Life123.com
- Home & Garden
- Relationships
- Celebrations
Creative Ideas for Employee Appreciation Day and Beyond
On the first Friday of every March, many business celebrate Employee Appreciation Day. It is the single designated day that employers are encouraged to recognize all the hard work the employees have done over the year and celebrate them. While not every company in North America may recognize this day or even know it exists, some of those that do often go above and beyond what employees may expect, while others fall very short of expectations. It is important to first understand why this day is much more valuable than what meets the eye and how you can create a unique and valuable Employee Appreciation Day or even long-term program. You don’t have to hand out tacky employee awards that will be thrown in the donation box or trash, but you can implement changes that will be beneficial for you and your employees for years to come.
Recognition and Retention
Studies have shown that there is a strong relationship between recognition and retention within the workplace. While it may not seem like rocket science, the more valued the employees feel, the longer they tend to stay. With high turnovers come high costs for the company so it would be in both of the employees and employers best interests to come up with ideas of how to engage their employees in Employee Appreciation Day, at the very least, and make them feel truly valued.
Formal Day of Appreciation Ideas
So what are the best ways to celebrate this day? There are a plethora of employee templates, fun employee awards ideas and much more available on the internet, but at the end of the day, it really depends on each individual company. A large company that employs over 200 + people will have a very different day than one that has less than 10 employees. Some of the safe options to consider would be to bring in food and treats, make a speech recognizing those that have stood out over the year and/or hand out gift vouchers or hampers if you want to keep things in the office. If you have a small company and want to be a bit more active, consider taking the crew paintballing, bowing or out for lunch. It is a great way to mingle with them in an informal way and strengthen camaraderie. If you really encourage a healthy work and life balance in your company, consider inviting family members to the event and show the importance of it rather than just saying it.
Long-Term Appreciation
Showing your appreciation for your employees should not just be done by filling in an employee award template once a year and handing them out though. To really show your appreciation, it takes time and possibly financial investment. Show you value their time and energy that they put into the company by investing in them with new technology or various platforms that will make their work lives a little easier and increase their level of efficiency and productivity while simultaneously lowering their frustrations that older laborious technology caused them.
Another way to show your appreciation over the year is by incorporating a flexible schedule program into the company. This shows that you trust your employees in getting the necessary work done in the required time frame however they see fit. Why have them stay on nine to five if they work better early in the morning or late at night? Or have a day of the week or month where everyone works from an off-site location such as a café or library. This can often boost productivity.
The Small Things
Not all employee appreciation ideas have to be large scale or long-term. Often, it is the little things that are most memorable. If there is someone that has recently had a major accomplishment, make sure to recognize them and their hard work at the next staff meeting. If it is part of your work culture, recognize them on social media as well. Every so often, bring in treats or chilled drinks on those hot summer days. While it may not seem like the grandest of gestures, your employees are bound to remember these little tokens of appreciation.
Healthy Work Environment
Having a healthy work environment is extremely important for every company regardless of size. Employee appreciation and culture are intertwined. The more positive and supportive colleagues and managers are with each other, the higher the morale and more positive the work environment tend to be. Remember to encourage positive peer-to-peer support as often employees find peer support more valuable than support from their supervisors. Be intentional with your daily conversations with your employees and actively listen to their needs and concerns as they will quickly detect if you are offering them empty employee incentives and weak signs of appreciation. As we all know, actions speak louder than words.
MORE FROM LIFE123.COM
Elementary Assessments
53 Terrific First Day of School Writing Prompts for Students
Break the ice and start back-to-school season smoothly using these creative first day of school writing prompts for students.
Not only do these first day of school writing prompts reduce writer’s block, they sharpen writing skills, instill a love for writing, and encourage self-reflection.
Whether teaching high school, middle, elementary, or kindergarten, these first day of school writing prompts encourage students to showcase their writing skills, set a growth mindset, and use creativity.
Even reluctant writers will move their pens to these writing prompts about school!
So include on your checklist of first day of school tasks a few of these engaging first day of school writing prompts.
Related: August writing prompts , first day of school activities
First Day of School Writing Prompts
Get to know your students, and assess their writing abilities using these fun back to school writing activity ideas.
1. On the first day of school, I feel…
2. Which animal best represents your personality, and why?
3. For the new school year, I can’t wait to learn about…
4. Brainstorm three S.M.A.R.T goals you want to accomplish this school year, and tell how you will achieve them.
5. The best thing about school is…
6. Draft a letter to your teacher convincing him/her that you are the right person for a particular classroom job .
7. My favorite summer memory…
8. Describe what you did the day before in order to prepare for the first day of school.
9. When I grow up, I want to be…
10. Three things I want my teacher to know about me…
11. Describe the perfect school day.
12. Share the most memorable school project you’ve ever done.
13. Explain the best ways to study for a test.
14. The principal wants your input for a new after-school club. Share your ideas.
15. Draft a letter to yourself one year from now.
16. Write a letter to a classmate or the teacher introducing yourself. Share your name, age, favorite music, interests, and any special talents.
17. Describe in detail a time in your life when you were very frightened.
18. Write about at least two skills and/or topics you are excited to learn about this school year.
19. Your teacher is asking your opinion regarding a few new class rewards . Share two of your favorites, and tell why you like them.
20. Describe in detail a really good first day of school.
21. List 1o words connected with back-to-school. Now compose a poem that includes those words.
22. Write a story about being the new kid in school.
23. Imagine that you’re in charge of helping the librarian create a themed book display for the first week of school. Describe your ideas.
24. Create a fun attention-getter that your teacher can use to quiet the class.
25. Draft an article for the school newspaper giving tips on how to start the school year on a good note.
26. Write a review of one of your summer reading books.
27. How does responding to first day of school writing prompts benefit you as a student?
28. Reflecting on all the lessons you’ve learned, write a letter to your younger self.
29. I am most excited to do the following activities this school year…
30. Write about a school day in the life of your teacher. What adventures, challenges, surprises, and successes might he or she face daily?
31. Would you rather take a test or write an essay? Explain your thinking.
32. Write a letter to your teacher convincing him why it’s okay to allow students to use their devices after completing class assignments.
33. Write a letter to a friend with tips on how to cope with first day jitters.
34. Write about two habits you need to change plus what you will do in order to improve.
35. Describe your dream college plus a typical day for you on campus.
36. Share the recipe for success this school year. What does it take to consistently stay on task, receive good grades, and be an all-around great student?
37. Write a critique of a book or movie you recently consumed.
Get-to-Know You First Day of School Writing Prompts
These next first day of school writing prompts provide insight about your new students.
38. Share some things that make you sad and some things that make you happy.
39. In detail, share any holiday traditions you participate in with your family.
40. Name 2 of your academic strengths and 2 areas in which you need to improve.
41. Share 10-15 cool facts about yourself. (e.g. languages spoken, extracurricular activities, etc.)
42. Would you rather read fiction or non-fiction books? Why?
43. Write about any countries you’ve visited. Describe any memorable moments.
44. Retell a scene from a book you recently read.
45. What are 2 goals you want to accomplish this year?
46. When you are an adult, what career would you like to have? Why do you think you’d be good for this job?
47. Describe your family.
48. Make a list of your favorites (movies, music, food, subjects, holidays, sports, animals, vacation spots, etc.) Share why you love these things.
49. Which 10 adjectives would you use to describe yourself? Give an example for each.
50. The perfect day looks like…
51. How does a typical weekend look for you and your family?
52. Describe some books you enjoy in your favorite genre.
53. I struggle the most with … but I’m really good at…
54. Write a “recipe for school success”. Tell the ingredients, measurements, and provide instructions.
Final Thoughts
Now you have a collection of first day of school writing prompts that will fit well alongside your back to school activities.
These prompts warm-up learners to writer’s workshop , instill a love for writing, help teachers observe students’ writing skills, and allow students to express themselves.
