I have been trying to come up with creative (yet sneaky) ways to get my own third grader writing this summer. Spending an entire school year preparing for testing seems to have left little time for creative writing.
I came up with some fun prompts to use with him and wanted to share.
Opinion/Persuasive
Which is a better
place to spend your summer vacation, at the beach or in the mountains? Explain
your answer.
Do you think it is
important for children your age to know how to swim? Explain why or why not.
Do you think children
should be allowed to stay up later in the summertime? Explain why or why not.
Imagine that your
principal has decided that you only get a two week summer vacation. Write a letter to him/her explaining why this
is not a good idea.
Informative and
Explanatory
Explain how to build a
sandcastle.
Write about your
favorite sea animal. Tell what it looks
like, what it eats and any other interesting facts that you know.
Sometimes students say
that they get bored in the summer. Explain
how students can keep busy and have fun in the summer.
Imagine you have been
asked to plan a camping trip for your family.
Tell what you need to bring.
Don’t forget to include special equipment for activities such as fishing or roasting marshmallows.
Narratives
Tell about a trip you
have taken. Tell where you went, who
went with you and other interesting details.
Imagine that for one
day, you have been turned into one of the following: a mermaid or a pirate. Tell about how you spend your day.
Tell about one of your
favorite summer memories. It could be a
day spent at an amusement park, a visit to a favorite relative, or even a day
spent at home doing something fun.
Imagine you and your
friends are digging a hole in the sand at the beach. Your shovel suddenly hits something
hard. When you look closer, you see a
golden treasure chest. Will you open it?
What do you find inside?
How To
Tell how to make a s'more
Tell how to set up a tent
Tell how to set up and run a lemonade stand
Tell how to build a sand castle
