1029 Killer Writing Prompts for Middle School: 20 Fun Categories

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1029 Killer Writing Prompts for Middle School

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40 Animal Writing Prompts for Middle School

A kid wakes up to find a giraffe standing over his bed. What happens next?

You have to do battle with a giant snake or a giant spider. Which would you choose and why?

You’ve been selected to live for a year on the International Space Station. You can take one animal with you. What animal do you think would be best suited for life in space. Why?

Imagine you came home from school and your pet was ten times its usual size. What would you do next?

If you could have any pet, what would it be?

You can give your teacher any animal for their birthday. What animal would you choose and why?

Are there any animals you believe people shouldn’t be able to keep as pets? Why do you think these animals should never be pets?

Imagine an alien species came to Earth and intended to take only five animals back to their planet. What five animals should they take to help the aliens on their planet best understand life on Earth?

Cat or dog? Which is the better pet? Why?

Tell how you first met your pet, but tell the story from your pet’s point of view.

What animals make bad pets? Why?

Imagine you are going on vacation and a friend is taking care of your pet. Explain in detail precisely how your pet must be cared for in your absence.

You can combine the traits of any three animals into a single new species. What animals do you choose? Describe the new animal you intend to create.

Would you rather be attacked by a shark or a giant squid?

Write a story about the biggest shark in the sea.

If you could be an animal, what would you be?

What is your favorite animal? Why do you like that animal?

What is your least favorite animal? What do you dislike about that animal?

Can your pet do a funny or unusual trick? Describe the trick and how they learned it.

Should animals be kept in zoos? Give three reasons defending your answer.

Should people be allowed to bring their pets into restaurants? Why or why not?

Would you rather have to hibernate through the winter like a bear or come out only at night like an owl?

If you had a parrot that could talk, what would you teach it to say?

Choose any animal and imagine what the world would look like if they were the dominant species.

Would you rather like to jump sixty times your height like a flea or lift 100 times your body weight like an ant?

Would you rather be a shark or a dolphin? Explain your answer.

A dog’s nose is more than 10,000 times more acute than a human being’s. Describe all the things you would smell going through your day if you had the nose of a dog.

If you could bring back one dinosaur, what dinosaur would you choose? Why?

You have to fight a wooly mammoth or a saber-tooth tiger. Which would you choose to fight and why?

You can save any one animal from extinction, but to do so you must choose a different animal to vanish forever. What animal would you choose to save, and what animal would you select for extinction?

Imagine that all spiders disappeared tomorrow. What do you think would happen with them gone?

What animal do you think is the smartest? Explain your answer.

What is your spirit animal. Explain your answer.

Is it okay to have a monkey for a pet? Why or why not?

Why do you think there are more insects than mammals?

Whales don’t sing as much as before because of noise from boats on water. Write a journal response explaining how we can help the whales sing again.

What animal do you think is most similar to you in personality? Why?

Why do you think so many people are afraid of spiders?

What’s the difference between a cheetah and a tiger?

Ants can build structures that, relative to their size, are larger than anything ever built by human beings. How do you think they achieve this given their tiny brain size?

84 Biographical Writing Prompts for Middle School

Write about a time you stood up for something you believed in. What did you do?

What is the worst gift you ever received? Why didn’t you like it? How did you respond when you saw what you’d gotten?

What is the earliest memory you have? Describe your memory. Why do you think this is the earliest memory you can recall?

Do you think your personality has been shaped more by who you were when you were born or by the way you’ve been raised by your parents?

What is your favorite thing about yourself? Why is it your favorite?

Are you most like your father or mother? Why?

What do you like least about yourself? Explain your answer.

What makes you who you are?

Do you like being the center of attention? Why or why not?

Who is the person in your life that makes you laugh the most? Why do you find them so amusing?

What was your favorite summer vacation? Why?

Write about a time you gave something of yours to someone who needed it? What did you do?

Do you consider yourself to be a patient person? Why or why not?

Do your parents let you choose your own clothes at the store, or do they pick them for you? What is your style like?

What is your favorite game? Is it a video game or a board game? What do you like about it?

What is the best gift you ever received? What made it so special?

Write about a secret you’ve never shared. How do you keep it secret? How does the secret make you feel?

What is the hardest decision you ever made in your life? Explain what made it so difficult.

Have you ever received a gift you didn’t like? How did you react?

Have you ever gone to summer camp? Did you enjoy it? Explain your answer.

If you were the ruler of the world, what would you do?

If you could only play one sport for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Why?

You can visit any country in the world, but only for a day. What country would you choose and what would you do for that day?

What is the most unfair thing in your life? Explain your answer.

Are you a team player? What qualities do you possess that make you a team player or not?

You can eat only one cuisine for the rest of your life. What type of food would you choose and why?

What is your favorite month of the year? Why?

Describe your bedroom. Is it messy or clean? Where are all your favorite things? What posters/pictures are on the walls?

Write a letter to your older self ten years from now. What do you hope that your older self has accomplished by then? What do you want your older self to remember about the person you are now?

Write a letter to your younger self in first grade. What do you wish you knew in first grade that you know now? What advice would you give your younger self?

What is the most important thing you ever learned?

When was the last time you laughed so hard you could barely breathe?

Where do you feel most at home? What is it about that space that makes you feel comfortable and safe?

When was the last time you felt so angry you wanted to hit something? Why were you so angry?

Imagine you won the lottery and now have $100,000,000. Everyone in your family expects you to give them money and make them rich. Would you give everyone in your family money or keep it for yourself? Explain your choice.

You’ve just been elected leader of the country. What is the first thing you would do with your new power? Why?

Would you rather be invisible or be able to fly? Explain your answer.

What one superpower do you wish you had? Why?

Do you remember your dreams? How often? What happens in them?

Describe the worst mistake you ever made and how you have learned from it.

What are your top three pet peeves? Why do these things bother you so much?

What is your go-to thing to do when you’re bored? What would happen if you could no longer do that thing for an entire year?

Imagine you could meet any person in history, living or dead. Who would you want to meet and what five questions would you ask them?

You can spend the day with any cartoon character. What character do you choose? Why? What would you do together?

If you could open any business, what kind of business would you start?

What is your worst quality? How do you think you can improve on it?

Have you ever been bullied? Describe how it happened and how it made you feel.

What is your perfect meal? Describe it in detail.

When was the first time you can remember feeling sad? What made you feel that way?

If someone wrote a book about your life, would you be the hero, the villain, or the sidekick?

If you had to pick one of your classmates as someone who inspires you, who would you pick and why?

What is the most valuable thing you own? Why is it special?

You can make one wish come true that would help other people but would not benefit you at all. What wish would you make and why?

Who is the most trustworthy person you know? Would you trust them with your deepest, darkest secrets?

Imagine the person you least like spending time with. What would happen if you had to spend an entire week with that person, all day, every day?

Have you ever failed to keep a promise? Why did you fail? How did it make you feel?

Do you think of yourself as a competitive person? Why or why not?

Have you ever done something simply because other people were doing it, even when you thought it didn’t look like any fun? How did you feel afterward?

If you died tomorrow, what one thing would you want everyone in your school to remember about you?

Have you ever collected anything? If so, what did you collect and why? If not, why do you think you’ve never been interested in collecting?

Write about a time when you had to work very hard for something. What made it so difficult? Why were you willing to work so hard? Was it worth it?

Have you ever been admitted to the hospital? Explain why and what your stay was like.

If you could trade places with a single person in your school, who would you trade places with and why?

You have to give up one of your senses. Which do you give up and why?

Who is the oldest person you’ve ever known? Why do you think they were able to live so long?

You have to go an entire month without the internet. How would this affect your life?

Would you rather be a great athlete or a great musician? Explain your choice.

Describe something that you used to enjoy when you were younger but that you find embarrassing now. Why did you like it when you were younger?

Have you ever lost something that you loved dearly? How did you lose it? How did it feel?

What do you wish your parents understood about you?

Are you too hard on yourself or do you let yourself off the hook too easily? Explain.

What childhood rules did you break when you were younger? What were the results of your actions? Would you break those rules again?

Describe a time when you have suffered and your suffering made you stronger.

Are you the same person on social media as you are in real life? Why or why not?

Have you ever felt like you can’t do something because of your gender? Describe how that made you feel.

Do you think you have a sense of style? What does your style say about who you are as a person?

Do you think your use of technology and social media has made you more isolated as you’ve gotten older? Explain.

Would you pursue a career if you knew you would never make much money doing it?

Which is more important to you: work that makes you happy or work that makes you money?

Do you look forward to getting older? Why or why not?

What do you think is the perfect age? Explain your choice.

Would you like your body to be frozen just before your death so that you might be resurrected hundreds or thousands of years from now? Why or why not?

Would you rather be rich but die young or be poor and die old? Explain.
Have you ever been talked into something? What was it? Why were you convinced to do it?

50 Book Writing Prompts for Middle School

If you could have your teacher read only one book for the rest of their life, what book would you choose for them? Explain your choice.

Do you think kids should be allowed to read whatever they want? Defend your answer.

Pick three books you believe everyone in the country should read. Explain why you choose those three books.

Pick a book that you think was better than the movie version. Why was the book more effective?

Pick a book that you think was not as good as the movie version. Why was the movie better?

If you had to share your bedroom with one fictional character from a book, which character would you choose? Describe why they would be a good roommate.

What is your favorite book? Why do you enjoy it so much?

Do you prefer to read fiction or non-fiction? Why?

What is the most interesting book you ever read? What did you like about it?

What is the worst book you ever read? Why was it so awful?

Who is your favorite author? Why do you like their work?

If you could meet any author, living or dead, who would you want to meet? What three questions would you ask them?

Pick a character from one of your favorite books. Imagine that character was placed in a totally different story. Write about how they would behave in their new setting. For example: imagine Harry Potter was transported to Transylvania and had to face-off against Dracula.

What do you think makes a great book? Explain your answer.

Do you think classic books like James and the Giant Peach or Charlotte’s Web are better than modern novels? Or are modern novels better than the classics? Defend your answer.

Are there any genres of novels you don’t enjoy reading (ex: mysteries, romances, horror)? Why don’t you like those genres?

Do you ever listen to audiobooks? How do you think they compare to physical books?

Which Harry Potter house do you think you belong in? Why?

Has a book ever changed your life? Why or why not?

Imagine that your favorite fictional character had to come to school with you. What would they think of your school? What would do together?

Do you think certain books should be banned from school libraries? Explain your answer.

If you knew that a particular book were banned from your school library, would that make you want to read the book or stay away from it? Explain your answer.

Imagine that you are writing to a student a few years younger than you. Recommend three books to them and explain why you believe they should read them.

Throughout history, slave owners consistently prevented their slaves from learning to read. Why do you think slave owners didn’t want their slaves to read?

When you read, do you question what the author is telling you or accept whatever they say without question?

If you were given the power to make people only read fiction or non-fiction, which would you choose? Explain.

