writing assignments for first day of school

36 Back to School Writing Prompts (Free Printable List)

Have fun with the kids on the first day of school with these fun back to school writing prompts .

Get ready for an exciting writing adventure with these incredible first day of school worksheets ! They’re the perfect catalyst to ignite your students’ creativity and help them express themselves through writing.

Spark your students’ love for writing from day one with these engaging back to school free printable writing prompts .

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Table of Contents

Back to school journal prompts

Get ready to kick off the new school year with an exciting journaling adventure using these back to school journal prompts!

With 36 unique writing prompts, you’ll have plenty of options to engage your students during the first week of school.

To make the most of these prompts, here are a few ideas on how to use them:

• The lucky draw: Cut out the prompts and place them in a hat or container. Have each child pick a prompt at random. This element of surprise adds an extra layer of excitement to their journaling experience.
• Personalized prompts: Assign specific prompts to individual students and encourage them to glue their chosen prompt on the top of their composition book. This personal touch gives them a sense of ownership and allows them to express their unique perspectives.
• Student’s choice: Hand out the worksheets to the children and let them select the prompt that resonates with them the most. This empowers students to choose a topic that sparks their interest and encourages them to take ownership of their writing journey.
• Writing centers: Set up writing centers in your classroom with different prompts at each station. Students can rotate through the centers, choosing a prompt from each station and working on their journal entries independently.

Personal reflection and goal setting writing prompts

We all know that reflecting on our experiences and setting goals is important for our students’ growth. These journal prompts will encourage students to look back on their past school year, explore fascinating topics, and share how they tackled challenges.

They’ll even get to dream up creative projects and imagine new school holidays!

These writing activities will help our students develop self-awareness and get excited about setting goals for the upcoming year.

• Write a letter to your future self. What advice would you give yourself for this school year?
• Describe the most interesting thing you learned last school year. Why did you find it so fascinating?
• Write about a challenging assignment or project you completed in school. How did you overcome the challenge?
• Describe an activity or project you would like to do in school that involves creativity and imagination.
• If you could invent a new school holiday, what would it be called, and how would you celebrate it?
• Imagine you could interview any historical figure or famous person about their school experience. Who would it be, and what questions would you ask?

Imagination journal prompts

Get ready to unleash your students’ imaginations with these prompts!

They can dive into a world where friendly monsters attend school for the first time or where superheroes lend a helping hand with homework.

These prompts will have our students honing their storytelling writing skills and falling in love with creative writing.

• Write a story about a friendly monster who goes to school for the first time.
• Write a story about a superhero who helps kids with their homework.
• Write a story about a magical backpack that helps students with their schoolwork.
• Write a story about a time when you worked on a group project in school. What did you learn from working with others?

Use these first grade writing prompts printables too!

Relationships and school experiences

Building connections and navigating school experiences are crucial for our elementary students. These prompts explore friendships, transitions, and the qualities that make a great teacher.

Let your students write welcoming letters to new classmates, share memories with friends who’ve moved away, and reflect on their first day of school.

These writing activities will help foster empathy, communication skills, and a strong sense of belonging in our classroom community.

• Write a letter to your best friend, telling them about your summer break and asking about theirs.
• Write a letter to a new student joining your class. Give them advice and make them feel welcome.
• Write a letter to a friend who moved away. Share your favorite memories from school and ask about their new school.
• Describe the qualities you think make a great teacher and explain why those qualities are important.
• Imagine you are the principal of your school for one day. What changes would you make, and why?
• Describe your first day of school. How did you feel, and what activities did you do?

WANT ALL OUR BACK TO SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN ONE PLACE?

School environment writing activities.

Ready to get creative with your students? These prompts are all about dreaming up the perfect school environment!

The kids can design their dream classrooms, suggest new school rules and exciting supplies, and bring their innovative ideas to the table.

These writing activities will empower our students to be creative problem solvers and take ownership of their educational journey.

• Imagine you could make a new subject in school. What would it be called, and what would you learn in that class?
• If you could design your own school uniform, what would it look like? Draw a picture and explain it.
• Describe your dream classroom. What would it look like, and what activities would you do there?
• Imagine you could create a new school rule. What would it be, and why do you think it’s important?
• Imagine you could invent a new school supply. What would it be, and how would it be helpful?
• Write a letter to the principal suggesting a new after-school club or activity. Explain why it would be a great addition.

Favorites and preferences

Let’s dive into what makes our students unique and celebrate their preferences!

From recess activities to must read books and favorite subjects, your students will have a blast expressing their personal choices.

They can recommend their top picks to their peers, share their appreciation for a favorite teacher, or even describe the ultimate school lunch.

These writing activities will help you better understand your students’ individuality, foster a positive classroom culture, and embrace the diverse interests within your class.

• Write about your favorite thing to do during recess and why you like it.
• Describe your favorite book and why other kids should read it.
• Write a poem about your teacher. What are some things you like about them?
• Describe your favorite subject in school and why you enjoy it.
• Describe the best school lunch you can imagine. What foods would be on the menu, and why do you like them?
• Describe an exciting field trip you would like to go on with your class. Where would you go, and what would you do?

Have fun with our free what did you do this summer worksheet too!

Other back to school activities

Don’t let the fun stop there, download even more of our first week of school printables:

• My favorite book worksheet
• My favorite color worksheet
• My favorite things worksheet
• All about me free printable
• First day of school crowns printable
• Back to school color by number

Need to print later? Add this to your Pinterest board or share it on Facebook. You’ll have it handy whenever you’re ready to use it!

Download the free back to school writing prompts

To get your free printables for kids , simply add your name and email address to the form below.

Last Updated on 17 July 2024 by Clare Brown

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17 Fun First Day Of School Writing Activities

The smell of freshly painted halls, the excited chatter of returning students bursting with two months’ worth of gossip to share—it must be the first day at school again.

Rusty pens and dusty pencils are hastily pulled from the bottom of school bags where, for many, they’ve lain all summer, ready for back to school.

You’ll need engaging writing activities to get those atrophied writing muscles back in shape. The standard ‘What I Did This Summer’ essay won’t cut it.

Luckily, we have 17 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 Breaker

Writing activities.

At the start of each school year, there’s likely to be a new face or two in the class, and while two months isn’t a long time in the grand scheme of things, our students can do a lot of growing and changing in that time.

Ice-breaker writing activities allow students 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! Poem

Students write an acrostic poem about themselves in the A to Z of Me. The poem’s first line starts with the letter A, and each new line begins with the following letter of the alphabet, which should reveal something about the poet.

This may be too long for younger students – it’d be a 26-line poem after all. In this case, you can quickly adapt the activity to employ the letters of the student’s first name.

This activity aims for students to capture the essence of who they are in their poems. They can write a phrase or line based on their interests, appearance, things they have done, hobbies, desires, ideas, where they’re from, etc.

You can make this more challenging for older and stronger students by insisting they employ a rhyme scheme throughout their poems.

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 as a class poetry slam.

Guess Who? Writing Task

This fun activity challenges students to recall what they know about their classmates 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 two groups. Each group writes down a unique fact about themselves on a piece of paper, folds it , and gives 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 unaware of.

Students could write about a hobby or talent, a language they speak, a place they visited, or anything that makes them unique or special.

Students then take turns reading 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.

Interview A Classmate Writing Activity :

This activity allows students to get to know each other better while developing their interviewing, note-taking, and writing skills.

 Begin this activity by asking the students to compile a list of questions that they would use to get to know someone they’d met for the first time.

 The first questions the students generally tend to be surface-level small-talk-type questions such as:

•  Where are you from?
• How many brothers and sisters do you have?
• What’s your favourite subject at school?
• What are your hobbies?
• What do you want to be when you grow up?
• What’s the best thing about you?

Write these on the whiteboard, of course. They’ll be helpful to as warm-up openers at the beginning of the interviews, but we want to encourage a deeper dive.

For the interviewer to better understand the interviewee, they’ll need to probe further.

Encourage students to come up with more challenging questions to ask in the interview and write these on the board. These questions should be geared toward gaining insight beyond the superficial.

Explain to the students that when they are the interviewee, if they’d prefer not to answer a specific question, they can just say “next” and the interviewer will move immediately onto the next question.

Some examples of deeper, more probing-type questions might include questions like:

•  Can you tell me about an event or a story that significantly impacted your life?
• Who has had the most significant influence on who you are?
• What is the most challenging thing you’ve ever had to do?
• What is your best memory? Worst?

At the end of this brainstorming session, a considerable list of questions should be on the whiteboard.

Students are then partnered up. They will then take turns interviewing each other, with each interviewer taking comprehensive notes as they interview.

Students should not use voice recording equipment during this activity. This activity aims to improve note-taking abilities.

When the interviews are over, students write them up as best they can, using their notes and memories to recreate them.

For the more advanced students, this will involve recreating the interview’s dialogue and weaving a narrative around it to convey the interviewee’s character, expressions, and mannerisms.

First Day of School Persuasive Wish List Task

The start of a new school year is a time of hope and possibility captured in the form of a wish list.

But this isn’t an old wish list but a persuasive one.

The students will write a wish list of things they hope for from the new school year.

The twist is that they must make their case for why they should receive the concessions they seek.

Some items that might make the wish list could be the desire to see more time for their favourite activities, less homework, or creating a class council. It doesn’t matter what is on the list but that the student makes as strong a case as possible for them.

Students should be encouraged to use the full range of persuasive writing techniques  available, from emotional language to social proof, from repetition to evidence and statistics.

Collaborative Writing Activities

Collaborative writing activities offer students opportunities to work 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 break the ice. More than that, 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 of 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 paper into a ball, and throw it 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 struggle to start their writing. To help them get going, it can be helpful to provide them with a sheet of paper with a writing prompt. This prompt can be 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 helpful for younger students, while more open-ended prompts will suit 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 is for the students to work together now to produce an 18-line poem from the two 9-line poems they have created.

To do this, the students must collaborate to make the composite poem work. The idea here is to weave the different threads of the two topic interpretations into a single ‘tapestry’.

Students must include the nine lines of both poems, but they have room to edit for verb tense and make minor grammatical changes to make things work.

The partners must also compromise to agree on a single title for their shared piece.

The Peer Editing Exercise

This is a great way to introduce peer assessment into your classroom, especially with a group of students who are not familiar with the concept.

You will need to explain the editing and proofreading process to the students at the start. The specific criteria will, of course, depend on the age and abilities of your students.

To begin, organize the class into pairs of editing partners. Students should then swap their written work to be edited by their partners.

Any of the previous  writing activities  in this article would serve this purpose well.

Students can edit their partner’s work by annotating with a different colour pen, or, for more detailed commentary, they could use a separate sheet of paper.

Students then share their feedback.

This is an opportunity for students to see each other as resources to help them on their learning journey throughout the year.

It also helps students to develop resilience and an ability to absorb constructive criticism.

Students then rewrite their text in light of the feedback given.

Time for a plenary session should be made at the end to discuss their experiences of the process as a class.

The Summer Yearbook Writing Task

This writing project is based on the idea of school yearbooks.

School yearbooks are compilations of memories, photographs, and quotes. In this version, students compile a compendium based on their collective experiences during the school break.

The format can inspire many writing activities.

Students can gather quotes on the various events of vacation time together. These can be sourced from family, friends, classmates, etc.

They can also collect photographs and write suitable captions for inclusion in the yearbook. The book could include a page for the students’ autographs and a page for summer memories and hopes for the coming year.

Technology can be easily incorporated into this lesson by producing a digital version. Collaborative applications such as Google Drive are perfect for this type of work.

Year Long Inference Based Writing Activities

Tap into the power of imagery in your classroom to master INFERENCE as AUTHORS and CRITICAL THINKERS .

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This YEAR-LONG 500+ PAGE unit is packed with robust opportunities for your students to develop the critical skill of inference through fun imagery, 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 a visit to a shopping mall; they’ll both serve equally well for this activity.

Students must then endeavour 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 what they saw, heard, smelled, tasted, and felt while 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 allows students to hone their descriptive writing skills, which will help them improve their writing in many genres.

Haiku Writing Activity

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. It is essential to set a suitable mood and atmosphere in the classroom to encourage the necessary concentration and reflection the writing process will require. Playing gentle instrumental music is one way to help achieve this ambience.

Fun Back To School Writing Activities

While the first of our Back to School Writing Activities focuses clearly on breaking the ice and drawing on memories, the primary focus of the following writing activities is on having fun.

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.

Don’t forget to read our complete guide to Fun Writing activities here.

Creative Excuses Writing Task

To start this activity, students must devise a list of 10 chores or tasks they absolutely hate doing.

