Hooray for 100 writing prompts for middle school students. Yes! You can also use these writing prompts for middle school worksheets and more. Take a look now. I know you’ll be glad you did.
You see…
Right here at your fingertips, there are far MORE than 100 writing prompts for middle school in this blog post. When you scroll down this page, you’ll see three excellent lists of writing ideas for middle school students for a total of 134 writing ideas!!!
Oh, and you’ll ALSO find 286 more free middle school writing prompts listed at the end of this page.
Sweet!
But first…
Before we get to the magnificent list of 100 writing prompts for middle school, let’s very quickly review the fabulous benefits of journaling with middle schoolers and a brief overview of middle school writing.
- Benefits of Journaling with Middle School Students
- Brief Overview of Middle School Writing
- 100 Writing Prompts for Middle School (List #1)
- 100 Writing Prompts for Middle School (Continued)
- BONUS The Favorites List of 29 Fun Writing Prompts
- 286 More Free Middle School Writing Prompts and Ideas
- A Few Final Thoughts
Now the…
Benefits of Journaling with Middle School Students
Yes, journal writing can help middle schoolers and writers of all grade levels top:
- Clarify their thoughts and feelings
- Know themselves better
- Reduce stress
- Solve problems more effectively
- Resolve disagreements with others
- Improve their writing skills
Indeed, we love sharing journal prompts and writing topics so much that you’ll find thousands of free prompts available for you to use with your middle school class. From worksheets to instructions to curriculum, you are invited to share these prompts with your kids.
Now’s see this…
Brief Overview of Middle School Writing
Throughout every stage of their education, students should be encouraged to hone and improve their writing skills. By the time students begin middle school, they should be able to use writing to express an idea, create an argument, and expand on specific topics.
Regardless of the subject area they teach, all middle school teachers should incorporate writing into their curriculum. In addition to helping them with their academics, middle school students can use writing to help maneuver through personal issues that they may be having.
Middle school students are standing at the precipice of their teenage years, stuck between childhood and adulthood. They are filled with new and different feelings daily, and writing can help them manage those feelings.
These new writing ideas can be used to help middle school students improve their skills and better express their own ideas and feelings!
Ok, without further ado, here are those 100 writing prompts for middle school students. Enjoy!
100 Writing Prompts for Middle School (List #1)
These first 72 of 100+ writing prompts for middle school students ideas are excellent for journaling or for use as 5-minute writing prompts for middle school kids.
- I want to remember…
- I want to forget…
- I really love to…
- What does “There are two sides to every coin” mean to you?
- What does the United States mean to you?
- What are you afraid of? Why?
- What is more important to you, appearance or personality?
- What is most important to you in a friend–loyalty, generosity, honesty–why?
- What is something that makes you melancholy?
- What makes your best friend your best friend?
- What makes you feel safe?
- What makes you laugh?
- What would you invent to make life better?
- What would you do to entertain your family without spending any money?
- What effects does watching violence have on people?
- What effects do cigarette and alcohol advertising have on young people?
- What kind of TV commercial would you like to make? Describe it.
- What kind of pet would you most like to have — a monkey, snake, goat — why?
- I saw a falling star. I wish…
- Can’t wait to go to the beach because…
- My favorite food to eat on the grill is…
- If you were five years older, you would…
- If you were lost in the woods and it got dark, what would you do?
- If it was your job to decide what shows can be on TV, how would you choose?
- If you could break the Guinness Book of Records, what would it be for?
- If you had to describe yourself as a color, which would you choose?
- If your friend told you of a secret plan to run away from home, what would you do and why?
- What do you think of 3D movies?
- What do you think someone your age can do to help reduce the amount of pollution in our environment?
- What do you think about people who are inconsiderate of others?
- What do you think should be done to keep people who are under the influence of alcohol off the road?
- What do you think the world will be like when you are a grown-up?
- What do you think about ghosts?
- Write an acrostic poem using MOTHER.
- Paste it on a piece of paper and decorate it.
- What My Mother Means to Me…
- Write this in poem form.
- What do you think of someone who has bad manners?
- What do you think about people who take advantage of others?
- What do you think about when you can’t fall asleep?
- What do you think courage means?
- What do you think makes a good friend?
- What do you think makes a happy family?
- What pollutants do you think do the most damage and why?
- What things do you think are beautiful?
- What do you like most about yourself?
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- What kind of animal would you like to be and why?
- What kind of trophy would you like to win?
- What TV or movie star would you like to invite to your birthday party?
- What does “Clothes make the person” mean to you?
- What does “Have your cake and eat it too” mean to you?
- What does “The early bird gets the worm” mean to you?
- What do we mean when we say, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”?
- What does “You can’t take it with you” mean?
- What do we mean when we say, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”?
- What do we mean when we say, “Hitch your wagon to a star”?
- What does “still waters run deep” mean to you?
- My favorite color is… Write a poem about what has this color…
- My favorite TV program is… (tell why)
- What kind of program do you enjoy most on TV–detective shows, comedies, game shows–and why?
- What advice would you give a new student?
- What advice would you give to someone who stole something but now feels guilty?
- What things are better than going to school? Why?
- What talents do you have?
- What three words would describe you right now?
- What four things are most important in your life?
- What color makes you think of happiness?
- What has been the most fun activity at school so far?
- What quality do you like about yourself–creativity, personality, appearance–why?
- What eccentric behavior in a friend disturbs you the most?
- What parts of nature do you like best?
