This document provides examples of writing prompts for grades 3-5 that teachers can use to help students practice different types of writing. It includes prompts for speculative/narrative writing that ask students to continue or write a new story. Explanatory/expository prompts provide a topic for students to write an essay explaining or describing something. The document also suggests having students consider the purpose, audience, and form for each prompt to focus their writing. It provides sample student responses to some of the prompts and evaluates them based on organization, detail, syntax and errors.

1. Writing tasks1NJ ASK 3-5

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3. Writing Tasks3Understand your purpose, audience, topic, and form.Ask yourself:Why am I writing?For whom am I writing?What am I writing about?What kind of writing am I doing (letter, story, report, or…)?

4. Speculative Prompt4presents a brief scenario as a springboard for writing a storytwo formats: a brief verbal prompt or a poem elaborated by a brief verbal promptdescribe, discuss, or explain using personal experience to develop ideas

5. NJ ASK: Sample Speculative Prompt(Grades 3-5)When the school bell rang, Katie and Pablo grabbed their books and raced out of the classroom. They had been looking forward to this afternoon all week long. Today they were going to go on an adventure.Write a story about the adventure Katie and Pablo had after they left school.5How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

6. Speculative Prompts for 5th Grade6Imagine that school has closed due to a snowstorm that has passed through your town and left behind ten inches of snow. Write a story about an adventure that takes place in this snowy weather.How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

7. Poem Prompt7MOON-CATCHIN’ NETby Shel SilversteinI’ve made me a moon-catchin’ net,And I’m goin’ huntin’ tonight,I’ll run along swingin’ it over my head,And grab for that big ball of light.So tomorrow just look at the sky,And if there’s no moon you can betI’ve found what I sought and I finally caughtThe moon in my moon-catchin’ net.But if the moon’s still shinin’ there,Look close underneath and you’ll getA clear look at me in the sky swingin’ freeWith a star in my moon-catchin’ net. Has there ever been something you wanted very much that you may or may not have been able to get? Write about what you wanted. Include the following:• What did you want to have?• Why did you want this?• If you got it, explain how it happened.• Explain why you were successful in getting it.• If you didn’t get it, explain why not.• Explain how you might be successful in getting it in the future.

8. EXPLANATORY/EXPOSITORY PROMPT People enjoy playing games. Some take games they know and change the rules while others invent their own board games, ball games, or other games. Write an essay about a new game you created or might like to create, or an old game for which you changed the rules. Be sure to explain your game by using details and examples to support your explanation. 8How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

9. NJ ASK: Sample Expository Prompt(Grades 3-5)Most people have a special activity or hobby that they enjoy. Some people collect things while others like to read or play games. What activity do you like to do?Write a composition describing what you enjoy doing. Explain why that activity is special to you. 9How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

10. Grade 310Which type of writing does this prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?Your local newspaper’s Kid Section is sponsoring a contest for the best class trip. Write an article telling what you liked about your field trip and why others should visit this special place. The winners will receive funding to go on their next field trip.

11. 11Students write to their school librarian, requesting that a specific book be added to the school library collection. Which type of writing does this prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

12. Grade 412 You woke up one morning and learned that it was snowing. School was closed for the day! It was a dream come true. Suddenly you had time to take a break from the usual routine and do what you wanted to do. Write a story about a snow day off from school that you remember. Give enough details in your story to show what you did and how wonderful the day was. Which type of writing does this prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

13. 13 One morning a child looks out the window and discovers that a huge castle has appeared overnight. The child rushes outside to the castle and hears strange sounds coming from it. Someone is living in the castle! The castle door creaks open. The child goes in. Write a story about who the child meets and what happens inside the castle. Which type of writing does this prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

14. 14 We all have favorite objects that we care about and would not want to give up. Think of one object that is important or valuable to you. For example, it could be a book, a piece of clothing, a game, or any object you care about. Write about your favorite object. Be sure to describe the object and explain why it is valuable or important to you. Write sentences of varying lengths and complexity, using descriptive words. Which type of writing doesthis prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

15. 15A young boy busily collected everything he would need to take with him. The next day, as he began to set up his equipment, he realized he was missing a very important piece. He has to decide how to solve this problem. Write a story about the boy, his problem, and what he does to solve it. Which type of writing does this prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

16. 16 Carlos had only a few things that he really treasured, but he often misplaced them. When he got home from school one day, he could not find his favorite game. He thought he had left it in his room. Think about Carlos’ problem, and then write a story about what happens next.Which type of writing does this prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

17. Writing TaskThe young girl spent an hour packing her backpack. She checked her list one more time before falling into bed. She had remembered everything. Now all she had to do was wait for morning. The young girl wondered whether the rest of the group was as excited as she was. When her alarm rang at 6 a.m., she jumped out of bed, pulled on her clothes, andrandown the stairs with her backpack.Write a story about what you think the young girl is about to experience.17Which type of writing does this prompt require? How would youmodel this for your students?Purpose, audience, topic, and form?

18. The girl got out of Her bed and put Her clothes on a brong Her checklist she wentHillcrest school and Had fun the end.Score Point: 1minimal response

19. few original details

20. unelaborated

21. insufficient writing to demonstrate any planning or organization18

22. “Come on mom! Get up! It’s six! We got to go!” screached Samantha. Shewas so excited to go to her camp over night with her best friends. “Mom, hurry up!”Samantha yelled again.“I’m coming, I’m coming. Get in the car, I’ll be down in a minute.” her momsaid. While Samantha was waiting for her mother, she had breakfast and shecheked over her list again to make sure she had everything.Once her mom was ready, they got in the car & was off to camp. Everyonesaid bye when they got there & Samantha met up with her friends. “Hey Sam!” saidJessica“Hey guys!” Sam said back. “Lets go on a hike after we find a place to put ourstuff.” “That sounds great!” everyone said.So, once they found their camp site and they were settled in they went on ahike. It started to get dark after a while though so they turned back. Now, because itwas getting darker and darker, it was harder to see everything. As they were on theirway back to camp, they made a wrong turn on the trail. They all noticed this whenthe saw that they had went around in a circle. “We’re lost” screamed Jessica.“I don’t think we are.” said Sam. “I remember seeing this weird rock on ourway here. Let’s go back this way, it should lead us back to camp.”So, because Sam was the smartest out of everyone, they all followed her andit turns out that it was the right way to go. They got to their tents, went to bed, andthe next morning, had a quiet ride home.19

23. Score Point: 4controlled and organized with evident transitions

24. some events are elaborated with specific details

25. syntax is generally varied

26. some errors do not detract from the meaning20

27. The young girl was on her way to school. She was at school when she relizedshe forgot her camra. She got to school and the bus was there. She raced to it andgot on. She promised her cousin she would take pictures. She was at the camp.She hoped out and raced over to her friends. She begged them to give her thecamra. They pushed her away and said no. How was the girl going to find a camranow? The group walked and went on three trail hikes before lunch. The group finallywalked through a gooey slushy swamp, and through the thin brush to the dining hall.Next to the hall was a gift shop. The young girl dashed ahead and into the shop.She had her money just in case. She saw one camra left. She said to the cashier Iwould like that camra. She turned around and out the door. She took pictures ofeverything. Then she turned to see her mom, with her camra.Score Point: 3sparse, but controlled

28. details are organized

29. simple transitions

30. many of the details unelaborated

31. some instances where the details are elaborated

32. lack of variety in the sentence structure21

33. RIIING!!! My alarm clock buzzed. My light blue eyes slowly opened. I burstout of bed to my feet. The butterflys were rapidly fluttering around in my stomach. Itwas my first day of third grade….I put on my white button down short sleeved blouse and a plaid pair ofBermuda shorts. I had spent an hour packing my backpack and I have had my outfitset since the begining of August. When I finished getting dressed I grasped my backpack, threw it over my shoulder and ran down the hardwood starcase.As I devourered my pancakes with mapple syrup my mind was fastened to thethought,—were the rest of my friends as excited as I was? “Goodmorning Ally, are you nervous?” my mom said in a cheerful tone.“No, not really, I lied trying not to giggle. “I sure am,” whispered my little sister Annabelle from across the tabble. “Oh, my gosh! 6:45. I am going to be late!” I realized as I looked at the clock. “Okay, Ally, Bye!” they shouted to me as my little legs carriedmeacross the yard just in time to get on the bus.When I arrived I thought—I was nervous and in a hurry for this! I got the WORST teacher ever! Mrs. Grumpthrop. She was pointing at people (just random people) and saying “You Detention! “ Just like that I knew the whole third grade wasgoing to change… She also had an apple on her desk perfectly round and red. You would get 3 days after school detention for evan looking at it!!!RIIING! an alarm clock went off. My alarm clock. I realized it was just a dream. I rolled over in my warm cozy bed to find a perfectly round, red apple on my dresser….22

34. Score Point: 5fluent

35. vivid description

36. compositional risk

37. literary devices - onomatopoeia, alliteration, intentional capitalization for dramatic effect, the use of humor

38. sophisticated devices such as the ellipsis

39. sophisticated sentence structure

40. precise word choices23

41. One day a little girl named ying was going to school it was the first day elemtry school.Ying was very nice to every body but kids in her class were not some kid threw a pice ofgum at her. The boy siad “Ha HaHaHaHa “ Ying siad “Why do people do this.” Thekids looked at Ying like she did something to them.Score Point: 2brief

42. provides several details

43. attempts to control and organize the response

44. simple transitions

45. sequencing the events in a logical order.

46. brief dialogue adds support

47. limited command24

48. Writing TaskEach year, there is a week called “TV Turn Off Week.” During this time people are asked to turn off their televisions and not watch any programs for one week. This year, the principal of your school has asked students and their families to take part in “TV Turn Off Week.”Write a letter to your principal explaining why you would or would not want your family to take part in “TV Turn Off Week.” Use examples and give reasons to support your decision.25

49. Dear Principal,In my opinion, “TV Turn Off Week” is a great idea. I would love to take part in this event. To me, it is very important to have a break from watching television. There are so many other things to do, such as listen to the radio or just play a card or board game. Fifty years ago, there weren’t that many TV’s, so families that had one would always be watching together. Now, families have many televisions at home. This keeps them separated all the time. Personally, I’m the one in my family who needs to stop. I spend a whole lot of time on my couch, and if I’m not watching television, I’m probably playing video games. Before, I just had local channels. That’s why I didn’t spend as much time in front of the screen. There was never anything good on to watch. I just recently got all of the channels back. Since then, I’ve been watching TV non-stop. I rarely read books now, because there are so much other things to do. I would want to stop watching television, but it is not that easy. I could probably do it, but maybe my family wouldn’t want to. I appreciate your idea, but I’m not so sure that other people would want to. Ever since people started buying many TV’s for their households, families have been apart. A television set became like a magnet, attracting people, and not letting them go. Anyway, one weekprobablywouldn’t be enough. Neither would one month. Now, maybe one yearwould work, but nobody would quit watching television for a year. People in thisworld just need to see what life was like before the invention of the television, and tryto re-live it. I’m not saying that they have to live like they are in an Amish country, but just forget that the TV was ever invented for a year, or for as long as they can. So, I would definitely want my family to take part in “TV Turn Off Week”!26

50. Score Point: 4internal organization

51. transitional devices that connect ideas

52. logical conclusion