Next, students should choose four from this list of their most detested tasks and write a letter explaining why they cannot complete them.

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 an excellent 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 start with an inquiry into what would happen if x happened. These scenarios can be silly, serious, fantastical, or humorous if they provide a jumping-off point for the student writer.

When students have completed their prompts, the teacher should gather them to distribute randomly among the class.

Students can share their work with the class When they have finished writing their responses to their assigned prompts. This will be especially interesting for the writer of the original prompt.

The Book Of Summer

This writing activity is an upgrade from the “My Summer Vacation” type essays.

In this activity, each student will compile their Book of Summer,  describing and depicting their holidays using as many different writing genres as possible.

For example, the student might include the following in their Book of Summer:

• A non-chronological report on a day trip
• A comic strip based on a family celebration
• A review of a movie they saw or book they read
• A fictionalized account of their summer
• A recipe of a meal they made
• A playscript for a sleepover they went on
• A haiku on the end of summer

The scope for creative interpretations here is almost endless.

For  younger students , it may be best to be more prescriptive about the various genres to include and the titles for each piece.

But for students with the ability, the open-endedness of this task allows their creativity to run loose while affording you a valuable opportunity to see just what they are capable of.

Be sure to read our complete collection of  back-to-school writing activities.

Fictional Interviews Writing Task

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 fiction, for example, movies, comic books, or 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 up for 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.

Write A Story From A Different Point Of View

Narrative writing requires competency in a broad range of complex skills . We can roughly divide those skills into structural ones (such as text organization) and language-related skills (such as sentence construction and creativity).

Getting your  students to write a story  is a great way to assess their abilities in these areas.

In this activity, however, you provide most of the structure for the student, giving them the space to exercise their imagination and a chance to focus on their grammatical control – among other things.

In this exercise, ask your students to select a favourite fairy tale or other traditional story they know well. The student’s task is to rewrite their favourite fairy tale from the point of view of another important character in the story.

For example, they might want to retell the  Jack and the Beanstalk  story from the point of view of the Giant or Jack’s mother.

Retelling  The Ugly Duckling , the student might want to write from Mother Duck’s perspective to explore her feelings about the runt of her litter suddenly transforming into a beautiful (if alien!) swan

Summer Headlines Writing Activity

Headlines are  fun to write .

They should be short and pithy, seizing the reader’s attention by telling them just enough about the story to pique their interest but still leave them wanting to read more.

There are several things that students can do to ensure their headlines have the desired effect, including:

• Choose powerful words designed to make an impact
• Use alliteration to create catchy, snappy headlines
• Employ humour to entertain and intrigue the reader
• Create suspense by posing the headline as a question

For this activity, students should list the main events of their summer break and create a headline for each event.

In this way, the students will have produced an account of their summer written entirely in headlines.

As an extension to this exercise, when they’ve finished producing their headlines, have them present them to the class or in smaller groups.

The best headline is selected from each list, which the student has to turn into a complete newspaper-style article on that event.

Rap and Verse Writing Task

Few genres of writing can be as divisive.

Some are dismayed by the mere mention of the word ‘poetry’ – The “ Why can’t poets just say what they mean? ” camp.

Then, some can barely write a shopping list without a bit of unnecessary versifying.

Love it or loathe it, poetry is on the curriculum and our students need to get to grips with it.

For this activity, students write a series of poems inspired by the events of their summer holidays. Essentially, they are writing a poetic account of their vacation.

To challenge the students, they must use a different type of poetry for each event they wish to retell.

For example, they might write a series of haikus on the weather during the summer break.

Perhaps they’ll produce a calligram or shape poem describing the treehouse they made.

Maybe they’ll write an elegy to a pet that died or a limerick on that disastrous camping trip.

They might like to use the headlines from the previous activity  A Summer in Headlines  as starting points for their poems.

By the end of this activity, your students will have a collection of self-authored poetry they can share with the class in the form of a poetry slam.

You may wish to provide your students with checklists of the various features of the different types of poetry to help them during this activity.

So, there we have seventeen engaging activities to kick start the writing process at the start of the school year.

There is quite a variety 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, what the students write isn’t so important, but what they write!

With the selection of activities above, you’re sure to find one to suit even the most pen-shy students!

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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 basic 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"
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88 Back to School Writing Prompts for the First Week

This post may contain affiliate links.

I am struggling to write my first back to school post of the season! That means summer vacation is nearing the end.  But the start of a new school year is also an exciting season!  Today I have a set of 88  Back to School Writing Prompts to help you out during the first week of your new school year.  They are a great resource for the first day of school!

As the new school year approaches, it’s time to gear up for some fresh new lessons, a new classroom, and learning ideas. It’s difficult on teachers and on students to gear up to the work load of a new school year.

One nice way to ease children back into the school routine is through creative writing prompts. Writing prompts can be a fun way to inspire creativity, improve and refine writing skills, and make the transition back to school smooth and enjoyable. 

Back to School Writing Prompts

I have a several sets of back to school writing prompts for you in this printable for every grade level. There is a set of 20 writing prompts for elementary students. I have a set of 20 back to school writing prompts that will work well for both for middle school students and high school students. I also have a set of prompts tailored specifically to homeschool families!  

I’m sure that you’ll love adding this writing activity to your English language arts lesson plans for the beginning of the school year! They can help you and your class get back into the swing of things. Read on to learn how (& why) to use the Back to School Writing Prompts effectively!

Why You Should Use Writing Prompts:

• E ncourage Creativity: These prompts are a fantastic way to give kids a starting point with their writing. They can use their imagination and explore new ideas, or write a short story without the pressure of coming up with a topic from scratch.
• Enhance Writing Skills : Regular writing practice helps improve grammar, vocabulary, and overall writing proficiency. Writing prompts are the perfect way to provide structured practice in a fun and engaging way.
• Stimulate Critical Thinking : Writing about different topics encourages kids to think critically, organize their thoughts, and articulate their ideas clearly.
• Build Confidence: Completing a piece of writing gives children a sense of accomplishment, boosting their confidence and encouraging them to tackle more challenging tasks.
• G et to Know New Students: At the beginning of the year, these prompts are a great way to help you learn more about the students in your class! You can learn about their favorite hobby, their summer vacation, what she of their favorite things are, 

How to Use These Printable Writing Prompts:

You can cut these questions up into small strips for kids to draw from a bowl. Or choose one prompt for everyone to answer as a class.

• Daily Journals: Incorporate writing prompts into a daily journaling routine. Have a notebook designated to your daily writing.  This regular practice of journal prompts can help kids develop a habit of writing and improve their skills over time. Use different themed prompts through the months of the year. They can take them home at the end of the year and have a book full of memories!
• Class Discussions: Use prompts as a starting point for class discussions for the whole class or for small groups. Write the prompts on a whiteboard and let them spend some time on it. After writing, students can share their responses, helping them get to know one another better and maybe build a new friendship!
• Creative Projects: Use writing prompts as a starting point for larger writing projects. Encourage kids to expand on their prompt responses by turning them into short stories, a personal narrative, plays, or illustrated books.
• Homework Assignments: Assign writing prompts as part of homework to keep the writing practice going beyond the classroom.
• Incorporate Technology: For older kids, try using digital platforms or blogs where kids can post their prompt responses. This not only makes writing fun but also teaches them how to use technology responsibly.
• Morning Work or Writing Stations: Use these for independent work time with your students. When you need something to fill extra time or need a quiet activity for them to work on, incorporate some writing time! 

Download the Free Writing Prompts for Back to School Now!

This is a free PDF file.  Download it here. 

Back to School Writing Prompt Examples:

Here are a few examples of some of the writing prompts in this download. 

• Imagine your school year is transformed by magic. Describe the magical events that happen and how they change your everyday routine.
• You discover a time machine in your school. Write about where you go and what historical events or future scenarios you witness.

What is your favorite subject in school and why do you enjoy it?

  If your class could have any pet, what would it be and how would you take care of it?

Imagine your school bus could take you anywhere in the universe. Where would you go and what would you see?

What are three academic goals you have for this school year? How do you plan to achieve them?

Do you think schools should have uniforms? Why or why not? Provide reasons for your opinion.

How can learning about different cultures benefit kids your age?

Describe your homeschool learning environment. How does it help you focus and learn?

Incorporating writing prompts into your back-to-school routine can make the transition to school time smoother and more enjoyable for kids. There are so many great benefits. I hope you’ll enjoy using this free printable download. 

Happy writing and welcome back to school!

See More Creative Writing & Language Arts Ideas:

Choose Your Adventure Writing Prompts

Spring Writing Prompts for Kids

Draw and Write: Creative Writing for Kids

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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Journal Buddies Jill | July 29, 2024 August 9, 2023 | Journal Prompts & Writing Ideas , Special Writing Topics

51 Great Back to School Writing Prompts

Hooray for Back to School Writing Prompts for Students —  Back-to-school time is one of the most exciting parts of the year for kids. Though they may have enjoyed their summer vacations, the back-to-school season brings the opportunity to see beloved friends again and to get a fresh start.

Back to School Writing Prompts for Your Kids

When kids go back to school, they have the chance to learn new lessons, set new goals, and achieve new levels of success. The upcoming school year is full of possibilities and the potential for kids to do and be anything.

In these 51 Back to School writing prompts, students will reflect on the upcoming school year and what it means to go back to school. They’ll have the chance to think about their upcoming goals and plans in addition to some of their greatest successes from the last year. As they consider what they would tell students in lower grades and think about all of the exciting things that lie ahead, kids have the chance to locate previous accomplishments in relation to their future paths.

With both serious and silly questions to enjoy, kids will love starting the school year with these wonderful writing prompts. Writing is a fun way to get back into the swing of things at school. Ok, without further ado, here is our fabulous list of Back to School Writing Prompts. Enjoy!

51 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Kids

• How does it feel to see your classmates again?
• What is your favorite thing about being in __________ grade?
• What qualities make a good learner?
• What is the first thing you like to do with your friends at the start of a new school year?
• What was your greatest success last year?
• Why is it important for students to learn about all subjects?
• Write a letter to the teacher or another classmate introducing yourself. Include your name, age, favorite subject, and some of your interests.
• What qualities make a good teacher?
• What is the best time of the school year? Why is it the best?
• How can this school year help you prepare for the future?
• What is the most important reason for people to go to school?
• Have you ever gone to a new school? How did you feel on the first day?
• Why is it so important to start the school year on a good note? How will a good start affect the rest of the year?
• If you were in charge of our school, what would happen on the first day?
• What was your first impression of your new classroom?
• What is your favorite part about going back to school?
• What is your goal for the school year?
• What do you want to do or be when you get older?
• When should school start—at the end of summer or the beginning of the new year? Why?
• Do you prefer to take tests or write papers? Why?
• How do you think teachers feel on the first day of school?
• Do you feel ready to go back to school?
• How can you study better this year?
• How do you prepare for a new school year?
• Write a story about a year-round school that doesn’t have summer vacations.
• What are you most excited to learn this year?

• Write a story about a student on his or her first day at a new school.
• How do you feel when you get? Excited? Prepared? The same? Why?
• Which grade are you most excited to begin? Why?
• Are there any things you dislike about school? What can you do to make them better?
• What would you tell someone in a lower grade to help him or her succeed?
• What is your favorite subject? Why?
• What is the most effective way to study? How does this method help you?
• Why is it important for kids to go to school?
• Do you walk to school, take the bus, or get rides? Which method would you prefer? Why?
• What is the most important thing to do on the first day of school?
• What is your favorite thing to do at the end of the summer?
• What does your family do on the first day of school?
• Why is back-to-school time a special time of year?
• What do you hope to accomplish this year?
• What is your favorite part of each school day? Why?
• Do you remember most of what you learned last year? What have you forgotten?
• What is the most exciting part about being in __________ grade?
• Write about three habits you’d like to change this year. How can you improve your behavior?
• How can you start building good relationships with your teachers at the beginning of the school year?
• What do you enjoy most at school?
• Do you ever get nervous or anxious on the first day of school? How do these emotions make you feel?
• What would it be like to go to a new school?
• Write a poem about the first day of school.
• What activities will you participate in this year?

Writing assignments don’t have to be boring. By incorporating new writing prompts and creative writing ideas, the beginning of the year is a perfect time to introduce a regular writing practice to your students. As a bonus, you can use different writing prompts as conversation starters for a fun first week of school!

I hope you enjoyed this list of Back to School Writing Prompts and use them with your students to kick of the new school year.

189 MORE Back to School Writing Ideas

• 15 First Day of School Writing Activities
• 57 Back to School Prompts for Kids
• 53 Back to School Prompts
• 33 Going Back to School Journal Starters
• 15 Upbeat Writing Prompts about School
• 31 Awesome August Writing Prompts (Back to School Themed)

Happy new school year to kids, teachers, and parents everywhere!