So be sure to include a few of these engaging prompts in your back to school lesson plans.
P.S You may want to incorporate writing prompts throughout the school year . See the importance of using writing prompts with students .
Learn more about HMH’s agreement to acquire NWEA and what it means for teachers and students
CORE CURRICULUM
Into Literature, 6-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Into Literature, 6-12
Into Reading, K-6" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Into Reading, K-6
- SEE ALL LITERACY" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL LITERACY
HMH Growth Measure" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> HMH Growth Measure
- SEE ALL ASSESSMENT" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL ASSESSMENT
Hero Academy Leveled Libraries, PreK-4" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Hero Academy Leveled Libraries, PreK-4
HMH Reads Digital Library, K-5" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> HMH Reads Digital Library, K-5
inFact Leveled Libraries, K-5" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> inFact Leveled Libraries, K-5
JillE Literacy, K-3" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> JillE Literacy, K-3
Rigby PM, K-5" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Rigby PM, K-5
Science & Engineering Leveled Readers, K-5" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Science & Engineering Leveled Readers, K-5
- SEE ALL READERS" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL READERS
INTERVENTION
English 3D, 4-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> English 3D, 4-12
Read 180, 3-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Read 180, 3-12
System 44, 3-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> System 44, 3-12
- SEE ALL READING INTERVENTION" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL READING INTERVENTION
SUPPLEMENTAL
A Chance in the World SEL, 8-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> A Chance in the World SEL, 8-12
Amira Learning, K-5" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Amira Learning, K-5
Waggle, K-8" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Waggle, K-8
Writable, 3-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Writable, 3-12
Arriba las Matematicas, K-8" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Arriba las Matematicas, K-8
Go Math!, K-6" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Go Math!, K-6
Into Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, 8-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Into Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, 8-12
Into Math, K-8" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Into Math, K-8
Math Expressions, PreK-6" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Math Expressions, PreK-6
Math in Focus, K-8" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Math in Focus, K-8
- SEE ALL MATH" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL MATH
Math 180, 5-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Math 180, 5-12
AP & ELECTIVES
Precalculus" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Precalculus
- SEE ALL MATH AP & ELECTIVES" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL MATH AP & ELECTIVES
AP & Electives" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> AP & Electives
Into Science, K-5" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Into Science, K-5
Into Science, 6-8" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Into Science, 6-8
Science Dimensions, K-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Science Dimensions, K-12
- SEE ALL SCIENCE" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL SCIENCE
inFact Leveled Readers, K-5" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> inFact Leveled Readers, K-5
ScienceSaurus, K-8" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> ScienceSaurus, K-8
HMH Social Studies, 6-12" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> HMH Social Studies, 6-12
- SEE ALL SOCIAL STUDIES" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL SOCIAL STUDIES
AP Human Geography" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> AP Human Geography
Personal Finance" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Personal Finance
- SEE ALL SOCIAL STUDIESAP & ELECTIVES" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL SOCIAL STUDIES AP & ELECTIVES
Writable" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Writable
For Teachers
Coaching Membership" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Coaching Membership
Teacher's Corner" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Teacher's Corner
Live Online Courses" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Live Online Courses
- SEE ALL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
For Leaders
ICLE (International Center for Leadership in Education)" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> ICLE (International Center for Leadership in Education)
Assessment" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Assessment
Early Learning" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Early Learning
English Language Development" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> English Language Development
Homeschool" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Homeschool
Intervention" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Intervention
Literacy" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Literacy
Mathematics" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Mathematics
Professional Development" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Professional Development
Science" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Science
School Improvement" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> School Improvement
Social and Emotional Learning" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Social and Emotional Learning
Social Studies" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Social Studies
Special Education" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Special Education
Summer School" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Summer School
- SEE ALL SOLUTIONS" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> SEE ALL SOLUTIONS
BROWSE RESOURCES
Classroom Activities" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Classroom Activities
Customer Success Stories" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Customer Success Stories
Digital Samples" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Digital Samples
Events & Webinars" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Events & Webinars
Funding (CARES Act, ESSA, ESSER)" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Funding (CARES Act, ESSA, ESSER)
International" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> International
Research Library" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Research Library
Shaped - HMH Blog" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Shaped - HMH Blog
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Contact Sales" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Contact Sales
Customer Service & Technical Support Portal" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Customer Service & Technical Support Portal
Platform Login" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Platform Login
Learn about us
About" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> About
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Governance" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Governance
News Announcements" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> News Announcements
Our Legacy" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Our Legacy
Social Responsibility" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Social Responsibility
Supplier Diversity" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Supplier Diversity
Careers" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Careers
Educator Input Panel" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Educator Input Panel
Suppliers and Vendors" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Suppliers and Vendors
Heinemann" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Heinemann
- Platform Login" data-element-location="header nav topbar"> Platform Login
Connected Teaching and Learning" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Connected Teaching and Learning
Connected Teaching and Learning from HMH brings together on-demand professional development, students' assessment data, and relevant practice and instruction.
Providing professional development for teachers, HMH’s professional learning courses, coaching, and leadership advisory supports educators every step of the way.
Social Emotional Learning Curriculum" data-element-location="header nav submenu"> Social Emotional Learning Curriculum
Research shows that a social-emotional learning curriculum can lead to improved academic performance. Explore high-quality SEL programs that get results.
29 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Middle and High School
The first day of school is approaching, and as a teacher, your schedule is likely already filling up with organizational and instructional prep work. However, despite all of your efforts, you may find that some students may emerge slowly from their summer hazes.
Before your middle school or high school students start their assigned reading, get them engaged with these back-to-school writing prompts. Fill up some class time with a few warm-up writing prompts below, or send students home with a larger assignment to get them back into the swing of things!
First Day of School Writing Prompts: Middle School Students
Classroom Prompt Assignments
- Stream of consciousness is when a character lets their thoughts continuously flow. Write a stream of consciousness story of your own and see where your thoughts take you.
- For the new school year, what new skill would you choose to learn if you had the time, money, and ability? Why?
- Write a critique of a book, movie, or show you recently read or watched. What were its strong points? What were its weak ones?
- Describe the reigning emotions you felt this summer. Why did you feel that way, and how do you think these emotions might change as the school year progresses?
- Choose a place you traveled to this summer, either locally or far away, and write a blog post about that location. Should other people visit as well? It could be a restaurant, a town, a shop, or a favorite spot to hang out.
- If there is a club, sport, class, or event you are excited about this year, write what you already know about it. Follow up with some expectations that you have for the experience and yourself.
- A flashbulb memory is a very detailed memory that you have from when you were young. Do you have any memories like that, and if so, what are they about? Are there any events that have happened recently that you think you will remember for a long time?
- Do you have any traditions? If not, which one would you want to start this year?
- Describe the most memorable school project that you’ve ever done. Would you like to do a similar project this year, and if so, how can it be adapted to what you’re learning now?
- If you could create a themed book display for your school library, what would it be? Which titles would it include, and why?
Take-Home Writing Assignments
- Write a letter to your younger self, and then another to your older self.
- One important rule of creative writing is to “Show Don’t Tell.” Write a 1,500-word short story in your favorite genre, following this rule.
- Write a local wildlife guide to your backyard, neighborhood, local park, or even the school itself. What flora and fauna exist there?
- Write a 1,000-word essay about an aspect of your summer that focuses on the five senses—Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste, and Touch.
First Day of School Writing Prompts: High School Students
- Set three resolutions for yourself to accomplish this year and describe why those are the ones you chose.
- Write a list of How-To instructions for something that you know how to do. It could be making a meal, cleaning something, playing a game, babysitting, drawing a picture, etc.
- Create a dream college for you to attend once you graduate. Which academic programs does it offer? What sports, art classes, and clubs are offered? Where is it located?