If you had to spend a year reading books from only one other country, what country’s literature would you choose and why?

If you were to write a novel, what kind of story would you write? A mystery? A horror story? A science fiction tale? Explain your choice.

What makes you pick up a book to read? Is it the cover? The description of the story? The author?

When you read a book, do you read out loud or only in your head?

Is it better to read a physical book or an ebook on your phone? Or does it not matter either way? Explain your choice.

Do you think kids today read less than their parents did when they were your age? Why or why not?

Adults often worry that kids don’t read enough books anymore. How many books a year do you think is enough for a kid to read?

Have you ever read a book that you’d be embarrassed to be seen reading in public? Why would you feel that way?

Are either of your parents readers? What kinds of books do they like to read?

Is it better to read books or do you think you can get just as much out of reading magazines and websites?

The oldest books in the world range from 500 to 2700 years old. Given that so much is now printed digitally, do you think any books from our own time will survive for that long? Why or why not?

Many people pass down important books from parents to children. Are there any books that are passed down through generations in your family? If not, are there any books you would one day want to pass down to your children?

Bill Gates paid over $30,000,000 for a notebook written by Leonardo da Vinci. Do you think this was a good use of his money or a total waste? Explain your answer.

The longest sentence ever published in a novel was written by Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. That sentence was 823 words long. What do you think would happen if you turned in this writing prompt with a sentence that long?

What is the longest book you ever read? Do you think long books are better than short books? Why or why not?

Would you rather read 10 short books that are each 100 pages, or one long book that is 1,000 pages? Explain your answer.

When adults write books for kids your age, what do you think they fail to understand about you and your peers? What things do they get wrong about kids these days?

Do you think every book should have illustrations? Why or why not?

Do you like books with short chapters or long chapters? Explain your answer.

What was your favorite picture book as a child? Why did you like that particular book?

Do you think picture book writers like Dr. Seuss deserve to be considered great writers like authors who write chapter books (JK Rowling, Roald Dahl, etc.)? Why or why not?

Before the printing press was invented, history and stories were passed down orally. Why do you think the book has replaced the oral tradition? What makes the book and writing so durable and powerful?

Do you think people should write and underline in books? Why or why not?
If you could have the President read any book, what book would you choose and why?

50 Comparison Writing Prompts for Middle School

Your best friend and your worst enemy

Coke and Pepsi

Boys and girls

Freezing to death and burning to death

The pen and the sword

Outer space and the bottom of the ocean

School food and home food

Big city and small town

Vampires and werewolves

Texting and talking in person

Virtual learning and learning in person

Money and happiness

Digital movies and physical movies

Football and basketball

Men’s sports and women’s sports

Owning a business and working for someone else

Math and science

Reading and writing

Childhood today and childhood when your parents were in school

Hurricanes and tornados

Coffee and tea

Homeschool and public school

Movies at home and movies at the theater

Flying in an airplane and traveling by train

Playing a guitar and playing the drums

Camping in a tent and camping in an RV

Monday and Friday

Going to church and sleeping in

Losing a leg and losing an arm

Getting bit by a shark and getting bit by a bear

Peanut butter and jelly

Ice cream and cake

First day of school and last day of school

Birth and death

Giving gifts and receiving gifts

Kissing and being kissed

Asking someone on a date and being asked out on a date

Driving a limo and driving a bus

Sitting in the front of the class and sitting in the back of the class

Going to restaurant and cooking at home

Oldest sibling and youngest sibling

Mom and dad

Pride and humility

Like and love

Comedy and horror

Showers and baths

The first page of a book and the last page of a book

Writing on a computer and writing by hand

Explosively loud fart and silent-but-deadly fart
Swords and lightsabers

50 Creative Writing Prompts for Middle School

A witch casts a spell on your parents so they can only bark instead of talk. Write about your evening dinner together.

You come to school and find that you have a substitute teacher, but the sub is a tiny baby. Write about how you and your class get through the day.

You mix all the flavors at the gas station soda fountain. When you drink the concoction, you can suddenly see the future. What happens next?

Imagine your grandfather was a fabulous world traveler. One day you find an old camera he used to take on his travels, and inside is some undeveloped film. You get the film developed. Write about the pictures you discover.

Your best friend lets you borrow his hat. But whenever you put it on, you can hear everything your friend is thinking. What happens next?

Imagine you can understand what cats are saying. Write about what happens when the cats in your neighborhood find out you can understand them.

You’re flying on a plane to visit your uncle. You look out the window and see a young boy hanging onto the wing of the plane. His fingers are slipping, and he’s screaming for help. What happens next?

Imagine you found an old book in the library but when you try to check it out the librarian says you can’t read it. You sneak it out of the library anyway, but when you get home the book opens on its own and gigantic vines start growing out of it. What happens next?

You find a journal from 1850. On the last page it reads: “Come help me! You’re my only hope.” What happens next?

You wake up and discover that you have switched bodies with your dad. Write about your day.

Imagine your teacher has gone missing for a week. One day they are back at school. Your class asks where your teacher went, and they say they were kidnapped by aliens. What happens next?

Rewrite your favorite book or movie, but make the villain the hero of the story.

You receive a plastic dinosaur for your birthday. You take it home, and later that night you wake up to see it walking across your bedroom floor. It looks at you and roars. What next?

Imagine you are assigned a new locker on the first day of school. You open the locker and find a backpack inside. In the backpack is $1,000. Write about what happens next.

You have new neighbors. As you watch them unloading their moving van, you see they have a pet dragon. What happens next?

Your grandmother comes to visit after a nice vacation overseas. You ask about her trip, and she tells you she met a werewolf. What happens next?

A new girl you’ve never met joins your class. As your teacher begins today’s lesson, the girl passes you a note. It reads: “Do you remember me?” What happens next?

Choose your favorite emoji and write a backstory about its life.

You wake up one morning and realize you are floating five feet above your bedsheets. What happens next?

A new boy arrives in your class. He cries a lot, but his tears are Skittles. Write about what happens next.

On a class trip to the zoo, you get separated from your classmates. You wander around the zoo looking for your friends and teacher. You stop to look at the giraffe, and it bends its head down and says: “Hey, kid. Get me outta here.” What happens next?

You wake up one morning and look out your window. A rocket ship has landed on your lawn. What happens next?

Imagine you are teleported into your favorite video game. What happens next?

Your parents ask you to help weed the garden. You start pulling weeds, but as you do you discover something buried in the dirt: a treasure chest. Write about what’s inside and what happens next.

On a class trip to a museum you get separated from your class. You wander the halls, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone in that part of the museum. Eventually you find your way to the entrance, but it’s locked. You’re stuck there overnight. What happens next?

It’s the first day of school and you have a new teacher. Your teacher is a robot. Write about your first day in class.

Your parents hire a magician for your little brother’s birthday. The magician says he can make your brother disappear. He performs the trick and your brother is gone. The magician tries to bring him back, but something goes wrong and it doesn’t work. What happens next?

Write a conversation between your socks and your shoes.

You’re helping clean out your aunt’s garage. In a box you find an old oil lamp. You rub the lamp and a genie pops out. Write about what happens next.

You are the world’s youngest doctor. You have made a mind-blowing new medical discovery that will change the world. Write about your discovery and how it will affect modern medicine.

You have won a contest where every day you get a new 100-pound box of candy shipped to your house. Write about the type of candy you would order and what happens next.

You’re on an airplane flying to Disneyland. You really have to pee. You go to the bathroom, but when you come out the entire plane is empty. Everyone has disappeared. What happens next?

You have brought flowers to the cemetery to put on your grandmother’s grave. You walk down the row to her headstone, but when you get there the ground is dug up and her coffin is gone. What happens next?

You are watering the flowers in your mother’s garden. You bend down to smell the roses, but when you do you hear a tiny voice coming from the flowers: “Help us!” What happens next?

You’re at the lake skipping rocks across the water. You make a great throw and the rock skips into the middle of the lake. Then, suddenly, the rock comes skipping back. What happens next?

You come into class after school for tutoring, but just as you open the door you see your teacher pulling off her face. It’s a mask, and underneath your teacher is an alien. What happens next?

You wake up and discover you’re a mouse. You realize you left your pet snake on the floor last night instead of putting it in its cage. What happens next?

Your cat is meowing at your door. You think it has caught another bird, but when you open the door you discover it has caught a tiny person three inches high. What happens next?

You open your freezer and discover it has become a doorway to a cold, wintry world. You step inside. What happens next?

You’re taking a plane to visit your cousins in New York City. But when the plane lands, you realize that you’re actually in Chicago. What happens next?

One day the school bully comes up to you and says if you don’t help him he’ll beat you up. You say sure. He says he needs your help apologizing to everyone he’s ever bullied. What happens next?

Your little brother is drawing monsters at the kitchen table. You look over his shoulder, and suddenly his drawings come to life. They peel themselves off the paper and start to run around. What happens next?

There’s a knock at your door and when you open it you find an old man who hands you a glass jar with clear water in it. He tells you that the water in the jar will make you live forever, and that he has lived over five-hundred years. Then he leaves. What happens next?

You are taking a ride in a hot air balloon. Suddenly a terrible wind comes up and you are blown off course. The skies darken, and you realize you’re heading for a massive thunderstorm. What happens next?

You and your best friend are skydiving. You jump out of the plane. As you fall, you try to pull your chute, but your parachute is broken. The ground is coming up fast. What happens next?

You wake up one morning and start to yawn, but you realize your mouth has disappeared. What happens next?

You’re invited to your neighbor’s house for the first time to swim in their new pool. You dive into the water and discover there is no bottom to the pool. The water stretches and stretches like an ocean and when you surface you’re in a whole new world. What happens next?

Imagine you live in an apartment building. The elevator has buttons for 19 floors, because there’s no button for unlucky 13. One day you board the elevator and discover the button for the 13^th floor has appeared. What happens next?

You’re at the mall and really have to go to the bathroom. You find a bathroom and go inside, but standing by the sink is a gigantic bunny with ears that touch the ceiling. It looks at you and says: “I wouldn’t use this bathroom if I were you.” What happens next?
Imagine your little sister gets a gerbil for a pet. One day the gerbil crawls onto your lap and says: “Listen, I know where the buried treasure is. You want me to show you?” What happens next?

50 Descriptive Writing Prompts for Middle School

Describe the most disgusting school lunch you can imagine.

Imagine your school is rocked by a massive earthquake. Describe the events inside your classroom.

Describe love without using the words love or emotion.

Describe how you want to spend the last day of your life.

Imagine you are teleported 100 years into the future. Describe the way your hometown looks.

You have invented a brand new flavor of soda pop. Describe what it tastes like, what it’s called, and what the label looks like.

Describe a problem you’re facing at home and how you might solve it.

Describe a problem you’re facing at school and how you might solve it.

Imagine the world suddenly loses all electricity. Describe how you would go through your day with no lights, no power, no internet, no phones.

Describe your dream car. What brand of car? What color? What kind of seats? What would it have inside?