Until next time, write on…

If you enjoyed these Back to School Writing Prompts for Students, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!

Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator

PS Check out this resource –> 37 Free School Themed Printables

Tap to See Prompts 27 Amazing Picture Writing Prompts for Kids 162 Creative Writing Topics and Ideas (Updated!) 15 Free First Day of School Writing Activities ------------Start of Om Added --------- @media (min-width: 320px) and (max-width: 767px) { .inside-right-sidebar { display: none !important; } } Search Now Offering You 19,000+ Prompts!

Tap to See Prompts 27 Amazing Picture Writing Prompts for Kids 162 Creative Writing Topics and Ideas (Updated!) 15 Free First Day of School Writing Activities Search Search 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 , FP-8 , friends , go to school , goals , good teacher , journal , journal prompts , kids , learn new lessons , new classroom , new goals , new journal prompts , prompts , Prompts by Month , school. school year , September , set new goals , start new school year , students , study , summer vacation , take tests , teacher , way to study , write papers , writing div#postbottom { margin-top: 12px; } Search Now Offering You 19,000+ Prompts!

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12 Fun First-Day-of-School Worksheets (Free Printables)

Fun activities for the first days and weeks of school.

Looking for an awesome activity to do on your first day of school? We’ve got you covered! Check out these 12 fun and easy free printable first-day-of-school worksheets. From Classmate Bingo to a First Day of School Flip-Book, there’s something for everyone in this free bundle. Just submit your email here to save and print your collection now.

Here’s what’s included in the free printable first-day-of-school worksheets bundle:

Classmate Bingo

Invite students to mix and mingle as they learn fun facts about one another.

All About Me Worksheet

Have students share their favorite things as well as their goals for this school year.

Back-to-School Scavenger Hunt

Have students search around your classroom to find supplies and learning areas.

First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts & Back-to-School Writing Paper

Choose from a fun list of writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.

First-Day-of-School Flip-Book

Make a fun flip-book that shares students’ hopes and goals for the year.

First-Day-of-School Poem Template

Invite students to compose a poem about the first day of school with our free template.

“What We Do When …” Activity for Writing About Expected Behaviors

Have students write about and draw what it looks like when they are doing small-group work or lining up for class.

“We’re Different, We’re the Same” Classmate Venn Diagram Activity

Invite students to compare their similarities and differences.

“I Wish My Teacher Knew …” Printable

Invite students to share the things they want you to know about their lives.

3, 2, 1 Back-to-School Writing Activity

Encourage students to share their “3, 2, 1” countdowns with the class.

Interview a Classmate Printable

Help students sharpen their speaking and listening skills with this free printable.

“What Our Classroom Looks Like During …” Activity

Use this printable to talk about expected behaviors during independent work, partner work, and more.

Ready to save and print your free printable first-day-of-school worksheets? Just click the orange button to fill out the form at the top of this page.

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• Writing Prompts

56 Back To School Writing Prompts (+ Free Printable)

I bet the last thing your child wants to do when going back to school is writing (or more homework as they’ll say)! Not to worry we have come up with 56 back-to-school writing prompts that will help your child settle in and take away those first-day fears. We all know how the first day of school is daunting for most kids, that’s why it is important to slowly prepare your kids for the back-to-school routine. One way to support your child is to encourage them to write down their feelings in a journal or notebook. Getting your child to think about school before actually going will help to prepare for any challenges or fears they might have. We have specially created these writing prompts to not only prepare your child for going back to school but also to help them with their writing skills.

56 back-to-school writing prompts

Get ready to go back to school with these back-to-school writing prompts:

• How do you feel about going back to school? What are your top 5 fears and what 5 things are you excited about?
• Write about the best thing that happened to you during the summer holidays. You can talk about this with your friends when you go back to school.
• What was the worst part of your summer holidays?
• What one thing did you learn during the summer holidays and how did you learn it?
• What school subject are you most looking forward to? What do you like about this subject?
• What subject are your least excited about and why?
• Do you want to make new friends in the new school term? How would you go about making friends? List a few points to help you or someone else.
• What is your goal for the new school year? What would you like to achieve by the next summer holidays? Write down at least 3 goals.
• How would you better organise your time this school year, so you can complete all your assignments on time and have time to do things you enjoy?
• Do you want to join any after-school or lunchtime clubs this year? Which clubs would you like to join or would you create your own?
• What 3 things would you improve or change about yourself this year?
• What 3 things would you keep the same about yourself and will carry on doing this year?
• Which part of the school year are you most looking forward to?
• Imagine your dream teacher. What would they look like? How would they speak? What personality traits would they have?
• What was the best thing that happened to year last school year? Describe this moment in detail.
• What was the biggest thing you struggled with last school year? And how do you plan on improving on this issue this year?
• Which subject did you find the hardest last year, and why? How can you get better at this subject this school year?
• Make a list of your favourite teachers from the last school year. Next to their names, write down at least one reason why they are your favourite. 
• Make a top ten list of your favourite school subjects. One is your favourite and ten is your least favourite.
• Write a day in the life story of a typical day for your head teacher at your school.
• Make a top ten list of your favourite school meals to eat at lunchtime.
• Create a packing list of everything you need to pack in your backpack for the first day of school.
• Create a how-to guide on how to walk or travel to school safely.
• Create a character profile for the perfect friend. What personality traits would this person have? What about their interest and appearance?
• If you were the head teacher of your school. What new rules would you put in place for the new school year? Try to think of at least three rules.
• Complete the following sentence in three different ways: I can’t wait to start school because…
• Write a letter to a classmate that you have never spoken to before. You can ask about their interests and what they did over the summer holidays.
• Would you rather be the most popular kid in your school year or get straight A’s this school year?
• Write a how-to guide on dealing with bullies at school.
• Write down 10 tips on how to study for a pop quiz or test.
• Write down a journal entry for your first day back in school. What were the highs of the day? What were the lows of the day?
• Continue the following story starter: On my way to school, I heard a strange noise. I turned around and saw…
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you feel about going back to school? One being really scared or worried and 10 being very excited. Explain your answer. 
• What is your dream school trip? Where would you really want to go this year? 
• Write down at least 5 reasons why school is important.
• If you could create a new school club what would it be and why?
• If you could get rid of one subject at school, which subject would it be and why?
• Write a day in the life story of a typical day as a student at your school.
• Write a haiku poem about your first day at school.
• Write a limerick poem about a boy or girl who hates school. You can start the poem using this sentence: There once was a boy/girl who hated school
• Would you rather be home-schooled or go to a public school? Explain your choice.
• Imagine you are back in school for the first time in a few years. How would you feel? What would you say to your friends and teachers?
• Write a letter to your younger self from about 5 years ago telling them about school. What advice with you give your younger self and why?
• What is the worst thing you have done in school? Why did you do it? What will you do to make sure this does not happen again?
• Write a letter to your favourite teacher. Tell them what you are looking forward to this year and how you would like to improve.
• What would your dream school uniform look like? What would you want to wear? Try drawing a picture and writing a detailed description. 
• Imagine that your head teacher asks you for some new school subject ideas. What new subject do you wish was taught in school, and why?
• What is one way that you can make your school feel more like a home to you?
• How would you feel if you received a failing grade in a subject at school? What steps would you take to improve your grade?
• Imagine you are a teacher and you have to choose 5 students from your class to be on a TV talent show. What five students would you choose, and what would their talent be?
• Imagine that your school head teacher is looking for a new school mascot. What would this mascot look like? Can you describe them in detail?
• Write a poem dedicated to your favourite teacher.
• Imagine you are a teacher and you want to write a letter to a child about a problem they have had. What do you say in the letter?
• Write a song about the best school lesson you have ever had.
• Imagine you are in charge of the school budget this year. What would you spend most of your money on and why?
• Create a snappy slogan or motto for your school. A motto is a short sentence that summarises the beliefs of your school in a powerful and engaging way.

Download your free printable back-to-school writing prompts pack!

Any tips for helping your child with going back to school?

What back-to-school routines do you have for helping your child when comes to their first day back? Let us know your ideas and thoughts in the comments below. If your child is particularly anxious about going back to school, take a look at these 12 hilarious back to school picture books .

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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First Day of School Writing Prompts: Start the Year with Words

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Promote Creativity ⁢and Reflection⁣ with ‍First Day ‍of School‌ Writing Prompts

Encouraging self-expression: captivating writing prompts for the first day ⁣of school, building ⁤connections ⁢and‍ fostering⁢ community through ⁤writing on ⁣the first day of school, empowering ‌students: ‌effective writing prompts‌ to kickstart the school year, inspire ⁣confidence‌ and growth with first day of ⁢school writing ⁢activities, setting goals‌ and creating a positive classroom atmosphere⁣ with ‍first day writing prompts, ignite imaginations: thought-provoking ⁣writing prompts for the start ⁣of‌ the school year, frequently asked questions, future ​outlook.

⁤ Kickstart the new school year with ​a‍ burst of creativity‌ and⁣ encourage your students to reflect‌ on their experiences⁤ with our collection of engaging⁢ writing prompts for the first day of school. Writing prompts provide an​ excellent way‌ to⁣ inspire imagination, boost ​critical thinking skills, and foster self-expression. Whether you’re an educator or‌ a parent,‌ these​ prompts‌ offer a perfect‍ opportunity to encourage your students or children to articulate their ⁣thoughts, fears, and aspirations as they embark on a ‌fresh academic journey.

‍ ⁤ Our carefully crafted prompts ‍tap into a range ​of themes, ‌from personal reflections to imaginative scenarios. Students ‍can⁤ explore‌ and express⁢ their ‍emotions,⁢ goals, and ambitions⁢ for the upcoming year. They can also delve into their unique ​learning ⁣experiences, ponder ⁣new‌ friendships, or ⁤even imagine exciting⁣ adventures they’d like to​ embark upon. With a‌ diverse collection⁢ of‍ thought-provoking prompts at your​ disposal, you’ll empower ‌your students to think⁢ critically,⁣ write confidently,⁢ and develop their own⁣ individual voices.

• Encourage ‍students to reflect on ⁢their favorite summer memories and share ‌what they’ve‌ learned from them.
• Prompt‌ students to envision the⁤ perfect classroom atmosphere ‍and describe​ what ⁣they believe ‍will make it an ideal learning environment.
• Challenge students to compose a letter to their ‌future selves, outlining ‌their academic‌ and personal ⁤goals⁤ for⁢ the‍ year ​ahead.
• Ask students to create a​ fictional ​story⁢ about a‍ time-traveling adventure that takes them to⁣ a historical ‍event of their choice.

​ By incorporating these fun⁤ and thought-provoking writing prompts ‌on the⁢ first day of‌ school, you’ll​ not only ⁢cultivate creativity and self-reflection, but also set a positive‌ tone for the rest of the academic year. Foster the development of‌ critical writing skills, while simultaneously ‍strengthening‍ students’ ability to articulate their thoughts ​and⁣ feelings. ‍Let your students embark‍ on a writing journey filled with imagination, self-discovery, ‍and endless possibilities.

As the new school year begins, it’s crucial to create ⁣a classroom environment ​that ⁤fosters creativity and self-expression. One ​effective way to‍ achieve this is through engaging writing ⁤prompts that⁢ will‍ encourage students ⁢to share their ⁢thoughts and ideas. Here ‌are some ‌captivating writing prompts that are perfect ⁢for the‍ first ‌day‌ of school, allowing ⁢students to introduce ‍themselves while also sparking their imagination:

• Reflect on ​your summer ⁣adventures: ⁣ Ask students to write about their favorite ‍summer⁣ memory or the most exciting thing they did during the break. This ‍prompt not only helps⁢ them share their experiences​ but also sets‍ a positive and vibrant tone ​for⁤ the class.
• Design your ideal learning space: ⁢Encourage students to let their creativity flow by asking them to describe or sketch their perfect learning ⁤environment. This prompt allows ‍them⁣ to think outside the box‍ and express ‌their preferences, making them feel a⁢ sense of ownership in the ​classroom.

Writing prompts like these provide an opportunity for students to explore‍ their⁣ individuality, establish ‌a positive classroom community, and ignite ‍their passion‍ for learning.⁤ By creating‍ a safe and inclusive space ⁢for self-expression⁤ from⁢ the⁤ very beginning,‍ teachers can set⁣ the stage for ​meaningful and engaging discussions throughout⁢ the ‍entire school year. So,⁣ let’s ⁣kickstart this academic ‌adventure‍ with ‍captivating writing prompts that will inspire endless creativity in our‍ students!

