If you plant writing success in the fall, you will have a mighty spring harvest! (One can plant in the fall and harvest in the spring? Absolutely!)

Autumn Cause and Effect Essay

• Leaves change color in fall. What makes the leaves change color? What effects do the colorful leaves have on the tree, on the environment, and on people?
• The amount of daily sunlight decreases during autumn. What are the causes of this? What are its effects?
• Some students go to summer school – what effect does this have on students once school starts up again in fall?
• The weather changes in fall. How does it change? How does this affect the way people dress? Does the change in weather also affect people’s moods?
• Kids are back in school during the fall – what effect does this have on family life?
• Some people get depressed in autumn. It’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). What are some of the causes of SAD? What are its effects?
• Because of daylight savings time clocks are set back one hour in the fall. Why do we do this? What effect does this have?

Autumn Persuasive Essay   

• Fall is the beginning of school – kids need to get focused and put summer daydreams behind them.
• There is an old fashion mantra that says one should not wear white after Labor Day (the first Monday in September). Persuade others that this rule of thumb is what keeps the human race civilized… or that it is an outdated way of thinking and must be abolished!
• We set our clocks back one hour in the fall (we fall back one hour). Persuade others that we must stop this disruption to our lives; or that this “falling back” has great benefit.
• There is no debate about this: fall is the best season of the year… or the worst season of the year.
• Having two names for one season (fall and autumn) is confusing. We should simply change the season’s name to “football season!”
• The new TV season begins in fall. Write a persuasive essay for or against television.

Autumn Compare and Contrast Essay

• Fall contains the end of baseball season and the beginning of football season. Compare and contrast the end of baseball season with the beginning of football season.
• In farming, one plants in the spring and harvests in the fall. In school, one plants in the fall and harvests in the spring.  Compare and contrast these.
• Fall weather is different in different parts of the country – compare the fall weather where you live to the fall weather in a different part of the county.
• Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere vs. Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Fall is considered the opposite of spring. Compare and contrast these two seasons.
• Fall vs. Autumn – What’s the Deal?

Autumn Process Essay or How-To Essay

• How to prepare for colder weather on the way.
• Explain to others how to implement excellent learning habit early in the year so that they will reap a wonderful harvest full of rewards in the spring.
• How are kids supposed to have any fun? There are less hours of daylight in the fall compared to summer. Additionally, kids are back in school. Learn how to have fun in the fall.
• How to harvest a crop.

Autumn Informational Essay

• Many activities are connected to specific seasons of the year. What are some interesting and fun fall activities that you participate in?
• The science of autumn – everything you ever wanted to know about autumn.
• Autumn leaves special report – the real truth!
• The seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere are reversed. Explain why this is so.
• Fall holidays: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Autumn Story Ideas

• Falling Up: The Year Autumn was Spring
• The Lazy Squirrel Who Gathered No Nuts
• Fall: The Beginning of the End
• The World’s Most Persistent Little Flower
• Leaves Revolt!
• Raining Leaves All Day Long
• A Fall Harvest Gone Bad!
• The Little Apple Who Wouldn’t Fall
• Johnny Appleseed had a Brother? Johnny Pumpkin Seed?

Autumn Descriptive Essay

• Describe the first rainfall of fall.
• Describe the day-by-day change from summer into fall.
• Do a Google search for “fall pictures” and describe what you see. (You will be amazed!) Use your imagination and all five senses to make fall come alive.

Autumn Five-Paragraph Essay

• Three things you don’t know about autumn.
• Three autumn activities.
• Three crops that are harvested in fall.
• Back to school, the apple festival, and Thanksgiving – Fall is Fabulous!

Autumn Narrative/ Personal Narrative Essay

• Fall harvest on the farm…
• An apple’s journey from bud to fall harvest.
• Fall reflections on my journey through life.
• Picking fresh ripe apples straight off the tree…
• Fall holiday stories and tales.
• Grandma’s journey into the autumn of life.

