How to Use Printable Journal Prompts in Your Classroom
I love using writing prompts in my classroom! Both nonfiction and narrative writing prompts can be a great tool to help kids develop writing skills in an engaging way. When you keep printable journal prompts on hand it can be easier to remember to incorporate them into your week.
That’s why I’m sharing this resource with my email community members for FREE! I want these writing prompts in the hands of as many teachers as possible.
This resource is different from other writing prompts because it offers students so many options. It includes a ton of nonfiction and narrative writing prompts. We know using choice in our lessons is a great way to get our students to “buy in” to what we’re teaching.
This Writing Prompt Resource Includes:
– 30 nonfiction and narrative writing prompt options (in color & black and white)
– writing process checklist
– writing paper with a space at the top to glue or write the writing prompt
If you’ve been a writing teacher for more than a year, you know there are two types of writers in elementary classrooms. Those who prefer nonfiction and those who prefer narrative writing.
In reality, it’s important to develop their writing skills in both areas. This can only happen through repeated practice. Let’s take a look at the benefits of each type of writing.
Why You Should Use Narrative Writing Prompts in Your Elementary Classroom
- Creativity: Narrative writing encourages students to tap into their creative side. This may not come naturally to your black and white thinkers. That’s why repeated practice with printable journal prompts is so important.
- Craft: Elementary students are trying out craft moves for the first time. Some examples are adding suspense, setting details, thoughts and feelings. Narrative writing prompts give many opportunities to practice.
- Structure: In the elementary grades, we introduce the structure of stories. This printable journal prompts unit includes a checklist that encourages the planning process.
- Growth: Think about keeping the writing prompts throughout the year. This will allow the students to see their own personal growth as the year progresses.
Why You Should Use Nonfiction Writing Prompts in Your Elementary Classroom
- Detailed Concrete Thinking: Some kids are great at tapping into their creativity. They start to struggle when it comes to writing about concrete ideas with more than one singular fact. These kids need practice supporting their thinking with evidence and facts.
- Critical Thinking: As students plan their nonfiction writing prompt response, they have to think about the best way to present the information. Instead of rambling on and on, they will need to use skills such as synthesizing to choose the most important information to include.
- Vocabulary: When writing nonfiction, students should be able to include content specific vocabulary in their writing.
- Organization: This printable journal prompts unit also encourages editing and revising. This gets students in the habit of rereading to be sure their writing makes sense and is organized.
- Growth: Just as with the narrative writing prompts, you can save these nonfiction writing prompts throughout the year to see students’ personal growth.
Writing Process When Using These Printable Journal Prompts:
- Stop & Jot: Jot down all of your ideas. Then, pick the best!
- Quick Plan: Write a few words about each part you want to include.
- Add Detail: Add more detail to your original ideas for each part of your plan.
- Write: Use your plan to write your response to the writing prompt.
- Edit & Revise: Reread for meaning, spelling, punctuation and capitalization.
It’s amazing how this simple routine can increase your students’ confidence in the writing process. Before you know it, they’ll be writing most structured and detailed pieces of writing all on their own.
If you’re looking to level up your students’ writing skills, go ahead and download these printable journal prompts! You have 3 options for getting your copy:
- Join our membership and gain access to this activity along with hundreds more HERE! ✨✨
- Join our email list (at the top of the page) and we’ll send you a free copy of this activity along with 4 more resources. 💌
- Buy it from our TPT store HERE. 👍
Once you try out this activity, don’t forget to share how it went by emailing or reaching out on Social Media!
Don’t forget to Pin so other teachers can grab these printable journal prompts too!
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