You’re planning a road trip across the country. Describe the route you would take, what cities you would stop in, and what you would see along the way.

Who is your favorite family member? Describe what makes them so special.

Describe your bedroom. What’s on the walls? Is it neat or dirty? How big is your bed? Include as much detail as you can.

Look at your hand. Describe what you see without using the words hand, finger, or nails.

Describe the most beautiful flower you can imagine.

Describe the smell of the school locker room.

Imagine your teacher blames you for something you didn’t do and punishes you in front of the whole class. Describe how you feel in that moment.

Think of the bravest person you know. Describe what makes them brave and how they are different from everyone else.

Think of your favorite toy when you were younger. Describe that toy. Why was it your favorite?

Imagine you are sitting on a bus and the person next to you lets out a silent but awful fart. The worst you’ve ever smelled. Describe that smell.

Describe the worst day of your life.

Describe the best day of your life.

Think about what makes you a good friend. Describe the three qualities you think make you an excellent friend.

Imagine you were there the day the Titanic sank. Describe what you saw as you watched the great ship go down.

Imagine you were with Neil Armstrong when the first astronauts landed on the moon. Describe what you saw when you stepped out onto the moon.

Your principal comes on over the intercom and announces that an asteroid is hurtling towards the Earth and life as we know it will end in two hours. Describe how the world ends.

Imagine that you are surfing on the California coast. Describe what it feels like to be out on the ocean and ride the waves back into shore.

Describe the thing that scares you the most.

Imagine you are on a spaceship hurtling past a black hole. Describe what you see.

Imagine you have the ability to fly. You take off and zoom around your hometown. Describe what you see in the air and down below you.

Imagine the most perfect birthday cake. Describe what the cake looks like, what it tastes like, how many candles, etc.

Describe your first kiss, either real or imaginary.

Pick a parent. Describe what they do for a living. What does their day look like?

The warning sirens go off. A tornado has just touched down near your home. You scramble outside to get shelter, and you can see the tornado coming. Describe what you see all around you.

Describe the worst fight you ever had with your parents.

Describe a time you wanted something so badly but didn’t get it.

Imagine you are part of the first wave of immigrants to Mars. Describe what life is like when you arrive. What is your home like on the Red Planet?

Imagine you are onboard a fabulous submarine with giant glass windows. Describe your travels under the ocean and all the things you see.

Imagine you’ve created a brand new donut. Describe the donut you created, what it looks like, what it tastes like, etc.

Describe your perfect pet. What qualities of your pet makes them so appealing?

Describe the first school dance you ever attended.

Imagine you are out hiking and become separated from your group. You realize you’re lost. Describe how you would find your way back or help others to find you.

You’ve joined the circus. Describe the act you will perform opening night.

Describe your favorite kind of music without telling the genre (rock n roll, rap, rhythm and blues, etc.) or mentioning the name of any band/artist.

Describe the best pair of shoes you ever wore.

Imagine you colored your hair a neon color and cut it any way you want. Describe how your hair would look and how people would react to your new style.

Describe the best birthday party you ever had.

Imagine you crossed the country 200 years ago in a covered wagon. Describe what you saw on your way west to California.

Imagine you were part of the crew that discovered King Tut’s tomb in Egypt. Describe what you saw as you entered the pyramid and uncovered the mummy.
If the inside of your mind were a room, describe what that room would look like and what would be inside it.

50 Either/Or Writing Prompts for Middle School

Would you rather have your greatest success at a young age or later in life?

Would you rather live on Mars or the bottom of the ocean?

Would you rather cut all sports programs at school or lose the school library?

Would you rather be 10 years old forever or 70 years old forever?

Would you rather there were no cell phones or no video games?

Would you rather be a zombie or a vampire?

Would you rather your mom chooses your clothes or your brother/sister?

Would you rather eat only cake or only ice cream?

Would you rather travel by airplane or by train?

Would you rather visit the East coast or the West coast?

Would you rather live 100 years in the future or 100 years in the past?

Would you rather live through a hurricane or a tornado?

Would you rather be the star of a movie or the main character of a book?

Would you rather have purple hair or no hair at all?

Would you rather listen to only classical music or no music ever again?

Would you rather be super tall or super short?

Would you rather be incredibly strong in only one arm or only one leg?

Would you rather be an Olympic athlete or a pro sports star?

Would you rather celebrate only Christmas or only Halloween?

Would you rather be rich and unknown or famous but poor?

Would you rather end world hunger or create world peace?

Would you rather attend private school or be homeschooled?

Would you rather have an extra eye or an extra nose?

Would you rather be a shark or a whale?

Would you rather join the circus or the rodeo?

Would you rather hitchhike across the country or hop trains?

Would you rather climb the world’s highest mountain or descend into the world’s deepest pit?

Would you rather write a famous novel or sing a famous song?

Would you rather be the teacher or the principal?

Would you rather watch the sunrise or the sunset?

Would you rather eat only waffles or eat only pancakes?

Would you rather raise a boy or a girl?

Would you rather be an eagle or an owl?

Would you rather have permanent spring or permanent fall?

Would you rather lose one month of summer vacation or all the holiday breaks during the school year?

Would you rather lose your eyesight or your hearing?

Would you rather be beautiful or wealthy?

Would you rather work hard and fail or barely work and succeed?

Would you rather be the rain or the sunshine?

Would you rather work from home or work in an office?

Would you rather make more money as an employee or work for yourself but make less money?

Would you rather get bit by a spider or stung by a bee?

Would you rather stop to smell the roses or rush to get to where you’re going?

Would you rather only be able to eat with a fork or only be able to eat with a spoon?

Would you rather live forever and be unhappy or live to be 75 and be happy all those years?

Would you rather be blind or not be able to taste anything?

Would you rather be able to dance or be able to sing?

Would you rather have to ride a tricycle to school or a ride a unicycle to school?

Would you rather go to the theater or watch a movie at home?
Would you rather be known for being honest or being loyal?

50 Expository Writing Prompts for Middle School

In some cultures it is rude to burp. In others, it is considered a compliment to burp after a meal. Write about burping and the differences in table manners around the world.

Many schools are banning pop machines. Write about the effects of drinking too much soda, and whether or not you think kids should be able to choose for themselves.

What’s your favorite kind of music? Write about the history of that musical genre and what other genres of music influenced it.

Passing gas. Breaking wind. Silent but deadly. Most people think it’s rude to fart in public, but it’s also unhealthy to hold it in. Write about why farting is considered rude. Do you think it makes sense to shame people for doing something that everybody must do?

Is honesty really the best policy? Write about why people value honesty but also the times when honesty may get you in trouble. Do you think you should always tell the truth?

Imagine you’re a movie director. What kind of movie would you make? Write about how you would make your movie, from first idea to final cut to releasing your movie to the world.

Write about the reasons for school dress codes. Do you think dress codes are fair? Should students have input on what goes in the dress code?

Many people claim to have seen aliens and alien space ships. Write about the history of UFO sightings. Do you think we may have been visited by extraterrestrials?

What’s the best way to cure a cold or flu? Write about the different ways people around the world approach basic healing. What do you think is the best remedy for common illness?

Many countries are encouraging citizens to buy electric cars to save the environment, but those cars plug into a power grid fueled mostly by coal. Write about the history of electric cars. Do you think electric cars will positively impact the environment?

Everyone says kids are addicted to cell phones. Are they? Write about cell phone use and how it compares to other technologies kids were obsessed with in the past.

Write about the history of space exploration. Is it important for human beings to continue to explore outer space and travel to other planets? Do you think we’ll ever have a colony on Mars?

Write about the right to vote, how it has changed over time, and how old you think you should be before you can vote.

What does it mean to live a healthy life? Write about the history of health food trends and how health is different around the world. What do you think a healthy life looks like?

What is the best way to assess learning? Are grades the most effective way? Is it better to simply assign pass/fail? Or maybe no grades at all? Write about the history of grading and how it affects both students and teachers.

Does life get better as you get older? Write about the benefits and downsides that you’ve experienced as you’ve gotten older. What do you think is the perfect age?

Newspapers were once read by everyone. Now people get their news through social media. Write about how technology has changed the way people consume information. Has technology made things better or worse?

“History is written by the winners.” Pick an event from history and write about the side that “lost”. How does it influence our understanding of history when we don’t get to hear from the “losers”? Can we fully trust what we hear from the “winners”?

Write about the history of video games. Do you think kids spend too much time playing video games? Can video games make your life better?

Does homework matter? Write about the reasons teachers assign homework and whether or not you believe homework is an effective tool.

Is the only reason to go to college to get a job? Write about the history of higher education and the various benefits and drawbacks to going to college. Do you think getting a job is the sole reason someone should go to college?

What makes a great movie? How much money it makes? What kind of reviews it gets? Who decides what’s great and what’s not? Write about how you determine a movie’s greatness.

What makes someone a good friend? What qualities are the most valuable in a friend? Do you possess those qualities yourself?

Some parents believe kids should do chores and earn nothing in return. Others give their kids an allowance for chores. Write about chores, whether or not kids should be rewarded for them, and the benefits and drawbacks to doing chores at all.

Some kids drop out of school. Write about the different reasons someone may drop out. What will likely happen to kids who drop out? Are there any advantages to dropping out?

Your class is going to adopt a pet. It can be any animal. Pick an animal you think your class should adopt and explain why that animal is the ideal class pet.

Imagine an extra-curricular activity or program that your school does not currently offer. Write about why you believe your school should offer it and how it would benefit students.

What do you think makes for a good life? Who gets to decide what makes a life good in the first place? How would you determine whether you’ve lived a good life or not?

Do you think kids should have to read the classics in school? What are the benefits of the classics? What are the downsides to reading them? Who decides what makes a book a classic or not? Should those people be able to decide at all?

Imagine a traveler from the 1800s landed in our modern world. What things would be the most different between then and now? What would the traveler find the most strange or wondrous?

What is your favorite place in all the world? What is it about this place that makes it special? Write about this place and how you feel when you are there.

Who do you think is more important in a school: the principal or the teachers? How are these roles different? Why is one more important than the other?

Many schools now focus on preventing bullying. Write about the effects these efforts have had at your school? Is bullying being prevented? Or has it simply changed and gone underground?

What do you think it means to be happy? How do you rate being happy in relation to other things in your life like earning money or being a good friend? Is happiness worth pursuing?

The Founding Fathers wrote that everyone had a right to pursue happiness. Why do you think this was important enough to be included in the Declaration of Independence? Write about the importance of happiness and also why happiness itself is not a right but only its pursuit.

Do you think we expect too much of cultural heroes like Martin Luther King Jr. and LeBron James, expecting them to be perfect role models? Often people act surprised when they learn their heroes are not perfect. Is this fair?

Is it okay for kids to drink coffee? Write about the effects coffee has on mood and on the brain. Do you think kids your age should be allowed to drink coffee in school?