Autumn Response to Literature

• Analyze and respond to some of the autumn poems found here: Autumn Poems for Kids 

In this collection you will find:

• A Song of the Woods by Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.
• A Fall Song by Ellen Robena Field
• Autumn Fires by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Autumn, Queen of Year by Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.
• Down to Sleep by Helen Hunt Jackson
• Farewell to the Farm by Robert Louis Stevenson
• How the Leaves Came Down by Susan Coolidge
• November by Alice Cary
• November Morning by Evaleen Stein
• September by Helen Hunt Jackson
• October’s Bright Blue Weather by Helen Hunt Jackson
• The Huskers by John Greenleaf Whittier
• “After Apple-Picking” by Robert Frost
• The Migration of the Grey Squirrels by William Howitt

A Song of the Woods

by Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr. (1902–1983) (Written between age five and twelve.)

“My leaves are turning crimson,” the giant oak tree said,
“It’s almost time these children should seek their winter’s bed,
But how they still cling to me and gleam with crimson hue,
They truly are more lovely than cirrus clouds of blue.

“And now throughout the forest – list! hear their voices ring,
But ’tis in tones of sadness and sighing they now sing -
‘Alas! ’tis gone, fair summer, and winter’s reign is near,
He cruelly strips the forest of all her summer cheer
By killing all her lovely leaves and likewise flowers gay
And driving all her fairy folk to homes of far away.’”

A Fall Song

by Ellen Robena Field (published 1894)

Golden and red trees
Nod to the soft breeze,
As it whispers, “Winter is near;”
And the brown nuts fall
At the wind’s loud call,
For this is the Fall of the year.

Good-by, sweet flowers!
Through bright Summer hours
You have filled our hearts with cheer
We shall miss you so,
And yet you must go,
For this is the Fall of the year.

Now the days grow cold,
As the year grows old,
And the meadows are brown and sere;
Brave robin redbreast
Has gone from his nest,
For this is the Fall of the year.

I do softly pray
At the close of day,
That the little children, so dear,
May as purely grow
As the fleecy snow
That follows the Fall of the year.

Autumn Fires

by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

Autumn, Queen of Year

by Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr. (1902–1983) (Written between age five and twelve.)

When the pumpkins are so yellow
And the vines with grapes abound,
When the melons are so mellow
And the nuts fall to the ground;
When persimmons lose their bitters,
And the apples are so red;
When we love to eat corn fritters
Since the roasting ears have fled;
When vacation days are over
And the children go to school,
They no longer play in clover,
But much learn “Arithmos-rule,”
When weird Hallowe’en’s most naughty elves
With gnomes and sprites appear,
While fat Thanksgiving fills the shelves -
‘Tis AUTUMN, QUEEN OF YEAR.

Down to Sleep

by Helen Hunt Jackson (1830 – 1885)

November woods are bare and still;
November days are clear and bright;
Each noon burns up the morning’s chill;
The morning’s snow is gone by night.
Each day my steps grow slow, grow light,
As through the woods I reverent creep,
Watching all things lie “down to sleep.”

I never knew before what beds,
Fragrant to smell, and soft to touch,
The forest sifts and shapes and spreads;
I never knew before how much
Of human sound there is in such
Low tones as through the forest sweep,
When all wild things lie “down to sleep.”

Each day I find new coverlids
Tucked in, and more sweet eyes shut tight;
Sometimes the viewless mother bids
Her ferns kneel down full in my sight;
I hear their chorus of “good-night”;
And half I smile, and half I weep,
Listening while they lie “down to sleep.”

November woods are bare and still;
November days are bright and good;
Life’s noon burns up life’s morning chill;
Life’s night rests feet which long have stood;
Some warm soft bed, in field or wood,
The mother will not fail to keep,
Where we can “lay us down to sleep.”

Farewell to the Farm

 by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

The coach is at the door at last;
The eager children, mounting fast
And kissing hands, in chorus sing:
Good-bye, good-bye, to everything!

To house and garden, field and lawn,
The meadow-gates we swang upon,
To pump and stable, tree and swing,
Good-bye, good-bye, to everything!

And fare you well for evermore,
O ladder at the hayloft door,
O hayloft where the cobwebs cling,
Good-bye, good-bye, to everything!

Crack goes the whip, and off we go;
The trees and houses smaller grow;
Last, round the woody turn we sing:
Good-bye, good-bye, to everything!

How the Leaves Came Down

by Susan Coolidge (1835 – 1905)

“I’ll tell you how the leaves came down,”
The great tree to his children said,
“You’re getting sleepy, Yellow and Brown,
Yes, very sleepy, little Red.
It is quite time to go to bed.”

