Writing prompts should be used as a TOOL to help students learn to write better. Writing prompts help students learn how to:

• Write to a prompt
• Follow directions
• Stay on topic

However, students also need to learn how to:

• Think for themselves    AND
• Get their work done independently

Over-relying on writing prompts for students “who can’t think of anything to write” is a trap that leads to learned helplessness. Don’t teach your students to be reliant on the teacher.

Using Writing Prompts to Teach Different Types of Writing

When students are learning new styles of writing, writing prompts can be very effective. In fact, with every new “style or purpose,” both bridging the gap and modeling will help your students.

Instead of simply using one of the prompts below, you may want to make the process a little more interactive and provide even more guidance and modeling than a prompt alone will do.

You can:

• Brainstorm a list of prompts together.  
• Then you may want to brainstorm for main ideas and details.
• You may want to outline how all the paragraph will fit together.

From time-to-time you may want to write a group essay, however I have usually found it sufficient to teach students how to come up with ideas and then to organize their ideas. Once you have done that, they should be able to write a complete essay or story, quickly and easily.

Remember that “Pattern Based Writing: Quick and Easy Essay” is the fastest, most effective way to get your elementary students and remedial middle school students writing fantastic essays, quickly and easily! 

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 impact 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 use 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!