Many people argue kids today have poor social skills because they spend too much time on their phones. Write about how technology has affected your social skills. Do you think this criticism is valid? How do you feel when you have to communicate in person rather than on a phone?

In today’s world, plagiarism is a major offense. But in earlier eras, plagiarism was allowed and artists often reworked the ideas of others. Write about the history of plagiarism and the benefits and downsides to copyrighting artistic works.

“When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” Do you think this is good advice? Are there times when the lemons you’re handed simply can’t be turned into anything good?

The poet TS Eliot once wrote: “In the end is my beginning.” What do you think this means? Write about how beginnings and endings are linked and whether or not this is true in life.

Should kids be allowed to watch any movie they want? Are there certain types of movies or elements in movies that kids simply shouldn’t see? Write about the history of the ratings system (G, PG, PG-13, R) and how it has changed. Do you think these ratings make sense?

In some countries, every young person is required to enlist in the military for a certain number of years. Write about the history of drafting citizens into the military. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this practice? Do you think you should be required to join the military?

Do you think it’s okay to keep secrets from your parents? Are there some things that should just be between you and your friends? Write about the benefits and drawbacks to secrets.

Years ago, many schools held formal dances where students were required to dress up in nice clothes. Do you think this is a good idea? Or should kids always be allowed to wear whatever they want to a dance? What are the advantages and disadvantages to a dance dress code?

Do you think artificial intelligence will ever surpass human beings? Write about the kinds of “thinking” machines are good at and how they are different from the kinds of things human beings are good at.

We have different ages for various adult responsibilities: 16 to drive, 18 to vote, 21 to drink. Write about how these benchmarks have changed over time. At one age do you think someone becomes an adult? Should all adult responsibilities be given at once or spread out as they are now?

How do you know when someone is lying? How can you be certain unless they admit to lying? Think about what you do when you lie. Is it easy to hide the truth or not?

Why is it considered rude to wear a hat indoors? Should kids be allowed to wear hats in school? What are the advantages and disadvantages to wearing hats in class?
Some parents buy their kids their first car. Others expect their kids to get a job and buy one themselves. What do you think is the best approach? Write about the benefits and drawbacks to your parents buying your car vs you buying it yourself.

67 Family Writing Prompts for Middle School

Imagine your family is going to rob a bank. What role would you assign to each member of your family? How do you think the heist would go?

If you could be a parent, what would you do differently than your mom or dad?

What do you admire most about your father?

What do you admire most about your mother?

Imagine your family is going to compete on a singing and dancing competition on national television. What song would your family perform? Who would do the singing? What kind of dance would you do?

What’s the worst part about being a sibling?

Imagine that you are now your brother or sister’s teacher. What grades would you give them for their work? Do you think they would do well in your class?

What movies do you enjoy watching as a family? What are the favorite movies of your different family members?

Ask your parents what other names they considered naming you. Do you think you’d prefer any of their other choices? Were you surprised by some of the names they considered?

What chores do you have to do at your house? Are you given anything in return for doing chores?

If you had to pick a single color to describe each member of your family, what color would you choose for them and why?

Who is your favorite member of your extended family (aunt/uncle/cousin/etc.)? What do you like about them?

What is unique about your family?

Does your family open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Imagine your family is stuck in a horror movie. Who would be the first to be killed? Who would survive all the way to the end?

What is the favorite meal of each member of your family?

What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken with your family?

Imagine your family is going to start a business. What business would you go into? What role would each member of your family have in the company?

What is the most important value to your family?

How many different homes has your family lived in? Do you have a favorite?

Who is the decision maker in your household? Why do you think they get to make the decisions?

If your parents were superheroes, what powers would they have?

If you had to live with one of your siblings for the rest of your life, which sibling would you choose and why?

Write about a recent argument you had with your parents. What was the argument about? How did it turn out?

Are there any vegetarians or vegans in your family? Does that cause any problems at meal times?

What is something you think other families could learn from yours?

What kinds of rules does your family have? Do you believe any of them are outdated and should be done away with? Which ones and why?

What restaurants does your family like to go to? Is there a special restaurant your family goes to for particular occasions?

What countries did your family come from? Have you ever visited relatives in those countries?

What holidays does your family celebrate? Which one is your favorite?

What traditions does your family keep?

Does your family eat dinner around a table? Why or why not? Do you think it matters either way? Explain your answer.

Who usually cooks in your household? What is their best meal?

What kind of expectations do your parents set for you? What happens when you don’t meet those expectations?

In what ways are you different from your siblings?

In what ways are you similar to your siblings?

Are you more like your mother or father? Explain.

Are you close to your grandparents? Write about your relationship to them and how important they are in your life.

If you had to describe the members of your family as different flavors of soda pop, what flavor would each of your family members be and why?

If you could spent one day with either your parents or your grandparents when they were your age, which would you choose and why?

Do you think you would have been friends with your mom or dad when they were young? Or would you simply be too different to ever have hung out together? Why or why not?

Do you share a bedroom or have your own? Write about the positives and negatives of your current arrangement.

Do you think your parents should buy you a car when you turn sixteen? Why or why not?

Do you think your life has been more difficult than when your parents were young? Or has it been easier? Explain.

Where do you fall in your family? Are you the oldest child? The youngest? Somewhere in the middle? How does this position affect your role in your family?

What books did your parents read to you when you were little?

Imagine your family has been cast to reboot an old movie. What movie would you choose for your family to star in? What role in the movie would you give to everyone?

What is something you learned on your own (either a skill or a life lesson) that you wish your parents had taught you?

What stories do your mom or dad tell about their childhood over and over again?

Do your parents have different rules or expectations for you versus your siblings? Do you think it’s fair that they treat each of you differently or the same? Explain.

If you could trade places with your brother or sister, would you? Why or why not?

What do your parents do for a living? What do you think about their employment? Would you like to follow in their footsteps? Why or why not?

Imagine you could give your mom or dad any job in the world. What job would you give them? Why do you think that job would make them happy?

Do you think your parents are proud of you? Why or why not?

What are your parents’ pet peeves?

What is the one place in the world your parents want to travel to more than any other? Why?

What is something that you learned from your brother or sister? How did you learn it?

What is something you wish your brother or sister knew about you?

Think back to the first time one of your friends ever stayed at your house overnight? What were you worried they would think about your home and your family?

How would you define the word family?

How does your family celebrate your birthday?

What did you get your mom and dad for Christmas? Why did you choose those gifts?

What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done in front of your brother or sister?

Who has the messiest room in your house? Describe their room and why it’s so messy.

What room does your family spend the most time in? Explain.

If you had to pick, would you rather have your mom or your dad as a teacher this year? Explain.
Imagine your family is chosen to be the first family to live in a new colony on Mars. What roles would you give to each member of your family once you land on the Red Planet? Write about your new life on Mars.

60 Friendship Writing Prompts for Middle School

Imagine you and your best friend are police detectives. What kinds of crimes would you solve? What qualities would make you and your friend good investigators?

Which of your friends do you share the most in common with? What qualities do you have in common?

Write about the worst argument you ever had with a friend. What happened afterwards?

What is something that none of your friends know about you?

Which of your friends do you tell your deepest secrets to? What is it about that friend that makes you trust them?

What kind of music do you listen to with your friends? Do all of your friends share similar tastes in music? Explain.

Write about the day you met your best friend. What was it that drew you together?

If your friends were asked to describe you to someone who had never met you, what would you hope that they say about you?

What movies do you love watching with your friends?

Write about the first time you ever slept over at a friend’s house. What were you afraid of? What were you surprised by? How did the sleepover go?

Have you ever made friends with someone at summer camp? Write about how you connected with that friend. Do you stay in touch?

What qualities do you value most in a friend?

What skills do your friends have that you wish you had?

What skills do you have that none of your friends share?

Imagine you and your friends start a band. What instruments would each of your friends play? Who would sing? What kind of music would you record?

Imagine that your best friend is moving away to the other side of the country. Write them a letter telling them goodbye and what you are going to miss about them.

Write a letter to your younger second-grade self. In the letter, describe the best way to make friends and keep them.

What do you do with your friends in the summer that you don’t do during the school year?

Do you like making new friends? Why or why not?

Do you think you can “buy” friends if you had enough money? For example, if you bought people enough gifts and paid for them to do fun things, that they would be real friends with you?

Write about a time when you “broke up” with a friend. What was it that ended your friendship? Do you think you could ever be friends again?

What is something that you could never forgive a friend for doing?

Is it okay to lie to a friend? Why or why not? If yes, in what situations would a lie be okay?

In a friend, which do you value more: honesty or loyalty?

If you hear someone saying something mean about your friends, do you speak up and defend your friends or keep quiet? Explain.

Of all of your friends, whose parents do you like the most? Why?

Do you have any friends of the opposite sex? How are they different from your friends of the same sex?

Write about a time when two of your friends were fighting and you had to play peacemaker.

Do your parents approve of your friends? Why or why not?

How important is it for a friend to be honest and tell you when you’ve made a mistake?

Write about a time you felt betrayed by a friend.

If you had to describe each of your friends as a pizza topping, what toppings would they be and why?

What television show or movie most resembles the lives of you and your friends? Explain your answer.

What is something that one of your friends is allowed to do that your parents do not let you do? How do you think you and your friend are different because of this?

Do you think modern technology makes it easier to be a good friend? Or does it simply complicate things and make it more difficult? Explain.

Imagine you and your friends are going to take a week-long vacation together. Where would you go? What would you do? Who in your group would decide?

Where do you and your friends fit in the social world of your school? Are you part of a clique or group? How well do you get along with other social groups at school?

If you and your friends were going out trick or treating, what would everyone dress up as and why?

If your best friend moved away tomorrow, do you have another friend that might eventually take their place? Write about how that might happen (or how it would be impossible).

If your best friend was magically turned into their opposite gender, do you think you could still be friends? Or is too much of your relationship based on gender for your friendship to still work? Explain.

If you heard an unpleasant rumor about one of your friends, how would you react? Would you tell them about it?

How important is friendship? Where do you rank it in comparison to other important aspects of your life (family, health, happiness, etc.)?

If you had to be adopted by the family of one of your friends, whose family would you choose? Explain.

Where do you and your friends spend most of your time hanging out? Why do you spend so much time at that location?

How do you know when someone is just pretending to be your friend?

What is the kindest thing you ever did for a friend? How did it make you feel?

Imagine you have two close friends but can only eat with one of them at lunch. What do you do in that situation?

Imagine that your teacher accused two of your friends of stealing from the teacher’s desk. Both your friends deny it, but you know which one of them is lying. What do you do?

What would you do if your best friend began hanging out with someone you hate?

Is it harder to make friends now than it was when you were younger? Or is it easier? Explain.

If you and your friends were a box of donuts, what kind of donut would each of your friends be?

What is the funniest movie you ever watched with a friend? Why did you and your friend find it so funny?

What is the saddest movie you ever watched with a friend? What did you and your friend find so sad?

Imagine you and your friends have gone out trick or treating and are now examining how much candy you raked in. How do you divide the candy? Does everyone keep their own? Who trades for what?