- Write a short story using only dialogue. Work on creating different voices for each character. If it helps, take notes on each character before the dialogue starts. Does one character use slang? Is the other excitable? Is one character older than the other?
- Write a song on a subject that isn’t usually heard in other songs.
- Create a new class for your school to offer. Why do you think that class is necessary? What are the learning goals for that class, and what are the assignments?
- Which app do you spend the most time on? What are the positive aspects of using the app? What are the negatives?
- Is there a cause that you want to be a part of? What is it, and why is it important to you?
- Create a new club for your community or school. What is the club about? What are your goals, and who do you hope will join?
- Describe three things that you are looking forward to this year.
- What is your ultimate dream job? Research the industry, company, or role you’re interested in and report on what it is and how to get there. Conclude with your expectations before and after your research. Is the job what you thought it was?
- Choose a position with the local government to run for and outline a platform to run on. Then, write a speech to voters about your platform. Make sure to research your current representatives to learn what their platforms are.
- What is going on in the town or city that you live in? Research local events, places, volunteer opportunities, parks, clubs, etc. Visit a new place or attend a new event, then write a review of your experiences using descriptive language. Would you go back again? Why or why not?
- An executive summary is an intro to a business plan that is designed to grab the reader’s attention by summarizing what the new business will accomplish. Write an executive summary between 500 and 1,000 words for a product, venture, or business that you wish existed.
- Research a historical figure that looks a little like you do (bonus points if you’ve never heard of them before now). What did they accomplish?
No matter how much or how little your students read this summer, get their creativity flowing with these thought-provoking journal prompts to kick off the year. By focusing on descriptive language, persuasive arguments, and ideas for the future, your middle school or high school class will find their writer's stride in no time.
Try Writable to support your ELA curriculum, district benchmarks, and state standards with more than 600 fully customizable writing assignments and rubrics for students in Grades 3–12 .
Try out a free trial of Writable today by following these steps:
- Go to hmh.writable.com
- Click "Log in or Create Account"
- Choose "I'm a teacher"
- Sign in with Google or Microsoft account
- Select the grade level you teach
Related Reading
13 Women’s History Month Books for Elementary Students
Alicia Ivory Shaped Editor
What is the C3 Framework for Social Studies?
Zoe Del Mar Shaped Staff
Podcast: Supporting SEL in Middle School Science with Autumn Rivera in CO on Teachers in America
Jennifer Corujo Shaped Editor
- Mathematics
- English Language Arts
- Grammar & Writing
- Virtual Events
- What is Phonics?
- Teaching Grammar
- Vocabulary Games
- What is Virtual Learning?
- About Sadlier
- Find a Sales Representative
- International Distributors
- Online Catalogs
- Sadlier School Site Map
- Pricing & Ordering Information
- Sadlier’s W-9
- Sadlier’s Sole Source Letter
- Sadlier’s Credit Application
- Privacy Policy
- Return Policy
- Terms & Conditions
Sadlier's English Language Arts Blog
- Author Interviews
- Interactive Read Alouds
- Close Reading
- Vocabulary/Vocab Gal
- Writing with Vocabulary
- Assessments
- Charts/Posters
- Graphic Organizers
- Back to School
- End of School
- Classroom Management
- Thinking Routines
- About Our Bloggers
August 12, 2022 CG Writing Lessons 9-12 , CG Writing Lessons K-5 , CG Writing Lessons 6-8 , ELA K-5 , ELA Seasonal Back to School , ELA 6-8 , ELA Resources - Activities , ELA Focus - Writing , ELA 9-12 , Core Grammar
Back-to-school writing prompts [includes printable worksheets], by: tiffany rehbein.
Use simple back-to-school writing prompts to assess writing skills and learn important information about each student in your room!
Individual Back-To-School Writing Prompts
Writing assessment comes in many forms, and here are 10 prompts to get your students writing.
Write about going back to school after summer vacation.
Five years from now I will be …
Write a list of 10 things that make you feel good.
Describe your favorite day.
Tell about your favorite weather.
Describe an outdoor game you like to play.
Imagine that you are an animal in the zoo. What type of animal are you? How do you feel about your home in the zoo? How do you feel about people that visit and watch you?
If you could visit any place, where would it be and why?
Draw yourself as a superhero. Write about the personality traits you would have.
As I approached the school on the first day, I saw …
If you would like to extend these writing prompts, download my Letter Writing Prompt Activity . With this activity students will pick a prompt and then write a letter about that topic. Have students practice writing a draft and revising, for a nice, clean final copy. Then instruct students to use the letter template in the Letter Writing Prompt Activity to write their final draft. These final letters can be posted in the classroom or hallway to celebrate your student's writing.
Collaborative Back-to-School Writing Prompts
Using small groups or the whole class, here’s a fun way to write collaboratively!
Each student needs a pencil and a piece of paper that is out of their notebook
Post As I approached the school on the first day, I saw … on the overhead projector or white board
Have each student write the opener and add to it. You can put a time limit on the writing or a quantitative number (e.g., write 3-5 sentences)
After they have written, have the students pass their paper to the person in front of them
Students will read the new paper and add to it (again with a time or sentence limit)
Repeat steps 4 and 5 based on your time frame
Write a conclusion! At this point, you will have an introduction and some body paragraphs. To reinforce writing conclusions, verbally tell the students to write a solid conclusion, wrapping up the story.
Have one student read the story to the entire class to share the creative event!
These back-to-school writing prompts build classroom community, gives students an opportunity to write in an engaging, collaborative manner, and gives you valuable feedback to you about each student’s writing.
Additional Back-to-School Writing Ideas
Don't forget to check out my Who Are You? Writing Prompt . This is a great worksheet to use occasionally throughout the year to show your students you are always interested in their interests... not just during the first few weeks of class.
hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(95641, '650c53c6-6aaa-4140-a5f2-a30a4681f873', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"});
Looking for additional writing prompts you can use throughout the year? Below are three downloads that will be great additions to your teaching tool kit.
Back to School Writing Prompts for the Secondary Classroom
Back-to-school writing prompts about summer break.
- What did you do over summer break?
- What was your favorite thing about summer break?
- What was your least favorite part of summer break?
- What song best represents your summer break and why?
- What movie best represents your summer break and why?
- What life lessons did you learn over summer break?
- What accomplishments did you achieve over summer break?
- What hardships did you experience over summer break?
Back-to-school writing prompts about last school year.
- What was your favorite thing about school last year?
- What was your least favorite part about school last year?
- What class was your favorite and why?
- Which class did you struggle with the most and why?
- What life lessons did you learn last school year?
- What accomplishments did you achieve last school year?
- What hardships did you experience last school year?
- What obstacles did you face last school year and how did you overcome them?
Back-to-school writing prompts about this school year.
- What are your goals for this school year?
- What is the most frightening thing about a new school year?
- What is the most exciting thing about a new school year?
- What are you most excited about this year?
- What are you dreading about this school year?
- What current obstacles or hardships are you facing this school year?
- As your teacher, how can I best help you succeed in my classroom?
- What do you want me to know about you?
Back-to-school writing prompts about life in general.
- What is your most cherished childhood memory? Describe the event/memory in detail.
- What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced? How did you overcome this obstacle?
- What is your life dream and how do you plan to achieve it?
- Describe the most frightening moment of your life.
- What are you most proud of and why?
- What is a typical day in your life like? Explain in detail.
Back to School Resources for the Secondary Classroom:
Subscribe to my email list.
Subscribe to receive freebies, teaching ideas, and my latest content by email.
I won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
JournalBuddies.com
Journal Buddies Jill | June 10, 2022 July 22, 2015 | Journal Prompts & Writing Ideas
33 Going Back to School Journal Starters
Going Back to School Journaling Ideas for Kids—
Back to school season is one of the most exciting times of the year for students and teachers alike! For students, it’s the perfect time to brush off those dusty notebooks, say hello to old friends, and set brand new goals for the coming months ahead—and for teachers, it’s a time to meet new faces, settle back into a comfortable routine, and share all kinds of new lessons and learning tools with open, young minds.
