how to teach creative writing for grade 1

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How to Teach Creative Writing | 7 Steps to Get Students Wordsmithing

“I don’t have any ideas!”

“I can’t think of anything!”

While we see creative writing as a world of limitless imagination, our students often see an overwhelming desert of “no idea.”

But when you teach creative writing effectively, you’ll notice that  every  student is brimming over with ideas that just have to get out.

So what does teaching creative writing effectively look like?

We’ve outlined a  seven-step method  that will  scaffold your students through each phase of the creative process  from idea generation through to final edits.

7. Create inspiring and original prompts

Use the following formats to generate prompts that get students inspired:

• personal memories (“Write about a person who taught you an important lesson”)
• imaginative scenarios
• prompts based on a familiar mentor text (e.g. “Write an alternative ending to your favorite book”). These are especially useful for giving struggling students an easy starting point.
• lead-in sentences (“I looked in the mirror and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Somehow overnight I…”).
• fascinating or thought-provoking images with a directive (“Who do you think lives in this mountain cabin? Tell their story”).

Don’t have the time or stuck for ideas? Check out our list of 100 student writing prompts

6. unpack the prompts together.

Explicitly teach your students how to dig deeper into the prompt for engaging and original ideas.

Probing questions are an effective strategy for digging into a prompt. Take this one for example:

“I looked in the mirror and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Somehow overnight I…”

Ask “What questions need answering here?” The first thing students will want to know is:

What happened overnight?

No doubt they’ll be able to come up with plenty of zany answers to that question, but there’s another one they could ask to make things much more interesting:

Who might “I” be?

In this way, you subtly push students to go beyond the obvious and into more original and thoughtful territory. It’s even more useful with a deep prompt:

“Write a story where the main character starts to question something they’ve always believed.”

Here students could ask:

• What sorts of beliefs do people take for granted?
• What might make us question those beliefs?
• What happens when we question something we’ve always thought is true?
• How do we feel when we discover that something isn’t true?

Try splitting students into groups, having each group come up with probing questions for a prompt, and then discussing potential “answers” to these questions as a class.

The most important lesson at this point should be that good ideas take time to generate. So don’t rush this step!

5. Warm-up for writing

A quick warm-up activity will:

• allow students to see what their discussed ideas look like on paper
• help fix the “I don’t know how to start” problem
• warm up writing muscles quite literally (especially important for young learners who are still developing handwriting and fine motor skills).

Freewriting  is a particularly effective warm-up. Give students 5–10 minutes to “dump” all their ideas for a prompt onto the page for without worrying about structure, spelling, or grammar.

After about five minutes you’ll notice them starting to get into the groove, and when you call time, they’ll have a better idea of what captures their interest.

Did you know? The Story Factory in Reading Eggs allows your students to write and publish their own storybooks using an easy step-by-step guide.

4. Start planning

Now it’s time for students to piece all these raw ideas together and generate a plan. This will synthesize disjointed ideas and give them a roadmap for the writing process.

Note:  at this stage your strong writers might be more than ready to get started on a creative piece. If so, let them go for it – use planning for students who are still puzzling things out.

Here are four ideas for planning:

Graphic organisers

A graphic organiser will allow your students to plan out the overall structure of their writing. They’re also particularly useful in “chunking” the writing process, so students don’t see it as one big wall of text.

Storyboards and illustrations

These will engage your artistically-minded students and give greater depth to settings and characters. Just make sure that drawing doesn’t overshadow the writing process.

Voice recordings

If you have students who are hesitant to commit words to paper, tell them to think out loud and record it on their device. Often they’ll be surprised at how well their spoken words translate to the page.

Write a blurb

This takes a bit more explicit teaching, but it gets students to concisely summarize all their main ideas (without giving away spoilers). Look at some blurbs on the back of published books before getting them to write their own. Afterward they could test it out on a friend – based on the blurb, would they borrow it from the library?

3. Produce rough drafts

Warmed up and with a plan at the ready, your students are now ready to start wordsmithing. But before they start on a draft, remind them of what a draft is supposed to be:

• a work in progress.

Remind them that  if they wait for the perfect words to come, they’ll end up with blank pages .

Instead, it’s time to take some writing risks and get messy. Encourage this by:

• demonstrating the writing process to students yourself
• taking the focus off spelling and grammar (during the drafting stage)
• providing meaningful and in-depth feedback (using words, not ticks!).

Reading Eggs also gives you access to an ever-expanding collection of over 3,500 online books!

2. share drafts for peer feedback.

Don’t saddle yourself with 30 drafts for marking. Peer assessment is a better (and less exhausting) way to ensure everyone receives the feedback they need.

Why? Because for something as personal as creative writing, feedback often translates better when it’s in the familiar and friendly language that only a peer can produce. Looking at each other’s work will also give students more ideas about how they can improve their own.

Scaffold peer feedback to ensure it’s constructive. The following methods work well:

Student rubrics

A simple rubric allows students to deliver more in-depth feedback than “It was pretty good.” The criteria will depend on what you are ultimately looking for, but students could assess each other’s:

• use of language.

Whatever you opt for, just make sure the language you use in the rubric is student-friendly.

Two positives and a focus area

Have students identify two things their peer did well, and one area that they could focus on further, then turn this into written feedback. Model the process for creating specific comments so you get something more constructive than “It was pretty good.” It helps to use stems such as:

I really liked this character because…

I found this idea interesting because it made me think…

I was a bit confused by…

I wonder why you… Maybe you could… instead.

1. The editing stage

Now that students have a draft and feedback, here’s where we teachers often tell them to “go over it” or “give it some final touches.”

But our students don’t always know how to edit.

Scaffold the process with questions that encourage students to think critically about their writing, such as:

• Are there any parts that would be confusing if I wasn’t there to explain them?
• Are there any parts that seem irrelevant to the rest?
• Which parts am I most uncertain about?
• Does the whole thing flow together, or are there parts that seem out of place?
• Are there places where I could have used a better word?
• Are there any grammatical or spelling errors I notice?

Key to this process is getting students to  read their creative writing from start to finish .

Important note:  if your students are using a word processor, show them where the spell-check is and how to use it. Sounds obvious, but in the age of autocorrect, many students simply don’t know.

A final word on teaching creative writing

Remember that the best writers write regularly.

Incorporate them into your lessons as often as possible, and soon enough, you’ll have just as much fun  marking  your students’ creative writing as they do producing it.

Need more help supporting your students’ writing?

Read up on  how to get reluctant writers writing , strategies for  supporting struggling secondary writers , or check out our huge list of writing prompts for kids .

Watch your students get excited about writing and publishing their own storybooks in the Story Factory

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How to teach writing to Grade 1 kids: New strategies for teachers and parents

Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Education, Western University

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Perry Douglas Klein receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanties Research Council of Canada

Western University provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR.

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Writing is a craft that is vital for both communicating and learning . However, many children struggle to learn to write. For most, their difficulties persist throughout elementary school unless they get help. As recently as 2018, there was very little research on how to teach Grade 1s effectively .

However, recent research shows how teachers can help Grade 1s make a strong start on writing. Parents have a vital role to play in laying a foundation for early writing success.

Many parents have likely heard children say, “I don’t know what to write.” Teaching children strategies for writing tackles this problem head-on.

Breaking writing down into steps

In 2019, a team of Spanish and British researchers published one of the first experiments on teaching writing strategies in Grade 1 . They explored how a child can learn to write a story by asking themselves a series of questions: When did it happen? Where did it happen? Who is the story about? What did they do? What happened? How did it end? These questions help the child to generate and organize their ideas.

To help children remember this writing strategy, teachers in the study used a picture of a mountain with a path that led past six houses — one for each question. The teachers discussed the strategy, modelled how to use it and wrote together with the class. After instruction, the children wrote stories that were higher in quality, longer and more coherent.

Strategies work

The value of teaching writing strategies in Grade 1 has been confirmed by additional studies that examine teaching specific kinds of writing: Procedural writing (instructions for someone on how to do something) , and opinion writing (short essays meant to persuade someone of something) . In this writing research, teachers combined strategy instruction with discussions, picture books and dramatization.

And in our own recent research, we found that strategy instruction is effective for Grade 1 students across the range of writing achievement levels: low, medium and high . These Grade 1 studies join over 100 previous studies with students in higher grades in showing that teaching writing strategies works .

Printing, handwriting, spelling

Recent research also provides renewed support for the seemingly old-fashioned skill of printing. Grade 1s who can print accurately and quickly are able to create better and longer stories and reports . Teaching printing helps students to create better stories . Despite over 70 previous studies on the benefits of teaching printing and cursive writing , systematic teaching and assessment of these skills has declined in some curricula.

Read more: Writing and reading starts with children's hands-on play

Spelling is another traditional skill, the importance of which has been confirmed by recent research. Better spellers create better and longer stories, while poor spellers struggle with composing , and Grade 1 spelling affects the development of composition in later years.

Spelling education works best if it is formal, including, for example, lessons and practice activities . Additionally, teaching writing strategies combined with spelling and printing is more effective than teaching each of these skills alone .

Parents can help children practice spelling at home. Teachers and parents can also show children the “invented spelling” strategy of saying a word slowly, stretching out the sounds, and printing a letter (or letter combinations, such as “th”) for each sound. This will lead to some errors, but in kindergarten and Grade 1, invented spelling is an important driver of spelling development .

New understanding of Grade 1

This new understanding of the importance of Grade 1 is beginning to change writing education . In the past, many schools in Canada and the United States waited for struggling readers and writers to reach the middle elementary grades . Then, they were assessed by a school psychologist. If they were diagnosed with a learning disability, they were placed in a special education class.

However, in a new approach, response to intervention, teachers use evidence-based methods (like strategy instruction) to teach the whole class. They assess students regularly based on their daily writing, and if a child is below grade level, they receive help in a small group .

This approach is not yet common. However, it is almost certainly coming to some provinces in reading education . Reading education and writing education are intertwined, so we can expect the same approach to follow in writing.

Laying the foundations

The foundation for writing success is ideally being supported at home before children start kindergarten.

Parents can ask children to tell them stories, print the stories for them, then read them aloud for the child. They can teach children simple skills like forming letters and printing their name.

Parents can also practice printing with children at home; this is especially valuable for struggling writers . They can help children to write things that are important to them, like birthday cards for family members .

Read more: To help children learn how to read in the pandemic, encourage writing messages as part of play

Parents can also encourage children to read and write independently . Once children begin to write, parents can be their best audience, praising their efforts and the good qualities of their writing, and making suggestions to help with ideas, printing, and spelling .