On ⁤the first day of school,⁤ bringing students together​ and creating a sense of⁤ community is ⁤essential. With a simple⁢ yet powerful activity ​using​ writing,‌ we can‌ foster connections⁣ right ⁤from the start.‍ By encouraging students⁢ to express themselves through writing, ‍we ​provide a ‍platform ⁤for each⁢ individual to be heard and understood, while also establishing a⁢ supportive and inclusive classroom environment.

One effective way to do⁤ this is through an interactive ‌journaling‌ session.‍ Set aside time⁣ for students ⁢to ⁣write freely about their thoughts, feelings, and expectations for the upcoming year. Encourage them‌ to⁤ express their⁢ goals, ​hopes, and ⁢even concerns. By giving them the freedom to write openly and honestly, we‌ can create a safe space ‍where students feel comfortable sharing and connecting with their ‌peers.

• Provide prompts that⁣ encourage self-reflection, such as asking students to write ⁢about their‍ favorite book or about ‌a⁢ challenge they overcame.
• Encourage ‌students to respectfully comment and share​ their thoughts on each other’s writing,⁢ fostering dialogue and understanding.
• Consider using icebreaker activities that involve writing, such as having students write a short poem introducing themselves⁣ to their classmates.

By incorporating writing into the first⁤ day of‍ school,​ we establish a ⁢foundation for building connections and ⁤fostering a supportive community. ‍Writing encourages self-expression,​ empathy, active ⁢listening, and understanding. ​It ⁢enables⁤ students to ‌share their⁢ unique voices and experiences, while also developing their ⁢reading and critical thinking skills. Let’s ⁤embrace ‍the power of writing to create ‌a classroom environment where everyone feels ‍valued and connected.

Writing is an essential ⁢skill⁤ that allows ‍students to express ‍their thoughts, ideas, and‍ emotions. ⁤It is crucial to provide ⁢students with engaging and effective writing prompts​ to ignite their ‌creativity and boost​ their confidence as⁢ communicators. Here are some ​unique and ‍inspiring writing prompts⁣ to kickstart the⁤ school year:

• 1. ‍Reflect on a significant life experience: Encourage students⁤ to explore and ⁤share a personal experience that ⁢had a profound impact on their⁣ lives. This⁤ prompt not⁣ only allows them to tap into ​their‍ emotions ⁣but also helps develop their narrative ​writing skills.
• 2. ​Invent ‌a⁣ futuristic gadget: ‍Challenge ⁣students to ‍imagine‌ a groundbreaking invention that would revolutionize ‌the future. This prompt promotes critical thinking, creativity,‍ and persuasive writing skills as they‍ describe the gadget’s​ purpose ​and benefits.
• 3. ⁢Write a letter to‌ your future self: ⁣ Have students envision their lives five years from now and write a letter to ⁤their future ⁣selves. This prompt ​encourages​ reflection, goal-setting, and expository ⁤writing as they convey advice, hopes, and ‌aspirations.

By incorporating these ⁢empowering writing prompts⁤ into ⁢the curriculum, students will be motivated to develop their ‌writing skills ⁢while exploring their unique perspectives​ and⁤ ideas. These prompts not only provide a‍ platform for self-expression but also foster creativity, critical thinking, ⁢and effective ​communication skills – essential for their personal and academic growth. Let the journey of writing begin!

The‍ first⁤ day of school can be⁣ both exciting and nerve-wracking ​for students. To help ease their worries ‍and ⁢foster a positive and growth-oriented mindset, incorporating writing activities⁣ into the⁢ day’s ⁢agenda ⁣can be a ⁣tremendous ⁣tool. These ‍activities not only ⁢inspire ‌confidence ⁢but⁤ also encourage self-expression ‌and creativity.

One engaging writing activity is to ‌have students create a “Letter​ to My Future⁢ Self.” Ask them to imagine ⁣themselves at the end of the school year and encourage​ them to write ⁤a letter to their future self, expressing their⁤ goals, hopes, and dreams. This activity‍ helps students set⁢ intentions⁣ for the school⁤ year ‍ahead, allowing ‌them to visualize their growth ​and progress. To make it even more interactive, you can provide decorative⁤ materials like ‌colorful pens, stickers, and post-it notes for students to personalize ‌their letters.

Starting the school year off‍ on the right foot⁣ is essential ⁤for ⁢building a​ positive classroom atmosphere and ⁣setting achievable goals. One effective​ way to accomplish this is by utilizing⁢ first day writing ​prompts. These ​prompts ⁤provide students with an opportunity ‍to reflect on their strengths, interests, and aspirations, ‍while also⁢ encouraging‍ them to think ‍about how they ‍can contribute‌ to ⁣a supportive and⁣ inclusive learning environment. By incorporating ‌these ⁤prompts into your lesson plans,⁤ you ⁢can foster a sense ​of community, boost self-confidence, and create ⁢a​ positive⁤ classroom dynamic.

First day writing prompts can cover a diverse range ‌of topics, ⁤such as personal experiences, academic goals, or ⁤even fun icebreaker questions. Here are a few‍ ideas to get‌ you started:

• “Describe a time when you felt proud ‌of an accomplishment. What did you learn from​ that experience?”
• “What are your‌ goals for this school year, both academically‍ and personally? How⁤ do you plan to achieve them?”
• “Share an interesting‌ fact about yourself ⁢that ​others might not know.”

Encourage students to express ⁤themselves freely⁣ and authentically. Remind them ‍that there are⁤ no ⁤right or wrong answers, and that their ​responses⁢ will help⁣ shape​ the‌ classroom environment. By allowing⁢ students to⁢ share ⁤their thoughts ‌and insights, you can establish a foundation ⁤of trust⁤ and respect⁤ from day one,⁣ fostering a positive ​and inclusive atmosphere where ⁤everyone⁢ feels valued.

Welcome back, ‌students! ‌As we kick⁢ off ⁢the new⁢ school⁤ year, ⁢it’s time ‍to get ⁣those ‌creative gears ⁣turning with some thought-provoking writing prompts. These prompts will not only ignite your imaginations but also encourage you⁢ to explore new ⁣ideas, ⁣challenge​ your thinking, and develop ​your writing skills. Get‌ ready⁣ to embark on an exciting journey ​of self-expression and discovery!

1. Reflective Prompts:

• Describe a time when ‍you overcame a difficult challenge and what‍ you learned ‌from it.
• Imagine you are a‍ character in ⁤your favorite novel. Rewrite‍ the ending, exploring an alternate outcome.
• Think about a personal‍ accomplishment you ⁣are proud​ of. Explain why it‌ is⁢ important to‍ you and ‍how it ​has shaped ‌you.

2. Imaginative Prompts:

• Transport ​yourself to ⁣a futuristic world and write a⁣ short story about​ how society⁢ has drastically changed.
• Create a conversation between‌ two inanimate objects. What ⁣would ⁢they talk about?
• If you could‌ possess⁢ any superpower,⁤ what⁢ would it ⁣be​ and ⁤how would⁢ you use it to⁣ make the ⁣world⁢ a better place?

Remember, ⁣writing‍ is not just⁢ about grammar ⁣and punctuation; ​it’s‌ about expressing‍ your thoughts, emotions, and unique perspective. Use these prompts as ⁤a⁤ springboard to showcase your⁤ creativity and engage⁢ in meaningful ​self-reflection. Let your imagination⁣ roam free and allow your⁤ words to ​paint vibrant ⁣pictures on the canvas of⁤ paper. Get ready to embark on ⁣a captivating ‍writing journey this school year!

Q: What are some ​first ‌day of school writing prompts? A: Some ⁢first ⁢day ​of school‍ writing prompts include: – Describe ​your summer vacation in 5 words. – Write a letter ‍to your future ‌self. What⁤ do you ⁢hope to achieve this school year? – If you ⁢were a teacher for⁤ a day, what would you do differently? – Imagine ​you could ‍create a⁣ new subject for your school.⁣ What would it be and why? – Reflect on a time ⁢when you ‌overcame a challenge.​ How did ​it make you feel?

Q: ⁢Why ⁣are​ first day of school writing prompts important? A: First ⁢day of ⁤school ⁣writing​ prompts⁢ are important because they ‌encourage students‌ to start⁢ the year off with creative thinking and self-reflection. They help to establish a positive and engaging ⁢classroom atmosphere, allowing students to express their thoughts and‌ ideas freely.

Q: How⁣ can writing prompts benefit students on ​their first day? A:⁣ Writing prompts benefit‌ students on their ⁢first day by ⁤creating a sense of excitement and curiosity about⁣ the upcoming school year. They also allow educators to gain insight into their students’​ interests,⁢ personalities, and writing abilities early​ on, helping to ‍shape their‌ instruction⁢ and ​meet individual student ‌needs.

Q: Will ‌students ‍enjoy writing on their ⁣first day of school? A: Generally, students do enjoy ‌writing on their first‍ day of school, as it gives them an opportunity to express themselves ⁤creatively and ‍share their experiences. ‌It breaks the ice and helps build a positive classroom⁣ environment where ⁣students ​feel comfortable‌ sharing their thoughts and ideas.

Q: How can⁤ teachers ⁤use first⁣ day writing prompts in the classroom? A: Teachers can use first day⁣ writing prompts in various‌ ways. They ‌can start ⁣the day with a ⁤short writing⁣ activity to engage⁤ students as they‍ enter the ⁤classroom. Teachers​ can ‌also⁢ assign⁤ longer writing ​tasks, encouraging students to⁣ share ⁢their work with classmates‍ and ⁢engage⁢ in peer feedback. ‌Additionally, these prompts can be⁤ used ‌as a resource throughout ‍the year,‍ inspiring writing assignments or fueling classroom discussions.

Q: Are ‌there‍ any ‌benefits‌ of using ⁣writing ⁤prompts beyond the ‍first⁢ day of school? A: Absolutely!⁤ Writing prompts are a versatile tool that can be⁢ used‍ throughout the ⁤year. They promote critical thinking, creativity,⁣ and help develop students’ writing skills. Writing‌ prompts can also​ serve ⁤as catalysts for classroom discussions, allowing students to explore ‍various topics‍ in depth and express their ideas confidently.

Q: Can writing prompts be adjusted for different grade levels? A: Yes, ‌writing‌ prompts can be adjusted‌ to suit ​different‌ grade levels. For ⁤younger students, ⁣prompts can ⁤be more visual or involve drawing pictures alongside the​ writing. Older students may be given more complex prompts that require synthesizing information⁣ or analyzing concepts. Teachers⁣ can adapt the level of difficulty based on the specific ⁢needs and abilities of their students.

Q:‍ How can teachers make⁢ writing⁤ prompts ‍more‌ engaging ‍for students? A: To ​ensure writing‍ prompts are engaging‌ for students, teachers ‍can ⁣make them relevant‍ to ‍their lives and experiences. They can incorporate current ⁢events , popular​ culture references, ⁢or allow⁤ students‌ to choose ​their own writing topics. Additionally, providing ⁣clear instructions, creative ⁣examples, and opportunities ⁤for peer collaboration can make⁤ the writing⁤ process more enjoyable‍ for students. ⁣

In conclusion, using‍ writing prompts on⁣ the first day of ‌school is a great ⁣way​ to engage​ students⁣ and kickstart​ their​ creativity for the⁢ year ahead.

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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?

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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 !

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“Tell me about your summer.” I can see my students’ eyes glaze over when I assign this as a first day of school writing prompt!

Last year, I tried out some new writing prompts and the kids loved them.

I enjoyed watching their brand new pencils scratch furiously over the paper as they completed these writing assignments.

Kids love to tell us about themselves! Use these writing prompts to help you get to know your new students!

• List and describe three things you want me to know about you.
• If you could start the summer over again, what three things would you change?
• You were a 4th grader last year and had many experiences. What do you hope will be different in 5th grade?
• Describe one of your strengths and one of your weaknesses.
• Which one of these words best describes you?   busy   thoughtful   kind    Explain why this word describes you.
• If you were given $100,000 to write a book, what would you write the book about? The topic should be something that interests you. Explain why you chose this topic.
• All people learn differently. Tell me what helps you to learn best.
• Fifth grade is fun but can be challenging at times. What do you think will be the two most difficult things about being a fifth grader? Explain why you chose those two things.
• If you were given the choice of these three things, which one would you choose? 1. getting along with everyone for the rest of your life   2. unlimited money for the rest of your life   3. ability to see the future   Why did you make this choice?
• With which member of your family are you especially close? Why?
• List three qualities that make a teacher the very best teacher ever. Describe those three qualities.
• Describe something that has happened in your life that has made you a better person.

