Curated OER
Narrative Writing
Are you the oldest in your family? The youngest? The middlest? How do you feel about your place in your family? After reading such stories as My Rotten, Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by...
Curated OER
Printable Story Starter: The Missing Valentines
A writing prompt about a classroom's missing Valentines allows students to finish the story with their own endings, and to provide their own titles. The lesson comes with a picture and the beginning of the story to full prompt students...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: St. Patrick's Day Kids
A picture of two leprechauns with a pot of gold prompts students to finish the story. Students provide the title of the story, as well as the beginning, middle, and end. The prompt includes a text box for teachers to type in preferred...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Kids by the Creek
Students finish the story in this picture prompt, which shows two kids fishing by a creek. The prompt lends well to creative writing, as well as autobiographical writing. A word box allows teachers to type words that they want students...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Squirrel
In this story starter, a picture of a squirrel surrounded by falling leaves prompts students to think of a story idea. Students can then write the story, practicing a beginning, middle, and ending. The worksheet includes a word box area...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Dolphin Games
Kids who love dolphins will get a kick out of this prompt, which includes a picture of two dolphins playing with a beach ball. Using the picture for inspiration, students complete the beginning, middle, and ending of the story. A text...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Reindeer by Cottage
Given a picture of reindeer by a snowy cottage, students begin and complete a story that is inspired by the picture prompt. Teachers can add desired words in a word box before printing.
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Bunnies
An excellent Easter or springtime activity, this prompt includes a picture of bunnies by a meadow, inspiring students to write a story based on the picture. Teachers can includes words from a spelling or vocabulary list in the text box...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Bee in a Jar
Allowing students to choose the point of view of a bee or of a baby, this assignment prompts students to respond to a picture of a bee in a jar by writing a short story about it. This assignment could be used for multiple grade levels...
Curated OER
Picture Prompts: Arctic Hares
Prompted by a picture of two white arctic hares, students complete the story based on their own creative ideas. This writing template could couple with a winter unit, an animal unit, or even as simple writing practice. A text box allows...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Elf at the North Pole Village
Great during the Christmas season, this prompt gives students a picture of an elf in the North Pole Village to inspire students to begin and end the story. A word box provides teachers the opportunity to add words from a spelling or...
Starfall
My Toy
In this language arts worksheet, students write about a personal story of sharing toys. They recall the story and then draw an illustration of it.
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Valentine Mice
Students write the story after seeing the picture of one mouse giving a Valentine to another mouse. They provide the title, as well as the beginning, middle, and end of the story. A text box allows teachers to type in preferred words,...
Curated OER
Secrets of the Mummies
How did the ancient people of Egypt preserve their dead so well that their bodies are still recognizable today? Learn the painstakingly complex process they used for preservation. Young scholars read and summarize a narrative detailing...
University of Southern California
Coming to America After the War
As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War II. To...
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
Curated OER
Following the Leaders
Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...
Curated OER
A Year in Review: The Memoir
If you are planning a unit on memoir and autobiographical narrative, you should consider this resource. Using Internet research skills, pupils review works by James Frey and Henry David Thoreau. In response to these works, learners...
Lesson Locker
Z for Zachariah: Questions for Study on Chapters 1 - 10
An efficient study guide for the first 10 chapters of Z for Zachariah that covers basic recall questions concerning the characters and the plot. It also includes short writing prompts for selected chapters that extend into the themes,...
Curated OER
Supporting Character Worksheet
Where would Harry Potter be without Ron Weasley? Where would Holmes be without Watson? Where would a good narrative be without an interesting supporting character? Encourage character analysis with this resource, which includes six...
Curated OER
Printable Story Starter: The Arrival
A creative writing prompt about the arrival of a boat after a long journey helps students to continue the story by providing the two opening sentences. Students compose the middle and ending of the story. This prompt could be used in the...
Curated OER
Printable Story Starter: Snow Leopard
This writing prompt about a hungry snow leopard provides students with the beginning of a story, including characters, a setting, and a conflict that the student can complete. The student can then compose an original middle and end of...
Starfall
Hide and Seek
For this language arts instructional activity, learners write a story using an illustrated word bank with nouns, adjectives, and verbs.
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Squirrel and Skunk
This story starter provides students with a picture of a skunk and a squirrel, which they can use to write a story. The title, beginning, middle, and ending is up to the student. Additionally, the worksheet includes a text box for...