If you and your best friend were going to attend a protest, what would you protest against? What kind of signs would you make?

You can pick one of your friends to vote for in the coming election for school president. Which friend do you vote for and why?

Do you behave the same with all of your friends? Or do you change your behavior slightly for each friend? Do you think they do the same around you?

Do you believe you’ll have the same friends in high school and beyond that you do now? Why or why not?

Can you ever have too many friends? Why or why not?
Imagine you and your friends have to perform on America’s Got Talent. What kind of talent performance would you put on?

67 First Line Writing Prompts for Middle School

I am an invisible man. – Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison

When Katelyn Ogden blew up in third period pre-calc, the janitor probably figured he’d only have to scrub guts off one whiteboard this year. – Spontaneous, Aaron Starmer

Until he was four years old, James Henry Trotter had a happy life. – James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl

It was the day my grandmother exploded. – The Crow Road, Iain Banks

The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door… – Knock, Fredric Brown

All children grow up, except one. – Peter Pan, JM Barrie

Edward Twonky had no intention of getting eaten by a giant the morning he left for the Cottleston Fair. – The Giant’s Tooth, Bruce Coville

Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. — Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston

Bingo Brown fell in love three times in English class. – The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown, Betsy Byars

My dad and I lived in an airport. – Fly Away Home, Eve Bunting

Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trail and found guilty. – The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi

Mother died today. Or maybe, yesterday; I can’t be sure. – The Outsider, Albert Camus

The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted. – The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Stephen King

It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen. – 1984, George Orwell

Things are a lot different around here since that unicorn moved in. – Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great, Bob Shea

The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day. – The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss

As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found he had been turned into a giant insect. – Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka

I write this sitting in the kitchen sink. – I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith

When the blind man arrived in the city, he claimed that he had traveled across a desert of living sand. – The Brief History of the Dead, Kevin Brockmeier

In an old house in Paris there lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. – Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans

This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it. – The Princess Bridge, William Goldman

The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed. – The Gunslinger, Stephen King

I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time. – The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I’ve heard it said girls can’t keep secrets. — Wildwood Dancing, Juliet Marillier

Johnny never knew for certain why he started seeing the dead. – Johnny and the Dead, Terry Pratchett

It was a pleasure to burn. – Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

Most of the time John Midas was a nice boy. – The Chocolate Touch, Patrick Skene Catling

All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. – Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy

The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there. – The Go-Between, LP Hartley

In the town they tell the story of the great pearl – how it was found and how it was lost again. – The Pearl, John Steinbeck

That morning, after he discovered the tiger, Rob went and stood under the Kentucky Star Motel sign and waited for the school bus just like it was any other day. – The Tiger Rising, Kate DiCamillo

A screaming comes across the sky. – Gravity’s Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon

There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife. – The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman

The Herdman’s were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson

We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck. – Feed, MT Anderson

It was one of those things they kept in a jar in the tent of a sideshow on the outskirts of a little, drowsy town. – The Jar, Ray Bradbury

On Thursday, when Imogene woke up, she found she had grown antlers. – Imogene’s Antlers, David Small

People do not give it credence that a fourteen-year-old girl could leave home and go off in the wintertime to avenge her father’s blood but it did not seem so strange then, although I will say it did not happen every day. – True Grit, Charles Portis

On the morning I was scheduled to die, a large barefoot man with a bushy red beard waddled past my house. – The Colossus Rises, Peter Lerangis

If your teacher has to die, August isn’t a bad time of year for it. – The Teacher’s Funeral, Richard Peck

It was like nothing on Earth we had ever seen before. – Your Mother is a Neanderthal, Jon Scieszka

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine. – Cujo, Stephen King

They say Maniac Magee was born in a dump. – Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinelli

My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty-nine, and again four years later when he was twelve. – Time Traveling With a Hamster, Ross Welford

Some years ago there was in the city of York a society of magicians. – Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke

Three objects sat upon the carpet in Cleo Porter’s living room: an apple core, a human skull, and a package wrapped in red. – Cleo Porter and the Body Electric, Jack Burt

Kidnapping children is never a good idea; all the same, sometimes it has to be done. — Island of the Aunts, Iva Ibbotson

Once upon a time there was a huge family of children; and they were terribly, terribly naughty. – Nurse Matilda, Christianna Brand

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could ; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. – The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe

Four days after his own funeral, Albert Wilkes came home for tea. – The Death Collector, Justin Richards

For as long as anyone could remember, there wasn’t a house at the end of Juniper Drive – until one day there was. – This Appearing House, Ally Malinenko

The magician’s underwear has just been found in a cardboard suitcase floating in a stagnant pond on the outskirts of Miami. – Another Roadside Attraction, Tom Robbins

The city waited twenty-thousand years. – The City, Ray Bradbury

The Black Slide appeared on the playground of Osshua Elementary on a clear day in late September. – The Black Slide, JW Ocker

It was Purdy Newcomb’s thirtieth birthday, though none of his family seemed to be aware of it. – Grand Opening, Jessamyn West

Listen: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time. – Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut

The moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason. – Seveneves, Neal Stephenson

It began the night we died on the Kamikaze. – Full Tilt, Neal Shusterman

The manhunt extended across more than one hundred light years and eight centuries. – A Deepness in the Sky, Vernor Vinges

I waited and watched for seven years. – Dolan’s Cadillac, Stephen King

The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards. – A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. LeGuin

Taran wanted to make a sword; but Coll, charged with the practical side of his education, decided on horseshoes. – The Book of Three, Lloyd Alexander

Esther Solar had been waiting outside Lilac Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for half an hour when she received word that the curse had struck again. – A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares, Krystal Sutherland

Ironically, since the attacks, the sunsets have been glorious. – Angelfall, Susan Ee

The first thing you learn when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don’t got nothing much to say. – The Knife of Never Letting Go, Patrick Ness

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t been warned. – Sackett, Louis L’Amour
Before the worms turned mean, before they slithered out to get their revenge, Todd Barstow had a great time with them. – Go Eat Worms, RL Stine

40 History Writing Prompts for Middle School

Imagine you have signed on to go aboard a whaling ship in the 19^th Century. You will be away from your home sailing the seas for three to four years. How do you feel as you step onboard your ship?

Imagine you lived two hundred years ago. There is no electricity, no phones, no paved roads. What would you miss the most about the modern world? Explain.

If you had to build a statue to honor one person from your town, who would you build a statue of and why?

Through most of history, people rarely traveled more than five miles beyond the place where they were born. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Pick a local park or bridge or monument that is named after someone from your town. Write about who that person was and why this park/bridge/monument is named after them.

What is the greatest invention since sliced bread?

America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer who claimed to understand that there was a “New World” between Europe and China. If you could rename the Americas, what would you name them instead and why?

Have you ever been to a history museum? Write about what you saw and what you thought.

If you could visit any period in history, what period would you visit? Why?

What events are going on right now in the world that you think people will write about in the history books hundreds of years from now? Explain your choices.

For thousands of years, very few people could read and write. The invention of the printing press changed that as it made the printing of books and papers much cheaper. How do you think this changed the lives of everyday people?

Have you ever visited your local history museum? Write about what you saw there and what you thought.

Many stories from history are actually not true. George Washington didn’t have wooden teeth. Benjamin Franklin didn’t fly a kite in a lightning storm. Why do you think so many myths get passed down and believed as fact?

“People who neglect history are doomed to repeat it.” Do you agree with this statement or not? Explain.

During World War II, the United States didn’t officially enter the war until the attack on Pearl Harbor. In fact, many citizens didn’t want the US involved at all. Do you think the US would have gone to war if the Japanese had not attacked?

When President Jefferson sent Lewis & Clark into Western America, he believed they would find wondrous creatures like wooly mammoths. They didn’t, of course, but what if they had? Write a “lost journal entry” from Lewis & Clark’s journals in which you discover a wooly mammoth.

“History is written by the winners.” What do you think this statement means? Do you agree?

When do you think was the best time to be alive? Why?

Many people imagine Adolf Hitler was always considered an evil man, but 43% of German people voted for him during his first run for president and was Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 1938. What do you think we can learn from the fact that Hitler was so popular and yet so evil at the same time?

Do you think you can learn more from non-fiction books like The Diary of Anne Frank or from fictional stories about the same time period like Number the Stars or The Book Thief? Explain.

What one person from history would you like to meet? What three questions would you ask that person?

If people in the 1930s had YouTube, what do you think they’d be posting videos of?

Often visiting historical sites like the pyramids or the Eiffel Tower is boring. Reality isn’t as exciting as what you’ve seen in the movies. Write about a famous historical site, but write about it in a context that makes it more interesting and exciting. For example, a bank robber who tries to escape the police by hiding inside the Great Pyramid.

What if the Chinese had “discovered” America before Europeans? Write about how the history of the “New World” would be different.

What if the Allies had lost World War II? How would America be different if it were under the control of the Germans and Japanese?

Imagine that you have been hired to record what is happening in your town so that people 100 years from now will know all about it. What would you take pictures of? Who would you interview? What would you ask them about? What would you write down for the history books?

Imagine that you’ve traveled back in time 500 years. Your mission is to make life better for people in the past, but you can’t bring anything with you. Can you accomplish your mission? Can you explain how anything in our modern world works so that people 500 years ago can benefit?

If you had to describe your town as a person, how would you describe it? What gender would it be? What personality would it have? Would it be young or old?

Imagine an archeologist 1,000 years from now digging up your house and discovering your bedroom. Pick three objects they would find. What do you think they would make of those objects? How might they misinterpret what they find?

How much of your history is determined by where you live? Imagine how the history of you and your family would be different if you lived in China, or South Africa, or Brazil. How does geography and culture shape your world?

As cultures and attitudes change, so do our views on figures from the past. What do you think should be done about different holidays, memorials, streets, parks and other things named after historical figures who held views we no longer agree with?

Many cities still have monuments and statues to Confederate generals. What do you think should be done with these monuments? Should they be left standing or removed?

Some people believe everyone should visit the concentration camps of World War II to gain a better understanding of the horrors that happened there. Others feel the camps should be forgotten, that visiting them is like slowing down to view a car wreck. What do you think?

In Philadelphia, a man once found an original copy of the Declaration of Independence behind a painting he had purchased for $4. Imagine your own story of discovering a famous object from history. What object do you discover? Where did you find it? What do you do with it?

In ancient times, the Greek historian Herodotus made a list of the Seven Wonders of the World, which included the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Make your own list of 7 Wonders of Today’s World. What makes your list?

Cities often build monuments to remember major events from history. If you were the mayor of your town, what monument or statue would you build in your city, and what historical event would it commemorate?

The Declaration of Independence speaks of unalienable rights, those rights that should not ever be taken away. Should recess be an unalienable right? As a student, what rights do you think your teacher should be able to take away, and what rights do you think should be unalienable?