Now, to round out this list of 100 writing prompts for middle school students, check out…
100 Writing Prompts for Middle School (Continued)
List #2 has 30+ of the 100 writing prompts for middle school writers and is a bit more in-depth compared to List #1. Wonderfully, the two lists contrast each other and provide unique, distinct writing experiences for your students.
- Students should consider a recent history lesson, and then write a short story based on the perspective of a historical figure that they learned about in class.
- Encourage students to flip through a magazine or newspaper, and cut out one photograph. Ask them to write an essay to explain what they feel that image means in today’s society.
- Ask students to talk to their parents about why they chose their name. Then, have them write a journal entry about what their name means to them.
- Give students a year in the future (such as 2025 or 2050) and ask them to write a story about what they think their life will be like then.
- For students who are in 8th grade and will be heading into high school, ask them to compile a list of goals for their high school years. Then, have them write about how they will achieve those goals.
- For students who are entering middle school, ask them to write about their hopes and expectations for middle school.
- Ask students to write a review about the most recent book that they have read.
- Tell students to think about where they would go on their dream vacation, and encourage them to write about why they would like to visit that place.
- Have students write about a family story or memory that has become legendary. Make sure that they explain when this situation happened, and that they discuss how it impacted their family.
- Ask students to write a short story that begins with this sentence: “I was walking down the hallway at school when suddenly I ran into a surprising creature…”
- Have your students write a poem that is based on a favorite memory.
- Assign your students a persuasive essay. For the assignment, they must persuade you, the teacher, to cancel all homework assignments for the rest of the year.
- Encourage students to write a journal entry about an argument that they had with their best friend. What was the argument about? How did it make them feel? How did they resolve their issues?
- Tell your students that they have to write a creative story in which the main characters are two animals.
- Ask your students to write about a day from the perspective of the principal.
- Students should write a journal entry describing their favorite thing about their school as well as their least favorite thing. They need to explain their answers as well.
- Have students imagine that they have just been elected to a local government position. What issues will they tackle first?
- Ask students to compose a letter to a family member or friend who lives far away.
- In order to learn about different genres, ask students to write a scary story.
- Tell students to write a descriptive paragraph about their favorite flower.
- For this assignment, have students imagine that they have a summer job on a farm. What responsibilities do they have? What is the average day like? Do they like their job?
- Students need to write a short story that includes this sentence: “And just like that, it disappeared.”
- After reading a news article, students need to take a position on an issue and write an essay arguing their points.
- Tell students that they have to interview a classmate, and then write a news article based on that interview.
- Pass out different pieces of classic art to the class. Each student must write a short story based on what they see in the artwork.
- Have students describe the results of the most recent science experiment that was performed in class.
- On a nice day, have students take a walk outside and collect three items from nature. Then, they must write a poem about what they collected.
- Encourage students to write a journal entry about the importance of honesty and integrity.
- Tell students to write a story that includes these four items: A magnifying glass, a trombone, a black cat, and a pond.
- Ask students to write a journal entry based on this question: “What if you woke up one day and you could control the weather? What would you do?”
- Have students write a journal entry that begins with “My favorite thing about myself is…”
- Tell your students to write a fictional story based on a historical event.
- Have students write a haiku poem describing their favorite food.
Hooray for 100 writing prompts for middle school students! But wait, I have even more writing ideas for middle schoolers for you. Yes!
BONUS The Favorites List of 29 Fun Writing Prompts
In addition to the list of 100 writing prompts for middle school above, check out this excellent and simple list of journal ideas for you to use in your lesson plans and classroom instruction.
For those reluctant writers or non-writers, we suggest you use the time-tested favorite writing prompts. Oh yeah, that’s because…
These ideas are simple ideas that nearly every writer can answer without much effort. Plus, they are an excellent way to get those creative writing juices flowing for writers of all skill levels.
- Favorite game
- Favorite song
- Favorite foods
- Favorite sport
- Favorite book
- Favorite toy
- Favorite season
- Favorite movie
- Favorite tv show
- Favorite animal
- Favorite pet
- Favorite food
- Fav Celebrity
- Superhero and/or superpower
- Video game
- Adventure
- Sibling (or other relative)
- School subject
- Time of day
- Season
- Place to visit
- Teacher
- Hobby
- Past time
- Best gift
- Thing to think about
- Thing to remember
- Silly thing to do
- Place to go
What a great addition to that original list of 100 writing prompts for middle school. Oh yeah!
For even more writing inspiration, here are…
286 More Free Middle School Writing Prompts and Ideas
- 78 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids
- 71 Super Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers
- 20 of the Best Math Writing Prompts
- 30 Narrative Writing Prompts
- 54 Excellent Persuasive Writing Prompts for Students
- 33 Excellent Expository Writing Prompts for Student Writers
- Check out our collection of Prompts for Elementary School
- Prompts for High School Students
With story starters in every genre from romance to science fiction, plot ideas for fiction stories, fun writing activities, and more, I hope you take the time to look around and explore the many amazing writing ideas on my blog.
A Few Final Thoughts
Whether your middle school writers are into short stories, essays, poetry, or creative writing prompts, we have the resources for you.
I mean…
Even the most reluctant writers will find inspiration here. This school year can be the best year ever for your middle schoolers when they use these writing and journaling ideas.
From new discoveries about themselves to exploring their emotions with a pen and notebook, there’s truly something here for every middle school student to write about. So get to it.
Until next time, write on…
If you enjoyed this list of MORE than 100 Writing Prompts for Middle School,
please share them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!
Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator
