do.
Would you rather be an only child or have many brothers and
sisters? Why?
Write a convincing paper in which you agree or disagree with
this statement: "Life was easier for teenagers 50 years
ago than it is for teenagers today."
Write an essay proposing a new national holiday. You anticipate
that there might be people who don't agree with your idea,
so defend your reasoning by explaining the meaning and background
of the event/person and why a national holiday is justified.
You could describe how the holiday should be observed or celebrated.
Many famous people, both real and fictional, have been honored
by having their faces on postage stamps. Choose a real or
fictional person who you feel deserves this honor. Write a
paper that would persuade others your choice is good. |