“Ah!” begged each silly, pouting leaf,
“Let us a little longer stay;
Dear Father Tree, behold our grief;
Tis such a very pleasant day
We do not want to go away.”

So, for just one more merry day
To the great tree the leaflets clung,
Frolicked and danced, and had their way,
Upon the autumn breezes swung,
Whispering all their sports among,–

“Perhaps the great tree will forget,
And let us stay until the spring,
If we all beg, and coax, and fret.”
But the great tree did no such thing;
He smiled to hear their whispering.

“Come, children, all to bed,” he cried;
And ere the leaves could urge their prayer,
He shook his head, and far and wide,
Fluttering and rustling everywhere,
Down sped the leaflets through the air.

I saw them; on the ground they lay,
Golden and red, a huddled swarm,
Waiting till one from far away,
White bedclothes heaped upon her arm,
Should come to wrap them safe and warm.

The great bare tree looked down and smiled,
“Good-night, dear little leaves,” he said.
And from below each sleepy child
Replied, “Good-night,” and murmured,
“It is so nice to go to bed!”

November

by Alice Cary (1820 – 1871)

The leaves are fading and falling;
The winds are rough and wild;
The birds have ceased their calling–
But let me tell you, my child,

Though day by day, as it closes,
Doth darker and colder grow,
The roots of the bright red roses
Will keep alive in the snow.

And when the winter is over,
The boughs will get new leaves,
The quail come back to the clover,
And the swallow back to the eaves.

The robin will wear on his bosom
A vest that is bright and new,
And the loveliest wayside blossom
Will shine with the sun and dew.

The leaves today are whirling;
The brooks are all dry and dumb–
But let me tell you, my darling,
The spring will be sure to come.

There must be rough, cold weather,
And winds and rains so wild;
Not all good things together
Come to us here, my child.

So, when some dear joy loses
Its beauteous summer glow,
Think how the roots of the roses
Are kept alive in the snow.

November Morning

by Evaleen Stein (1863 – 1923)

A tingling, misty marvel
Blew hither in the night,
And now the little peach-trees
Are clasped in frozen light.

Upon the apple branches
An icy film is caught,
With trailing threads of gossamer
In pearly patterns wrought.

The autumn sun, in wonder,
Is gayly peering through
This silver tissued network
Across the frosty blue.

The weather vane is fire tipped,
The honeysuckle shows
A dazzling icy splendor,
And crystal is the rose.

Around the eaves are fringes
Of icicles that seem
To mock the summer rainbows
With many colored gleam.

Along the walk, the pebbles
Are each a precious stone;
The grass is tasseled hoarfrost,
The clover jewel sown.

Such sparkle, sparkle, sparkle
Fills all the frosty air,
Oh, can it be that darkness
Is ever anywhere!

September

by Helen Hunt Jackson (1831 – 1885)

The goldenrod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian’s bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusky pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow-nook;
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes’ sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather,
And autumn’s best of cheer.

October’s Bright Blue Weather

by Helen Hunt Jackson (1831 – 1885)

O sun and skies and clouds of June
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October’s bright blue weather;

When loud the bumblebee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And goldenrod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;

When gentians roll their fringes tight,
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burs
Without a sound of warning;

When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls
Are leaves of woodbine twining;

When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields, still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;

When springs run low, and on the brooks
In idle, golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;

When comrades seek sweet country haunt
By twos and twos together,
And count like misers hour by hour
October’s bright blue weather.

O sun and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October’s bright blue weather.

The Huskers

by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807 – 1892)

It was late in mild October, and the long autumnal rain
Had left the summer harvest-fields all green with grass again;
The first sharp frosts had fallen, leaving all the woodlands gay
With the hues of summer’s rainbow or the meadow flowers of May.

Through a thin, dry mist, that morning, the sun rose broad and red;
At first a rayless disk of fire, he brightened as he sped;
Yet even his noontide glory fell chastened and subdued
On the cornfields and the orchards and softly pictured wood.

And all that quiet afternoon, slow sloping to the night,
He wove with golden shuttle the haze with yellow light;
Slanting through the tented beeches, he glorified the hill;
And, beneath it, pond and meadow lay brighter, greener still.

And shouting boys in woodland haunts caught glimpses of that sky,
Flecked by the many-tinted leaves, and laughed, they knew not why;
And schoolgirls, gay with aster-flowers, beside the meadow brooks,
Mingled the glow of autumn with the sunshine of sweet looks.