In these 33 all-new journal prompts, your students will have the opportunity to sit down and think about everything that awaits them in the coming year. Ranging from practical to fanciful, students will consider topics such as how to be a better classmate, how much influence their friends have over them, and what school may be like for students in the future. As they reflect on what they learned last year and think about what they most want to learn this year, your students will come to a place of openness and excitement about all the classes and projects that await them.
Use these new journal prompts to get your class ready for the brand new school year—and to help them develop some common goals for their learning!
Going Back to School 33 New Journal Starters for Kids
- How can you be a better student this year? Write about three things you can do to help your teacher.
- How can you be a better classmate this year? Write about three things you can do to improve your relationships with your classmates.
- What does it feel like to go back to school after summer? Are you happy? Excited? Nervous? Tired? Curious? Choose three emotions you feel when you think of the new school year and write about each one.
- Write about the best book you read over the summer. What did you like about it? What could have made it better?
- Imagine that you are a student going back to school 100 years from now. What kinds of things would be different? What would still be the same? Write a story from the perspective of the future student.
- Write a story about a first day of school that doesn’t go exactly as planned for one class…
- What is the hardest part of going back to school? Why?
- What is the best part of the school day? Do you have a favorite class? Do you love lunch and recess? Is it getting to see your friends? Write about the one thing you enjoy most each day.
- If you could change any one rule at school, which would it be? Why?
- Think back on everything you learned in _____ grade. What was the most important thing? What was the most memorable thing?
- What part of being in _____ grade are you most excited about? W hy?
- What do you want to be when you grow up? Has that dream changed as you’ve gotten older? Why or why not?
- Do you think grades are important? Why or why not?
- Set three goals for yourself to achieve during the upcoming school year. What are they? How will you make them happen?
- What is one thing that could make your daily routine at school more interesting? Why would it improve your day?
- Write a story about a student with a dog that has a real taste for homework—how does the student get his or her work done in time?
- What is one thing that you’re proud of learning last year? How can you use that knowledge to improve your learning this year?
- What are you most excited to learn about this year? Why?
- Why is it so important for kids to go to school?
- Would you rather have a little bit of homework every night or a lot of homework to do all at once over the weekend? W hy?
- Do you think that your friends have much influence over you? Why or why not?
- What are three qualities that make someone a good teacher? Why are these qualities important?
- Do you ever feel like your hobbies or interests outside of school support your learning? Or can some of your interests distract you from your schoolwork? Why or why not?
- What is your greatest talent? How can you use that talent in the classroom this year?
- What is your greatest weakness? What can you do to improve upon it this year?
- Write a “school pride” poem about our school. I nclude details about your favorite places in the school, your favorite teachers, and your favorite school events!
- What is your favorite part of going to school? Why?
- What makes a classroom a good place to learn? What factors help you focus and what factors make it hard to concentrate?
- If you had to help another student who was struggling to get his or her homework done, what would you tell the student to do?
- What is one thing you could do this year to become a better person? How will you do it?
- Write about something that most of your classmates don’t know about you.
- Choose one thing in the classroom and write about it using as much detail as you can (without giving away what it is). Then, trade your writing with a few other classmates and try to guess what the other people were talking about.
More Back to School Writing Resources
- 51 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Students
- 30 Back to School Writing Ideas
- 12 Back To School Writing Prompts
Until next time, write on…
If you enjoyed these Going Back to School Journal Starters, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!
Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator
Tap to See Prompts 10 Great Journal List Prompts (110 Ideas in All!) 15 Free First Day of School Writing Activities Great Journal Prompts for Kids (48 Ideas!) ------------Start of Om Added --------- @media (min-width: 320px) and (max-width: 767px) { .inside-right-sidebar { display: none !important; } } Featured Posts
Tap to See Prompts 10 Great Journal List Prompts (110 Ideas in All!) 15 Free First Day of School Writing Activities Great Journal Prompts for Kids (48 Ideas!) Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7-8 Grade 9-12 All Ages ------------End of Om Added --------- Tags August , back to school , Back to School Activities , Back to School Journal Prompts , Back to school writing , Back to School Writing Prompts , Going Back to School , journal idea , journal ideas , journal prompts , journal starters , Journal Starters for Kids , journal writing , learning tools , new journal , new journal prompts , New Journal Starters , new lessons , new school year , prompts , school , school year , September , students , students and teachers div#postbottom { margin-top: 12px; } Featured Posts
- Arts & Music
- English Language Arts
- World Language
- Social Studies - History
- Holidays / Seasonal
- Independent Work Packet
- Easel by TPT
- Google Apps
Interactive resources you can assign in your digital classroom from TPT.
Easel Activities
Easel Assessments
Unlock access to 4 million resources — at no cost to you — with a school-funded subscription..
first day of school writing prompt
All Formats
Resource types, all resource types, results for first day of school writing prompt.
- Price (Ascending)
- Most Recent
First Day of School Writing Prompt
First Day of School Ice Breaker Activity with Writing Prompt | Distance Learning
Also included in: Ice Breaker Bundle English and Spanish | Back to School | New Year
First Day of School - I Am Unique Fingerprint Writing Activity
Back to School Writing Prompts Activity {First Week of School Writing Prompts}
Also included in: 100th Day of School Picture Writing Prompts, Back to School & End of Year Bundle
Growth Mindset Bell Ringer Journal for Entire Year: Back to School (EDITABLE)
First day of School - Writing Prompts - Thinker's Keys
Bell Ringer Journal for Entire School Year: 275 ELA Bell Ringers Back to School
First Day of School Activities - 1st Day of Middle School - About Me Activity
Also included in: Beginning of School Year BUNDLE! - 1st Day of School, Class Management, 4 Units
A Letter From Your Teacher on the First Day of School Activity
- Easel Activity
Also included in: A Letter From Your Teacher on the First Day of School Activities Bundle
Back to School Activities Kindergarten | First Week of School
Also included in: Back to School Kindergarten Bundle
End of the Year & Back to School Writing Prompt Craft Taco 'bout Fun
100th Day of School Writing Craftivity- Craft & Writing Prompt
Kindness Writing Prompts Quilt Activity with Random Acts of Kindness
Also included in: Writing Prompts Quilts Bundle: Writing Activities: St. Patrick's Day, Easter etc
Grammar Bell Ringer Journal for Entire School Year GRADES 6-12 Back to School
Also included in: All Things WRITING Bundle: Writing Activities Projects for Middle & High School
100th Day of School Writing Fun 100th Day of School Activity
Also included in: Holiday Writing Prompts Pennants 4th 5th Grades Holiday Seasonal Bulletin Boards
First Week of First Grade Plans Back to School Beginning of Year Activities
First Day Week Back to School Bulletin Board All About Me Writing Prompt Posters
Also included in: Back to School Bulletin Board, Meet the Teacher Planner Binder Template Editable
Math Bell Ringer Journal for Entire School Year: Grades 6-12 Back to School
End of the Year Activities, Writing Prompts, and Student Projects
Also included in: End of the Year Reflection Activities and Creative Projects Bundle
DIGITAL Growth Mindset Bell Ringer Journal for School Year: Back to School
Back To School | Beginning of The Year | Writing Prompts
Also included in: Back To School | First Week of School | Beginning of the Year Activities Bundle
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WRITING ACTIVITY
Also included in: BACK TO SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
Back to School Challenge A First Day of School Activity for grades 3, 4, and 5
Also included in: Back to School Bundle Grade 4
Growth Mindset Bell Ringer Prompts Entire Year: Back to School Presentation
TPT empowers educators to teach at their best.
- We're Hiring
- Help & FAQ
- Terms of Service
- Trademark & Copyright
- Privacy Policy
- Student Privacy Policy
Keep in Touch!