What else do I use to start the school year? Check out these back-to-school activities!

Hi Jennifer,

Thank you for the Fifth Grade tips.. They were very helpful and informative, especially the one about leave it at school. That has been me, staying late and taking it home. I have heard it before, but it is time for me to listen and follow the advice. Thank you so much for your help and expertise. Respectfully, Jacqueline

You are so welcome, Jacqueline! Thank you for sharing!

You are very welcome, Clara!

I have had a tutoring practice for 25 years. I have primarily worked with math. I now have a 5th grade student who needs help with math and writing. I am interested in learning all l can to help my student with writing. Please let me know if you have written any books that have examples of 5th grade essays or any instructional tips.

Hi Chris! Have you seen this blog post? This is my best advice for teaching 5 paragraph essays! https://thriveingradefive.com/tips-for-teaching-and-grading-five-paragraph-essays/

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August 1, 2024 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.

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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.

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New first-day-of-school icebreaker writing assignments.

Looking for a fresh printable writing assignment for back-to-school time? We've added several new ones to our library. Whether it's a survey, writing prompt or even a comic strip that you need, enjoy our variety of activities for various grade levels.  

Back-to-school student survey This 10-question survey assesses students’ needs, strengths and preferences, helping teachers get to know the members of their new class. Grades 3-6

Icebreaker/student writing activity: My favorite things This simple worksheet is a perfect first-day-of-school activity for the elementary grades.   Grades 1-3

Icebreaker/student writing activity: A new school year Students write about their hopes for the new school year. Grades 2-4

Back-to-school “comic strip” Students will have fun filling in the speech bubbles on this clever dialogue-writing template. Grades 3-6

Writing prompt: My summer vacation This elementary-grades worksheet is a nice back-to-school assignment. Grades 2-4

Here are a few more great writing-related activities from our archives:  

Every-Day Edit: Back to school Students in grades 3-6 correct errors in this passage about back-to-school time.

Summer shorts In this lesson, students use sequence maps to create personal narratives about their summer vacation.

Summer memories Instead of having students write about what they did during summer vacation, you might have them write a thank-you letter to the person who was responsible for caring for them during the summer. That person might be a parent, a neighbor or camp counselor. (This activity comes from this larger list of icebreakers.)

Related resources

Back to school archive Back to school technology activities A teacher’s back to school checklist