From spire and barn looked westerly the patient weathercocks;
But even the birches on the hill stood motionless as rocks.
No sound was in the woodlands save the squirrel’s dropping shell,
And the yellow leaves among the boughs, low rustling as they fell.

The summer grains were harvested; the stubble-fields lay dry,
Where June winds rolled, in light and shade, the pale green waves of rye;
But still, on gentle hill-slopes, in valleys fringed with wood,
ungathered, bleaching in the sun, the heavy corn crop stood.

Bent low by autumn’s wind and rain, through husks that, dry and sear,
Unfolded from their ripened charge, shone out the yellow ear;
Beneath, the turnip lay concealed in many a verdant fold,
And glistened in the slanting light the pumpkin’s sphere of gold.

There wrought the busy harvester, and many a creaking wain
Bore slowly to the long barn-floor its load of husk and grain;
Till broad and red, as when he rose, the sun sank down at last,
And like a merry guest’s farewell the day in brightness passed.

And lo! as through the western pines, on meadow, stream, and pond,
Flamed the red radiance of a sky set all afire beyond,
Slowly o’er the eastern sea-bluffs a milder glory shone,
And the sunset and the moonrise were mingled into one!

As thus into the quiet night the twilight lapsed away,
And deeper in the brightening moon the tranquil shadows lay,
From many a brown old farmhouse and hamlet without name,
Their milking and their home-tasks done, the merry huskers came.

Swung o’er the heaped-up harvest, from pitchforks in the mow,
Shone dimly down the lanterns on the pleasant scene below,
The glowing pile of husks behind, the golden ears before,
And laughing eyes and busy hands and brown cheeks glimmering o’er.

Half hidden in a quiet nook, serene of look and heart,
Talking their old times over, the old men sat apart;
While up and down the unhusked pile, or nestling in its shade,
At hide-and-seek, with laugh and shout, the happy children played.

Urged by the good host’s daughter, a maiden young and fair,
Lifting to light her sweet blue eyes and pride of soft brown hair,
The master of the village school, sleek of hair and smooth of tongue,
To the quaint tune of some old psalm, a husking-ballad sung.

After Apple-Picking

by Robert Frost (1874–1963)

My long two-pointed ladder’s sticking through a tree
Toward heaven still,
And there’s a barrel that I didn’t fill
Beside it, and there may be two or three
Apples I didn’t pick upon some bough.
But I am done with apple-picking now.
Essence of winter sleep is on the night,
The scent of apples: I am drowsing off.
I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight
I got from looking through a pane of glass
I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough
And held against the world of hoary grass.
It melted, and I let it fall and break.
But I was well
Upon my way to sleep before it fell,
And I could tell
What form my dreaming was about to take.
Magnified apples appear and disappear,
Stem end and blossom end,
And every fleck of russet showing clear.
My instep arch not only keeps the ache,
It keeps the pressure of a ladder-round.
I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend.
And I keep hearing from the cellar bin
The rumbling sound
Of load on load of apples coming in.
For I have had too much
Of apple-picking: I am overtired
Of the great harvest I myself desired.
There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch,
Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall.
For all
That struck the earth,
No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble,
Went surely to the cider-apple heap
As of no worth.
One can see what will trouble
This sleep of mine, whatever sleep it is.
Were he not gone,
The woodchuck could say whether it’s like his
Long sleep, as I describe its coming on,
Or just some human sleep.

The Migration of the Grey Squirrels

by William Howitt (1792 – 1879)

When in my youth I traveled
Throughout each north country,
Many a strange thing did I hear,
And many a strange thing to see.

But nothing was there pleased me more
Than when, in autumn brown,
I came, in the depths of the pathless woods,
To the grey squirrels’ town.

There were hundreds that in the hollow boles
Of the old, old trees did dwell,
And laid up store, hard by their door,
Of the sweet mast as it fell.

But soon the hungry wild swine came,
And with thievish snouts dug up
Their buried treasure, and left them not
So much as an acorn cup.

Then did they chatter in angry mood,
And one and all decree,
Into the forests of rich stone-pine
Over hill and dale to flee.

Over hill and dale, over hill and dale,
For many a league they went,
Like a troop of undaunted travelers
Governed by one consent.