Are you getting the free resources, updates, and special offers we send out every week in our teacher newsletter?
9 Fun First Day at School Writing Activities
The smell of freshly painted halls, the excited chatter of returning students bursting with 2 months’ worth of gossip to share – it must be the first day at school once again.
Rusty pens and dusty pencils are hastily pulled from the bottom of school bags where, for many, they’ve lain all summer.
Now, you’ll need some engaging writing activities to get those atrophied writing muscles back in shape. The standard ‘ What I Did This Summer ’ type essay just isn’t going to cut it.
Luckily, we have 7 Great Back to School Writing Activities for you to help shake off the cobwebs and get your students’ writing skills back on par. Let’s get started.
Ice Breakers – FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL Writing activities
At the start of each school year, there’s likely to be a new face or two in the class and while 2 months isn’t a long time in the great scheme of things, our students can do a lot of growing and changing in that time.
Ice-breaker writing activities give students a chance to connect with others in the class. They give students some insight into the lives of their classmates.
Here are some fun ice-breaker writing activities to get the new school year off to a strong start writing-wise.
- The A to Z of Me!
In the A to Z of Me , students write an acrostic poem about themselves. With the first line of the poem starting with the letter A, each new line of the poem begins with the next letter of the alphabet and should reveal something about the poet.
For younger students this may be too long – it’d be a 26 line poem after all. In this case, you can easily adapt the activity to employ the letters of the student’s first name.
The aim of this activity is for students to capture the essence of who they are in their poems. They can write a phrase or a line based on their interests, their appearance, things they have done, hobbies, desires, ideas, where they’re from, etc.
For older students and stronger students, you can make this more challenging by insisting they employ a rhyme scheme throughout their poem.
For example, they could write their poem in couplets (AA, BB, CC, etc) or with an alternate line rhyming scheme (AB, AB, AB, etc).
When students have finished writing their acrostic poems about themselves, they can perform it to the whole class in the form of a class poetry slam.
This is a fun activity that challenges students to recall what they know about their classmates already or, in the case of a newly formed group of students, to explore their initial impressions of each other.
In Guess Who? the teacher divides the students into 2 groups. They then write down a unique fact about themselves on a piece of paper, fold it up, and give it to the teacher.
If everyone already knows each other very well, you might want to limit the facts to something they did over the summer that the others in the class are not aware of yet.
Students could write about a hobby or a talent they have, a language they speak, or a place they visited, anything that they feel makes them unique or special.
Students then take it in turns to read a fact written by someone from the other group and they then guess who wrote it.
A point is awarded for each correct guess the winning team being the team with the most points at the end.
Collaborative writing Activities
Collaborative writing activities offer students opportunities to work together with a partner, a small group, or the whole class to produce a shared piece of writing.
As with the previous activities, these activities can serve to break the ice. More than that, though, they help students establish a level of comfort working together to achieve a shared goal – a key dynamic to encourage at the start of any school year.
- Snowball Story-Writing
In this simple, but fun activity each student starts by writing the beginning to a story. There should be an allotted amount of time to complete this, the length of which will depend on the age and abilities of the students.
When the allotted time is up, students should stop writing, roll their piece of paper up into a ball, then throw it up towards the top of the classroom!
Students should then each retrieve one of the ‘snowballs’ from the front of the classroom and, when the timer is started, read the beginning of the story and then write the story middle until the time is up.
Again, the students throw their snowballs to the front of the classroom, before selecting a new snowball to write the ending.
When the stories are completed, they should be returned to the students who wrote the story beginning. This student should write a final draft of the story to ensure it reads well
Students can then share their stories by reading them out to the class.
Sometimes students will struggle to kick start their writing. To help students get going, it can be helpful to provide students with a sheet of paper with a writing prompt on it. This can be in the form of a sentence or even a picture.
These prompts can be easily differentiated to suit the age and abilities of your students. For example, more prescriptive prompts are useful for younger students, while more open-ended prompts will be suitable for older and/or stronger students.
- Tapestry Poems
Tapestry poems are a collaboration between two students. So, as a first step, you need to assign each student a partner to work with.
The next step requires you to assign a topic for each pair of students in the class. Each partner then independently writes a 9-line poem on the assigned topic.
When each student has finished their 9-line poem, they share them with their partner.
The task at hand is for the students to now work together to produce an 18-line poem from the two 9-line poems they have created.
To do this, the students will have to collaborate to make the composite poem work. The idea here is to weave the different threads of the two interpretations of the topic into a single ‘tapestry’.
Students will need to include the 9 lines of both poems, but they have room to edit for verb tense and to make minor grammatical changes to make things work.
The partners must also compromise to agree on a single title for their shared piece.
COMPLETE YEAR LONG INFERENCE WRITING RESOURCE
Tap into the power of imagery in your classroom to get your students to master INFERENCE as AUTHORS and CRITICAL THINKERS .
This YEAR LONG 500+ PAGE unit is packed with robust opportunities for your students to develop the critical skill of inference through fun imagery and powerful thinking tools, and graphic organizers.
MemorY Writing activities
While we want to avoid the cliched ‘ What I Did This Summer ’ essay, it doesn’t mean that memories of the long holidays can’t serve as an ‘ in’ to some worthwhile writing activities.
In the following writing activities, students will be asked to access their memories of summer to serve as a jumping-off point. Let’s get started!
- Paint a Picture With Words
Essentially, this writing activity challenges students to write by employing their senses to evoke a memory.
First, ask the students to choose from a memory of a place they visited during the summer vacation. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a beach trip or visit to a shopping mall, they’ll both serve equally well for this activity.
Students must then endeavor to recreate the scene as they recall it through careful selection of vocabulary and description.
The main focus of this type of writing will be the use of sensory language. Students should meditate on the things they saw, heard, smelled, tasted, and felt while they were in their chosen place.
Students should work to paint a vivid, multi-dimensional picture in the reader’s minds-eye. For this reason, they should choose a static memory such as a scene they recall. This activity has more in common with landscape painting than with film-making. A plot is not required.
This activity offers students an opportunity to hone their descriptive writing skills which will help them improve their writing in many genres.
As with the last activity, this type of poetry is typically focused on evoking a scene. In the case of the haiku, this is usually a natural scene.
Before putting pen to paper, be sure students are suitably familiar with the features of the haiku:
● It consists of 3 lines
● It contains 17 syllables
● The 1st and 3rd lines have 5 syllables and the 2nd line has 7 syllables
● It does not need to rhyme
● It’s usually about nature or a natural phenomenon
● Often has two contrasting or juxtaposed subjects woven into it.
This activity is best introduced by reading and examining a couple of well-written haikus, such as those by Basho in translation, to ensure student familiarity with the form.
This is a very meditative writing form and it is important to set a suitable mood and atmosphere in the classroom to encourage the necessary concentration and reflection the writing process will require. The playing of gentle instrumental music is one way to help achieve this ambience.
FUN WRITING ACTIVITIES
While the first of our Back to School Writing Activities focus clearly on breaking the ice and drawing on memories, the primary focus of the following writing activities is on having fun.
While these activities will also offer students opportunities to develop some technical aspects of their writing skills, the main emphasis here is on students seeing writing as a fun, creative activity where they have the space and time for self-expression.
- Creative Excuses
To start this activity, students must come up with a list of 10 chores or tasks that they absolutely hate doing.
Next, students should choose 4 from this list of their most detested tasks. They need to then write a letter explaining why they cannot complete these tasks.
Encourage students to get creative with their excuses. The crazier and more imaginative the excuses are, the better. This activity is an opportunity for students to let their imaginations loose.
- ‘What If?’ Writing Prompts
Writing prompts are a great way for students to break through writer’s block. In this activity, students generate their own writing prompts by creating ‘ what if? ’ scenarios for other students in the class to use as writing prompts.