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Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SchoolNotes.com The Educator's Network International Education Jobs Schools directory Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search You're Finally Here! Back to School First Day of School Writing Activities Subject: Whole school Age range: 5-7 Resource type: Worksheet/Activity Last updated 27 August 2024 Share through email Share through twitter Share through linkedin Share through facebook Share through pinterest You’re Finally Here! Back to School First Day of School Writing Activities includes writing activities / Writing Templates : What Took You So Long? Where were you ? Well, I Took So Long Because… How Do You Feel About Being Back In school? How Did You Feel When You Wake up This Morning Knowing It Was The First Day Of School ? Is There Anything You`re Nervous About? What Do You Think The Character in You’re Finally Here! Feels When The Finally Arrive? My Feeling In My irst Day Of School ? You’re Finally Here! What is Your Goal For This Year? You’re Finally Here! What are You Most Excited About? Kick off the 2024 school year with our exciting “You’re Finally Here! Back to School First Day of School Writing Activities.” Perfect for engaging students on their first day, these creative writing prompts and activities are designed to inspire young minds and set a positive tone for the rest of the year. Ideal for teachers looking to create a welcoming and stimulating classroom environment, these resources encourage self-expression, creativity, and a love for writing. Make the first day memorable with fun, interactive writing tasks that help students share their thoughts, dreams, and goals for the new school year. Get ready to boost classroom engagement and foster a strong sense of community from day one! Tes paid licence How can I reuse this? Your rating is required to reflect your happiness. It's good to leave some feedback. Something went wrong, please try again later. This resource hasn't been reviewed yet To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch. Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource: No products in the cart. 40 Teacher-Inspired Ideas for the First Day of School Activities The first day of school can be an exciting time for teachers and students, but it can be an anxious time, too. What can you do to make sure your students (and you!) feel at home in the classroom on that first day? Here are some teacher-inspired first-day-of-school activities for primary school children that teachers can use in their classrooms this back-to-school season. This post contains links to affiliate websites, such as Amazon, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you using these links. We appreciate your support! Do you wonder what to do with your students on the first day of school ? The first day of elementary school is an exciting and nerve-wracking time for both students and parents. It marks the beginning of a new adventure as children explore new ideas, make new friends, and learn to navigate their ever-growing independence. No matter how prepared a student or teacher may feel, it’s normal to have some butterflies in your stomach on the big day. With the right attitude and preparation, however, the first day of any grade in elementary school can be a wonderful experience that sets the tone for a successful year full of growth and exploration. How can teachers help students transition from a summer at home to school on the first day of a new year? Check out these fun first-day-of-school activities to help students get to know one another and make it the best first day! You can use these fun activities in your lesson plans during the first week of school! 40 First Day of School Activities Here are 40 surefire tips for making your first day back to school successful! Scroll to the comments for even more ideas! Read First Day Jitters by Julie Danneburg First Day Jitters is a great book to break the ice with your students. There are several activities for the first-day jitters book. To make it extra special, serve Jitter Juice! Then, have students write YOU a letter with ideas on why you shouldn’t be nervous. It’ll get a few kids thinking about their jitters, and maybe they can help each other, too! This is an excellent way for students to reflect on their feelings about the first school day and make meaningful connections with the text. Do a classroom or school tour Show your kiddos where all the classroom supplies are and help them know what areas are for them and for you only. Are students new to the school? Take them around the whole school and show them where the bathrooms, the gym, the cafeteria, etc. Teach them the computer lab rules and lunchtime procedures. This is a great opportunity for new students to get to know their new school. If your social studies standards include learning about maps, this is also a good time to lay a foundation for classroom and school maps . Create a Scavenger Hunt Take it a step further and create a scavenger hunt for students. Creating a scavenger hunt as a first day of school activity is an excellent way to engage students and break the ice on day one. Create questions or tasks related to the classroom, school, or surrounding area, and have students work independently or in teams to find the answers. Make a picture keepsake Don’t forget this one! Take a picture of each student on their first day back to school, then take one on the last day of school. Turn it into a keepsake at the end of the year . Better yet, let students draw a self-portrait on the first day and then again on the last day. Compare! They might have changed, and their drawing skills will surely have, too! One-on-one time One key first-day-of-school activity that I always make a point of doing is spending a few minutes one-on-one with each student. Get to know them, introduce yourself, giggle, and encourage them. Making that personal connection on the first day is so important! You may get teacher inspiration and insights into your students that you can use all year! As you meet with each student, take along a clipboard or sticky notes. Jot down a few memorable notes about the student. At the end of the day, gather these notes together. Reflect on your class as a whole. What makes each student unique? How can they be an integral part of your class? Take it a step further and turn these notes into words of encouragement. Write on students’ desks and leave a note about what you love about each student. Back to School Craft Are you ready for some downtime at the end of the first day? You might need some, too! This is one of my favorite activities for the first day of school. It allows the kids to wind down and still be productive. In this Back-to-School Bus Craftivity Flap Book students tell about themselves, review the rules, reflect on their day, and think about being a good classmate. It makes a fun keepsake, too. Parents will thank you! Teacher Q&A Have fun with this one in a couple of different ways. Sit in a circle with your students and let them ask you questions like: What’s your favorite food? Color? Animal? Candy? Etc. Or, make a quiz and see if they can guess the answers to these questions. It’s a great way for your students to know more about you, a very important person in their day. Start Your Community Circle This is also a great opportunity to establish a community circle routine . Using a community circle in the classroom is an effective way to foster empathy and collaboration among students. A community circle creates a safe, non-threatening space for students to discuss their ideas and feelings with each other. Community circles allow for a greater understanding and appreciation of different perspectives, which can help reduce conflict in the classroom. Creating an environment where all students are respected makes learning more meaningful and engaging. Community circles also provide opportunities for teachers to guide conversations by introducing topics and raising questions that will help strengthen relationships. In this way, students are encouraged to think critically and find creative solutions to problems together. Need some community-building question ideas ? I’ve got 67 for you! Make a classroom cheer Who doesn’t love a good team cheer? Sit down with your students and brainstorm a catchy classroom cheer you can use throughout the year. This is a great team-building activity! Discuss the Student’s and Teacher’s Roles in the Classroom Do you know what your students expect out of the year? Do they? Have them do an activity with them to list their own personal goals for the school year . This blog post has some great anchor charts that show how students define good friends, their role as students, a teacher’s role, and their parent’s role.  It’s a great starting point for a discussion about classroom expectations. Build community with a Class Mission Statement Make a mission statement or class pledge/promise, and recite this each morning.  Making a class mission statement aligns well with student goal-setting . Once students define who they are as a community , they can set goals that align with the mission statement. Create Name Labels or Name Tags Make name cards for desks, lockers, or cubbies. Let students write their own names and decorate a border around them. Then, laminate, and voila! Each desk or cubbie has a personal touch. At the end of the year, you could even add name tags to students’ portfolios. Beach Ball Ice Breaker Take a permanent marker and write questions on a beach ball. Sit in a circle with your students and toss the beach ball to each other. Each time students catch the ball, they answer any of the questions visible, then toss it to someone else. It’s a fun way for students to get to know each other and you! Survey Students Create a blank bar graph on chart paper, or better yet, create a horizontal and vertical bar graph.  Use it throughout the day and week to survey students about various favorite things. Give each student a sticky note.  As a question, have groups of students place their sticky notes in the correct columns. Your students will love the interactiveness of sticky notes and placing them on chart paper! This is a cheat sheet for getting to know your students better, AND you can weave in some math skill work, too! Teachers will learn about important ideas about their students, too! When I was a kid, I loved filling out little surveys that asked me all about myself! Besides the standard questions about their hobbies, siblings, or summers, don’t forget to ask some silly questions to make it extra fun! Rules and Procedures and Classroom Routines While you’re busy making this the most fun first day ever for your students, don’t forget the rules and classroom procedures . Don’t skip this. It is an essential part of ensuring your school year runs smoothly. Knowing what is expected of them is of great benefit to your students—and let’s be honest with you as well! Party! Party! Party! How exciting is the first day of school? Exciting enough for a welcome-back party! No, really! Why wait until the end of the year? Serve baked goods, orange or apple juice (or jitter juice! See #1), bananas, and grapes. Include circle time to share summer stories and dance those jitters away! Eat lunch with your students Consider eating lunch with your students. Especially on the first day, showing your kids that your class is “family.” Read aloud – a lot! Reading out loud to your students often instills a lifelong love of reading in their hearts. Choose quality books that take their nervousness away, make them laugh, or build their self-esteem and team spirit. Don’t be afraid of classics with harder-to-understand language. Kids can fill in the gaps; it builds their vocabulary, and when the storyline is riveting, they will get it. The first day back at school is a great time to relax and read to your students. Create a welcome swag-bag You love free gifts. I love free gifts. I don’t think many people wouldn’t love a free gift. Do you want to know who loves them the most? Your students! Create a little welcome bag with treats and gifts for each student. Give it to them right after greeting them at the door! Or, give each student a gift at the end of the day to congratulate them on a great first day. If your classroom has a theme, you might want to consider a gift that matches that theme! Greet Students at the Door Adults love to feel important and to know that they are seen. So do kids! Your students want to know they aren’t invisible to you. So, first things first: Greet your students at the door. Meet them at their eye level and let them know you are excited to be their teacher. Introduce yourself, learn their name, and make this a positive start of their day. Why not do this every day for the remainder of the school year? Create a Puzzle Kids love puzzles! It’s a great community-building activity that encourages creativity and cooperation. I love using this Community Building Puzzle on the first day of school. I leave a puzzle piece on each student’s desk first thing in the morning. As students enter, they find a seat, write their name on their puzzle pieces, and decorate it. Create your own giant puzzle pieces, or save time and sanity and get this one . Students can color the whole piece or decorate the borders. They can write their name or list their favorite things. The possibilities are endless! After they finish decorating, you can sit in circle time or have students sit at their desks. Use the pieces to introduce yourselves to each other and/or glue all of the pieces together and post it to a bulletin board labeled “A Perfect Fit…For a Perfect Year!” Find Someone Who . . . It’s a classic icebreaker game! Make a list of characteristics/experiences your students might have in common. Think of “Find someone who has the same color hair as you,” or “Find someone who has the same kind of pet.” Don’t overthink it, but make it fun. Students walk around the room, list in hand, and find other students who will have something in common with them. They write the name of the person they found next to the question. It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s a great community-building activity. Read The Kissing Hand Book You cannot miss this one if you teach a lower elementary class, such as Kindergarten or First Grader! For example, have your students trace their hands (they might need you to do that!) and cut it out. Glue a heart in the palm of the paper hand and fold the fingers down (but don’t glue the fingers!). Teach your students “I love you” in sign language & give them a note with a chocolate kiss at the end of the day. Ensure your kids take this “kissing hand” back home that same day to show their loved ones. Ask Parents to Get Involved We often ask students to write about themselves, but what about asking the parents to write something about their children? You will receive insight into your children’s personalities that will help individualize your attention, care, and understanding of each student. Use GoNoodle for Brain Breaks Hey, teacher! (Hey, what?) Are you ready? (For what?) To pop! (Pop what?) Pop See Ko! I love GoNoodle. Chances are, your students love it, too. If not, they will! It is the silliest, goofiest way to keep your students active and giggling. Just pull up YouTube, get them out of their chairs, and shake off the jitters (and sugar… if you had a welcome back party or allowed them to eat the candy you just put in that welcome swag bag above). Social Contract This activity is fun for upper elementary or middle schoolers and helps establish classroom management expectations. Create four posters with one question on each. The questions should be something like: How do I want to be treated by the teacher? How do I want to be treated by other students? How do I treat the teacher? How do we solve conflicts? Have each student write answers to each question on a sticky note and place the notes on the poster. Once everyone has placed a sticky note on each poster, break the classroom into four groups. One group for each poster. Each group will then sort the sticky notes into commonality. The group will agree on and write the best answers (multiple) on the poster. Display the four posters in a prominent place and tell your students that this is the Social Contract of the class. It’s a great way to build community and set boundaries. Your students will love it because they helped set the rules. It will give a sense of ownership and understanding of others, too. Getting to Know You Small Group Craftivity Break your students into small groups for a fun craftivity that will help them build community and treat others with kindness. Each group has paper shapes that each student can cut out and decorate. On each shape, write sentences for the students to complete. Start the sentences with things like “I feel appreciated when…” or “I feel ___ when ___”. You can find a fun example already prepared for you here. When I grow Up What are your students’ dreams? What are their hopes beyond the first or last day of school? Do they want to be doctors, astronauts, or Lego designers? You can utilize a “When I grow up, I want to be ___” or “When I grow up, I want to ___” in various ways. Make it part of a giant puzzle (see # 2) or an icebreaker (see #3). You can use it as a calm-down activity in circle time or at their desks. Ask each student and listen to their answers. Their dreams might surprise you! Read The Name Jar Students love this book and will talk about it throughout the year. You can make a fun assignment from this, too. Have your students go home and find out how they got their names. It’s a fun, investigative activity they can do with their families. After they find out how they got their name, have them write about it. It makes an excellent first writing assignment for the year. They’ll learn and appreciate their name, plus the names of their classmates—another tremendous community-building activity. Who Goes Where? This one is really important and cannot be skipped. Before school begins, ensure parents know to show up with their kids on the first day of school. They can help with what we call the “who’s going where?” sheet. It helps you know which students will be picked up by their parents, which students ride the school bus, and which students stay for after-school care (and who will pick them up later). Each student has their own card. For students with parents picking them up right away, take their picture with the parent. For bus riders, take their picture with a bus sign and the student. For after-school care, take a picture of the student, the parent who will pick them up, and the school mascot. Later, all the pictures are added to cards, laminated, and attached to a binder ring to hang by the door. If students have different pickup days, you can write that on the back of the card as needed. This is a great help in remembering who belongs to whom and keeps your students safe! Two Truths and a Lie This is a fun icebreaker game to play. Have each student think of three “facts” about themselves they want to share with the class. Two of these “facts” must be true, and one must be a lie. The rest of the class has to guess which one is the lie. Prepare for some off-the-wall answers and lots of laughter. This is also a great way to learn fun facts about your students! What I Really Want to Learn Make a poster with the words “What I really want to learn” at the top. Have each student write something on it that they would love to learn during the school year. It’s a great insight into their hobbies and interests. Use the ideas from the list as random activities and lessons throughout the year. Summer Postcards Before school starts, get a list of your students as soon as possible. Over the summer, send each student postcards. Tell them how excited you are to meet them on the first day of school. Write them silly things about what you’re doing over the summer. Make it adventurous or funny. Above all, make them feel valued before they even meet you. Just Like Me This is a fun icebreaker to play. Have the entire class sit in a large circle or oval. One student stands and tells the class something that they did over the summer (or over the weekend, if you play this at different times during the year) like “I flew on an airplane,” or “I went to the beach.” If any other student (or you!) did the same thing, they get to stand up and enthusiastically say “Just like me!” Then, the next student stands and says something. The game continues until every student has a chance to tell something they did. Human Bingo – Find Someone Who Activity Another great way to change up the get-to-know-you icebreaker. Make bingo boards with activity or characteristic squares. Each square should say something like “Flew on an airplane,” “plays the piano,” “plays soccer,” etc. This activity is also called Find Someone Who . Give each student a bingo card. They go around the room to find other students that fit the square’s description. When they find someone, they write their name over the square. The first student to fill the whole board wins a prize like a homework pass or something similar. Kindness Quilt This is a craft your students will treasure throughout the year. Give each student a square of fabric they can decorate. Have them write kind messages and color their squares. When they finish, take the squares and have them sewn together into a quilt. Hang