In The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Jon Scieszka retells the classic tale from the point of view of the Big Bad Wolf, giving us a new perspective. Pick a villain from history and retell their story from their point of view.

Thomas Edison is often thought to be the inventor of the lightbulb, but other scientists and engineers invented variations on the light bulb before him. Why do you think history often attributes discoveries to one individual, even when a discovery is the result of the work of many different people? 
Napoleon once said: “History is a fable agreed upon.” What do you think he meant? Do you agree?

50 Movie Writing Prompts for Middle School

Popcorn is the most commonly sold item at movie theaters. But in certain parts of the country, other foods are also popular. Giant pickles, for example, are sold in theaters in the Southwest. What do you think is the ideal food for watching movies at the theater?

Imagine you can keep only Disney movie. All the others must be lost to history. What movie would you keep and why?

What is the best way to watch a movie? In a theater? On your phone? On your TV at home? Explain your answer.

Who is the greatest movie villain of all time? Explain.

Should kids be allowed to see rated R movies? Why or why not?

What movie terrified you when you were younger? Why?

List your three favorite movies. What do you like about them?

Take a character from one of your favorite movies and place them into a different film. For example, take Spiderman and place him into Jurassic Park. Write about what happens in your mashup.

What is your favorite genre of movie (comedy, action, science-fiction, horror, etc.)? Why do you enjoy those kinds of movies so much?

Who is the greatest movie hero of all time? Explain.

What makes a movie successful? Is it the director? The actors? The screenplay? The special effects? Explain your answer.

Who is the greatest actor or actress of all time? Defend your answer.

Many actors get typecast, meaning they are given the same sort of role over and over again. Clint Eastwood played in dozens of westerns. Jamie Lee Curtis played in many horror movies. If you had to be typecast, what type of movie would you want to act in?

You are invited to watch a movie at the White House with the President, and you get to pick the movie! What movie would you pick and why?

Do you prefer movies or television shows? Why?

Many child actors have success early on and then struggle greatly with drugs, alcohol and depression as they get older. Do you think children should be allowed to act in movies given that it may wreck their lives?

What is the worst movie you’ve ever seen? Why was it so bad?

Certain actors become so famous for a particular role (Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Daniel Craig as James Bond), that everyone in the world knows who they are. Would you want to have that kind of fame? Write about how your life would be different if you were that famous.

Have you ever watched a movie with subtitles? What did you think? Did it change your enjoyment of the movie?

When a new television show comes out, do you prefer to be able to binge watch the entire season? Or is it better for the season to come out one episode every week?

Hollywood is constantly remaking old movies, even movies that were great the first time around. Do you think great movies should be remade, or do you think that they should be left alone since they’re already amazing? Explain.

How do you choose what movie to watch? What is it that catches your eye and makes you pick a particular movie?

Are actors and actresses paid too much money? Is it right for anyone to make $20 million just to star in a movie? Explain your answer.

Would you rather be an actor or a director? Explain.

What do you think of the Academy Awards? Do you think the Academy usually gets their picks for Best Picture, Best Actor, etc right? Or do you think the Academy is usually wrong? Explain.

Did Disney ruin Star Wars? Defend your answer.

It is now common for directors to go back and alter different things in their movies or shows, sometimes to improve them but other times because people on social media get upset about something in the movie they don’t like. Do you think directors should be allowed to change their movie/show after it has been released? Why or why not?

Have you ever gone to a theater and seen a movie alone? Would you? Why or why not?

You can get rid of one genre of movie forever (comic book movies, horror movies, romantic comedies, etc.). What genre do you do away with and why?

Pick one book that you think should be turned into a movie. Who would you cast in the main roles? Why would it make a good movie?

Can a movie still be a great movie if it has a bad ending? Why or why not?

Name a movie that everybody loves but that you hate. Why do you not like it? Why do you think everyone else is wrong?

What is the very first movie you remember seeing? Did you enjoy it? What do you think of that movie now?

Imagine that you are tasked with re-thinking the movie rating system (G, PG, PG-13, R). How would you recreate the current system? Where would you make the cutoffs? Explain.

If you could remake any movie and put yourself in the starring role, what movie would you remake? What role would you play? Explain.

Many people think very young children shouldn’t be allowed to watch movies or television. When do you think children should be allowed to start watching movies? Explain.

Does seeing violence in movies lead to violence in real life? Defend you answer.

Imagine you are given a chance to pitch a movie idea to a major Hollywood studio. What’s your pitch? What movie would you want them to make?

Imagine Hollywood is going to make a movie of your life. Who would you want to star as you in the movie? Explain.

Have you ever been to a drive-in theater? How was it different from watching a movie at an indoor theater? Did you enjoy the experience?

In the past, some horror movies claimed that they were so scary that people ran out of the theater screaming in terror or fainted dead away in their seats. Do you think these stories were true? Or do you think they were just good marketing to make the movie sound more scary?

Do you think Hollywood should keep making more movies in a successful franchise even if the movies aren’t very good (Lord of the Rings, Marvel comics, Star Wars)? Or should Hollywood move on and make something totally new? Explain.

Imagine that you’re tasked with selecting the next actor to play James Bond. Who would you choose? Why?

Which are better: live action movies or animated movies? Defend your answer.

People often decide whether to watch a movie or not based on user reviews on rating sites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. Do you use these ratings to decide what to watch? What are the advantages and disadvantages to letting anyone leave a rating and review?

Are movies better now than movies made in the past? Explain your answer.

Are there movies your parents watched when they were kids that they have had you watch too? What did you think of those movies?

Are there any movies you watch every year as a tradition (Groundhog’s Day on Groundhog’s Day, A Christmas Carol on Christmas, etc.)? If so, what movies and why do you watch them every year?

What is your favorite documentary film? What is it about? Why do you like it? 
“The book is always better than the movie.” Give an example of a movie you think is better than the book. Explain why you think so.

50 Opinion Writing Prompts for Middle School

Write a letter to your parents explaining why, in your opinion, you should be their favorite child.

How would you describe the difference between an opinion and a fact?

Imagine you have the power to outlaw either chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Which flavor do you keep, and which do you outlaw? Explain your choice.

Should girls be allowed to play on boy teams and vice versa? Defend your answer.

Should teachers assign homework? Why or why not?

Take the Other Side: Argue for why you should be allowed to drop out of school.

Can wishes come true?

Should you be required to obey your parents? Why or why not?

Are boys and girls really all that different from one another? Explain.

If a kid skips school enough, eventually their parents will end up in trouble with the law. Is that fair? Should the parents be held responsible for what their kid does?

Should kids your age have an assigned bedtime or be allowed to stay up as late as they like? Defend your answer.

If a student doesn’t get good grades, should they be held back a year or allowed to move on? Explain.

“The truth will set you free.” Does it really? What do you think? Is it better to always tell the truth?

What are five places you believe everyone should visit at least once? Explain your choices.

Is distance learning a good substitute for in-class education? Why or why not?

Take the Other Side: Argue for why kids should be allowed to smoke.

Should kids your age have their own phones? Why or why not? At what age should a child be allowed to have a phone?

Should parents be allowed to “spy” on what their kids do online in order to keep them safe? Explain your answer.

Would you be okay with going to school for an extra hour every day if it meant you would receive a better education? Why or why not?

Should all schools have uniforms? Defend your answer.

Should smoking be illegal? Or should people be allowed to do things that may end up killing them?

Take the Other Side: Gossiping about people behind their back is perfectly alright.

Should shoppers be required to bring their own grocery bags? Why or why not?

Girls or boys: who has it harder? Explain.

Technology makes kids lazy. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

Imagine you find $100 in the school parking lot. Finders keepers? Or should you turn it in? Defend your answer.

Pick a season and explain why it’s the best season of all.

Kids should be limited to only a few hours of screen time each day so that their brains will develop properly. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

Every kid should be required to learn cursive. Agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

Take the Other Side: Argue for why cheating on a test should be allowed.

Pick your favorite athlete. Why are they the best in their sport? Defend your answer.

How old should a kid be before they are allowed to date? Explain.

At what age should a kid be allowed to wear makeup? Explain.

Kids shouldn’t have to do homework if they don’t want to. Agree or disagree? Defend your answer.

Should someone in middle school be allowed to date someone in high school? Why or why not?

Take the Other Side: Argue for why the movie is always better than the book.

Should all the zoos be shut down and their animals let free? Why or why not? Explain.

Aliens exist and we have been visited by them many times. Agree or disagree? Explain.

Should kids be allowed to play video games or should they be banned for kids altogether? Defend your answer.

Money can buy happiness. True or false? Explain.

What modern musical artist will people still be listening to 50 years from now? Defend your answer.

Is it ever okay to ban books? Why or why not? Explain.

Every student should be required to participate in PE and sports. Agree or disagree? Explain.

Should students be allowed to bring homemade cakes or cupcakes to class to celebrate their birthday? Why or why not?

Should kids be allowed to go trick or treating on their own without their parents? Why or why not?

At what age should someone be allowed to get a tattoo? Explain.

Should cookie have nuts in them? Why or why not? Defend your answer.

At what age should someone be allowed to have a baby? Explain.

Should students be forced to memorize poetry? Why or why not? Explain.
Santa Claus: fun and harmless or vicious lie? What do you think? Explain your answer.

50 Poetry Writing Prompts for Middle School

Imagine you are a balloon a child accidentally let go of at a birthday party. Write a poem about being released and floating away.

Write a poem about the worst nightmare you ever had.

Write a poem from the perspective of the very last dinosaur that has survived extinction for millions of years and has never been found by mankind.

Write a poem about a time you were disappointed by a birthday present.

Write a poem from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the East from The Wizard of Oz about how you got hit and killed by Dorothy’s house.

Write a limerick about waiting for the bell to ring on Friday afternoon.

Write a narrative poem about the street you live on.

Imagine you won the lottery. You’re rich! Write a poem about how all that money ruined your life.

Write a rhymed poem about the worst meal you ever ate.

Imagine you could get rid of your brother or sister by selling them at an auction. Write a poem about auctioning them off to the highest bidder.

Write a poem about a dog falling in love with a cat.

Think about what makes you feel sad. Imagine you are a doctor prescribing what will make you feel happy again, and write your prescription in the form of a poem.

If you could change your name, what name would you pick? Write an acrostic poem using the name you selected.

Write a haiku about the end of the world.

Imagine that you have been selected to come up with a new national holiday. Write a poem about this new holiday and what it celebrates.

Write a poem about the sinking of the Titanic.

Write a rhyming poem about waking up Christmas morning and discovering that there are no presents under the tree.

Pick a sibling. Write an acrostic poem using their name.

Write a haiku about the smell of breakfast waking you up in the morning.

Write a poem about the most annoying sound in the whole world.

Write a poem from the perspective of the Moon. What was it like the first time someone landed on your surface? How does it feel to be cold and empty?

Write a poem from the perspective of a flower. How does it feel the day someone finally comes and picks you?

Write a limerick about the loudest fart ever heard.