But the hawk and the eagle, and peering owl,
Did dreadfully pursue;
When lo! to cut off their pilgrimage,
A broad stream lay in view.

But then did each wondrous creature show
His cunning and bravery;
With a piece of the pine-bark in his mouth,
Unto the stream came he;

And boldly his little bark he launched,
Without the least delay;
His busy tail was his upright sail,
And he merrily steered away.

Never was there a lovelier sight
Than that grey squirrels’ fleet;
And with anxious eyes I watched to see
What fortune it would meet.

Soon had they reached the rough mild-stream,
And ever and anon
I grieved to behold some bark wrecked,
And its little steersman gone.

But the main fleet stoutly held across;
I saw them leap to shore;
They entered the woods with a cry of joy,
For their perilous march was o’er.

Other Autumn Poem Resources:

• Leaves by Elsie N. Brady
• A Child’s Calendar (September, October, November) by John Updike
• Gathering Leaves by Robert Frost
• http://www.teachingfirst.net/Poems/Autumn.html

Welcome back to school! Writing assignments for the beginning of the new school year often revolve around these four areas:

1. “All About Me” writing activities and assignments. This is a time-honored beginning-of-the-school-year writing tradition. It starts the school year off right when teachers get to know their students. Teachers want to know their students and students like to be known and understood as real people.

2. Students’ expectations, goals, hopes, and dreams for the new school year. Let’s see if the teacher and the students agree on what school is supposed to be like. Teachers will get to learn about their students’ beliefs in regards to school, learning, and education. This can provide valuable insights which will help the teacher properly motivate their students.

3. Reflections on summer vacation. This is kind of similar to “all about me” writing. It gives students a chance to let go of summer, and allows teachers to have up-to-date knowledge of what their students are interested in.

4. Classroom routines and policies. The most effective way to be sure that students understand what is expected of them is to have them write about it. An additional important benefit of this kind of writing is that students convince themselves of the benefits of having an excellent classroom learning environment. When students explain to themselves why routines, rules, and policies are necessary, they become convinced without feeling “convinced against their will.”

Most of the writing prompts that follow will fall into one of these four categories. See if you can determine which category each writing prompt falls into. The four categories all have a strong purpose behind them, and assigning a writing prompt with purpose leads to better writing.

Also, I want to congratulate you for thinking about student writing so early in the year! If you are looking for better writing results faster than ever before be sure to click here. If you are looking for guaranteed writing success when state testing rolls around, be sure to click here. If you want your students to be able to easily organize and compose an essay about any of the essay topics below, then be sure to click here. Wishing you a school year full of writing success!

Back-to-School Cause and Effect Essay

• An important event in my life (or several) and how it affected me – getting to know me.
• What I did over my summer vacation that has to me prepared (or unprepared) for the new school year. Does how I spend my time outside of school affect how successful I am in school?
• What is necessary for creating an effective and positive learning environment? (Certain systems and behaviors create a successful learning environment, and other systems and behaviors lead to time wasting and poor learning.) What are the cause and effect relationships for successful learning? What are the cause and effect relationships for poor learning?
• What is the purpose of school? We work hard… but why? Is there a cause and effect relationship between getting a good education and living a happy, successful, and fulfilled life after school?
• What are some habits, behaviors, routines, and systems that will lead to me having a successful school year?
• Why I hope I learn more this year than I ever have before – what’s in it for me? Will learning a lot this year really have an effect on my life?

Back-to-School Persuasive Essay

• All work and no play is no way to spend a life. Let’s have fun this school year!
• With high expectations placed upon us, and with so little time actually spent in the classroom, we can’t afford to waste even a single second of class time.
• I am a responsible, enthusiastic, and disciplined student who can be trusted to do what is expected of me.
• I need and deserve two more weeks of summer vacation.
• Homework does not improve student learning.
• My fellow students…  school is important. Don’t waste your time, and please don’t waste the class’s time. It behooves none of us.
• Learning and striving to be the best you can be through learning is exciting, fun, and a very important part of life.

Back-to-School Compare and Contrast Essay

• How I spent my summer vs. how I plan to spend the school year.
• Summer vacation back when I was young vs. summer vacation now that I’m old.
• My last day of summer vacation vs. the first day of the new school year.
• The kind of student I used to be vs. the kind of student I plan to be.
• Looking like I’m working hard and doing my best job vs. actually working hard and truly doing my best job.
• The fun and interesting things about school vs. the boring and tedious things about school.
• An ideal classroom learning environment vs. a time-wasting non-learning classroom environment.
• Education in the modern information age vs. education in olden times.
• Learning through books vs. learning through experience.