the quilt up in the room as a kindness reminder. Your students will love that they helped create something beautiful for the class. Self Portrait On the first day of school, have your students draw self-portraits. Make it fun or silly with googly eyes or yarn for hair. However, if they want to draw themselves, let them. Hang them up in the hallway as part of a large poster that introduces them as your students. Dear Me Letter Ask your students to write a letter to themselves. Have them write about what they are looking forward to for the year, or what they might be nervous about, or how they feel. Keep the letters and return them to the students on the last day of the year. They’ll be amazed at how much their handwriting improved and how much they’ve grown during the year. Do a STEM Challenge Kickstart your science lessons with engaging team-building activities and STEM challenges right from day one of the new school year. These STEM challenges foster cooperative learning and ignite curiosity and critical thinking, setting the stage for an exciting and immersive learning experience for your new class. Encourage your Grade Level Team Be a team encourager! Put together a small gift for everyone on your teaching team (or the whole school staff). Include a note wishing them the greatest year ever. Create a Small Booklet Teach students to create a small booklet from a piece of paper . Have them jot down things they want to remember from the first day of school. Don’t forget you on the first day of class! This one’s for you. If you haven’t already done so, go to your classroom well before school starts, organize your desk, pour yourself that coffee, and put all that dark chocolate in your drawer. This blog post about my favorite Teacher School Supplies will give you a few more ideas to add to your teacher area! Walk through the school to get a feel for the school climate and meet the people you will be working with this year. Last but not least, Smile! Be a positive you. Be approachable, laugh, and enjoy yourself! EVEN More Back-to-School Ideas and Activities Are you looking for more back-to-school ideas? Here are a few more: 9 Ways to Start the Year Off Right Five Things to Keep in Mind on the First Day of School Cooperative Learning Activities for the First Day of School 3 Tips to Get Ready for Back to School Teacher School Supplies You Can’t Live Without 80 Sponge Activities: A Teacher’s Guide to Making Every Minute Count Virtual Icebreakers for Distance Learning Create a School Time Capsule Want to Reduce Disruptions So You Can Actually Teach? Check out this 100% FREE Micro Training from my friend Linda over at Teach 4 the Heart. Creating a calm classroom environment can be hard…and you probably didn’t learn everything you needed to about classroom management in college. (I know I didn’t!) But there is hope and a way to make your teaching experience more fulfilling and less stressful. Watch this quick 28-minute training to learn how you can minimize disruptions so you can actually teach your content (and get to do the projects & activities that make learning more fun for EVERYONE! Linda WON’T just tell you to “build relationships” because, frankly, even the best connections can’t eliminate all classroom challenges. Achieving a smooth-running class requires a more nuanced approach. So join me for this FREE 28-minute training and discover their Calm Classroom Blueprint, used by thousands of teachers to: Significantly reduce disruptions during lessons & work times. Gain confidence In handling challenging situations (that previously left them dumbfounded). Lower daily stress levels and find joy in teaching again! 448 Comments My favorite first day activity is to do a 5 senses activity using Pop rocks. I also love getting that first day hug or high five. The first day of school, I have the students complete a who am I activity. We share. I then give a tour of the classroom. Finally we go over the class routines, rules, and expectations. I teach Middle School so I always do a ice breaker on the first day. It is a bingo type of set up where the students have to find someone who fits the square description and have them sign it. The first student to fill the whole board wins a free homework pass. On the first day of school, I help make students feel at ease, set up classroom routines/expectations, and teach them how to use our resources the correct way. I find that establishing this first helps them know what to do and how to do it so the rest of the year runs smooth in no time! As a Kindergarten teacher for the last few years I always read a Pete the Cat book and took a tour of the school while looking for Pete. This was instrumental because it’s there first year in the “big” school so going together during a fun activity helped them feel less intimidated. It also allowed them to learn a little about the school. However, I am moving to Second Grade and don’t know what I am doing yet : / I always do a hunt and search around the classroom to help explain what is in the classroom and its purpose. I also take a picture of each student on the first day and send it home that week at Back to School night so that every parent has a keepsake of their child’s first day of first grade. One thing I like to do on the first day of school is read Dr. Seuss Oh! The Places You’ll Go. We talk about the “places” they will go in third grade and then they write their own story following the structure of the story. I like to do a little get to know you activity called truths and fibs. I have several statements about myself pre-written and displayed on the data projector screen. The students have to guess if it is a truth or a fib. I try to pick things they wouldn’t know unless they knew me; things most are really surprised to learn are truths. It’s a hoot! Afterwards, they do the same on their own form, writing statements about themselves. We play hands up, pair up over the next few days so students can better get to know each other. The first day is when we try to calm the nerves of the new, introduce each other, make selfies for lockers and name tags for desks. I also start to read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. I also begin to establish routines the very first day, we take a tour of the classroom and start to learn what is what in the classroom. Read aloud! I love, love, love to read to my students. I want them to love reading as much as I do!! I try to find books that will hook them, so I read a wide variety of genres so that everyone can find what interests them. This past year I had a student who hated reading and always had. I finally found books that he loved!! I bought everyone I could find. (Interactive history books)! Who would have thought??!! One thing I always do on the first day of school is build our classroom community by doing team building activities, read alouds, and reflections! On the first day of school, I always have my students write a letter to themselves that they receive on the last day of school. I am a high school special education teacher. After we introduce ourselves and do a small introduction activity, I have the group make classroom rules all together. I do this so I am not just telling them rules and so we can make sure everyone has a comfortable learning environment. I make a list on a poster and post it on the wall. Depending on the class, I follow up with a sheet that helps me understand their comfort level. We go through a list of questions as a group and they circle “comfort zone”, “challenge zone”, or “panic zone”. I allow students to share if they want but they do not have to. I do this and collect them later to see how each student learns best. An example statement may be reading in front of the class. I ask my students what kind of a teacher they expect me to be before we discuss classroom rules on the first day. Then, they write their name on a piece of puzzle and decorate it as their own before we combine them to build a big class puzzle. We go over the rules & the each student fills out an All About Me sheet which they share. This will be my first day of school and I would like to develop an anchor chart with my students about what will help them succeed this year. I really appreciate all the ideas shared in these comments as it has provided excellent fodder for my own first day! On the first day of school I always spend time getting to know my students and go over procedures with them. We have share time and I take them on a tour around the school. I introduced them to the centers and each classrooms in the school. One thing I always do is pray for my students. Before the day starts, I sit at my desk and specifically say each students name and pray that I will be able to reach them and to keep them and their families safe. I need to make time for this Monday morning. Thanks for reminding me of what’s really important! This is only my second year teaching third grade, but one thing we did last year on the first day was first day selfies, read First Day Jitters, took a tour of the school, and did some team building activities! Ready for this year! I always love to do first day pictures. It is really great to look back on these when doing last day pictures. I always start with asking my firsties how they felt the night before school. After a discussion of their feelings, I read the book, The Night Before First Grade. We discuss what happened in the book, and then we make a craftivity. I always put on my bright red lipstick and smile until my cheeks hurt. I always have the kids write a letter to themselves. They have to talk about what they are looking forward to, nervous about and how they are feeling so far. We usually write them after lunch on day 1. I save the letters and put them on their desks on the last day of school. They love to see how “bad” their handwriting and sentences were and it’s great to see how proud they are of their growth. One thing I always do in my Kindergarten class on the first day of school, is share the book, “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”. Kids love that book and so do I. I like the fact that it is something familiar to most of them and they feel more comfortable with something they are familiar with. We sing the abc song forward and backwards. The kids are usually very impressed that I can sing the abc song backwards without looking. It builds anticipation to be able to do this, too, and it challenges the ones that don’t know their alphabet that well to work harder to learn it…not only forwards, but backwards. We talk about why we do need to learn the alphabet and I sing another alphabet song I know that stresses the reason we learn the alphabet is so that we can learn to READ. On the first day of school I always play a funny get to know you game where everybody has a piece of sticky tape on there nose and they try to take other people’s tape by only touching noses. The last one with all the tape stick to their nose wins. It’s always a hilarious sight! I love doing the all about me bag. The kiddos have so much fun with it! I always read The Giving Tree. I always try to do an activity that will help me get to know my students a little more without giving them the anxiety of speaking in front of their peers. I’ve done group shares, posters for the classroom, little books.. things like that. Taking notes on my students’ interests helps me make connections through the year. I set aside time for the students to have a Q & A with me so they can get to know me better. Most students have lots of questions once I tell them that I use to be a Deputy Sheriff before I became a teacher. We have some editable labels we’d love for you to feature if you’re doing a post update for 2018! We typically use them for organization, but love the idea of using them for names too. I taught 6-8 Math Resource this past year and gave each grade level a color and used the labels for workbook bins, class schedules and turn-in drawers to help students remember where to look for their grade level. Great post on how to make your first day back to school success, I would definitely like to read on similar topics Great ideas! I like the idea of crafting back-to-school decors to add a fun yet academic vibes to the classroom. Do you have any tips for making great event graphics as designs? These activities can create an exciting and positive atmosphere on the first day of school, and help students feel comfortable and excited to start the new school year. Well written article really liked it It was really nice to see your advice about eating lunch with the kids. I do think it is important for teachers to show their students that they are a family. My daughter for one would appreciate it if her teacher was like this. She’s in constant need of a role model. At home it’s me. Hopefully, at school, it’s her teacher. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Elementary Assessments 51 Great First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts for High School High school students might approach the first day of school with a sense of readiness and anticipation because they are often well-versed in the routines and procedures of school life. While some teachers prefer to delve directly into academic content, it’s important to strike a balance between setting classroom rules and diving into the subject matter. One effective strategy for initiating the school year is to engage learners with first-day-of-school writing prompts for high schoolers. Not only does this stimulate their intellectual engagement, but it also provides valuable insights for you as a teacher. High school first-day-of-school writing prompts also serve as fantastic icebreakers and offer students an opportunity to express themselves. Following you will find a variety of engaging writing prompts for high school that fit well for the first day of school. These prompts set a tone of positivity for the coming school year. First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts for High School 1. What are some tips for helping other high schoolers get mentally ready for the first day of school? 2. Describe a memorable moment from the first day. 3. Write three goals you want to achieve this school year plus how you plan to reach them. 4. Draft a first day of school story that is rather unusual.  5. Tell about your typical morning routine. 6. Describe the steps you plan to take to achieve your academic goals and how you’ll stay motivated. 7. If you could bring one unusual item to school, what would it be and why? 8. Write about your initial thoughts and feelings as you walked into your first class on the first day of school. Related Post: 60+ Writing Prompts for the First Day of School 9. Compose a poem about the first day of high school. 10. What advice would you give to your classmates about how to succeed academically this school year? 11. Why are first impressions important when meeting someone for the first time? 12. Tell about the most memorable moment of last school year. 13. Write a short mystery story about a high school student who discovers a big secret on the first day of school. 14. How would having superpowers make your year as a _____ grader incredible and why? 15. If your pen could talk, what would it say about the first day of school? 16. Describe the personal goals you’d like to achieve this school year. 17. Write a letter from the perspective of the teacher on the first day of school. What would be your thoughts and feelings?  18. Choose an object in the classroom that inspires you and explain why. 19. Tell about a funny moment that happened in the classroom on the first day. 20. Draft a fictional story about a student who loses something important on the first day of school.  21. Describe a memorable summer moment. 22. If you could create a time capsule to remember the first day of school, what items would you include and why? 23. Invent a new subject for your school curriculum and explain why it’s important. 24. What advice would your older self give to your younger self about surviving the first day of school? 25. Describe the ideal high school classroom. 26. If you could design your own super fun school subject, what would it be and why? 27. Tell about a cool science experiment you did last school year. 28. What advice would you give to your future self about making the most of this year? 29. Describe a unique tradition your family has on the first day of school. 30. If you could learn anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? 31. Which activity from last school year did you enjoy most and why? 32. Tell about how people in your school community serve as your allies. 33. If you could have a talking desk, what advice would it give you on the first day of school? 34. What qualities make a good friend and why? 35. How would you describe the perfect school uniform? 36. Write a story about a mysterious locker. 37. Compose a short poem about the excitement of the first day of school. 38. Share the most memorable classroom activity from last school year. 39. Summarize your first day of high school.  40. Share the pros and cons of buying lunch from the cafeteria vs. bringing food from home. 41. If you were the teacher for a day, what would you teach the class and why? 42. Summarize one of your summer reading books. 43. Imagine you live 250 years in the future. Tell what your first day of school would be like. 44. What are some strengths or talents you possess that you’d like to showcase this year? 45. Tell about a challenge you faced on the first day and how you overcame it. 46. Describe your dream classroom decorations and how they would make learning more exciting. 47. Compose a poem about having a growth mindset and being confident. 48. Reflect on how you’ve changed since the last school year and what you’re looking forward to in this new year. 49. What personal goals are you planning to achieve this school year? 50. Create a story about the contents of a locker that seems to belong to a student from another time. 51. This school year, how do you plan to stay organized and manage your time effectively? Final Thoughts On High School First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts Incorporating first-day-of-school writing prompts for high school students is a smart and effective idea. Regardless of the subject you teach, these prompts will serve as an excellent method to ease your students into the learning process while also functioning as icebreakers. So be sure to include a few in your first-day lesson plans. To learn more about your high schoolers, have them complete a high school student interest survey . Assigning Writing in the Beginning of the School Year The first week back to school is usually pretty hectic. From getting back in the swing of things to preparing for the first day and all of the back-to-school activities , and learning 100+ new student names, there is a lot to do. And almost every single year it seems like your back-to-school list grows faster than you can check things off. In the midst of all of the back-to-school chaos, there is something that you, as a secondary teacher, should do: get your students writing! But I teach science/math/physical education, you say. You should still have your students write something for you in the first week of school. Regardless of the content you teach, there are two reasons why it is essential to have your students write at the beginning of the year. 1. Assess their writing ability Looking at and analyzing your students’ writing can tell you quite a bit about each individual student as well as your class as a whole. Which students have a firm understanding of the English language? Which students struggle with piecing words together to form a coherent sentence? Who are the students who lack focus and organization in his or her writing? Even if you teach a subject that doesn’t focus on writing, understanding and knowing your students’ writing abilities is helpful because writing ability and reading level correlate with one another. If some of your secondary students have difficulty writing a sentence that is grammatically sound, chances are they might have a difficult time understanding the textbook or directions for more complicated processes. 2. Get to know your students better Within the first week of school with a new class, I like to assign a personal narrative essay to my students. One of the main reasons why I do this is that I want to get to know all of my students on a deeper level. When I read their personal narratives at the beginning of the year, I learn something about each and every single one of my students. To help me remember the personal narratives, I like to read/grade them with a set of my class rosters. After I read each narrative, I like to write several words by each of their names to help me get to know and remember them better. I will always remember the opening line of a first day of school personal narrative that one of my former students wrote. He wrote, “Everything I’ve learned about life I’ve learned through sickness.” In his emotionally raw and telling narrative, he wrote about his struggles with and triumph over pediatric cancer. By assigning writing at the beginning of the school year, you give your students a chance to share their voices with you. That’s powerful. There are two assignments I like to give my students toward the beginning of the year: one is a personal narrative assignment and the other is a personal statement assignment . By assigning these types of writings at the beginning of the year, I’ve learned so much from my students. One Comment We write the first day at the start of class. How I wish I could get all the non-ela teachers on board…some are, but some are holdouts. It is so useful in so many ways including setting the tone for class in addition to all you stated. Thanks! Kovescence of the Mind Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Leave this field empty SUBSCRIBE NOW ELA Activities to Start the School Year A variety of options to help you learn about your students, their interests, and their writing abilities while fostering a classroom community. Your content has been saved! At the beginning of the school year, it’s important to get to know your students as readers, writers, and speakers. It’s also important to build a classroom community. I start each year weaving in assignments that allow me to achieve these goals simultaneously while encouraging students to spend time self-reflecting. I complete each of the assignments myself and share my writing with students to provide a model of the assignment and allow my students to learn more about me. Sharing my honest and imperfect writing examples helps develop trust. I invite students to share their writing with their peers and at times collaborate on assignments. This consistent sharing and collaboration help facilitate a classroom community where students feel safe sharing their ideas and enjoy working together. These introductory writing activities also help students see themselves as writers right from the start. I design these assignments as flexible, low-stakes opportunities for success. As writing assignments become more complex throughout the school year, students move forward with confidence because they’ve already seen that they can be successful writers in our classroom. Assignment Examples Getting to know you paragraph: On the first day of school, I provide a list of questions that encourage students to share about themselves personally and as students. I ask them to use their answers to write a paragraph about themselves, choosing from this list of questions and sharing any additional information they’d like. This gives me instant insight about their writing style and ability as well as what they think about themselves. It also opens the door for them to share anything they’d like with me. Here are some question examples: What are you looking forward to about school this year? What can I do to help you be successful this year? What do you enjoy doing outside of school? What movie has moved you the most and why? Who is your favorite character from a book you have read, and what is it that you liked about this character?  Do you have a personality trait that gets you in trouble? Explain. Would you rather be a great musician, athlete, scientist, politician, entrepreneur, or writer? Explain. Revealing story: Students brainstorm a list of personality traits, tendencies, pet peeves, and idiosyncrasies that make them who they are. Then they choose one trait they’re comfortable sharing with their peers and write a short narrative that describes a time in their life that reveals that chosen trait. Their story should showcase the trait without stating it explicitly. I invite students to share their stories and ask other students to guess what personality trait the writer is highlighting. “Are you more like…?” Give students a list of opposing concepts and instruct them to circle which they’re most like from each pair. Then they choose one pair to write an extended metaphor that explains how they’re more like one than the other. Some example pairs are fire/ice, winter/summer, breakfast/dinner, filing cabinet/medicine cabinet, boat/airplane, etc. Living history reflection: Students write a poem or paragraph that shows their thoughts, feelings, and/or questions about a significant historical event within their lifetime. I tell them that it should be something they remember clearly and that impacts them. This assignment provides insight into what’s important to them and how current events affect them, and creates an opportunity to discuss events that are significant to the students. Book review in images and words: Students choose a book they enjoyed reading over the summer as part of our summer reading requirements and create a Google Slide to share their book review with their peers. The slide includes a photo of the book cover, has words and images that showcase significant aspects about the book, and explains why they enjoyed reading it. Students then present their slides to their peers, and during the presentations the audience makes a list of potential books they may want to read for their independent reading based on the reviews. Image reflection: I give students various images of paintings and photographs, and they complete a quick write-up based on questions I give them. What do you think people/animals are thinking and feeling in the image? Describe the setting, including what you think the time and place is in the image. How does the image make you feel? What do you imagine inspired the artist or photographer to capture this image? What questions do you have about the image? Then students get into groups to combine their ideas and write a fictional account of what they imagine the story is behind the image, giving the people and/or animals thoughts, feelings, wants, etc. After my students complete even some of these activities, I know a lot more about them as students and individuals and can use this information to design lessons that align with their needs and interests. They also build trust and create a positive classroom community. ⭐⭐⭐ 90%OFF 48H Halloween Fall Activity Writing Prompt Narrative Opinion Sentence What educators are saying Also included in. Description Halloween Fall Activity Writing Prompt Narrative Opinion Sentence Writing Center ⭐⭐⭐ FLASH SALE ⭐⭐⭐ FLASH SALE! GET THE ULTIMATE WRITING BUNDLE FOR JUST 19.99! ($135 VALUE) Grab The Ultimate Writing Bundle for just $19.99!  Time is running out to grab the best deal of the year.  Are you looking for fun ways to make writing more exciting ? You must check out The Ultimate Writing Bundle . What Spring and Easter resources are included in this bundle: - Spring and Easter Writing Prompts - Spring and Easter Write the Room activities - Easter Directed Drawing + Writing Prompts (40 pages) The bundle is: Low Prep (print and go pages). Perfect for centers, early finishers, morning work, homework , and so much more! Your students will become better writers. They can be printed with a moment's notice and are ready to go for your students to use. They cover a variety of writing skills , which you can easily differentiate . Don’t believe me, read what real teachers have said:  Carly said:  “ I have been using this product as one of my rotations in Literacy centers, and the students are in love! I really enjoy that I am able to so easily differentiate for my students, and they are all so excited to draw their picture at the end of their writing!” Kristen said:  “My students enjoy doing this activity. Word bank helps the students to write good sentences and directed drawing motivates them to try their best to draw.” Nicole said: “LOVE these! The differentiation is perfect for any classroom environment!” Rebeca said: " I love using these with my first graders! There are so many differentiated options that it works well for all of my students." WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUNDLE: Year Long Writing Prompts Bundle -   200 narrative, 200 opinion, and 200 informative writing prompts (valued $25) - Holidays, seasons, and different themes included. Year Long Writing Prompts + Directed Drawing Activities (valued at $25) - 400 pages, 100 directed drawing images.  Seasonal Writing Prompts + Directed Drawing Activities (valued at $25) -  160 pages, 40 directed drawing images. Write the Room Year Long Bundle (valued at $20) -  74 themes, 320+ pages - preview here Write the Room Phonics Bundle (valued at $20) -  includes CVC words, sight words, beginning sounds, digraphs, trigraphs, CCVC words, CVCC words, diphthongs, double consonant, r-controlled vowels, blends, CVCe words, and more. preview here Blending and Segmenting Phonics Bundle (valued at $20) - includes 127 pages, 650-word cards -  preview here Year-Long Writing Prompts Bundle Themes Included: JANUARY : 100th Day of School, Snowman, Ice Skating, Hot Cocoa, Penguin, New Years, Winter, Polar Animals, Penguins, Polar Bears, Popcorn, Snow and Ice, Hot Cocoa FEBRUARY: Valentine’s Day, Hearts, Friendship, Robots, 100th Day of School, Groundhog Day, Chinese New Year, Martin Luther King, President’s Day, Dental Health, Family, Pizza, Valentine’s Day, Friendship, Robots. MARCH: St. Patrick's Day, Shamrock, Kites/Wind, Weather, Lion Lamb, Spring, Read Across America, Life cycles, Plants, Space, Easter, Western, Rainbows, Kites, Spring. APRIL: Easter, Chicks and bunnies, Flowers, Rain, Frogs/Pond, Spring, Plants, Earth Day, Bugs/Insects, Recycling, Butterflies, Gardening, Eggs, Spring, Flowers. MAY : Zoo, Construction, Summer, Farm, Graduation, Spring, Bugs/Insects, Mother’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Flags/Patriotic, Strawberries/Berries, Camping, Fishing, Watermelon, Beach. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER: Back to School, Apples, Fall, Feelings/Emotions, Pets, Family, All About Me, Fall, Apples, Pets, Back to School, Feelings/Emotions. OCTOBER: Halloween, Scarecrow, Farm, Emotions, Monsters, Pumpkin, Community Helpers, Fire Safety, Dinosaurs, Fall, Leaves, Bats, Candy Corn, Sunflowers. NOVEMBER: Thankfulness, Turkeys, Apple pie, Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Day, Squirrels/Nuts, Transportation, Pumpkin pie, Thankfulness, Turkeys. DECEMBER: Snowman, Gingerbread, Christmas, Santa, Reindeer, Snow, Polar Bears, Candy Canes, Winter, Penguins, Polar Animals, Hot Cocoa, Elves, Fairy Tales, Gingerbread. Year-Long Writing Prompts + Directed Drawing Activities: Cinco de Mayo Independence Day St. Patrick's Day Thanksgiving Valentine's Day THIS DONE-FOR-YOU WRITING BUNDLE MAKES WRITING EASIER AND GIVES YOU YOUR PREP TIME BACK! Your students will apply their writing using different scenarios You don’t have to waste your prep time because you have the perfect lessons! You can use this bundle created by a teacher with over ten years of experience in the classroom. WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE THIS BUNDLE Save money  that you'd spend buying individual activities. Save time. Get your after-school hours and weekends back and spend more time with your loved ones. Don't let your students fall behind.  It’s the exact method that allowed my students to become better writers. Got my students engaged in writing lessons and practicing sight words. Practice a wide variety of writing skills. AND IT DIDN'T INVOLVE: Printing off tons of boring worksheets Doing a bunch of drill and kill writing lessons.  Losing my mind over my students not applying their learning.  Even better that it's all done and ready to go. Wasting valuable time on the weekend’s lesson planning!  TERMS OF USE: You can reproduce the pages for classroom use only. The fonts I used are free for personal use. Duplication of this resource for commercial purposes or for the entire school is strictly forbidden. I really appreciate you purchasing my teaching resources and I hope you'll enjoy using them in your classroom. Please  FOLLOW ME HERE  if you'd like to receive notifications when I upload new products and freebies. Don't forget, new products are 50% off for 48 hours after they are posted! GET IN TOUCH: If you have any questions please send me an email at alinavvvdesign@ gmail.com  . Questions & Answers My nerdy teacher. We're hiring Help & FAQ Privacy policy Student privacy Terms of service Tell us what you think 232 IMAGES FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WRITING ACTIVITY by Presto Plans Back to School-First Day of School Writing for First Grade First Day of School Writing Templates by petro in primary First Day of School Writing Assignment First Day at School English Writing Worksheet First day of school writing template by Pink Bee creations VIDEO Write a Diary Entry about Your First Day at New School My first day at school essay in english My First Day at New School Essay in English || Essay on My Fisrt Day at New School #shorts Affordable💯Writing services✍️|Assignments📋Records📔|Whatsapp 7397578460✅ #writing#assignment#students Simple essay on my first day in school / 10 Lines on my first day in school How to write Diary Writing 2023 COMMENTS 15 Free First Day of School Writing Activities Here you'll see 15 fabulous first day of school writing activities — This list of ideas is packed full of fun and engaging ways to interact with the new group of kids in your classroom. Plus, you'll find nine first day of school writing ideas, twelve new school year resolutions, 8 ice breakers, and 5 school success tips. Oh yeah…. 61 Great First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts for Students 10. Write about two habits you need to change plus what you will do in order to improve. 11. Describe the perfect school day. 12. The topic is the first week of school. Now generate a list of actions and things related to the topic for every letter of the alphabet. 13. Explain the best ways to study for a test. 36 Back to School Writing Prompts (Free Printable List) These prompts will have our students honing their storytelling writing skills and falling in love with creative writing. Write a story about a friendly monster who goes to school for the first time. Write a story about a superhero who helps kids with their homework. Write a story about a magical backpack that helps students with their schoolwork. 17 Fun First Day Of School Writing Activities 17 Fun First Day Of School Writing Activities. By Shane Mac Donnchaidh July 23, 2021April 1, 2024 April 1, 2024. The smell of freshly painted halls, the excited chatter of returning students bursting with two months' worth of gossip to share—it must be the first day at school again. Rusty pens and dusty pencils are hastily pulled from the ... 29 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for the First Day of School Literacy. 29 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Middle and High School. Ali Habashi. August 10, 2021. 6 Min Read. 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 ... 88 Back to School Writing Prompts for the First Week Today I have a set of 88 Back to School Writing Prompts to help you out during the first week of your new school year. They are a great resource for the first day of school! As the new school year approaches, it's time to gear up for some fresh new lessons, a new classroom, and learning ideas. It's difficult on teachers and on students to ... 51 Great Back to School Writing Prompts » JournalBuddies.com The upcoming school year is full of possibilities and the potential for kids to do and be anything. In these 51 Back to School writing prompts, students will reflect on the upcoming school year and what it means to go back to school. They'll have the chance to think about their upcoming goals and plans in addition to some of their greatest ... 12 Fun First-Day-of-School Worksheets (Free Printables) First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts & Back-to-School Writing Paper. Choose from a fun list of writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing. First-Day-of-School Flip-Book. Make a fun flip-book that shares students' hopes and goals for the year. First-Day-of-School Poem Template. 56 Back To School Writing Prompts (+ Free Printable) Not to worry we have come up with 56 back-to-school writing prompts that will help your child settle in and take away those first-day fears. We all know how the first day of school is daunting for most kids, that's why it is important to slowly prepare your kids for the back-to-school routine. One way to support your child is to encourage ... First Day of School Writing Prompts: Start the Year with Words As the school year begins, teachers eagerly brainstorm ways to engage their students from day one. One powerful tool is writing prompts. By using thought-provoking topics, educators can encourage creativity, self-expression, and critical thinking skills. In this article, we'll explore some captivating first day of school writing prompts that will inspire and engage students right from the start. 17 Great First-Day-of-School Writing Activities for Students 15. Journal. One of the simplest first-day-of-school writing activities is journaling. Journaling allows students the opportunity to reflect, express themselves, and release frustrations all while developing their writing skills. Use monthly writing calendars to kickstart journaling on the first day of school. 16. 51 First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts for Middle School 17. Describe all the emotions and feelings a middle schooler may feel on the first day of school. 18. Summarize your favorite summer memory. 19. Write a comparison between your first day of school this year and your first day a few years ago. 20. Tell about what one of your classrooms looks and feels like. 21. 18 Elementary Back-to-School Writing Prompts 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 ... 12 Back-to-School Writing Prompts "Tell me about your summer." I can see my students' eyes glaze over when I assign this as a first day of school writing prompt! Last year, I tried out some new writing prompts and the kids loved them. I enjoyed watching their brand new pencils scratch furiously over the paper as they completed these writing assignments. Back-To-School Writing Prompts [Includes Printable Worksheets] Below are three downloads that will be great additions to your teaching tool kit. 33 Journal Writing Topics. Write to a Prompt Activity. 10 Vocab Writing Prompts. Use simple back-to-school writing prompts to assess writing skills and learn important information about students! Download back-to-school writing prompts. Back to School Writing Prompts for the Secondary Classroom Assigning a personal narrative at the beginning of the school year doesn't have to mean assigning a full, five-paragraph essay. These personal narratives can be anywhere between a sentence long to several paragraphs. Here are some of my go-to back-to-school writing prompts for secondary students. Back-to-school writing printables Back-to-school student survey. This 10-question survey assesses students' needs, strengths and preferences, helping teachers get to know the members of their new class. Grades 3-6. Icebreaker/student writing activity: My favorite things. This simple worksheet is a perfect first-day-of-school activity for the elementary grades. You're Finally Here! Back to School First Day of School Writing ... Kick off the 2024 school year with our exciting "You're Finally Here! Back to School First Day of School Writing Activities.". Perfect for engaging students on their first day, these creative writing prompts and activities are designed to inspire young minds and set a positive tone for the rest of the year. Ideal for teachers looking to ... 40+ First Day of School Activities Glue a heart in the palm of the paper hand and fold the fingers down (but don't glue the fingers!). Teach your students "I love you" in sign language & give them a note with a chocolate kiss at the end of the day. Ensure your kids take this "kissing hand" back home that same day to show their loved ones. Sale. 51 Great First-Day-of-School Writing Prompts for High School 18. Choose an object in the classroom that inspires you and explain why. 19. Tell about a funny moment that happened in the classroom on the first day. 20. Draft a fictional story about a student who loses something important on the first day of school. 21. Describe a memorable summer moment. 22. Assigning Writing in the Beginning of the School Year The first week back to school is usually pretty hectic. From getting back in the swing of things to preparing for the first day and all of the back-to-school activities, and learning 100+ new student names, there is a lot to do. And almost every single year it seems like your back-to-school list grows faster than you can check things off. First Day of School Brian A. Klems. Aug 25, 2016. Write about a first day of school—it can be your very first day, it can be the first day of a particular year or at a particular school, it can be a fictional first day. Dive into the emotions you felt as well as what you thought that year may hold. Post your response (500 words or fewer) in the comments below. ELA Activities to Start the Middle School Year As writing assignments become more complex throughout the school year, students move forward with confidence because they've already seen that they can be successful writers in our classroom. Assignment Examples. Getting to know you paragraph: On the first day of school, I provide a list of questions that encourage students to share about ... Halloween Fall Activity Writing Prompt Narrative Opinion Sentence Rebeca said: "I love using these with my first graders! There are so many differentiated options that it works well for all of my students." WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUNDLE: Year Long Writing Prompts Bundle - 200 narrative, 200 opinion, and 200 informative writing prompts (valued $25) - Holidays, seasons, and different themes included. assignment homework phd report resume review speech thesis