Where to Find Writing Prompts

Writing Prompts that Challenge Your Students

Writing can be a great way to get students to think deeply about texts they have read or experiences they have had. In this 3-Minute Problem Solver, Monica Burns, a popular SimpleK12 Teacher Learning Community presenter, shares how teachers can use CommonLit to find writing prompts that will interest and excite your students.

In the brief video above, Monica shares some of the features of CommonLit, and why it is a useful resource for pushing your students as writers. The writing prompts from this resource are more concept-driven, rather than situation-based. That means that students are pushed to think critically about concepts such as friendship, identity, and social pressure. These writing prompts also give students more freedom to create a story with a larger message in mind.

To delve deeper into these topics, each concept offers example texts. The texts are based on grade level, and add perspective to each lesson. These texts are complete with thought-provoking discussion questions and similar texts to pair with your lesson. Related media, a teacher’s guide, and a parent’s guide provide additional features. The texts can be printed out and shared so your students can easily access them outside of class.

Check out this article for more ideas on how to engage students in writing assignments.

What are some other tools that offer thought-provoking writing prompts? What other ideas do you have about getting students excited about writing? What other writing tools are available? Let us know in the comments below.

About Our “How to Find Writing Prompts” Presenter
Monica Burns is an Education Consultant, EdTech Blogger, and Apple Distinguished Educator. Monica works with teachers to make technology integration exciting and accessible at all grade levels. She has conducted well over 40 unique training sessions for SimpleK12, click here to take a look at more videos from Monica.

About the Author
Carolina Fransen is the EdTech Apps and Tools Editor at SimpleK12.com. She writes regularly about the use of educational technology in K-12 classrooms. If you have an app, tool, website, or service that you think we should know about, please send your information or tip to editor@simplek12.com.