Back-to-School Process Essay or How-To Essay

• How to make this the best school year ever.
• How to transition from relaxed-summer-mind-mode to superstar-student-achievement-status.
• How to be a successful student.
• How to improve your work habits, study skills, learning attitude, and grades.
• How to be an excellent school citizen and positive classroom leader.
• After school and morning routines that guarantee arrival at school on time, rested and ready to learn, homework finished, and with a happy, smiling, cheerful face.
• Classroom routines – how to… how to… how to.

Back-to-School Informational Essay

• The history of education.
• All about me – what you need to know to truly understand this strangely wonderful, yet predictably perplexing human being that I simply call “me.”
• The history of my educational career – a work in progress.
• The rules of our classroom laid out in black-and-white.
• What does it mean to learn? And how do you do it?
• What I like about school and learning.

Back-to-School Narrative/ Personal Narrative Essay

• Happy school-time memories.
• How I spent my summer vacation – the real truth.
• My life story – a personal narrative.
• A school year (or teacher) that changed my life.
• An important real-world learning experience for which there was no manual.
• Me and school – a conflict of interests.
• Butterflies in my stomach… the day before the first day of school.

Back-to-School Descriptive Essay

• Describe the feelings, sounds, and sights of a new school year.
• Describe what you see in the classroom right now.
• Describe the qualities of a good teacher and of a good student.
• Describe the attitude, beliefs, and body language of a student who is determined to be successful in school.

Back-to-School Five-Paragraph Essay

• How I spend my time before school, during school, and after school.
• When I struggled in school, what I changed, and the results of that change.
• Three things I love about school.
• Three strategies for getting good grades.
• Three fun things I did over my summer vacation.
• Three things I must do to be successful in school this year.
• Three things about me…  that hardly anyone knows.

Back-to-School Story Ideas

• The class with no rules.
• The strangely bizarre case of the kids whose loved school and the teacher who taught them.
• One hour recess – twice a day!
• Straight A’s for everyone!
• The class that worked together… and achieved success.
• News flash: listening to your teacher leads to improved learning.
• The quiet kids.
• Work hard, play hard, and bake cookies?
• The science project that changed history.

Welcome back to school and have a great year!

Spring Compare and Contrast Essay

• Spring in an agricultural society of the past vs. spring in a modern technological society.
• Spring and Easter traditions in different parts of the word.
• Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.
• Easter when I was real young vs. Easter now that I am an old kid.
• What I saw all winter and what I see as spring emerges.
• Spring in different parts of the country and the world.
• Compare and contrast famous spring poems by William Shakespeare, William Blake, Robert Frost, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
• Spring arriving compared to spring exiting.
• Winter fashions vs. spring fashions.
• Easter compared to Christmas.
• My teacher in winter vs. my teacher in spring.

Spring Cause and Effect Essay

• What happens in spring and what makes it happen?
• What are the causes of the changing seasons and what are the effects?
• A beautiful spring day and how it affects both people and animals.
• What makes the plants start growing in spring?
• How more hours of daylight and sunshine affect people.

Spring Persuasive Essay  

• State academic testing should be abolished. It always seems to come in spring!
• Spring is a time of rebirth and rejuvenation.
• Spring vacation should be extended by 3 days. Even my teacher says so!
• After the long cold winter indoors, class should be held outside… occasionally. At least we should get to go on a nature walk.
• Spring has a feeling. You should get the spring fever!
• Easter is the most important holiday of them all.
• Spring should be animal appreciation season.

Spring Process Essay or How-To Essay

• How to make a pine cone bird feeder and attract tons of colorful birds.
• How to decorate Easter eggs.
• How to complete an awesome spring cleaning.
• How to plant a garden.
• How to hide Easter eggs that will never be found.
• How to dress when you are not sure how warm or cold it will be.
• How to have a great spring vacation.
• The life cycle of a butterfly.
• How to make an Easter basket.
• How to prepare for the upcoming standardized tests.