Many of the best and most creative stories come from starting with an inquiry into what would happen if x happened. These scenarios can be silly, serious, fantastical, or humorous, as long as they provide a jumping-off point for the student writer.
When students have completed their prompts, the teacher should gather them in to distribute randomly among the class.
When students have finished writing their responses to their assigned prompts they can share their work with the class. This will be especially interesting for the writer of the original prompt.
- Fictional Interviews
This activity involves a little bit of writing and a lot of role-playing.
In this activity, students should be paired up with a partner. Each partner chooses a fictional character they will role-play. The character can be from any type of fiction, for example, movies, comic books, or works of literature.
Partners must prepare and write up a series of interview questions for their partner’s fictional character.
Partners take turns interviewing each other while the interviewee is in character.
This is a great way to bring a bit of drama into the classroom, but if you want to emphasize the writing aspect of the activity, you can set the students the task of writing up the interview in the style of a magazine feature article. This will require the student to weave some narrative writing around the back and forth of the questions and answers of the interview.
In Conclusion
So, there we have it. 9 engaging activities to kick start the writing process at the start of the school year.
There is quite a variety to choose from here, with some activities honing technical aspects of the writing process, while others are more centred on the fun of creativity.
Remember, at the start of the school year, it isn’t so important what the students write, but that they write!
With the selection of activities above, you’re sure to find an activity to suit even the most pen-shy of students!
DOWNLOAD OUR 52 DIGITAL WRITING JOURNAL TASKS
Our FUN TEN-MINUTE DAILY WRITING TASKS will teach your students the fundamentals of creative writing across all text types. 52 INDEPENDENT TASKS are perfect for DISTANCE LEARNING.
These EDITABLE Journals are purpose-built for DIGITAL DEVICES on platforms such as Google Classroom, SeeSaw and Office 365. Alternatively, you can print them out and use them as a traditional writing activity.
30+ 5-star Ratings ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
OTHER GREAT WRITING ACTIVITIES TO TRY
7 Evergreen Writing Activities for Elementary Students
7 fun writing activities for the reluctant writer
13 Fun Reading Activities for Any Book
5 Fun Growth Mindset Writing Activities Students and Teachers Love
Discover some writing tasks that encourage and promote a growth mindset mentality among students.
6 YouTube Writing Activities for Students and Teachers
Learn to use YouTube as a powerful teaching and learning tool to improve student writing skills. 6 Unique writing activities and teaching strategies turn students from video consumers to content creators. The ability to learn from and on Youtube is an essential skill for students and teachers.
9 First Day of School Writing Activities
Discover 9 fun and engaging writing activities to start the school year across all text types. These will help students break the ice to start the school year and improve student writing skills and your teaching strategies.
5 Fun Seasonal Writing Activities Students and Teachers Love
Seasonal writing activities for teachers and students. Christmas Writing tasks, Halloween Writing Tasks, Back to School Writing, Spring Writing Tasks, Winter Writing tasks, and more.
The content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh. A former principal of an international school and English university lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, The Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here. Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.
- 1. Book Report Projects
- 2. Projects For Novels & Picture Books
- 3. Seasons & Holidays
- 4. Powerpoint
- 6. Sticker Charts
August and Back to School Writing Prompts
Creative writing ideas and journal topics for august and back to school.
Back To School and August Writing Prompts: Are you looking for a creative list of writing prompts and journal ideas to use during the month of August?
Below, you will find a list of general back to school writing prompts and a list of specific calendar dates for August which contain creative writing ideas related to that particular date in August.
I have created this list of August writing prompts and ideas for elementary school teachers and students, but many of these creative writing ideas and topics would also be appropriate for other grade levels .
You will find some August and Back to School writing prompts below that contain clickable links . If you click on a link:
- You will be taken to another page on Unique Teaching Resources that contains detailed lesson plan ideas and printable worksheets for those August and Back to School writing prompts.
- You will be directed to another website that contains useful information related to those particular August and Back to School writing prompts.
August and Back To School Writing Prompts
Click on the categories below to go to a specific topic . You can also scroll through this page to read each of these August writing prompts.
General August and Back To School Writing Prompts:
- Summer Vacation
- Back to School
August Celebrations, Events, Holidays, and Dates in History:
First Monday of August - Friendship Day
August 18 - paula danziger's birthday, august 25 - national park service created (1916), august 26 - mother teresa's birthday, august 28 - i have a dream speech by martin luther king jr. (1963), summer vacation writing prompts:, writing prompt idea: the perfect summer vacation worksheet set, writing prompt idea: my summer vacation suitcase templates, writing prompt idea: summer vacation cell phone templates, back to school writing prompts:, writing prompt idea: book bag templates, writing prompt idea: chalkboard writing templates, writing prompt idea: apple creative writing templates, writing prompt idea: creative writing bus stationery set, writing prompt idea: write all about it: creative writing stationery set, writing prompt idea: pencil templates: my goals this year, writing prompt idea: school bus templates: student introduction, writing prompt idea: pencil box templates: we are colorful students, writing prompt idea: color pencil templates - all about me poem, writing prompt idea: megaphone templates - classmate interview, writing prompt idea: star templates - meet the stars of our classroom.
Note: Many of my September Writing Prompts would also be appropriate to use for August, so be sure to also look at the writing prompt ideas on my September page .
End of General August and Back to School Writing Prompts
Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August . The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in the United States in 1935 when Congress proclaimed the first Sunday of August as National Friendship Day.
In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship.
Paula Danziger was born on August 18, 1944 in Washington, D.C. She was raised in New York and as early as second grade, Danziger knew that she wanted to be a writer.
Paula Danziger is a well known children's author and she wrote more than 30 books. Her most famous books are The Cat Ate My Gymsuit , The Divorce Express, and her Amber Brown series.
The National Park Service was created on August 25, 1916 by an Act of Congress and signed by President Woodrow Wilson. The National Park Service manages all the national park s and many national monuments in the United States.
The first national park was Yellowstone National Park and it was established by an Act signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872.
The National Park System includes: national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House.
Mother Teresa, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, was born on August 26 , 1910 in Skopje, Serbi. Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun who dedicated her life to humanitarian causes and she brought global awareness to the poverty in India . In India, Mother Teresa devoted herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta.
Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work for the poor and helpless. At the time of her death in 1997, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity operated 610 missions in 123 countries which included hospices and homes for orphans, HIV/AIDS patients, and people with leprosy.
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
In his speech, Martin Luther King Jr. called for racial equality and an end to discrimination. This speech is often considered to be one of the greatest and most notable speeches in human history.
Writing Prompt Idea: Biography Newspaper
Writing prompt idea: character body project, free august classroom calendar set.
Click on the link below to go to the page where you can download this free August classroom calendar , as well as free calendar sets for January - December.
Free Classroom Calendar Sets For January - December
Each of my free classroom calendar sets include the following:
- 2 page month banner
- large days of the week (Monday - Sunday)
- small days of the week (Monday - Sunday)
- date squares (1 -31)
- birthday squares
- blank squares
My printable calendar sets are designed to fit inside the monthly calendar pocket charts that many teachers use.
Click on the link below to go to my Free Classroom Calendars page: Free Printable Classroom Calendars
On the above page, you will find a link to download this free August classroom calendar , as well as links to download all 12 of my FREE calendar sets for January - December!