When children begin school, and into Grade 1, parents can watch for red flags in their child’s writing development. During Grade 1, the average student learns to print the letters of the alphabet legibly and fluently, spell one syllable words the way that they sound (cat, game) and spell common short words that are not spelled the way that they sound (you, they). They also learn to write a story a few sentences in length about a personal experience .

If your child is missing these basic skills, don’t wait and see — talk with your child’s teacher and make a plan to help them succeed.

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Creative Writing in the Early Elementary Grades

A project that incorporates both standard and creative elements of storytelling can help young learners strengthen their literacy skills.

What can creative writing look, feel, and sound like in a first grade classroom? How can creative writing become a joyful and meaningful learning experience, and how can we educators facilitate the creative process and allow young writers to use their imagination when writing?

Graphic organizers, mind maps, and storyboards are certainly great tools for narrative building and planning, but they do not necessarily scaffold the creative process that story writing requires. In reality, they might even restrict students’ creativity while they “box” ideas in predetermined templates. This year, in my class, going play-based and hands-on has turned out to be a tremendous success.

Examining Elements of Creative Writing in First Grade 

For this particular unit, my first grade students were examining literature and storytelling. After they had enjoyed several read-alouds, explored story elements, and studied the story mountain (beginning, rising action, conflict, resolution, and ending) as a team, it was time for them to write their very own stories. 

They kicked off by creating their main character and decided on the character’s appearance, personality, likes, and dislikes. They also had the choice to play the main character role in the story. In both cases, while still brainstorming, it was time for action: They drew and decorated their characters with markers and pencils, cut them out, and used a Popsicle stick to make a puppet.

They became even more motivated to continue as they saw their characters come to life. My students spontaneously started interacting with each other and their puppets—creating stories and being imaginative—they went right into storytelling mode. This created the perfect opportunity for me to step back and observe my students’ initiative, creativity, and social and communication skills, not to mention their sense of accomplishment and joy. 

Adding Artful Components to the Story

After they had engaged with their characters and interacted with others, it was time for the young writers to further develop their stories and think of a scenario leading to the rising action and resolution. This was the point when loose parts played a crucial role in the storytelling process. Counters, pipe cleaners, bits of paper, pebbles, dice, and buttons became houses, trees, magic wands, you name it. These bits and bobs from around the classroom became a valuable, zero-cost resource. 

While students actively arranged and rearranged their chosen loose parts, they wondered about what would happen next in their stories. Unexpectedly, some students chose to collaborate and co-created stories by joining their imagination and characters in one story. In this step of the creative process, the use of loose parts was truly empowering: Before jotting anything down in their notebooks, my students physically, mentally, and verbally constructed their narratives and shared them with their partners. 

Turning Ideas Into Words

With the mental representation of their narratives ready, it was all a matter of scribing their ideas. For that, we followed our usual class routines and resources such as word banks, sentence starters, and buddy support. All my students were engaged and confident, and when struggling with ideas, they resorted to loose parts again. As my first grade is a multicultural classroom, some of my students needed language support . However, with all of them hooked on their stories, supporting those who needed help with vocabulary, sentence construction, and spelling was simplified. 

I conferred with students individually and in small groups to understand their thinking and offered feedback on paragraphing and some word choice. Instead of using notebooks for their first drafts, they chose to use mini-boards, which motivated them even more and supported them to make quick adjustments to their narratives. Finally, after receiving feedback, they moved on to writing their final drafts and designing their covers in order to turn their stories into books. Each student took their book home to share it with their family after reading it with the class.

Sharing Stories and Making Memorable Learning Experiences

What good is a book if it isn’t read and enjoyed? Buddy reading was the last step of the process but certainly not the least exciting. My students read aloud to each other, commenting on their favorite bits of the story and appreciating the illustrations. The whole project, from getting their characters ready to publishing and reading their books, took around five hours divided into five days. 

When reflecting on the writing process, my students said that what they appreciated the most was the making of their puppets and illustrating their stories, highlighting the importance of integrating arts and writing. When asked about what was challenging, they replied that it was creating all the parts of the story mountain. However, they all said that using loose parts was a helpful strategy that they would use again—which they spontaneously have done in subsequent writing engagements. Lastly, when asked how they felt, some of the words they used were “proud,” “good,” and “joyful!”

A recent UNESCO report on the importance of happiness in learning refers to neuroscience research that proves our affective and cognitive domains are interconnected and interdependent. Therefore, emotions do affect learning! Joy is not a trade-off for academic achievement. Creating positive learning experiences makes learning stick.

Very often, students fear and avoid writing as a consequence of previous negative writing experiences. Combining art and a play-based approach to creative writing in first grade can set students on a path to success by building on their confidence, creativity, imagination, and sense of accomplishment. I have witnessed that the integration of art and writing has helped my students discover how writing can be a joyful and memorable experience where they can all be amazing storytellers and writers.

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How to Teach Creative Writing

Last Updated: March 13, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 117,785 times.

Creative writing is one of the most enjoyable types of writing for students. Not only does it allow students to explore their imaginations, but it helps them to structure their ideas and produce writing that they can be proud of. However, creative writing is a relatively difficult type of writing to teach and offers challenges to both new and seasoned teachers alike. Fortunately, though, with some work of their own, teachers can better develop their own abilities to teach creative writing.

Providing Students with the Fundamentals

• Theme. The theme of a story is its message or the main idea behind it.
• Setting. The setting of a story is the location or time it takes place in.
• Plot. The plot is the overall story, narrative, or sequence of events.
• Characterization. Characterization is how a character or person in a story is explained or presented to the reader.
• Conflict and dramatic action. Conflict and dramatic action are the main events of focus in the story. These events are often tense or exciting and are used to lure the reader in. [1] X Research source

• Explain how your students, as writers, can appeal to the humanity of their readers. One great way to do this is to ask them to explore character development. By developing the characters in their story, readers will become invested in the story.
• Discuss the triggers that engage readers in an effective story. Most great stories start with a problem, which is solved with the resolution, or conclusion of the story. Encourage students to create an engaging problem that will hook the readers in the first few pages of a short story or novel. [2] X Research source

• By setting the tone and atmosphere of a story, the author will establish his or her attitude to the subject and the feel of the story.
• Tone can be positive, neutral, or negative. [3] X Research source
• Atmosphere can be dark, happy, or neither.
• Descriptive words like “darkness” or “sunshine” can help set both the tone and atmosphere. [4] X Research source

• Active verbs are used to show action in the story.
• Active verbs are very often a better alternative to passive voice, as it keeps your writing clear and concise for your readers. [5] X Research source
• For example, instead of writing “The cat was chased by the dog” your student can write “The dog chased the cat.”

Guiding Students through the Process

• Tell your students to brainstorm about ideas they are truly interested in.
• If you must restrict the general topic, make sure that your students have a good amount of wiggle room within the broad topic of the assignment.
• Never assign specific topics and force students to write. This will undermine the entire process. [6] X Research source

• Letting your students know that the outline is non-binding. They don’t have to follow it in later steps of the writing process.
• Telling your students that the parts of their outline should be written very generally.
• Recommending that your students create several outlines, or outlines that go in different directions (in terms of plot and other elements of storytelling). The more avenues your students explore, the better. [7] X Research source

• Tell students that there is no “right” way to write a story.
• Let students know that their imaginations should guide their way.
• Show students examples of famous writing that breaks normal patterns, like the works of E.E. Cummings, William Faulkner, Charles Dickens, and William Shakespeare.
• Ask students to forget about any expectations they think you have for how a story should be written. [8] X Research source

• Gather the first drafts and comment on the student's work. For first drafts, you want to check on the overall structure of the draft, proper word use, punctuation, spelling, and overall cohesion of the piece. [9] X Research source
• Remind them that great writers usually wrote several drafts before they were happy with their stories.
• Avoid grading drafts for anything other than completion.

• Let students pair off to edit each others' papers.
• Have your students join groups of 3 or 4 and ask them to go edit and provide feedback on each member’s story.
• Provide guidance so students contribute constructively to the group discussion. [10] X Research source

• Reward your students if they are innovative or do something unique and truly creative.
• Avoid evaluating your students based on a formula.
• Assess and review your own standards as often as you can. Remember that the point is to encourage your students' creativity. [11] X Research source

Spurring Creativity

• Teach your students about a variety of writers and genres.
• Have your students read examples of different genres.
• Promote a discussion within your class of the importance of studying literature.
• Ask students to consider the many ways literature improves the world and asks individuals to think about their own lives. [12] X Research source

• Make sure your room is stocked with a wide variety of fiction stories.
• Make sure your room is stocked with plenty of paper for your students to write on.
• Line up other writing teachers or bring in writers from the community to talk to and encourage your students.

• Cut out pictures and photographs from magazines, comic books, and newspapers.
• Have your students cut out photographs and pictures and contribute them to your bank.
• Consider having your students randomly draw a given number of photos and pictures and writing a short story based on what they draw.
• This technique can help students overcome writer's block and inspire students who think that they're "not creative." [13] X Research source

• Pair your students with students from another grade in your school.
• Allow your students to write stories that younger students in your school would like to read.
• Pair your students with another student in the class and have them evaluate each others' work. [14] X Research source

• If you just have a typical classroom to work with, make sure to put inspirational posters or other pictures on the walls.
• Open any curtains so students can see outside.
• If you have the luxury of having an extra classroom or subdividing your own classroom, create a comfortable space with a lot of inspirational visuals.
• Writing spaces can help break writer's block and inspire students who think that they're "not creative." [15] X Research source

• Involve students in the printing process.
• Publication does not have to be expensive or glossy.
• Copies can be made in the school workroom if possible or each student might provide a copy for the others in the group.
• A collection of the stories can be bound with a simple stapler or brads.
• Seek out other opportunities for your students to publish their stories.