Write a poem from the perspective of a fish studying a lure in the water. Do you take the bait or pass? What happens if you get caught?

Imagine you discover a secret passageway in your house. Where does it lead? Write a poem about exploring this hidden passage.

Write a poem about a flood sweeping your house away.

Write a poem about why you should never fall in love.

Imagine you are a baseball. You just got hit for a homerun to win the World Series. Write a poem about how it feels to get smacked over the fence to win the series.

Write a rhyming poem about getting lost in the woods.

Write a poem from the perspective of a snowman melting on a warm winter day.

Imagine you’re an old pair of shoes. Your owner brings home a brand new pair of shoes. Write a poem about how you feel and what happens next.

Write a poem from the perspective of Haley’s Comet as it passes by Earth.

Write a poem about a fight you had with your best friend.

Write a poem about moving to a new home.

Write a poem from the perspective of an abandoned shopping mall. What is it like now that everyone is gone?

Write a poem about your favorite movie theater.

Imagine Hollywood has decided to make a reality television show about your life and overnight you become a famous star. Write a poem about how your life has changed.

Write a poem about Halloween night.

Imagine you have an evil twin. Write a poem about all the wicked things your evil twin does and how hard life is because everyone believes these things are done by you.

Write a poem from the perspective of your hands, but without using the word hand.

Write a poem about a lost toy.

Imagine you come to class and you have a new teacher. She is literally a monster and says she will eat anyone who gets out of line. Write a poem about what happens next.

Imagine the internet suddenly dies and all the computers stop working. Write a poem about what happens next.

Write a poem about the worst thing you’ve ever tasted.

Imagine you’re Death and have come to take an old woman who has lived a good life. Write a poem about this final encounter.

Write a poem about an Elf on the Shelf who comes to life and causes all sorts of mischief.

Write a poem from the perspective of a book that has been banned from your school library.

A drought has caused the water levels to fall in the lake/river/sea near your home, causing all the old items lost in the water of the years to be revealed. Write a poem about the objects that can now be found and recovered.

Write a poem from the perspective of a Christmas tree on Christmas morning.
Write a poem from the perspective of a pumpkin being carved for Halloween.

30 Procedural Writing Prompts for Middle School

Explain the steps for teaching a puppy new tricks.

Imagine you once escaped from prison and are now writing a letter to a friend of yours who is in your old cell. Explain step by step how they can escape as well.

How do you build the perfect snowman?

Explain the steps for how to apologize when you’ve hurt your friend’s feelings.

Write the process for shooting the perfect jump shot.

What are the steps for making a new friend?

Imagine that you are a bull rider performing at a rodeo. Explain the steps for riding the bull and staying on as long as you can.

Explain how to whistle.

What is the perfect way to spend a Saturday? Explain the order of your days from when you wake up to when you go to bed again.

How do you do the perfect dive?

Imagine you’re taking a road trip across the country. What are the steps for preparing your car for the trip? Think about what you will bring with you and how you will know where to go.

Explain the precise steps for carving a pumpkin.

Explain the steps for pitching a tent.

Imagine you’re going skydiving with someone who has never been in an airplane before and is terrified of heights. Explain to them how you will jump out of the plane and survive.

Explain the process for tying your shoes.

Imagine you’re planning a bank robbery and have to explain to your fellow robbers exactly how you will all escape without getting caught. Write down your precise getaway plans.

What is the best way to eat a pie? Explain the steps from removing it from the oven to the final burp.

Explain how to properly wash and dry your hair.

What is the procedure for packing your suitcase for a long vacation?

Imagine that your city is flooding due to a massive storm. Explain the steps you need to take to secure your house and protect it from the rising water.

Step by step, explain how you clean your room.

What is the procedure for tying a stem into a knot with your tongue?

Imagine that you are a general in charge of storming a medieval castle. Explain the steps your army will take to lay siege to the castle and win the battle.

Explain step by step how you draw a self-portrait.

Explain step by step how to live a good life. School, job, marriage, kids, etc. What order and at what age should these events happen to live a good life?

What is the procedure for convincing a stray dog to come to you so you can help it find its way home?

What are the steps for changing the world?

Imagine you are performing in a circus. Pick an act that you will star in and explain the steps for performing your act.

What is the proper way to make the perfect bowl of popcorn? 
Explain the steps for making your parents happy.

53 Relationship Writing Prompts for Middle School

What does romance mean to you?

Should boys ask girls to dances or the other way around? Explain.

How do you say you’re sorry when you’ve hurt someone’s feelings?

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

Do you hold a grudge when your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner hurts you in some way? Why or why not?

What are the qualities that make you a good romantic partner?

How do you know your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner is reliable?

At what age do you think you should be allowed to start dating?

How do you know when you are ready to have sex with someone?

Describe your first kiss. Was it what you imagined it would be? Why or why not?

How are romantic relationships at your school different from the way they are portrayed in movies and television?

What are the top three qualities you would look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Explain.

What are the biggest challenges in having a romantic relationship?

Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not?

Do you think your classmates make too big a deal about romantic relationships in middle school? Why or why not?

How do you know your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner respects you?

Should you only date people that your parents approve of? Why or why not?

Should schools do a better job of preparing students for having relationships and having sex? Explain.

Where is the best place to get information about relationships and sex?

Describe your perfect boyfriend/girlfriend/partner. What do they look like? What is their personality like? What do you two do together?

Should romantic partners ever fight? Why or why not? What does it mean if they do?

Valentine’s Day: romantic holiday or marketing scam?

How should a middle school couple celebrate their anniversary?

Should boys hold open doors for girls? Or is this just sexist? Explain your answer.

Should students be allowed to date someone older or younger than themselves? Why or why not?

“All is fair in love and war.” Agree or disagree? Explain.

What scares you the most about having a romantic relationship?

Do you think romantic relationships get better in high school? Why or why not?

What does it mean to be committed to your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner?

How do you know when you want to marry your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner?

Do you and your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner laugh a lot together? What makes you laugh?

Does it matter who says “I love you” first? Why or why not?

What do you think the opposite sex really wants in a romantic relationship? Explain.

Do you feel pressured to start dating? Why or why not?

What do you friends think of your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Do you agree with them? Explain.

How do you know when it’s time to break up with your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner?

Is it okay to never date in middle school and high school? Why or why not?

What are the disadvantages of having a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Explain.

Should parents be allowed to choose your romantic partners for you? Why or why not?

Is love logical? If it’s not, should you pay attention to it and follow it? Explain.

In what ways can a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner make you a better person?

Many people say that romantic partners should be “equals”. Do you think this is actually possible, that two people can be equals? Why or why not?

What would you do if your close friend was dating someone you didn’t think was good for them?

Do you think couples should have secrets? Why or why not?

How do you establish boundaries in a romantic relationship?

What have you learned about romantic relationships from watching how your parents interact?

How are romantic relationships today different from those in the past?

Do you think romantic relationships today have benefited from cell phones and technology or not? Explain.

Is it okay to ask someone out by text? Why or why not?

Are middle school romantic relationships doomed to fail? Why or why not?

What would you do on your “perfect” date?

Who should pay for things on a date? 
“Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Do you agree? Why or why not?

50 Research Writing Prompts for Middle School

Research the history of Christmas. Was Christmas always the holiday we know now? When did people begin celebrating Christmas the way we do today? How has the Christmas holiday changed over time?

Research the history of the circus. Who invented the first circuses? What kinds of attractions did they have? How did circuses become popular? What circuses still survive today?

What is a food desert? How do they affect families living within them? What can be done about food deserts?

Research a job or profession that no longer exists. Who performed that job in the past? Was it a good job or not? Why is that particular job no longer around anymore? Which jobs exist today will eventually disappear?

What did people use before GPS and Google Maps? Research how ancient people developed maps and learned to navigate by the stars.

What are some of the scariest places in your state? Research one of them and write about its history. What happened there that makes it so scary? Do you think the stories about this place are real or just made up?

Many people mistakenly believed that the Egyptian pyramids were created by slaves. New evidence suggests they were created by well-paid laborers. Research how the pyramids of Egypt were created. Who made them? Why? Why have they lasted so long?

Research the history of shoelaces. When were shoelaces first invented? What were shoelaces originally made from? How many different ways to tie shoelaces are there?

“The greatest invention since sliced bread.” Pick an invention. Write about how it was invented, who contributed to it, and how it changed the world.

Pick your favorite sport. Research how your sport was originally created. Who was responsible for inventing the rules? How did your sport come to be widely accepted? How were its professional leagues formed? How many people participate in it today?

What was the worst war in the 20^th Century? Write about why a particular war was the worst. How did this war start? Why and when did it finally end?

How do plants communicate? Research how plants have evolved to communicate with each other. How does this compare with human communication? Are plants really “unthinking” or are they more complicated than you thought?

Research the history of the Supreme Court. How was it formed? What is its role in the US government? How are justices appointed? How does the Supreme Court operate on a daily basis?

Pick a major city in a foreign country. Write about how that city was founded and what that city is known for today. If you visited that city, what would you go see? Who are famous people from that city?

Pick a particular natural disaster from history (hurricane, volcanic eruption, earthquakes, etc.) and write about what happened on that day. What were the effects of that disaster? Could the damage have been lessened if certain steps were taken?

Research the history of the cigarette. Why was it developed? Why is smoking so deadly? Has the tobacco industry always known about the dangers of smoking? How has vaping changed the industry? How many young people smoke?

Research how the different planets in our solar system were discovered. Who made the discoveries and how did they know the planets were there? Do you think there are more planets out there in our solar system waiting to be discovered?

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people. Research why teens commit suicide. What are the signs someone is thinking about suicide? How can suicide be prevented?

Research the history of the video game. When were video games first invented? What were the earliest video games? How did video games develop over time? What are the most popular video games of all time?

Pick an author that you enjoy. Write about where they came from, what books they write, and why they became an author. Would you recommend their work to your classmates?

Christopher Columbus was once credited with “discovering” the Americas, but many other explorers had landed in the Americas before him. Write about the history of discovery in America. What cultures landed in the Americas before Columbus?

Research the history of the White House. How was it designed? What rooms are within it? How does it operate on a daily basis?

Are we alone in the universe? Research how scientists have searched for life outside of Earth. What are different groups doing now to look for signs of intelligent life beyond our solar system? Do you think they will ever find any?

Homelessness remains a huge problem in America. Research the different reasons people become homeless. What solutions are there for addressing homelessness?

What were the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? Research how this ancient list was made, and then select one of the wonders to write about. When was your Wonder created? Where was it located? What happened to it?

Select an astronaut. Research their life and how they became an astronaut. What was their childhood like? What kind of missions have they done as an astronaut?

Research the history of school lunches. Why were lunches first served in schools? What kinds of foods have been served over the decades? Are school lunches healthy? How have they changed over time?

Research the history of your state. When was it founded? Why did it become a state? Who are some of the famous people from your state? What is your state known for?

One of the most massive floods we have evidence for happened during the last Ice Age at Glacial Lake Missoula. Research these floods and write about why they happened. How much water was involved? What would the floods have looked like? Where did all the water go?

Research the history of the dictionary. Why were dictionaries first created? Who created them? What effect did compiling a dictionary have on the English language?

Why do we keep dogs as pets? Research the history of dogs. Where do they come from? Why did humans start keeping them as pets? What kinds of jobs have dogs performed over the years? What is your favorite breed of dog?

Research the history of gargoyles. When did people first start putting gargoyles on buildings? Why are so gargoyles monstrous? What purpose do gargoyles serve?

Where does chocolate come from? Research the history of chocolate. Where is it grown? Who originally discovered chocolate? Has it always been used in candies and deserts? How much chocolate is consumed every year?

Research Halloween. Has Halloween always been celebrated the way it is today? When did people begin celebrating Halloween as they do now? How has the celebration of Halloween changed over time?

How did we find the Titanic? Research the history of the search for the wreck of the Titanic. How long did it take to find? Who found it? How did they find it? What did they discover when they finally found the wreck?

Research the history of the ice cream truck. Why were ice cream trucks invented? Who drove the first ice cream trucks? Why do ice cream trucks play the kind of music they do? How many ice cream trucks are still around today?

Research the history of tattoos. When did people first begin tattooing themselves? What different kinds of tattoos have people created in different cultures? How does someone become a tattoo artist today? If you got a tattoo, what would you get?

Research the history of comic books in America. How popular are they? Why were they censored in the 1950s? Is reading comics the same as reading books?

The only successful skyjacking in American history happened in 1971. A man later called DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, held it for ransom and escaped by diving out of the plane. Research the history of this caper and the speculations about what happened to DB Cooper.

Research the history of the Christmas tree. When did people begin using trees as Christmas decorations? Were Christmas trees always decorated the way they are now? What kinds of trees were used in the past?

Pick your favorite candy bar and research its history. When was it first invented? Has it ever changed over time? How many are sold every year?

Research the history of dragons. When were dragons first created? In what cultures did dragons first appear? Have dragons always had the same characteristics (fire-breathing, hoarding gold, etc.)? How have dragons changed over time?

Bullying remains a problem in schools. Research the various ways schools and communities can combat bullying. Which ideas do you think would be the most effective?

Research the history of money in the United States. What was the first money printed by the US government? How has money changed over the years? What is paper money made of? How is it decided what will be on the coins and bills? How much money is in circulation?

Who invented the electric guitar? Research the history of the electric guitar and how it changed modern music. Why was it invented at all? Was it popular right at the beginning? How many kinds of electric guitars are there?

Research the history of reading. When did people first begin to read silently? When did literacy become widespread enough for most people to own and read books? How did the spread of literacy change the world?

Research the history of the playground. When were playgrounds invented? What kinds of toys were used in the first playgrounds? When were playgrounds included at schools? How have playgrounds changed over time?

Research the history of pirates. Who were the first pirates? Who were some of the most famous pirates? What was the difference between a pirate and a privateer? How many pirate treasures are still out there to be discovered?

Research the history of the pencil. Who invented the pencil? When was it first invented? Where pencils always made of wood and graphite? How many pencils are made every year? 
Research the history of the crayon. When were crayons first invented? Why? Who made them? How are crayons made? How many crayons are sold every year? How many crayon colors are there?

50 School Writing Prompts for Middle School

Imagine you’ve been made principal for the day and can change three things about your school. What three things would you change and why?

Imagine you find an old letter tucked inside a library book. The letter reveals that there is a hidden passageway somewhere at your school. Write about your search for the passageway and where it leads.

What is the worst part about school? Is there any way it could be improved? Explain.

Should students be required to share a locker with a classmate? Why or why not?

Spirit Week: good fun or totally stupid? Defend your answer.

Do you think teachers should have a seating chart? Or should students be allowed to sit wherever they like? Explain.

Imagine you have been chosen to host a foreign exchange student who has never been to America. Write a letter to your new guest explaining how to succeed at your school.

If you could add any extra-curricular activity to your school, what would it be and why?

Should tests include more multiple choice questions or more short answer questions? Explain.

Should students be required to lead parent/teacher conferences? Or should teachers have to lead them instead? Explain.

What is the difference between a good teacher and a great teacher?

What is the biggest problem facing your school right now? What are possible solutions to that problem?

What is one thing you wish your teacher understood about you?

Imagine that no one can raise their hands ever again. What would you replace hand-raising with so that students can respectfully get the attention of their teacher?

You are in charge of replacing the school lunch menu. You can select three restaurants to provide new menu items. What three restaurants do you choose and why?

Should the number of students per class be increased or decreased? What is the ideal number of students in a single class? Defend your answer.

Imagine one day at school you are allowed to create a rule for students to follow. Explain the rule you create and why you choose to make that rule.

Sitting in the back row or sitting in the front row: which is better? Defend your answer.

Imagine that you have been given the job of driving a school bus to school every morning. How will you keep order on your bus? What rules will you have? How will you enforce them?

What is the point of education? Why does it matter? Explain.

Should education be entirely directed to getting a job after school? Or should school teach you things that may not apply to a job but that enrich your mind? Defend your answer.

You can do away with one subject at school so that it is never taught again. What subject do you get rid of and why?

Should students be allowed to skip grade levels? Why or why not?

Should students be held back if they cannot meet basic standards in their classes? Why or why not?

Should teachers be allowed to assign homework to student athletes on game days? Why or why not?

You can invite one famous person to come to your school. Who would you invite and why?

Write a letter to the President of the United States. Explain the problems facing your school. What three things would you ask that the President do to address these problems?

The best athlete at school or the student with the highest grades: which would you rather be? Explain.

Imagine you are going to run for school president. Write a speech to convince your fellow classmates that they should vote for you.

Do you think students should be allowed to choose their teachers? Why or why not?

Would you rather start the school day earlier (and get out earlier) or start the day later (but have to stay later)? Explain.

Is recess necessary? Why or why not?

Where do fifth graders belong? In elementary school or in middle school? Explain.

Where do eighth graders belong? In middle school or in high school? Explain.

Should students be allowed to take mental health days and stay home from school? Why or why not?

Should schools be allowed to celebrate holidays? Or should they not acknowledge them at all because they might offend some students?

Do you feel safe at school? Why or why not?

Should teachers be allowed to assign what books you read? Or should you always be allowed to pick whatever book you want? Defend your answer.

Is it important to learn more advanced mathematics like algebra and geometry if you’re not ever going to use them? Why or why not?

Should students be required to take exercise/workout/yoga classes? Why or why not?

Should students be required to take classes in basic life skills like cooking, how to change a car tire, how to write a resume, etc.? Explain.

Your teacher gives you a camera and asks you to take pictures of three things you like at school. What would you take pictures of and why?

Is Monday through Friday really the best school schedule? Why or why not? If not, what schedule would be better?

What does it mean to have school spirit? Is school spirit important? Explain.

You are in charge of organizing a film festival at your school. You can pick three movies to show to all the students and teachers. What three movies would you show and why?

Public school or homeschool: who gets a better education? Defend your answer.

If you could repeat one grade level because you enjoyed it so much, which grade level would you choose and why?

If you could add any sport to your school for students to compete in, what would you add and why?

Should students have a say in the dress code? Why or why not?
Get rid of lunch (you can eat at your desk in class) or get rid of recess? Pick and defend your answer.

38 Science Writing Prompts for Middle School

Is artificial intelligence going to take over the world? Why or why not? If it does, will life be better or worse? Explain.

Imagine there is no longer any gravity on Earth. Write about a day in your life without it.

Has technology really improved the world? Or has it simply changed the way things are done (cooking in a stove instead of over a fire, for example) but not really made it any better? Defend your answer.

What technological advancement do you think the world would be better off without? Defend your answer.

Imagine you are tasked with naming the Moon. What would you name it and why?

Self-driving cars are the way of the future. But self-driving cars will put millions of delivery drivers, truckers and taxi drivers out of work. Should companies be allowed to create new technology that ends so many jobs? Defend your answer.

If you had to lose one of your five senses, which one would you give up and why?

Imagine that you could create a magnet that would attract something other than metal. What would you want your magnet to attract? Explain.

If you were an astronaut, would you rather go to the Moon or go to Mars?

If you could invent an app to improve people’s lives, what would you invent and why?

How do you know the world we live in is real? Can you prove that we are not all part of a massive computer simulation? Explain.

Would you rather have the ability to transform into a liquid or a gas? Explain.

Should people be allowed to clone themselves? Why or why not?

Some people believe we will one day be able to upload our consciousness into a computer and then download it thousands of years later into new bodies so that we can live forever. Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not?

If you could have a robot that did everything for you, would you want one? Why or why not?

You can watch one event: the beginning of the universe or the end of the universe. Which do you choose? Explain.

What do you think happens if you travel into a black hole?

Until a word is invented for a particular color, people literally cannot see it. For example, ancient people could not see blue until the Egyptians invented blue dye and the word blue entered ancient languages to describe it. Until then, the sky and the ocean were seen as shades of black and green, not blue. Why do you think this happens?

If you scream in space, can anyone hear it? Why or why not?

Imagine you traveled to Mars and planted a tree. Do you think the tree would look the same as it does on Earth? Why or why not?

What do you think would happen if every spider on Earth disappeared tomorrow?

How would you go about your day if electricity had never been discovered?

Do you think scientists will eventually create a pill that will make people lose weight without any effort? Why or why not?

What are some things that science cannot help us understand?

You can make one discovery: the cure for cancer or a device that will reverse global warming. Which do you choose and why?

Science has often resulted in unintended consequences. For example, Einstein’s discovery of the Theory of Relativity led to the creation of the atomic bomb. What inventions or discoveries happening today might lead to unintended consequences in the future?

If you could live in a virtual reality world like in the movie Ready Player One, would you want to? Why or why not?

What one invention would you most want to make? What would your invention do? How would it help people and society?

We spend billions of dollars to learn about things like distant galaxies and the structure of atoms. Should we spend so much on these things when we haven’t solved more immediate problems like world hunger or the cure for cancer? Why or why not?

Should recycling be required for families, schools and communities? Why or why not?

Do you think there is intelligent life out there on other planets? Why or why not? If yes, do you think we should try and contact them?

Should you be allowed to own your DNA? Or should companies be allowed to use samples of your DNA to create medicines and cures without your consent? Explain.

Should students be required to learn how to write computer code? Why or why not?

A thousand years from now, what do you think scientists will find left over from our civilization? What will they think about us?

What aspect of science excites you the most (space exploration, biology, computer coding, chemistry, etc.)? Explain.

Do we rely too much on technology? Explain.

No species survives forever. They are wiped out by mass extinction events or they die out over time because they can’t adapt. Do you think human beings will be the first species to live forever? Why or why not?
Pick one item from your bedroom that scientists 5,000 years from now might discover excavating your house. What would that item tell them about you?