If you are interested in viewing other Back To School teaching resources that are found on my website, click on one of the links below:
1. Back To School Projects and Lessons Plans:
- Powerpoint Lesson Plans
- English Teaching Resources Page 1 > Page 2 > Page 3
- Math Teaching Resources
- Creative Writing Worksheets and Matching Banner Sets
- Bulletin Board Displays
2. Back To School Read Aloud Books:
- First Day Jitters - Julie Danneberg - Lunchbox Templates
- First Day Hooray - Nancy Poydar - Book Templates and Project
- Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School - Herman Parish - School Bus Templates and Project
- How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Mark Teague - Suitcase Templates and Project
3. Creative Writing Prompts and Ideas:
- August and Back To School Writing Prompts
- September Writing Prompts
4. FREE Back to School Downloads:
- August Classroom Calendar - FREE Download
- September Classroom Calendar - FREE Download
- Welcome Back To School Bulletin Board Display Banner - FREE Download
More Creative Writing Prompts For January - December
Click on one of the calendars below to go to a specific page of monthly writing prompts:, on these pages, you will find creative writing prompts that pertain to each month's themes , holidays , and events ., fun book report project templates to use all year long:, fun group projects for favorite novels and picture books:, thank you for visiting this august and back to school writing prompts page..
Go to Top of Page
Home › Creative Writing Prompts › August and Back To School Writing Prompts
Table of Contents
Click on the navigation bar above , or on the orange links below , to view the pages and resources on this website.
1. Reading
- Book Report Projects - Make Reading Fun With These Unique Templates!
- Projects For Favorite Books - EXTRA LARGE Group & Student Projects For Novels and Read Aloud Books
- Value Pack - 27 Book Report Projects
- Free Sight Word Flashcards - Fry - Dolch
- Newbery and Caldecott Book Lists
- Reading Overview - Book Report Tips
2. Writing
- Fun Creative Writing Templates
- Poetry Templates
- Printable Worksheets
- Writing Prompts For Jan - Dec
- Writing Overview
3. Other Subjects & Resources
- Powerpoint Lessons
- Sticker Charts
- Award Certificates
- Grammar
4. Resources For Months, Seasons & Holidays
- Back To School
- Peace Day (Sept. 21)
- October & Halloween
- November, Fall, & Thanksgiving
- December, January, & Winter
- February & Valentine's Day
- March & St. Patrick's Day
- April, May, & Spring
- Earth Day (April 22)
- Mother's Day - Father's Day
- June, July, & End of School Year
5. Monthly Creative Writing Prompts
- January - February - March
- April - May - June
- July - August - September
- October - November - December
- General Topics
6. FREE Downloads For Teachers
- List of FREE Teaching Resources
- FREE Printable Classroom Calendars
- FREE Bulletin Board Display Banners
- FREE Printables of Favorite Quotes
- FREE Sight Word Flashcards
- Bulletin Board Display Ideas
7. About This Site
- Contact Heidi - About Me
- Teacher Testimonials
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Copyright Policy - Privacy Policy
- FTC Disclosure - Disclaimer
Engage Your Students in Fun Reading Activities This Year More Than 25 Creative Book Report Projects to Choose From!
- VIEW ALL BOOK REPORT PROJECTS
- Cheeseburger - Wanted Poster
- Rocket - Monopoly Gameboard
- Dive Into Reading Fish - Sandwich
- Castle - Main Character Body
Extra Large Group Projects For Favorite Novels and Read Aloud Books
- VIEW ALL BOOK TITLES
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
- The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
- Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Let's Stay Connected!
1. our facebook teaching community (129,000+ teachers), 2. our pinterest boards (40+ boards and 14,000+ followers).
Thank you for visiting my website.
Please be sure to check out the other pages on Unique Teaching Resources for a large variety of fun lesson plans that will engage your students in learning and save you valuable time.
Heidi McDonald
Creator and Site Manager
Unique Teaching Resources
Copyright Policy
Privacy Policy
FTC Disclosure
Copyright © Unique Teaching Resources 2009 - 2018
Minds in Bloom
By Rachel Lynette
20 Back to School Writing Prompts
- Who is someone you spent a lot of time with this summer? Describe this person.
- Where did you go this summer that you have never been before?
- How did you spend Independence Day?
- Where did you spend most of your time this summer? Describe this place.
- What was your favorite activity from the summer? Why did you like it so much?
- What was you least favorite part of the summer? Why?
- What is one important thing you learned this summer? How did you learn it?
- What is something you did this summer that you are proud of?
- Describe something you did this summer that involved water.
- Describe something you did with a large group of people this summer.
- Write about something you did in nature this summer.
- Write about something you did to stay cool this summer.
- Write about something you did to earn money this summer.
- Write about something you did this summer that you have never done before.
- Write five words that describe your summer. Then tell why you choose each word.
- Write about something you made this summer.
- Write about something that made you angry or upset this summer.
- Write about a time when you had good luck this summer.
- Write about a book you read this summer.
- Write about a party or other special event you attended this summer.
Related posts:
Join our Amazing Group of Teachers!
Subscribe to get weekly freebies, teacher care, and more!
August 6, 2011 at 10:59 am
Great ideas – thank you for sharing them.
August 6, 2011 at 10:49 pm
I love these ideas! Thanks for taking some of the work out of starting school.
February 10, 2012 at 9:39 am
What you've shared is very fresh and these are interesting topics. A twist of the old question. Well, I'd like to add: Write something about the activity you did together with your siblings.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .
18 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Elementary Students
by Studentreasures | Aug. 5, 2022 | Writing Prompts
As summer draws to a close, we prepare for the most simultaneously dreaded and exciting (even if some of them will never admit that second part out loud) day on every elementary student’s calendar: the first day of the new school year !
It’s around this time—when all the teachers in our lives are frantically trying to fill in any gaps in their plans for the year and doing everything they can to orchestrate the perfect first day—that we’re reminded of the ever-relevant words of Sun Tzu (paraphrased for teachers)…
“ No lesson plan survives contact with the first day of school ,” along with the ever-relevant words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery: “ If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan, not the goal .”
Approaching your new classroom with a mindset of flexibility that encourages spontaneous discussions and deep interactions will help you reevaluate your curriculum in response to potential knowledge gaps, neurodiversity challenges and different levels of parental support in your students’ home lives.
These back-to-school writing prompts will help your students build the foundational skills they need to become successful at the different types of writing that they’ll use throughout the rest of their academic career and beyond!
Easing Into the School Year
As much fun as summer vacation is—and we can all agree that it is fun to have a break!—it’s also 10-12 weeks of largely unstructured time that varies drastically from the routines established during the school year . This stark contrast can be confusing or frustrating for elementary students, especially those who thrive within the confines of a predictable schedule from day to day.
It takes time to acclimate back to the norms and expectations of the classroom, and a little friction at the beginning is to be expected. The best way to manage this friction and make the transition from break time to school time go more smoothly is by starting with less challenging assignments that are designed to help young learners succeed and build confidence within their new classroom.
Ways to Ease into the School Year
- Establish your classroom routine and expectations early! Longtime teachers will be the first to tell you that your ability to manage your classroom can be established in your first week. Focus on being confident and decisive, and your students will follow.
- Read the room. It’s important to gauge the skill levels and abilities of your students at the beginning of the year to make sure they get to where they need to be by the end of the year.
- Sign up to receive our FREE back-to-school writing bundle ! If you sign up, you’ll receive a series of worksheets, as well as our latest blog posts, freebies, teacher tips and more.
- Give it some time! People get better at most things with practice over time, and it’s important to acknowledge the adjustment period your students will be going through as they get back into the swing of things. It’s also important to acknowledge the adjustment period you’ll be going through, as well—try to set aside a few hours on the weekend for yourself to read a novel, binge some Netflix or just enjoy a calm, quiet space for a while.
3 Easy Back-to-School Writing Prompts
- How I Spent My Summer Vacation is a classic for a reason; everyone does something over the summer break, and it’s exciting for children to share the things they enjoy doing!
- My Perfect Vacation can be a useful alternative to offer students who claim they didn’t do anything over the break or whose families were unable to go on a vacation this summer.
- What I Want to Accomplish This Year is a great introduction to goal-setting, while also being an excellent way for you to get to know your students and for students to get to know each other!