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• ↑ https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/creative-writing-101
• ↑ https://kobowritinglife.com/2012/10/14/six-tips-for-engaging-readers-within-two-seconds-the-hook-in-fiction-and-memoir/
• ↑ https://www.dailywritingtips.com/in-writing-tone-is-the-author%E2%80%99s-attitude/
• ↑ http://ourenglishclass.net/class-notes/writing/the-writing-process/craft/tone-and-mood/
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/539/02/
• ↑ http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/choices-children/
• ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/7-steps-to-creating-a-flexible-outline-for-any-story
• ↑ http://thewritepractice.com/the-formula-to-write-a-novel/
• ↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/editing-your-essay
• ↑ http://orelt.col.org/module/unit/5-promoting-creative-writing
• ↑ http://education.seattlepi.com/grade-creative-writing-paper-3698.html
• ↑ http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/04/educating-teenagers-emotions-through-literature/476790/
• ↑ http://www.wrightingwords.com/for-teachers/5-tips-for-teaching-creative-writing/

About This Article

To teach creative writing, start by introducing your students to the core elements of storytelling, like theme, setting, and plot, while reminding them that there’s no formula for combining these elements to create a story. Additionally, explain how important it is to use tone and atmosphere, along with active verbs, to write compelling stories that come alive. When your students have chosen their topics, have them create story outlines before they begin writing. Then, read their rough drafts and provide feedback to keep them on the right path to storytelling success. For tips from our English reviewer on how to spur creativity in your students, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How To Teach First Grade Writing

Have you ever found yourself googling, ‘how to teach first graders to write?’ or tearing your hair out wondering how do you teach writing in grade 1? Don’t fear! In this post, I’m going to share the steps that you need to take so that you know exactly how to teach first grade writing!

Teaching writing to first graders can be an exciting and foundational experience. Here are 10 strategies and tips to help you teach writing effectively to first-grade students.

1. Establish a supportive writing environment

Create a classroom environment that fosters creativity, encourages risk-taking, and celebrates students’ writing efforts. Provide a comfortable writing area with a variety of writing materials, such as pencils, crayons, markers, and different types of paper.

2. Model writing

Show students how to write by thinking aloud and modeling the writing process as a whole group. Demonstrate how to brainstorm ideas, plan, write drafts, revise, and edit. Use think-alouds to explain your thought process as you write, helping students understand the decision-making involved in writing.

Start by modeling your own writing piece from start to finish. Next, get your students involved in the writing process. Ask them to contribute ideas and create writing pieces together as a whole class.

3. Start with oral language development

Before students write, encourage them to share their ideas and experiences orally. Engage in meaningful conversations and encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings. This helps students develop their language skills and provides a foundation for writing.

Ask students to share ideas as a whole class, but also complete the same activities in smaller groups and pairs. If you’re teaching opinion writing, for example, provide a prompt to your students and ask them to verbally share their opinion and a reason to support it.

4. Teach writing conventions

Introduce and teach basic writing conventions, such as sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Focus on one or two specific conventions at a time, providing explicit instruction and practice opportunities.

You don’t want to throw your students in at the deep end and send them off to create a whole writing piece too soon (especially if they can’t even write a sentence yet)! Start small with sentence writing activities and also be sure to work on teaching punctuation (like capital letters).

It’s okay if you’re students aren’t amazing at spelling yet. But ensure that you’re teaching phonics , so that your students at least know some sight words and CVC words.

These CVC centers are great for phonics practice and these sentence building activities are perfect if you’re wondering how to teach first graders to write a sentence!

5. Use mentor texts

Read and discuss storybooks that demonstrate different writing styles, genres, and features. Use these mentor texts as examples for students to analyze and learn from. Point out specific writing techniques or strategies used by the authors.

Mentor texts are perfect as a lesson warm-up each time you’re teaching writing!

6. Provide writing prompts and scaffolding

Offer engaging and open-ended writing prompts to spark students’ creativity. Provide scaffolding techniques such as graphic organizers, sentence frames, or word banks to support their writing. Gradually release responsibility, allowing students to become more independent over time.

If you’re looking for first grade writing prompts , you’re in luck!

7. Encourage revision and editing

Teach students the importance of revising and editing their writing. Help them understand that writing is a process and that they can make improvements. Teach them strategies for revising, such as adding details, rearranging sentences, or replacing words. Encourage them to self-edit for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors.

You can also get your students to work together in pairs and edit each other’s work!

8. Celebrate and share writing

Create opportunities for students to share their writing with others. This can include sharing within the classroom, creating a writing bulletin board, or publishing their work in a class book or online platform. Celebrate students’ efforts and growth as writers.

Writing crafts are perfect for this!

9. Provide feedback and individual support

Give constructive feedback on students’ writing, focusing on specific strengths and areas for improvement. Provide individualized support to students who may need additional assistance or challenges based on their writing abilities.

10. Make writing enjoyable

Finally, foster a love for writing by making it enjoyable! Incorporate creative and fun writing activities, such as writing crafts. Encourage students to write about topics they are passionate about or give them choices in their writing assignments.

Remember that every student progresses at their own pace, and it’s important to provide differentiated instruction and support based on their individual needs. Building a strong foundation in writing during first grade sets the stage for future success in literacy. You’ve got this, friend!

If you’d love to learn more about how to teach writing and get FREE writing prompts, click  here!

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How to Effectively Teach Creative Writing in Elementary

Today let’s discuss how to  effectively teach creative writing at the elementary level.  Creative writing is such an important writing skill to teach students from a young age. Young writers need to understand the concept of creative writing as using their imagination to express themselves freely through words. 

It’s not just about proper grammar and spelling  (though those are important too!) , but rather about sparking their  creativity , allowing them to dream up  unique characters , exciting adventures, and incredible worlds. By nurturing their storytelling abilities early on, we’re not just helping them become better writers, but also fostering their confidence, encouraging self-expression, and igniting a lifelong love for writing. So, let’s dive into some strategies and tips to make your creative writing lesson plans a hit in your elementary classroom!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is essentially writing in which the author uses his or her imagination to create a story. Creative writing in simple terms refers to the process of expressing thoughts, ideas and stories in a unique and imaginative way.

It’s about letting children’s minds wander  freely,  encouraging them to use their  imagination  to create characters, settings, and plots. Creative writing isn’t just about grammar and spelling; it’s about fostering a love for storytelling, allowing kids to explore their creativity, and helping them find their voice through words on paper. It’s a journey that encourages self-expression, builds confidence, and nurtures a lifelong appreciation for writing. The whole purpose of creative writing is to think outside the box and stray from traditional structures and norms. 

Creative writing falls under one of the 5 categories of writing but it also combines a lot of these styles together:

• Narrative Writing
• Descriptive Writing
• Persuasive Writing
• Expository Writing
• Creative Writing

Creative Writing Lesson Plans Don’t Have to Be Difficult

Finding creative ways for students to write using their imaginations doesn’t have to be difficult. No matter the grade level, creative writing lessons should offer plenty of opportunities for students to tell their point of view on a subject. Don’t let creating lesson plans for creative writing be a headache! It’s all about giving kids the chance to let loose and share their thoughts in their own special way. 

Whether they’re in 2nd grade, 3rd grade, or 5th grade, the key is to let their imagination run wild. Get them talking about what interests them, throw in some fun prompts, and watch the magic happen! Mix things up with different writing styles – stories, poems, even real-life tales. Make it a safe space where they feel free to jot down whatever comes to mind. By balancing a bit of structure with loads of creative freedom, teaching creative writing becomes a blast for both the teachers and the students!

Here’s How to Teach a Creative Writing Activity to Elementary Students:

1. start with creative writing prompts.

One of the first activities you can try is using writing prompts with students. Writing prompts are a great tool to get students’ brain juices flowing, no matter if they are elementary, middle school, or high school students! Coming up with writing topics for younger students can be especially challenging sometimes. 

Inside   the   How to Write a Paragraph Year-Long Bundle   there are specific writing prompts that are  scaffolded and differentiated  to meet  all  learner’s needs. You will find everything you need inside this resource to  help your students who struggle with writing understand how to write a paragraph  all   YEAR LONG …  trust us! It allows for easy planning for your writing lessons because it’s got different seasonal writing resources and prompts inside no matter what time of year it is. These are the perfect place to start to get your students writing based on themes. 

Once they are comfortable in this category, then it’s time to actually get them to come up with some of their own ideas to write about now   (after all that is the ENTIRE point of a creative writing lesson!)

Try with these juicy writing prompts below to help get your student’s creativity flowing if they need help coming up with a topic to write about :

• Personal memories: “Tell about someone who taught you something really important.”
• Imaginative scenarios: “Let’s create a wild story set in a world where anything goes!”
• Prompts based on a familiar mentor text: “What if your favorite book ended differently? Give it a new twist!”
• Lead-in sentences: “I saw myself in the mirror and couldn’t believe what I saw. Overnight, I…”
• Fascinating or thought-provoking images with a directive: “Who do you think calls this log cabin home? Tell us their story and what they’re up to!”

2. Break Down the Prompts Together

Do NOT rush this next step! We need to make sure our students are coming up with unique and creative writing ideas. During this first week’s lesson plan, you want to make sure students know exactly what they are getting themselves into with the creative writing process. Make it known that these prompts above are to help guide them and their imagination. Help to break down what each prompt is asking/ looking for:

For example, if the prompt says “I saw myself in the mirror and couldn’t believe what I saw. Overnight, I…,” then what questions should the students be asking?

Hopefully, they will tell you they want to know what they look like in the mirror right now.

Then you can have students think of 5 possible situations for what happened and how they look.

3. Do a 5 Minute “Free Write Brain Dump”

During the next step of a creative writing lesson plan, encourage students to do a brain dump in their writing journals on all of their  prior knowledge  on the subject that they will be writing about. This lets you know a couple of things as the teacher: Do they have their own experience on this topic and enough background knowledge? Does the subject areas that they are free-writing about make sense for the creative writing topic? This should only take about 5 minutes and you are NOT worried about spelling or grammar during this step.

For example: if they are planning to write about the solar system but they don’t have much to say during this free write brain dump, this is where you may want to incorporate a mini lesson or guided conference with you to make sure they are picking a topic that they have a lot of background knowledge about or can at least figure out where to find the answers they might need for their writing.

The “free write brain dump” is helpful for students to see a couple of things- okay I know enough information about this topic and am ready to organize my thoughts  OR  I had a hard time just coming up with random thoughts to write about…maybe I need a need a new topic. It will truly help decide their confidence factor for this assignment.

4. Start Your Planning Process

The next step in your creative writing unit should be having students take their decided-upon creative writing topic and  organize  their thoughts and ideas. This step is super important because you want the information to be in the students’ own writing but you also want to make sure they have a plan for how to get their point across.  Your stronger writers may be ready to go but some may need a bit more structure set up to help them.

There are a couple of different ways they can organize their ideas:

Use Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are the perfect thing to use if students want to stick with a paragraph-type writing structure. For your lower writers, this might be the way to go because graphic organizers make planning a lot easier and the structure makes it super easy to follow. Graphic organizers also help break down the writing process into chunks so it doesn’t feel like such a difficult task to students who may struggle more with their writing skills or for  ESL students.