Spring Informational Essay

• Fun Easter activities.
• The truth about the Easter bunny. The history of the Easter bunny.
• History of Easter.
• Spring through the ages.
• Spring traditions.
• Facts about spring.
• The symbols and symbolism of spring.
• The mythology of spring.

Spring Narrative/ Personal Narrative Essay

• Spring, an analogy of my life as I grow and change.
• What I did on my spring break that made everyone green with envy!
• My first Easter memory.
• Spring memories.
• Springtime on the farm.
• Our annual Easter egg hunt.

Spring Descriptive Essay

• Describe the energy of spring.
• The sights, sounds, and smells of spring.
• Easter breakfast.
• The first day of spring.
• New life awakens.
• What spring means to me.

Spring Five-Paragraph Essay

• Three reasons I love spring.
• Three signs of spring.
• Three spring vacation activities.
• Testing time, spring vacation, and Easter.

Spring Story Ideas

• The Easter bunny slept in!
• Clash of the Seasons – Spring vs. Winter
• Spring’s rise from the darkness of winter.
• A baby deer in spring.
• The spring that almost never came. Where is the groundhog?
• The Annual Animal Spring Celebration Party!
• A spring miracle.
• Funny happenings on the first day of spring.
• The day after spring.
• The spring I learned to write fantastic essays in under 30 minutes! Really! (Click here)

Happy spring!

Writing Prompts and Story Ideas – Summer

Be sure to learn more about how to use writing prompts with students here:

1. Using Writing Prompts with Kids: Tips, Tricks, Pros and Cons of Writing Prompts

2. How to Use Writing Prompts in Teaching Writing

Wishing you and your students total essay writing success! Have a great summer!

Summertime Cause and Effect Essay

• My lazy days cause my parents to…
• It gets hotter and hotter and hotter and pretty soon everyone is…
• I goofed off all school year and now I pay the price in summer.
• I worked hard all school year and my parents are really proud of my effort. Now it’s summer.
• Cause and effect of a sunburn.
• Kids have summer vacation, what is the effect for the parents?
• In the pool and at the beach all day, what’s the effect?

Summertime Persuasive Essay

• Summer should be equal in length to the school year.
• Parents must not over program kids during the summer. Summer is our time to relax.
• In this modern age, summer vacation is too long and should be reduced to something more reasonable.
• Summer vacation should be a time for self-learning as opposed to guided learning. Students must engage in learning activities over the summer.
• Summertime is fun time. No work! All fun!
• Families must take at least one family vacation during the summer.
• This is how you should spend your summer…
• Going to camp is terrible, or going to camp is great!

Summertime Process Essay / How-To Essay

• Step-by-step guide to having fun in the sun.
• How to eat a Popsicle in the summertime heat without dripping a drop.
• How to make sure your parents know how you want to spend your summer vacation.
• How to plan out your summer.
• How to have fun at the beach.
• How to stay cool on hot, hot days.
• Steps to making your parents happy during the summer.

Summertime Argumentative Essay

• The real purpose of summer vacation is…
• Summer is better than winter…

Summertime Evaluation Essay

• How summer vacation affects students’ mental attitude for the following year.
• How summer vacation has changed from when the summer was based on the agricultural growing cycle.
• Is summer vacation an outdated tradition that is not valid in these modern times?
• Who needs summer vacation more, teachers or students?

Summertime Narrative/ Personal Narrative Essay

• Remembering summers past.
• A special summer vacation family trip.
• The greatest summer ever.
• My family, my friends, and me… all summer long.
• When the air conditioner broke.
• My parents put me to work.
• Fun times.

Summertime Informational Essay

• History of summer vacation.
• Summer vacation through the ages.
• Things you can do to keep busy over summer vacation.
• Fun ways of learning over summer vacation.
• Different kinds of summer camp.
• Summer around the world
• Movies about hot summers.

Summertime Descriptive Essay

• It was a hot and humid night…
• Describe how it feels on the hottest day of summer.
• See, hear, feel, and taste all summer long.
• Describe how summer is.

Summertime Five-Paragraph Essay

• Three things you must absolutely do in the summer.
• The three stages of summer.
• Summer days – morning, afternoon, and nighttime.
• Three reasons summer is…
• Summer with friends, family, and camp.
• Working, playing, and learning… all summer long.

Summertime Compare and Contrast Essay

• Summer for kids compared to summer for adults.
• Summer before air conditioning compared to summer now.
• A working summer compared to a fun summer.
• My perfect summer compared to how my parents want me to spend my summer.
• Summertime for young kids compared to summertime for older kids.
• This summer compared to last summer.
• What makes summer good? What makes summer bad?
• Summer for teachers vs. summer for students

Summertime Story Ideas

• Back on the farm, on the hot summer days…
• The Global Warming Summer of Dry, Hot, Heat
• An amazing summer with dolphins.
• Splish, Splash, Crash!
• Warning: Record Heat!
• The Snowy Summer
• Straight A’s and Fun!

Have a great summer!

Here is a great list of Christmas essay and story writing ideas! Teaching your students to write using “Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay” will have your students starting and finishing any of these wonderful essays and stories in under 30 minutes! Now that’s a gift!

Christmas Persuasive Essay

• There definitely is a Santa Claus.
• I definitely have been a very good boy or girl this year.
• Christmas is a time to be thinking of others.
• Presents are very important on Christmas Day.
• Presents should not be important on Christmas Day.
• We should have the Christmas spirit all year round.
• How getting everything on my Christmas wish list would make the world a better place.
• Christmas is a time to be thankful and for reflection.
• We should have Christmas twice a year!

Christmas Process Essay or How-To Essay

• A kid’s perfect minute-by-minute plan for Christmas Day.
• The correct way to open Christmas presents.
• How to buy the perfect Christmas present for someone.
• How to make Christmas a special day for the entire family.
• How to prepare for Christmas Day.
• How to wrap a Christmas present.
• Santa’s process from getting started until delivering his very last present.
• How to decorate for Christmas.

Christmas Argumentative Essay

• There should be absolutely no arguing on Christmas Day.
• Christmas is the best holiday of them all.
• The real meaning of Christmas is _______
• The Christmas spirit is alive and well.

Christmas Evaluation Essay

• What is the effect that Christmas has on society?
• Has the meaning of Christmas changed over time?
• What would Jesus think of Christmas today?
• Has Christmas become too commercialized?

Christmas Narrative/ Personal Narrative Essay

• A wonderful Christmas memory.
• My favorite present I ever GAVE.
• Christmas shopping with my family.
• My favorite part of Christmas.
• Family time on Christmas.
• Christmas traditions in my family.
• The best Christmas ever.
• Funny happenings on Christmas day.
• Memorable presents.

Christmas Cause and Effect Essay

• How I feel when I give on Christmas Day.
• How the birth of Jesus affected our world.
• How the Christmas spirit affects people’s behavior and attitude.
• Preparations for Christmas Day and the outcomes of all that hard work.
• What effect does all the Christmas media promotion have?

Christmas Informational Essay

• The real truth about Santa Claus. The history of Santa Claus.
• The history of Christmas.
• Christmas through the ages.
• Christmas traditions.
• Facts about Christmas.
• The symbols and symbolism of Christmas.
• The first Christmas.

Christmas Descriptive Essay

• Describe opening presents.
• How I felt opening presents, eating delicious food, spending time with good friends and family.
• Describe the Christmas spirit or Christmas energy.
• Describe who you celebrate Christmas with. What makes them unique or special to celebrate with?
• Describe the sights, sounds, and smells of when you first walk out to the tree on Christmas morning.
• Describe how the anticipation and excitement of Christmas makes you feel.
• Describe the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas.

Christmas Five-Paragraph Essay

• Three reasons…
• Three signs…
• Three presents…
• Three traditions…
• Three signs that Christmas is just around the corner.
• Three reasons I love Christmas.

Christmas Compare and Contrast Essay

• Christmas now compared to Christmas when I was “young.”
• What used to be important to me about Christmas compared to what is important about Christmas to me now.
• The day before Christmas, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas.
• Giving vs. receiving.
• Christmas for kids compared to Christmas for adults.
• Christmas traditions of different cultures.
• Christmas without Santa Claus compared to Christmas with Santa Claus.

Christmas Story Ideas

• A Christmas miracle.
• The greatest present ever.
• People in need on Christmas.
• The real story of Christmas.
• The day after Christmas.
• The day I met Santa Claus.
• Wooah…CRASH… Santa?
• Wow… Look at that star.

Be sure to check out the “Pattern Based Writing: Quick and Easy Essay” writing program at the home page. Also be sure to download your FREE “Guide to Writing” once you get to the homepage!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!