Motivate Students with 1st Grade Writing Prompts for the Year

First grade writing is an exciting subject! A lot of your young authors already have a strong foundation for handwriting, illustrating, and basic sentence structure. Their kindergarten teachers have set the stage for phonetic spelling and basic mechanics, and now you get to help them soar! But how do you keep them writing daily to get all the practice they need to be strong confident writers?

Why Should I Use 1st Grade Writing Prompts?

Tired of thinking up new and exciting prompts to keep your students inspired? Simply don’t know what you should expect from your students in regard to writing at each point of the year? Maybe you can think of ideas and understand the skills continuum, but your schedule is so packed with expectations you don’t understand where you can set aside time for students to just write. Implement 1st grade prompts into your routine to ensure daily writing happens seamlessly in your schedule. Simply select your prompt and 1st grade writing will begin!

Write Every Day with 1st Grade Prompts

These 1st grade writing prompts will help save you time because everything is laid out and ready for you to use. The planning has already happened for you so you just click on the week and get started with the daily prompt for that day. Whether you use Google Slides, PowerPoint, or prefer a PDF file, there is an option for you. Save your paper, your planning time, and watch your students become eager to see what they will be writing about each day.

How Does It Work?

Simply give students a spiral notebook and teach them your expectation for writing the date and the prompt number at the top of the page every day. Then select the daily prompt, edit it if you wish, project it onto an available white surface such as a SMARTboard or whiteboard, and students can start writing!

The entire year of 1st grade writing prompts is laid out for student success. Each prompt includes an example so students understand the expectations. The format is predictable from week to week so you don’t have to teach a new structure every week. Each week follows the same format with

• Make it Monday (Draw and write or label, Make a list…)
• True Life Tuesday (Write facts)
• Would You Rather Wednesday (Which would you rather?)
• Thoughtful Thursday (Questions to make students think deeply)
• Free Write Friday (Write or draw about your choice!)

Journal prompts do get more challenging throughout the year to urge your students to keep growing. These 1st grade prompts are set up to be mostly independent so students can work while you teach, assess, or any other teacher duties until you are ready to check their amazing work.

What’s Included?

The bundle of 1st grade prompts includes 40 weeks of prompts for a full 200 editable Powerpoint, PDF, printable, and Google Slides writing opportunities. Over 25 morning journal covers give you and your students choices for how to decorate their daily writing. A teacher manual and video tutorials ensure you understand how to use the journals successfully to make your teaching day easier.

New included bonuses include calming music to play while your students write! There is a prompt key that students can glue into their notebooks so parents and teachers know what the prompt was for every page of journaling. A Secret Skill System can be implemented to reward students as you search for over fifteen important writing skills throughout the year and give a sticker to a student you see using that skill that day. There are even special April Fools’ Day writing prompts that your students will particularly laugh over.

Benefits of 1st Grade Writing Prompts

These 1st grade prompts are an easy way for students to start their day and for you to never worry about copying morning work again! Project your prompt every morning and gain that important time back in your day. You can also find even more non-worksheet ideas for morning work for first graders!

If you already have a set morning routine, these first grade prompts can be used in a multitude of other ways. You can print them out and have them in a writing station if your literacy block works more in a center or rotations method. You could utilize them to start your whole group literacy time, as a small group activity, and even save some for homework or early finishers. Read about even more new ways to use writing prompts here!

What Teachers are Saying

“I have used these for many years. I love them and the kids know how to follow the patterns and love them.”

— Lindsay R. ★★★★★

“I’ve been looking for good journal prompts for first grade that I could put up on the Smart Board and this was exactly what I wanted! Amazing resource!”

— Alana G. ★★★★★

“I love this resource for morning work. The students know what is expected of them as they enter the classroom to begin the day.”

— Teresa L. ★★★★★

“Writing is always a challenge in the primary grades, so I used these for the first part of the year with my second grade students. I was amazed by how their writing grew, and I was soon able to use the 2nd/3rd grade bundle!”

— Kayla’s Primary Adventures ★★★★★

Try This Free Week of 1st Grade Writing Prompts

Fill out the form below to grab your free week of first grade prompts. See how this easy resource elevates your writing routine and engages your young authors.

Reasons to Use 1st Grade Writing Prompts in Your Classroom

• Students will write every single day to master the skills and confidence they need to be excellent authors as they write for assignments and for themselves.
• Give your students the structure and stability they need with a predictable writing routine that easily fits into your daily routine.
• Save time by having your 1st grade writing planned and easy to implement for you, an assistant, or a substitute teacher.