Character Development Worksheets

Provide worksheets that prompt students to describe the characters in detail that they want in their story. Include sections for physical appearance, personality traits, motivations, and character arcs. This helps students develop well-rounded characters before they start writing.

Peer Brainstorming

Organize small group brainstorming sessions where students can share their ideas and receive feedback from their peers. This way can totally help students polish up their ideas and come up with fresh new ones for their creative writing.

Story Boarding

Encourage students to create a visual storyboard for their story. They can draw a series of pictures or scenes that outline the plot, helping them visualize the sequence of events in their narrative. We really love this idea for planning for students who are learning English as a second language and students who have more difficulties communicating their thoughts out loud.

Voice Recording

Finally, one last idea: If your students are feeling unsure about writing things down, suggest they talk it out and record their thoughts on a device such as a classroom iPad.

They might be amazed at how easily their spoken words turn into great written stuff on the page! This is another favorite of ours for those students who struggle with getting their thoughts on paper or are learning English as a second language.

During the planning phase , it is a good time to take the opportunity to do any  mini lessons  you feel needed with students on any of the skills above.

5. Write the Rough Draft

Next is taking the creative narrative and putting it into a rough draft version using their planning method. It’s time for them to start coming up with their own creative short story. Do they have a main character? Is there a problem and solution? Does the writing make sense? After the rough draft, it can be super beneficial to meet with students individually or in small groups to give feedback before they move forward on the final copy. 

Word of advice: Don’t worry about spelling or grammar too much in the rough draft phase! Just help students get their thoughts out onto paper!

6. Time To Write the Final Draft

As the creative writing journey nears its conclusion, it’s time to guide your students toward the crucial phase of crafting their final drafts. This stage marks a shift towards independent work, where students take ownership of refining their narratives. Encourage them to enrich their stories with vibrant sensory details to help bring the writing to life.

This isn’t just about polishing; it’s about infusing their words with emotions and imagination. The final draft represents all of their hard work! Make sure you help them reach their fullest potential with their creative writing and storytelling skills!

A Final Word on Teaching Creative Writing to Elementary Students

When planning your creative writing lesson plans for the school year, it’s best to think about the  overall entire writing process.  For students that you KNOW creative writing will be a challenge for, take some time during English language arts sessions and work with them on the simple structures of writing to help build their confidence. If they struggle with the mechanics and confidence to write, they honestly may not be ready for the creative writing process just yet. Use the resource below to help them refine their writing skills so that all of your students can be a confident and creative writer!

How do you feel about creative writing lesson plans?

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Grade 1 Writing

Discover grade 1 writing standards.

In first grade, children are expected to quickly develop foundational language arts and writing skills . Some first graders start with very limited writing ability, mainly using verbal skills to communicate. The key development in first grade writing is to bridge the gap between spoken language and printed words.

A great writing activity to try with your first grader is to break down spoken interactions into different types. Being able to identify different types of interactions helps young writers learn many forms of expression, and how each employs different vocabulary , grammar , and punctuation .

There are three fundamental types of writing (sometimes called "composition") that children will learn about and practice in first grade:

Opinion Writing

Informative writing, narrative writing.

While your child’s writing will be basic in first grade, they’ll start to understand the difference between the writing styles listed above. Your child will also learn about correct sentence writing practices, as they’ll be expected to write short compositions displaying their knowledge of each text type and structure. The more they practice writing, the easier it will be for them to identify different styles of text.

First graders will learn that their opinion is linked to their thoughts and feelings about something, and that people can have different opinions on the same thing! When writing about their opinions at first-grade level, they will be expected to express their thoughts and ideas using correct grammar and punctuation, whilst also supporting their argument with a reason for their opinion. As children are still developing their basic writing skills at this level, it’s always important to remind them to write in complete sentences, using capitalization and punctuation to help logical articulation.

A simple example of first grade opinion writing could be:

• (Title or Question) Which sport is the best?
• (Give your opinion) I think that football is the best sport.
• (Give a reason) This is because it is a fun team sport and it keeps you healthy.

Informative writing informs its reader through primarily factual content. At Grade 1 level, young children should identify informative writing, distinguish facts from opinions , and be able to write simple yet complete sentences about a variety of topics.

Typically, first-grade children will study simple scientific facts or learn about the environmental world around them. You can encourage this by giving your child many opportunities to read factual scientific books and articles. Even if your first grader is a struggling reader, this activity will develop a deeper understanding of what it takes to write a great informative text, whilst also adding valuable knowledge that will be helpful for them as they move on to second grade .

Practice Tip

Challenge your child to complete one of the report writing lessons on Night Zookeeper . These lessons model examples of great informative writing and ask children to write their own sentences about the animals featured in the lessons.

At Grade 1 level, children are often already aware of narrative devices, structures, and forms, but mainly through non-written mediums, such as watching TV and films, and listening to friends and families recount their experiences. They may not, however, be used to the formal breakdown of this and how to write a story themselves.

This style enables your child to practice their creative writing skills, while learning key first grade writing rules, such as sentence writing and story mapping, while growing their vocabulary list!

Narrative writing is perhaps the best writing style to teach your child all they need to know about sequencing, which relates to the three main components of a story plot: beginning, middle, and end. It also offers first graders the chance to learn how to use appropriate structural and linguistic devices to give a story an arc - such as (but not limited to) "once upon a time", "then", and "happily ever after".

Key Story Features

• Plot (what happens?)
• Conflict or Problem
• Ending or Resolution

It is always best at the first-grade level to break up these features and work on them separately with your child.

Your child can build their own writing world on Night Zookeeper . This will provide lots of opportunities for them to practice their character creation skills as they invent new animals for their Night Zoo.

How Night Zookeeper can help

Night Zookeeper is a language arts program that helps children develop their skills in a fantastically fun way! Improve your child’s writing skills with our award-winning content, which includes writing resources such as fun noun games, punctuation challenges, interactive lesson series, creative writing prompts, and more!

Sign up to our program today to get a free 7-day trial!

Related articles

• Elementary Writing
• Grade 1 Writing Prompts
• Grade 1 Reading
• Grade 1 Grammar
• Grade 1 Spelling
• Grade 1 Punctuation

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Unleashing Creativity: A Guide to Teaching Creative Writing

Thu Apr 18, 2024

Introduction: Creative writing is more than just putting words on paper; it's an exploration of imagination, a journey through the depths of the human experience, and a means of expression unlike any other. Teaching creative writing isn't about simply imparting rules and techniques; it's about nurturing the innate creativity within each individual and providing them with the tools and guidance to unleash their imagination. In this blog post, we'll delve into the art of teaching creative writing and explore strategies to inspire and empower budding writers.

Understanding the Fundamentals: Before diving into the creative process, it's essential to establish a solid foundation of the fundamentals of writing. This includes grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and vocabulary. While creativity knows no bounds, having a grasp of these basics provides writers with the necessary framework to effectively convey their ideas.

Encouraging Exploration: Creativity flourishes when writers are encouraged to explore different genres, styles, and perspectives. As an instructor, provide opportunities for students to experiment with various forms of writing, whether it's poetry, fiction, non-fiction, or even hybrid forms. Encourage them to step out of their comfort zones and embrace the unknown.

Creating a Supportive Environment: Building a supportive and nurturing environment is crucial for fostering creativity. Encourage open dialogue and constructive feedback among peers. Establishing a community where writers feel safe to share their work without fear of judgment promotes growth and collaboration.

Embracing the Writing Process: The writing process is unique to each individual, but it often involves stages such as brainstorming, drafting, revising, and editing. Teach students to embrace each stage and emphasize that writing is a journey rather than a destination. Encourage them to embrace uncertainty and to see challenges as opportunities for growth.

Igniting Inspiration: Inspiration can be found everywhere, from everyday experiences to dreams and fantasies. Encourage students to keep a journal to capture fleeting ideas and observations. Encourage them to draw inspiration from art, music, nature, and personal experiences. Sparking creativity often involves encouraging writers to see the world through a different lens.

Exercises and Prompts: Engage students with writing exercises and prompts designed to stimulate their creativity. These could include visual prompts, word prompts, writing sprints, or even collaborative storytelling exercises. By challenging students to think outside the box, you'll help them tap into their creative potential.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset: Instill in students the belief that creativity is not fixed but can be developed and nurtured over time. Encourage a growth mindset where setbacks are seen as opportunities for learning and improvement. Celebrate progress and effort rather than focusing solely on outcomes.

Celebrating Diversity: Encourage writers to embrace their unique voices and perspectives. Celebrate diversity in storytelling and highlight the importance of representation in literature. By valuing and amplifying diverse voices, you'll create a richer and more inclusive creative community.

Conclusion: Teaching creative writing is an art in itself, requiring patience, passion, and a deep appreciation for the creative process. By fostering a supportive environment, embracing exploration, and igniting inspiration, you can empower budding writers to unleash their creativity and embark on a lifelong journey of self-expression. As an instructor, your role is not only to teach the craft of writing but to nurture the creative spirit within each student, guiding them as they discover the power of their own voice.

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Lesson Plans for First Grade Writing

Guided Writing in First Grade

Writing in first grade can be rough, especially at the start of the year. I have tried implementing a variety of teaching strategies over the years to help my students become authors. It is very challenging though!

Each new class has varying skill sets and I hate feeling like I’m reinventing the wheel each and every year.

What I have noticed, year after year, is that the biggest struggles students face when it comes to writing is deciding what they are going to write about, getting started, and interest/confidence in writing.

What I have found has helped my students overcome these struggles is guided writing! 

Writing is not something that comes naturally, it is learned through guidance and mentorship.

Primary students have limited understanding of writing strategies, and it is our job to introduce those strategies and provide opportunities for mastery.

Guided writing allows us to help students learn, implement, and master a variety of writing skills.

Through the use of modeling, shared writing experiences, interactive writing, guided writing and independent writing; students are able to hone important writing skills and strategies.

So what is guided writing?

It is writing instruction that falls between teacher modeled writing and independent writing.

With the use of scaffolding to help support students, teachers are able to help students become independent writers.

The teacher modeling is done in a group setting, where students contribute and practice writing before they move on to do it on their own.

This helps students develop an understanding for how to write, as well as building their confidence in writing.

Guided Writing Groups for First Grade

There are a couple ways you can teach guided writing: whole group or small group.

When I start out the year, we start with simple writing tasks that are easy for the whole class to follow and participate with.

As the year progresses, however, I switch to small group guided writing lessons.

This allows me to differentiate my instruction for the varying levels of students in my classroom. 

I have found it beneficial to hold guided writing groups for every type of writing you do during your year.

Writing groups are a great way to ensure success and help to continue building student confidence in writing. 

How to set up guided writing groups:

First you want to make sure you have writing skill goals for your students. For example: early in the year I want students to use a capital at the beginning of each sentence and punctuation at the end. This may seem simple, but you’d be surprised at how difficult this is for students. 

Starting and Creating Groups:

• Select a writing skills goal to focus on
• Select students that would benefit from focusing on that skill
• Meet with this group while others are working on independent writing tasks

Each group may be working on a different skill, some groups may be working on the same skill.

It doesn’t matter as long as you are meeting with your students and working on what it is each one of them needs.

These groups should be flexible! I am constantly switching my students around based on their individual needs.

Some students need a lot of help mastering a skill, while others just need a few reminders and they are off! 

As the year progresses, you will want to change your writing groups.

Here are some more Writing Group Ideas:

• Teacher demonstrates how to edit
• Model chosen skills or writing types (whatever you may be focusing on at this time)
• Provide resources for students to use: mentor texts, graphic organizers, guided writing pages, etc.
• Continue to meet with students based on skills

Students should continue to work on skills that have been taught and reinforced throughout each writing unit. They should also be working on editing throughout the year.

These are important things that need to be modeled and focused on during your guided writing time. 

First Grade Guided Writing in Action

I don’t know about you, but my days go by SO FAST! Each moment of the day feels like it is scheduled out and I only have a certain allotted time to do each subject.

My writing time is no exception, but it is something we have to prioritize.

My guided writing time is a quick 20 minute time-frame. I know what you’re thinking, no way can you get it all in 20 minutes, but you can as long as you are well prepared.

Now, do I always get everything I want in? NOPE!

The more lessons I do, however, the better my time management gets. 

Like I said earlier, at the start of the year I do whole group guided writing. This allows me to have the amount of time I need to complete my lesson with the entire class, as well as, allows my students to develop an understanding for what our writing time is going to be like. 

Here is how I start: 

• Involve students in conversations about this experience
• Have students explicitly practice how they are going to go about writing this experience. I start by modeling this aloud to the class and as the year progresses, they will do this with a neighbor and then eventually to themselves.
• Some strategies may include: writing content, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, composing
• Have a brief discussion with students on how they are going to implement this strategy into their writing task for the day. 
• While students are writing I am walking around and providing immediate, but brief, assistance. I make it a point to not stop and work with one student for long.
• Monitor students during this time. 
• Much like with independent reading, we want to build student’s independent writing stamina. They should be able to produce a short, but complete piece of writing. 
• I do try to do this each time we do a writing activity, but time never seems to be on my side. We try to squeeze in a quick share time with the whole group, small group or with a partner. Some days are better than others. This section has been a work-in-progress for me. Sharing writing is VERY important and I do make a point to allow students to share weekly. One of my goals this year is to get better with this time management. 

Benefits of Guided Writing in First Grade

In order to help our students become successful writers, we have to provide them with a variety of opportunities for writing.

Not only during our writing time, but throughout the day.

Cross-curricular writing is also very important and something I’m constantly trying to implement in my classroom.

I want to provide students with meaningful writing experiences during our writing and guided writing time that allows for them to be successful writers in other areas of our day.

Whether they are writing about the STEM structure they built, or the famous city we are researching, I want my students to be using and honing their writing skills.

Writing Activities for First Grade

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Kristen Sullins

I am a current Elementary Librarian and Enrichment Teacher, mother of two, follower of Christ and Texas native. In my own classroom, I love to save time by finding unique ways to integrate writing, social studies and science into all parts of my day. I also love all things organization!

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Inspiring Ink: Expert Tips on How to Teach Creative Writing

The world of creative writing is as vast as it is rewarding. It’s a form of expression that allows the writer to explore different worlds, characters, and narratives – all within the power of their pen.

But what exactly is creative writing and why is it important? Let’s explore the value of creative writing and how to inspire young (or old!) minds to embark on the curious and exciting journey of writing creatively – it’s easier than you think!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing, in its simplest form, is writing that goes beyond the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature.

It’s characterized by its emphasis on:

• narrative craft
• character development
• the use of literary devices

From poetry to plays, scripts to sonnets, creative writing covers a wide range of genres . It’s about painting pictures with words, invoking emotions, and bringing ideas to life . It’s about crafting stories that are compelling, engaging, and thought-provoking.

Whether you’re penning a novel or jotting down a journal entry, creative writing encourages you to unleash your imagination and express your thoughts in a unique, artistic way. For a deeper dive into the realm of creative writing, you can visit our article on what is creative writing .

Benefits of Developing Creative Writing Skills

The benefits of creative writing extend beyond the page.

It’s not just about creating captivating stories or crafting beautiful prose. The skills developed through creative writing are invaluable in many aspects of life and work.

1. Creative writing fosters creativity and imagination. 

It encourages you to think outside the box, broaden your perspective, and explore new ideas. It also enhances your ability to communicate effectively, as it involves conveying thoughts, emotions, and narratives in a clear and compelling manner.

2. Creative writing aids in improving critical thinking skills.

It prompts you to analyze characters, plotlines, and themes, and make connections between different ideas. This process activates different parts of the mind, drawing on personal experiences, the imagination, logical plot development, and emotional intelligence.

3. Creative writing is also a valuable tool for self-expression and personal growth.

It allows you to explore your feelings, experiences, and observations, providing an outlet for self-reflection and introspection. By both reading and writing about different characters in different situations, readers develop empathy in a gentle but effective way.

4. Creative writing skills can open up a host of career opportunities.

From authors and editors to content creators and copywriters, the demand for creative writers is vast and varied. You can learn more about potential career paths in our article on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

In essence, creative writing is more than just an art—it’s a skill, a craft, and a powerful tool for communication and self-expression. Whether you’re teaching creative writing or learning it, understanding its value is the first step towards mastering the art.

The 3 Roles of a Creative Writing Teacher

Amongst the many facets of a creative writing teacher’s role, three vital aspects stand out: inspiring creativity , nurturing talent , and providing constructive criticism . These elements play a significant role in shaping budding writers and fostering their passion for the craft.

1. Inspiring Creativity

The primary function of a creative writing teacher is to inspire creativity.

They must foster an environment that encourages students to think outside the box and explore new possibilities . This includes presenting students with creative writing prompts that challenge their thinking, promoting lively discussions around various topics, and providing opportunities for students to engage in creative writing activities for kids .

Teachers should also expose students to a range of literary genres , styles, and techniques to broaden their understanding and appreciation of the craft. This exposure not only enhances their knowledge but also stimulates their creativity, encouraging them to experiment with different writing styles .

2. Nurturing Talent

Nurturing talent involves recognizing the unique abilities of each student and providing the necessary support and guidance to help them develop these skills. A creative writing teacher needs to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each student and tailor their approach accordingly.

This means:

• offering personalized feedback
• setting realistic yet challenging goals
• providing opportunities for students to showcase their work

Encouraging students to participate in writing competitions or to publish their work can give them a confidence boost and motivate them to improve. Furthermore, teachers should educate students about various creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree . This knowledge can inspire students to pursue their passion for writing and explore career opportunities in the field.

3. Providing Constructive Criticism

Providing constructive criticism is a critical aspect of teaching creative writing. It involves assessing students’ work objectively and providing feedback that helps them improve .

Teachers should:

• highlight the strengths of the work
• address the areas that need improvement
• suggest ways to make the piece better

Constructive criticism should be specific, actionable, and encouraging . It’s important to remember that the goal is to help the student improve, not to discourage them. Therefore, teachers need to communicate their feedback in a respectful and supportive manner.

In essence, a teacher’s role in teaching creative writing extends beyond mere instruction. They are mentors who inspire, nurture, and shape the minds of budding writers. By fostering a supportive and stimulating environment, they can help students unlock their creative potential and develop a lifelong love for writing.

3 Techniques for Teaching Creative Writing

When it comes to understanding how to teach creative writing, there are several effective techniques that can help inspire students and foster their writing skills.

1. Encouraging Free Writing Exercises

Free writing is a technique that encourages students to write continuously for a set amount of time without worrying about grammar, punctuation, or topic. This type of exercise can help unleash creativity, as it allows students to freely express their thoughts and ideas without judgment or constraint.

As a teacher, you can set a specific theme or provide creative writing prompts to guide the writing session. Alternatively, you can allow students to write about any topic that comes to mind. The key is to create an environment that encourages creative exploration and expression.

2. Exploring Different Genres

Another effective technique is to expose students to a wide range of writing genres. This can include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, fantasy, mystery, and more. By exploring different genres, students can discover their unique writing styles and interests. This variety also offers the chance to expand their writing skills and apply them to various writing formats.

To facilitate this exploration, you can assign writing projects in different genres, conduct genre-specific writing workshops, or invite guest speakers who specialize in different genres. You can also encourage students to critically analyze how different authors approach their work.

3. Analyzing Published Works

Analyzing published works is a powerful way to teach creative writing. This technique allows students to learn from established authors by studying their:

• writing styles
• narrative structures
• use of language.

It also provides a practical context for understanding writing concepts and techniques.

As a teacher, you can select diverse pieces of literature for analysis , ranging from classic novels to contemporary short stories. Encourage students to identify elements they admire in these works and discuss how they can incorporate similar techniques into their own writing.

These techniques for teaching creative writing are effective ways to inspire creativity, encourage self-expression, and develop writing skills. As a teacher, your role is crucial in guiding students through their creative journey and helping them realize their potential as writers.

Creative Writing Workshops and Exercises

One effective method on how to teach creative writing is through the use of targeted workshops and exercises. These interactive sessions can stimulate creativity, foster character development , and help in understanding story structures .

Idea Generation Workshops

Idea generation is a crucial aspect of creative writing. It is the starting point that provides a springboard for writers to explore and develop their narratives. Idea generation workshops can be an interactive and fun way to help writers come up with fresh ideas.

Workshops can include brainstorming sessions , where writers are encouraged to think freely and note down all ideas, no matter how unconventional they may seem. Another method is the use of writing prompts , which can serve as a creative spark.

A prompt could be:

• even an image

Editor’s Note : Encourage children to create a big scribble on a scrap piece of paper and then look for an image in it (like looking for pictures in the clouds). This can be a great creative writing prompt and students will love sharing their writing with each other! Expect lots of giggles and fun!

Character Development Exercises

Characters are the heart of any story. They drive the narrative and engage the readers. Character development exercises can help writers create well-rounded and relatable characters.

Such exercises can include character questionnaires , where writers answer a series of questions about their characters to gain a deeper understanding of their personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. Role-playing activities can also be useful, allowing writers to step into their characters’ shoes and explore their reactions in different scenarios.

Story Structure Workshops

Understanding story structure is vital for creating a compelling narrative. Story structure workshops can guide writers on how to effectively structure their stories to engage readers from start to finish .

These workshops can cover essential elements of story structures like:

• rising action
• falling action

In addition to understanding the basics, writers should be encouraged to experiment with different story structures to find what works best for their narrative style. An understanding of story structure can also help in analyzing and learning from published works .

Providing writers with the right tools and techniques, through workshops and exercises, can significantly improve their creative writing skills. It’s important to remember that creativity flourishes with practice and patience .

As a teacher, nurturing this process is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching creative writing. For more insights and tips on teaching creative writing, continue exploring our articles on creative writing .

Tips to Enhance Creative Writing Skills

The process of teaching creative writing is as much about honing one’s own skills as it is about imparting knowledge to others. Here are some key strategies that can help in enhancing your creative writing abilities and make your teaching methods more effective.

Regular Practice

Like any other skill, creative writing requires regular practice . Foster the habit of writing daily, even if it’s just a few lines. This will help you stay in touch with your creative side and continually improve your writing skills. Encourage your students to do the same.

Introduce them to various creative writing prompts to stimulate their imagination and make their writing practice more engaging.

Reading Widely

Reading is an essential part of becoming a better writer. By reading widely, you expose yourself to a variety of styles, tones, and genres . This not only broadens your literary horizons but also provides a wealth of ideas for your own writing.

Encourage your students to read extensively as well. Analyzing and discussing different works can be an excellent learning exercise and can spark creative ideas .

Exploring Various Writing Styles

The beauty of creative writing lies in its diversity. From poetic verses to gripping narratives, there’s a wide range of styles to explore. Encourage your students to try their hand at different forms of writing. This not only enhances their versatility but also helps them discover their unique voice as a writer.

To help them get started, you can introduce a variety of creative writing activities for kids . These tasks can be tailored to suit different age groups and proficiency levels. Remember, the goal is to foster a love for writing, so keep the activities fun and engaging .

Have Fun Teaching Creative Writing!

Enhancing creative writing skills is a continuous journey. It requires persistence, curiosity, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone. As a teacher, your role is to guide your students on this journey, providing them with the tools and encouragement they need to flourish as writers – and most of all – enjoy the process!

For more insights on creative writing, be sure to explore our articles on what is creative writing and creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

Enriching Creative Writing Activities for Kids

You may also like, a guide to morning journaling + 50 prompts.

How to Make an Intention Journal

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8 Smart Strategies for Teaching Writing

Inside: Teaching writing DOESN’T have to be complicated! With these simple strategies, you can improve students’ writing without having to work so hard.

I turned around to an outstretched notebook in a kid’s hands.

“I don’t know what to do next,” said the student.

I leaned closer to decipher the 2nd-grade handwriting. Then with my most positive I’ll-guide-you-on-the-right-path tone, I gave the student an idea to run with.

I straightened up, ready to move about the class, peering over shoulders, offering feedback as needed.

My bubble was abruptly burst.

Standing behind me was a whole line of kids that didn’t know what to do next!

Have you been there, too? What you need are writing strategies for students that break down a complicated process into pieces they can tackle. 

What follows are some of the best methods for teaching writing that I discovered over the years:

Teaching Writing Strategies for Students

Use Mentor Texts

If you wanted to learn how to decorate your mantle, you might look for great examples on Pinterest and then try to make yours look like that.

Similarly, kids can look at the work of published authors to see how a pro writes.

Mentor texts are published pieces that serve as a good example of the type of writing you’re helping your students to produce.

If you’re teaching how-to writing, find books about making crafts, cooking, or other DIY topics.  If you’re teaching report writing, look at nonfiction books.

• Read these books (or parts of them) to your students.
• Talk as a class about the special features you notice.
• Make a list of these features (how-to books have numbered steps, pictures to match, sequence, etc.)

Demonstrate

Cooking shows are popular because it’s easy to watch how a good cook puts together a recipe and then do the same yourself. Writing demonstrations are similar.

One method for teaching writing is writing demonstrations. Students watch as a proficient writer writes, and thinks aloud, similar to an audience watching a chef on a cooking show.

Write in front of your students and think aloud as you’re doing it.  Thinking aloud is a research-based teaching strategy .  You are the proficient writer in the room and you want your students to begin modeling their thinking processes after yours.

Some writing skills you might demonstrate are:

• brainstorming topics to write about
• creating a plan for writing
• orally rehearsing sentences and then writing them down
• stretching out sounds in words for spelling
• rereading and editing writing
• looking for places to add more interesting vocabulary
• making a final copy that incorporates editing and revisions

Use Sentence Starters

Staring at a blank page can be so intimidating!

Help kids get started with a list of possible sentence starters. Here’s an example list of sentence starters that work well for opinion writing .

Join my weekly newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the sentence starter page pictured above. Just click here to download and subscribe .

Color Coding

One method for teaching writing is using color coding between the plan and the draft.

(you can find the pictured graphic organizer HERE )

Use color-coding to make writing organization obvious and to connect a student’s plan to their draft.

• Assign a different color to each element of a piece.
• Mark whatever planning graphic organizer you’re using with these colors.
• During drafting, underline the sentences for each section with the appropriate color.

This technique helps students make sure nothing is left out and that everything is in the right order

Integrate Vocabulary

One of the things we know about teaching vocabulary is that it’s not enough to talk about a word once.  It needs to be seen, heard, and used several times before it is mastered.

Writing is the perfect place to incorporate some vocabulary instruction.

Choose two or three words that might be useful to students for the topic they are writing about.  Teach these words, give example sentences, and share sentences where students were able to work them in.

You can either teach the words before students write their rough draft or teach them before students revise.  You may want students to keep a record of these words in a notebook.

Use a Rubric

There’s no point in making kids guess what they’re aiming for with their writing.

Research shows that when students have criteria against which to judge their writing, they begin to internalize that criteria and use it when they write new pieces.

Try teaching critique lessons where you share a few short pieces of writing with different strengths and weaknesses and evaluate them with students using a rubric.

Talk about what made a piece successful and what could be better about it.  Invite students to use the successful techniques in their own writing.  Click on the picture to get a free copy of a personal narrative rubric that I like to use.

Peer Conferencing

Many students find working with a partner to be very motivating.

It’s important to carefully structure peer writing conferencing because it can get out of hand easily.

Set a specific goal such as helping each other check for capital letters at the beginning of every sentence, rereading to make sure each sentence makes sense, or looking for words that could be traded out for something more interesting.

Another way to structure peer conferencing is to use the “Love and a Wish” system.  Students read each other’s writing.  Then they share one thing they loved about it and one thing they wished.  For example, maybe they loved how their partner described the taste of their birthday cake and they wished there was more about the games that were played at the party.

Create an Incentive

Taking a piece of writing from the planning process all the way to a final draft is a lot of work.  Find a way to celebrate that work to keep students motivated.

A chance to share their work is motivating to students. You can build in sharing while you’re roving the classroom.  At the mid-point or the end of the lesson, have a few students share how they revised a sentence to add an interesting word or the great hook that they chose.

You can give students time to share their work with a neighbor.  This way everyone gets to share in a short amount of time.

Allow students to share writing in those 5-minute blocks of time you find every now and then when you finished something else early.

A favorite writing incentive in my classroom was the “publishing party.”  After a 5 week writing unit, each student chose their best piece and we all sat in a circle and listened to each other’s work.

At the end, we toasted to our hard work with a small cup of apple juice.  Parents would share with me that this simple celebration really motivated their child to work hard in writing so they would have something great to read to the class.

If you’re looking for resources to help you teach writing, check out the classroom-tested products HERE :

Follow my literacy board on Pinterest for more ideas!  

Author:  Hannah Braun

Hannah Braun is a former teacher with 8 years of experience in the classroom and a master's degree in early childhood education. She designs engaging, organized classroom resources for 1st-3rd grade teachers.

Just found your site and teacherspayteachers products. Love it all! Laughed out loud at your posters and comments on students. Thought I was the only one who noticed (was confused/irritated/baffled) at some of the things students think up to do with school equipment and behaviors. Nice to know we can laugh about it all! Thank you.

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Teachers Workshop

A Duke TIP Blog

Why Teach Creative Writing? Part 2

October 9, 2017 By Lyn Fairchild Hawks 2 Comments

This post provides a rationale for teaching creative writing more often and how to balance instructional goals and structure weekly lessons to accommodate creative writing. This is part of a larger series on integrating creative writing in your curriculum. Part 1 is here .

Back to basics.

The first question that might come to mind is WHEN? Sure, we might love getting creative with kids, but how do we make enough time for ALL THE OTHER STUFF?

By linking to standards and making use of the writing workshop structure, more creative expression is possible every week.

Our first answer is, the Common Core English Language Arts standards work beautifully hand in hand with creative writing tasks. The following seventh grade Common Core English Language Arts standards are just some that dovetail beautifully with creative writing (whether fiction or memoir, also known as creative nonfiction).

Whether it’s a blog post, or epic poem, or whether it’s a how-to manual or a screenplay, or whether a persuasive argument or a graphic novella–students can harness any one of these standards and skills below. Professional writers–novelists, journalists, marketers, screenwriters, playwrights, lyricists–spend their entire careers refining these competencies.

These standards, which also focus Duke TIP’s unit, Creative Writing: Adventures Through Time, can spiral up through higher standards in any week of your curriculum where a student must write a story that compels the reader to read on.

How do you thread creative writing across curriculum? Share with us below!

Sample writing standards that connect.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3 : Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3a : Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3b : Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3c : Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3d : Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3e : Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.10 : Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Ask yourself how much your students are writing regularly, both in short and long form, and how much they are putting into practice models you give them and the analysis your teaching encourages. What you’re looking for, ultimately, is more practice time. Is that mini-lesson on the apostrophe or the metaphor, or that whole-group activity acting out a scene from the novel as crucial as pursuing meaningful writing tasks? Discarding the fun and cool activity or the didactic teaching and subsequent practice can feel like a Sophie’s Choice but sometimes it’s really worth it.

Make the Links

Approach mentor texts with the lens of “How/Why did this author do that?” If students are practicing professional writers, they should lean in close to examine the method to authors’ magic. They should be stepping back to discuss these techniques and then head off to try it themselves.

Taking that angle as you craft discussion questions–knowing that the next time students see the term for a particular technique, they’ll be utilizing it themselves–is a way to shape analysis of mentor texts–from the worksheet to the small group to the discussion to the large group discussion. You can convert what were once quiz and test questions into real-time discussion questions, and get students to creative writing.

Formative writing assessments of 50-100 words, rather than short answer or multiple choice quizzes, are the best ways to test particular writing concepts and skills, as well as knowledge such as grammar and mechanics. For example:

• Original test question: Explain why Scout beat up Walter Cunningham using her backstory and character traits. –> Becomes in-class discussion question
• New formative assessment/homework or in-class assignment: Write a scene of backstory where one of your characters bullies someone else. Establish back story and character traits in this scene.

This doesn’t mean you never, ever ask another literary analysis question on a test. Those should indeed pepper our culminating assessments. But so should creative writing prompts asking students to show what they know. Having students practice both before the summative will develop deeper understandings.

Make it Happen

Writing workshops are driven by student interest and require students to regularly determine audience and purpose in their writing. Writing workshops create agency, daily. They develop independence and persistence. They create a habit of mind that’s a definite paradigm switch for many students, so it’s a process that won’t manifest results immediately.

The writing workshop structure requires extensive on-task writing time, peer review time, teacher review time, and reading time. It’s fueled by student choice.

With all that is expected of educators by local, state, and national standards, we recommend the whole-part-whole approach as you integrate workshops. Here is a typical week’s design we recommend. Take it, modify it, critique it, and tell us what you think. What do you do?

Day 1: Whole group instruction, groupwork, and skill assessment

• Teach a mini lesson via direct instruction, using mentor texts, led by standards.
• Offer different levels of direct practice exercises for small groups.
• Circulate to provide direct instruction to groups and individuals..
• Some days, alternate with 30-45 minute Socratic discussions of literary texts or whole-group activities such as debates, scene re-enactment, special projects.
• Give formative and summative assessments every few weeks (timed analytical writing–essays and short-answer questions–and grammar quizzes). Note that these should not occur until students have built a few months’ of confidence with Socratic literary discussion. For more on designing Socratic seminars on texts, visit Paideia Active Learning . Provide creative writing prompts on some of these per the model above.
• Homework: Provide further practice and writing prompts and extension activities that prepare students for summative assessments.

Days 2 and 3: Writing and reading workshops

• Allow independent and small group reading and writing, per the Atwell design .
• Expect students to produce one to two pieces a month. Allow students, like professional writers, to work on more that one piece at a time.
• Allow students who have successfully produced an individual work.
• Homework: Ongoing work on individual student pieces. A writing assignment fueled by student choice might need several nights of homework and lead to an exciting portfolio.

Day 4: Whole group instruction, groupwork, and skill assessment

Day 5: Peer review and Performance

• Feedback routines between and among students, and pair or one-to-one conferences
• Sharing for an audience, with celebrations of formative and summative accomplishments, and goal setting, with discussions of areas for growth.

For more detail on designing the day-to-day writing workshop structure, be sure to check out Nancie Atwell’s work .

About Lyn Fairchild Hawks

Lyn Fairchild Hawks currently serves as Director for Curriculum and Instruction for Duke TIP’s distance learning programs, where she supervises teachers and designs curricula and online student benefits. A long-time teacher, Lyn has published curricula with TIP, NCTE, Chicago Review Press, and ASCD. She is author of Teaching Julius Caesar: A Differentiated Approach and coauthor of Teaching Romeo and Juliet: A Differentiated Approach and The Compassionate Classroom: Lessons that Nurture Wisdom and Empathy . She is also an author of the young-adult novel, How Wendy Redbird Dancing Survived the Dark Ages of Nought , for high school students, and coauthor of the graphic novella, Minerda , for middle grade students. She is represented by Tara Gelsomino of One Track Literary Agency.

January 4, 2018 at 7:33 pm

I loved creative writing as a student and made an effort to work it in to my middle grades instruction as often as possible. I have been known to beg principals to include a Creative Writing class in the schedule as an option for students. There was no room around the “other stuff,” though, and the best I could get was a Creative Writing club…but those students sure put together an amazing literary magazine!

I agree that the workshop model is the way to ensure that students have opportunities to be creative while at the same time answering to the standards of the curriculum.

January 7, 2018 at 4:34 pm

It’s so crucial, Cindi. We’re immersed in story, we seek story, we crave stories as humans. It’s the foundation of our politics (the American story), our faiths (scared texts and our heroes within), our scientific theories and how they were discovered and enhanced…I could go on. And so it’s funny how we’ve come to a place in education where we must squeeze it in–much like other arts and exercise–as incidental to the “curriculum.” I’ve loved what students have created in these extracurriculars, too, and seen some magnificent work.

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The Brown Bag Teacher

Teach the Children. Love the Children. Change the World.

March 11, 2015

1st Grade How To Writing

  Hands-On Experiences : Building Paper Planes

 hands-on experiences : making maracas, launching workshop.

Favorite Mini-Lessons

Transition words, favorite mentor texts.

Throughout the week, I’m pulling from three of my favorite mentor texts – How to Babysit a Grandpa , How To Wash a Woolly Mammoth , and How to Teach a Slug to Read . These are perfect for showing students how real-author use how-to techniques (logical order, sequencing, time order words) to share a story or information with a reader.

Read and see more HERE .

How-To Writing within Work on Writing

As we start writing our How-To pieces independently, we’ll self-assess our writing and use the below checklist (personal ones and a class anchor chart) to guide our work.

In retrospect, this is a unit I’ll definitely teach at the beginning of the year. Teaching at this point of the year, is much simpler and requires less groundwork, but still, it’s a nice review of skills we’ve learned throughout the year in reading and writing. Plus, now that we’re officially readers and writers, it’s amazing to see what my students come up with!

• Opinion Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  mentor texts ,  bundle )
• Narrative Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  mentor texts ,  bundle )
• Inform/Explain Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  bundle )
• How-To Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  bundle )

Join me for weekly classroom updates and free resources that are just-right for your writing classroom!

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• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

FREE 2024-25 Printable Teacher Calendar! 🗓️

75 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Teaching 1st Grade

Pass them onto your first grade teacher friends!

First grade is a year full of adventure! First grade learners begin to see themselves as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, and more. To help make it the best year ever, we’ve scoured our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook and the web for some of the best tips and ideas for teaching first grade. We hope this list of gems will inspire you whether you are a brand-new teacher or a veteran. We’ve organized the list by topic to make it easy to cruise for ideas!

Getting Your Classroom Ready

1. create an inviting classroom.

Need ideas? We’ve gathered real-life first grade classrooms for you to browse!

2. Gather all the supplies

Not sure exactly what you need for the first grade classroom? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this list of essential first grade classroom supplies .

3. Welcome your students with a big, colorful bulletin board

Image source: Doodlebugs Teaching

Seeing their names up on the wall will help students instantly feel at home, and the bright colors will create a festive mood in the classroom. Check out these bulletin board ideas .

4. Get a jump start on lessons

In first grade, teacher planning and prep time are precious! It makes life a lot easier when you can purchase existing lessons, bundles, books, and pages. And why not support other teachers while you do it? Check out our favorite Teachers Pay Teachers sellers  for first grade.

5. Put together an irresistible classroom reading nook

Your first graders are well on their way to becoming readers, so make this time extra special for them by setting up one of these awesome reading nooks .

6. Fill your classroom library with these classic first grade books

Here are 60 of our favorite first grade books .

7. Set up sensory tables

Early childhood teachers know that hands-on learning is essential. Sensory play encourages open-ended thinking, language development, and collaboration, and it builds fine motor skills. Sensory materials are magically both engaging and calming. Here are our favorites !

The First Days of School

8. introduce yourself creatively.

If you’re teaching first grade, you have the honor of being one of the first teachers a child will meet! Make day one memorable by introducing yourself in a creative way, such as sending postcards over the summer! For creative ideas, check out Unique Ways To Introduce Yourself to Students This Year .

9. Get to know one another with icebreakers

Get the kids mixing and moving as they get to know one another. Click here for lots of great ideas .

10. Set the stage with the perfect read-alouds

Here are our favorite back-to-school read-aloud books to help you get to know one another.

11. Keep track of classroom read-alouds

Are you looking for new and fun ways to track your classroom read-alouds? We have a few different methods of fun read-aloud tracking to spice up your routine.

Create a Classroom Community

12. start the day with morning meeting.

Morning meeting is an engaging way to connect with your students at the beginning of each day. An objectives and agenda board along with a morning message will help your students start off on the right track. Plus, check out this big list of morning meeting questions to last you all year!

13. Greet students with a song

Start morning meetings or greet your students with a song. It’s a great way to start the day on a positive note. Here are our favorite welcome songs to start your day!

14. Establish a culture of kindness

Print these free downloadable posters to remind your students that kindness matters most of all.

15. Build a happy classroom community

Everyone could use a reminder on how to make and keep friends. Here are our favorite friendship videos to help you build a happy classroom community.

16. Teach emotional regulation

Image source: Pathway 2 Success

Learning to live with your emotions takes a lot of practice. Here are Tips for Teaching Emotional Regulation.

17. Teach the difference between reporting and tattling

Image source: Mrs. Warner’s Learning Community

Save yourself a lot of headaches by teaching your students the difference between reporting and tattling. Read the Child Mind Institute’s Is It Tattling or Telling?

18. Read stories that build your students’ social-emotional skills

Learning how to be in school and be a good friend are a huge part of being a first grader. Share these SEL stories that will not only teach lessons but start conversations.

Ideas for Language Arts

19. incorporate daily writing prompts.

We’ve gathered plenty of writing prompts that you can download and use to get your first graders practicing their writing skills.

20. Stock up on fun tools to use for guided reading

Image source: Miss Van Maren’s Fantastic First Grade

Learning to read is hard work! Make it as fun as you can with the great ideas found at the blog  Guided Reading: A Little Novelty Goes a Long Way . For more information on guided reading, check out What Is Guided Reading?

21. Encourage critical thinking

First grade teacher Heather M. shares, “I give students questions that take more thought than our simple carpet discussions—questions that they had to apply what they know to answer. It helps them get away from answering without thinking just to be first.” Here is a big list of critical thinking questions to ask your class.

22. Differentiate reading instruction

“ Read Works is an incredible resource for teaching reading!” says first grade teacher Kellie P. “At least once a week, I use a reading passage and question set in either ‘guided reading’ or ‘read to someone’ for small-group practice. I can easily differentiate because they provide the Lexile levels. I found this resource to be very helpful, especially with nonfiction, to integrate science and social studies concepts into Daily 5 .”

23. Use apps to motivate resistant readers

We’ve rounded up a list of the top apps that teach essential reading skills and motivate kids to read .

24. Have your students create personal word walls or sound walls

Image source: Cara Carroll

Instead of having one massive class word wall, have students create and post their own personal word walls or sound walls in your classroom. Your first graders will love showcasing their skills! Check out Just Cara Carroll for a free personal word wall template.

25. Have fun with literacy centers

We love this big list of literacy center ideas for grades K-2 .

26. Make things interesting with foldables

Image source: Mrs. T’s First Grade Class

Foldables are a great and easy way to make any literacy activity more fun. The one above helps students group words with the same blend.

27. Teach them how to retell a story

Use these reading comprehension anchor charts to review stories with your first graders and strengthen their recall skills after reading.

28. Use paint strips to work on CVC words

Image source: Serving Pink Lemonade

Practice making new words by adding word parts to different beginning letters and letter sounds. And check out these other fun ways to use paint strips!

29. Teach sight words

Image source: Make, Take, and Teach

Check out these fun sight word activities for the classroom!

30. Make phonics fun

Phonics is the foundation for reading success. Breaking words into their constituent sounds helps kids understand and build their literacy skills, bit by bit. Check out these fun phonics activities .

31. Use games to teach blends

Image source: The Measured Mom

Check out these six free, low-prep games for teaching blends.

32. Introduce interactive notebooks

Image source: Teaching With Love & Laughter

First grade teacher Lori shares, “Using interactive notebooks is a great way for children to learn and interact with new information, as well as review and practice skills already introduced. They really took pride in their notebooks and were very proud to share their work with others. Unlike completing worksheets or other printables, which go home right away, these books are always available to the children.” Here’s a guide for how to use interactive notebooks plus a bunch of awesome examples.

Ideas for Math

33. keep your math manipulatives organized and easy to access.

Check out these creative ways to use math manipulatives .

Plus, here are some additional ideas from first grade teachers:

• “Use labels with words and pictures on bins. We take actual pictures of the materials.” — Amy L.
• “I give my kids the things they use the most, like counters and linking cubes, in a ziplock baggie to keep in their desks. When we need them, I just tell them to take out their math tools. It saves a lot of time passing them out every time they are needed.” — Diane D.
• “I put my manipulatives into clear shoe boxes and label them with words and pictures. I have a set of shelves in my back room where the kids can access them.” — Kelly H.
• “Save baby wipe tubs and give each student their own set of place value books to keep in the desk.” —Ann M.

34. Keep math journals

Making a chart that connects the numeral, word, and picture for each number will help reinforce number concepts with your little ones. Check out  more great examples of how to use math journals .

35. Differentiate math work by using online resources

There are tons of online resources for differentiating math work. For a huge list of suggestions, check out our best math websites for teaching and learning math.

36. Play math games

Here’s a big list of math games that are just right for first grade.

37. Watch math videos

Making math more engaging for kids can be difficult. But teaching math will be anything but boring when you introduce students to some of our favorite subtraction and addition videos on YouTube .

38. Teach shapes

Learning shapes is one of the earliest concepts we teach kids. Shapes ready them for geometry in the years ahead, but it’s also an important skill for learning how to write and draw. Get started with these activities for learning shapes .

39. Count the days of school and celebrate when you reach 100!

There are so many different fun ways to celebrate the 100th day of school. We’ve got a whole collection of 100th Day of School activities for you.

40. Have “Number Talks”

You can build mental math and computation skills with Number Talks .

First grade teacher Stephanie W. shares, “Our students need to be able to explain their thinking on math assessments, so this is a perfect way to get them comfortable with reasoning aloud. They learn to explain clearly and logically. It also helps them to see their errors since you write down the problem exactly the way they explain it. If they can’t see the errors, other students can help clarify. It also gives value to working problems in different ways. As children develop a deeper number sense, they decompose and manipulate numbers in more complex ways.”

41. Get to know the hundreds chart with number puzzles

These easy-to-make number puzzle games will help students see what 1 more, 10 more, 1 less, and 10 less look like. We’ve also gathered plenty of hundreds chart activities you can do with your students.

42. Share math word problems daily

We’ve got a collection of free math word problems for your first grade class ! Use them for math word problems of the day or a warm-up whenever you need it.

Ideas for Science

43. create “apple eruptions”.

Image source: Growing a Jeweled Rose

Conduct an apple-volcano science experiment. Fun and yum! Click here for step-by-step instructions. Plus, check out these apple science activities .

44. Get hands-on with science

Science is the perfect subject for kids to get down and dirty in. Try this big list of first grade science projects for inspiration.

45. Try daily STEM challenges

These STEM challenges are designed with your first graders in mind. Try one each day or each week to get their minds thinking outside the box.

46. Use a science journal to teach the seasons

Image source: Today … in First Grade

Students will draw trees in each season, describe what they wear during the different seasons, and journal about what makes winter, spring, summer, and fall different as they fill in this science journal.

47. Look for resources from an old friend

Check out these awesome lesson plans for teaching first grade science in the kitchen, on the playground, and throughout the day from PBS Kids .

48. Take a field trip

There’s something about the first grade field trip that’s so special. We’ve rounded up our favorite first grade field trips that students will remember forever.

Ideas for Classroom Organization

49. when it comes to decorating your classroom, less is more.

Anyone teaching first grade is going to have the urge to decorate, but check out these HELPLINE readers’ thoughts on why simplicity rules:

• “I have learned to start with a blank slate and let the students ‘decorate’ the classroom through the year with their work.” —Sarah H.
• “I made the mistake of covering every wall with decor and then had nowhere for anchor charts!” —Ann M.
• “You will see people go overboard with themes. Don’t bother! I saw the cutest classroom where the teacher had bought a pack of plain borders with various colors, and she just alternated the colors on the wall with alternating butcher paper. Go simple.” —Suzanne H.

Plus, check out our minimalist guide to classroom design .

50. Keep paperwork organized with labeled three-drawer bins

Image source: Learning to Teach

Hurray! No more messy piles everywhere when teaching first grade. For more ideas, check out these organization tips for back to school.

51. Create classroom mailboxes for students

Image source: The Teaching Thief

Use mailboxes to return work and have students write and deliver letters to one another! Personalize them to match your classroom decor. Here are our favorite DIY mailboxes.

52. Craft milk-crate seats with built-in storage

Image source: The Apple Tree Room

These adorable seats can double as bins for easy materials storage. Check out other creative ways to use milk crates in your classroom.

53. Keep your classroom books organized

Make it easier for students to grab their favorite books. These amazing classroom bookshelves are perfect for setting up a classroom library or reading nook.

54. Use “absent folders” to help students catch up when they return to school

Image source: Teaching With Terhune

Partner students at the beginning of the year. When one student is absent, have their partner put work in the Absent Folder for them. When the student returns to school, send the folder home. Total time-saver!

Ideas for Classroom Management

55. there’s a chart for that.

These classroom management anchor charts tackle every possible issue.

56. Use a snappy call-and-response to get their attention

For fun ideas for quieting a noisy class, check out these attention-getters .

57. Put a system in place for the lunch count

Image source: Tales From a Fourth Grade Math Nut

Here are some of our favorite lunch count ideas for making it quick and easy.

58. Take a brain break

Check out these brain break videos , gathered just for your first graders.

59. Reduce stress during dismissal

Dismissal time doesn’t have to be chaotic. Check out these great tips on handling dismissal time .

60. Let students pick their own seats (carefully)

Teaching first grade is part of easing kids into the school experience. Let them practice their independence with these tips for letting students choose their seats .

61. Motivate students to tidy up the classroom

We’ve put together this list of catchy cleanup songs for kids to make those transitions a breeze!

62. Have students use colored sticky notes to communicate their understanding of a concept

Image source: Love, Teach, Inspire

Students signal if they’re struggling, stuck, or solid on a concept they’re learning! You can use sticky notes or colored index cards.

63. Set up a “Calm-Down Corner” and toolbox

Image source: Creatively Teaching First

The calm-down spot is a classroom space where students go to regulate their emotions and redirect their behavior. Stock these spaces with tools students can use to help them calm down and make better choices. Learn more about Why Safe Spaces Are Critical in Today’s Classrooms.

Need more inspiration? Here are 8 Types of Learning Spaces to Consider Including in Your Elementary Classroom .

64. Use online timers to keep the learning on track

We’ve rounded up the best, fun online timers to try for the classroom to help with keeping students on track.

Other Ideas

65. use all the anchor charts.

Here are our favorite anchor charts for teaching first grade .

66. Build relationships with your students’ parents

Check out these Teacher-Tested Ways To Make Your Classroom Parents Adore You .

67. Make art

Check out these art projects that are just right for first graders .

68. Set the tone for work time with background music

From Piano Guys to Afrobeat to the Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra, you can find a Pandora station for every occasion.

69. Play with your kids

First graders are hilarious! Don’t forget to have fun with them. Here are a bunch of old-school recess games you can teach your students.

70. Use technology to organize classroom volunteers

Sites like SignUpGenius are free and user-friendly. You could also assign one of your classroom volunteers to manage the content and delegation of any project or extra hands needed using this service. If you are looking for more ways to use classroom volunteers, here are Tricks To Get the Most Out of Classroom Volunteers .

71. Display student work from the ceiling

Image source: Kroger’s Kindergarten

This is the perfect solution for teaching in first grade classrooms with limited wall space, which is the case in most classrooms. Dangle student work from the ceiling! Check out more clever ways to display students’ work in the classroom and online .

72. Bring more positive language into your classroom

Here are a few ways we can find the kind of mindfulness and positive language we hope to model for our students.

73. Get acquainted with running records

What are running records? When used meaningfully while teaching first grade, running records can really help you move the needle. Running records are a valuable reading-assessment tool used in many primary classrooms.

74. Create DIY classroom cubbies

Image source: The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

Give your kids some space of their own. These DIY classroom cubbies provide lots of options for teachers.

75. Grab inspired dry erasers

Image source: @kinder_charm

This is one of the best money-saving hacks I’ve seen in recent years! After all, inspiration can come from all sorts of places. They’re perfect for little hands and they really get the “erasing” job done. Bonus: They’re cute too! Check out more of our favorite money-saving classroom hacks .

What are your top tips for teaching first grade? Come share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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