Being able to reflect on our past thoughts and actions gives us limitless potential to improve the way we interact with others and how we treat ourselves.
This is how we can start to break down existing negative or self-sabotaging patterns and replace them with habits that will lift us up and help us lift up others as well. When reflecting on the past, it’s important to lead with kindness, not least of all kindness towards oneself—especially when remembering situations that had a negative outcome.
Elementary students are beginning to understand that they have agency and the power to make (some of!) their own choices. This is an ideal time for them to start learning how to mindfully reflect on their past choices and actively work towards making the best choices they can with the information they have in any given situation.
5 Reflective Back-to-School Writing Prompts
- What is something you learned over the summer that you want to make sure to remember this year?
- How is the beginning of school this year the same as the beginning of school last year? How is it different? Why do you think that is?
- What are some things you learned last year that you can use this year to be more successful?
- What subjects did you find most challenging last year? Do you have any ideas to help make those subjects less challenging this year?
- As your teacher, what’s the most important thing for me to know about you to help you succeed?
Are you Enjoying this Content?
Reflection skills in real life.
- When you encounter a new situation, think about whether it’s similar to another situation you’ve already been in before.
- If you’re doing something you’ve done before, think about how it went the last time and whether there’s another way to do it that might have a better result.
- When you’re watching a movie or listening to someone tell a story, think about how you would react if the same thing happened to you. (You don’t need to say it out loud, just think about it.)
Imagination
Creativity is a valuable skill across all areas of life; from school and play to work and interpersonal relationships, there’s nowhere a sense of imagination and a talent for out-of-the-box thinking isn’t an asset.
Taking time to let students’ imaginations run wild with pen and paper also provides all the benefits of any other writing practice: spelling, grammar, penmanship, sentence structure and vocabulary-building are just a small sample of the sneaky lessons that come along with any creative writing prompt !
Students who are highly imaginative tend to have more fantastical solutions to general, everyday problems and can sometimes seem to lose themselves completely in creative play.
5 Imaginative Back-to-School Writing Prompts
- Picture the perfect elementary school. What does it look like? What kind of playground and gym does it have? What do they serve for lunch? Who goes there?
- If all technology suddenly disappeared, what would happen at your school? How would your school day work with no phones, computers, TVs, lights, etc.?
- What if you lived at your school? Where would people sleep? What would you do on the weekends? How would your parents/guardians react?
- Write a poem about school and the way you feel about it.
- Imagine someone with the same name as your school. What would that person be like? What kind of personality would they have? What would they do for fun?
Imagination Skills in Real Life
- When you’re waiting for an ad to be over during a show, imagine what the characters might do in the next part of the show.
- If you don’t know how to do something, imagine the different ways it could be done. Then look it up and see whether your way is a good solution.
- When someone is having a strong emotional reaction, imagine how you would feel and react in a similar circumstance.
Start Your Class Project Early!
A great way to start the year and build bonds that will encourage a mutually supportive classroom environment is to have the entire class contribute towards a project together—and it’s hard to find a more enticing class project than creating a classbook with one of our FREE classbook publishing kits .
Creating a classbook is a fantastic way to get your students’ imaginations flowing and encourage collaboration within your classroom. All you have to do is decide on a topic or theme with your class and then help them get started creating the art and words that they will include. Don’t forget to plan some time for brainstorming the title and cover, and you’re on your way!
Ambition and Action
Anyone who’s ever spent some time talking to an elementary student has quickly realized that they’re bottomless wells of high hopes and big dreams! We’ve found that students at the elementary level are more than capable of defining a goal , breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps (sometimes this part needs a bit of help!) and deciding how to complete those steps in a logical order.
This is also a great time to lead a discussion about future goals and immediate goals.
Immediate goals are those that are specific, measurable and within the student’s ability to complete. Future goals are those that the student won’t be able to pursue at this time but can sometimes be broken down into smaller goals that are currently achievable. For example, if a student wants to become a famous singer, that’s a future goal that they can support by learning songwriting, joining a choir or learning to play an instrument!
5 Goal-Setting Back-to-School Writing Prompts
- What is one goal you have for the school year ? How do you plan to reach that goal?
- Do you spend time studying outside of school? Why or why not? Do you think this helps you complete your classroom goals? Why?
- What is one thing you want to commit to this year to make yourself a better person? How will this help you or help others?
- Does anyone in your family have big goals they’re working towards? What are they doing to make their goals a reality?
- If your friend had a big goal they were having trouble with, what would you suggest they do to help them reach their goal?
Ambition and Action Skills in Real Life
- Set aside enough time to complete homework instead of waiting until the last minute.
- Set weekly goals and check them off as you complete them.
- Practice breaking large goals down into smaller tasks, using a list as necessary.
These 18 back-to-school writing prompts will help your elementary students keep their developing skills in focus during the joyful chaos that is the start of every new school year. With your encouragement and gentle guidance, students will also be more likely to continue their education outside the classroom with self-paced, ad hoc lessons they choose to pursue on their own.
Whether your students decide to pursue writing as a hobby that may later become a career or use journaling as a way to work through their complex, developing thoughts and emotions, there’s no better way to introduce them to all the future paths they can choose than by transitioning from the disappointment of summer’s end into the exciting potential of a new school year !
For more lesson plans, worksheets and other helpful creative writing resources for your classroom, check out our online Teacher’s Lounge and be sure to sign up for your FREE classbook publishing kit !
See All Blogs
- Studentreasures
We provide teachers and schools with a FREE hands-on writing activity that motivates students to write and inspires students to learn by turning their stories into professionally bound books. Learn More
Resource Center
- Teacher Guides & Storyboards
- Replacement Kit Materials
- Share the Fun
- Writing Tips for the Perfect Book
- Lesson Plans & Writing Worksheets
Recent Posts
- How to Save Time While Planning Your Lessons
- 12 Ways to Help Students Who Struggle with Writing
- 12 Animal-Themed Elementary School Activities That Students Will Love!
- 19 After-Winter-Break Activities: Start the New Semester the Right Way!
- 5th Grade Writing Prompts: Writing Short Stories!
Order Your Free Publishing Kit
Order your free publishing kit.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
School districts consider shorter school days for several reasons, including saving money and providing students the ability to participate in more extracurricular activities. Shortening the school day by even an hour or two can allow a dis...
The number of school days in a year depends on the state; 30 states have 180 school days, according to Education Commission of the States, 2013 update. Two states set minimum school days higher than 180 days, and 11 states have a minimum th...
On the first Friday of every March, many business celebrate Employee Appreciation Day. It is the single designated day that employers are encouraged to recognize all the hard work the employees have done over the year and celebrate them.
First Day of School Writing Prompts · 1. On the first day of school, I feel… · 2. Which animal best represents your personality, and why? · 3. For the new school
First Day of School Writing Prompts: High School Students · What is your ultimate dream job? · Choose a position with the local government to run
Individual Back-To-School Writing Prompts · Write about going back to school after summer vacation. · Five years from now I will be … · Write a list of 10 things
Back-to-school writing prompts about life in general. · What is your most cherished childhood memory? · What is the biggest challenge you have
9 First Day of School Writing PROMPTS and Ideas · What excites you most about starting school? · Do you have concerns about beginning school?
What is the best part of the school day? Do you have a favorite class? Do you love lunch and recess? Is it getting to see your friends? Write
Browse first day of school writing prompt resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for
Ice Breakers – FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL Writing activities. Ice-Breaker-games-for-school.png · The A to Z of Me! ; Collaborative writing Activities.
1. Write a recipe for friendship explaining how to be a good friend. Include the ingredients of friendship and the recipe for being a good friend.
20 Back to School Writing Prompts · Who is someone you spent a lot of time with this summer? · Where did you go this summer that you have never been before? · How
5 Imaginative Back-to-School Writing Prompts · Picture the perfect elementary school. What does it look like? · If all technology suddenly