writing prompts

Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids

July 15, 2025 | 8 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some Plains Indians free writing prompts for multiple ages. Too, look at my page Free Native Americans The Plains Indians Unit Study & Lapbook.

Also, look at my pages Homeschool Middle School, How to Homeschool High School and How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.for more fun tips.

Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids

You know my passion for unit studies and some things like writing, I just taught on the spot and took topics from books or things we were learning about. Isn’t that the best way to teach writing anyway?

Then, writing has a meaningful purpose to either a budding writer or an advanced writer.

So I have started working my way through creating writing prompts and topics for you on each of my unit studies here on my site.

You can look over and grab the first set of ideas for my Ancient Civilization unit study here on 20 Ideas For Bringing Writing Alive Through Unit Studies.

Also, I divided them out by grade level, not that I so believe in grade level, but because I know that like my kids, your kids too are at different levels for their writing ability.

Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts

This will give you choices for a range of difficulties. Too, I have topics that are both factual and creative depending on what skills you are looking to strengthen in your child’s writing.

MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL PLAINS INDIAN WRITING TOPICS

(Remember, for some of these topics, you will need to look at my Plains Indians Unit Study and Lapbook Page.)

■When Ten Bears he said he was born on the prairie, do you think he was talking only about his birth?

■How would you feel if you were forbidden to speak in your native language?

■If you were a pioneer traveling West, what Native American tribe would you want to encounter and why?

■Use pictographs and write (draw) a Native American tale.

■Choose one of the tribes from the Plains and write about their life, the food they ate and why buffalo were so important to them. Look here at ledger drawings to understand how they felt about their life on The Plains.

■What are the elements of a myth? Read a myth that the Plain Indians believed in and write about why they believed in it.

■Sign language was invented out of necessity. Was sign language for the Plains Indians for the deaf? Write (and illustrate) about some of the sign language the Indians used.

■Indians used many different kind of wild plants for food. Acorns (shelled and ground into meal) and Sotol and Lechuguilla are plants of the agave family. The bulbs of these plants were cooked and eaten. Write about some of the food that the Plains Indians ate and how they made it. (Include a recipe too.)

■What are two ways that the flat area of the plains affected the Native Americans?

■What are 4 major contributions by the Plains Indians?

■(On my Plains Indian page). After reading the short story about the captivity of Lorinda Bewly with the Whitman group traveling to Oregon, write a brief essay about the meeting of two different cultures? Or were they that different after all? What do you think and why?

■What are two major differences between the Plains Indians and other Native Americans of that time?

Free Writing Prompts

■How are Plains Indians making contributions today?

■What was the view of woman during the times of the Plains Indians and compare that to how people feel today?

■Describe the social structure of the Plains Indians.

■In your opinion, did the early American settlers try to help or hinder the progress of Native Americans?

■Describe the art, beading and leather working of the Plains Indians.

■Do you think the Indians should have been paid for their land? Why or why not?

ELEMENTARY WRITING PROMPTS ABOUT THE PLAINS INDIANS

■Why was a dog and horse important to the Plains Indians?

■What did the Plains Indians live in? Describe how they decorated their tipis and draw your own design.

■What was winter like on the Plains compared to other Native Americans living at that time?

■What is pemmican and why was it important to the Plains Indians?

■Explain the many uses of the buffalo.

■Do you think the Plains Indians had pets? If so, what kind? How would you take care of a pet when living on the wide open plains?

■What do you think life would have been like in a tipi?

■Describe the life of a hunter and why hunting was important to the Plains Indians

■Why was corn important to the Plains Indians? Look here at my Fall Unit Study page to read about corn.

■Do you think the kids of the Plains Indians did school? How did they learn?

Hope you enjoyed these brainstorming ideas as well as some of the topics we wrote about. I have more free writing prompts coming on my other unit studies soon.

You may also love these other resources:

Hugs and love ya,

Unlocking Imagination: A Guide to Elementary School Writing Topics

April 12, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

To catch their interest, you want to keep elementary school writing topics interesting and relevant to your child’s life. Also, look at my page Practical Homeschool Writing Curriculum from Pre-K To High School for more tips. Too, look at my page How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.

Besides, writing is a fundamental skill that lays the groundwork for academic success and effective communication throughout life.

Too, elementary school writing topics help students to foster creativity, critical thinking, and a love for language.

Unlocking Imagination: A Guide to Elementary School Writing Topics

Additionally, I’m giving you lots of great ideas for writing topics for your elementary aged child.

However, it would also be a lot of fun to help your child create a unique customized creative writing journal to put ideas in.

In the elementary grades, children begin to learn about- narrative, descriptive, and expository writing, with each serving its own purpose.

Narrative writing tells a story. It often includes characters, a plot, and a setting. The primary goal is to entertain or engage the reader.

Informative writing aims to educate or inform the reader about a specific topic. It relies on facts, statistics, and evidence to convey information.

Persuasive writing attempts to convince the reader to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action. It often uses arguments, appeals, and evidence to sway the reader’s opinion.

First, look at narrative writing topics.

NARRATIVE WRITING TOPICS

Narrative writing allows students to tell stories, real or imagined. Moreover, it helps them develop their ability to structure a story, create characters, and use descriptive language from their point of view.

Personal Experiences

A time I was happy
My favorite party
A day I learned something new
A trip to the zoo
My first day of school
A time I helped someone
My favorite family tradition

Imaginary Stories

The mystery of the missing cookie
If I had a pet dragon…
A journey to a faraway land…
The day the toys came to life
A superhero adventure…
A talking animal’s story
A visit to a candy kingdom

Next, look at descriptive writing topics.

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING TOPICS

In addition, descriptive writing encourages students to use sensory details to paint a picture with words. Also, this helps them develop their vocabulary and observation skills.

Places

My favorite place in my house
A park on a sunny day
A busy street in the city
A quiet forest
The beach at sunset
My classroom
A magical garden

Objects

A piece of artwork
My favorite toy
A special gift
A colorful flower
A shiny rock..
An old book
A delicious treat

People

My best friend
A family member
A hero I admire
Someone I just met recently
A character from a book
A neighbor that I know well

Also, look at expository writing topics.

EXPOSITORY WRITING TOPICS

Expository writing focuses on explaining, informing, or describing a topic. For example, it helps students develop their research, organization, and analytical skills.

How-To

How to make a sandwich
How to plant a seed
How to draw a picture
How to build a tower with blocks
How to build a tree fort
How to bake cookies
How to take care of a pet
How to play my favorite video game

Factual Reports

My favorite animal
The solar system
Different types of weather
Famous landmarks
The life cycle of a butterfly
How plants grow
What I know about dinosaurs

Opinion Pieces

Fishing is better than hunting
Why reading is important
My favorite sport and why
The best thing about summer
My favorite food and why
Why it’s important to be kind
The best way to spend a weekend

Too, look at more homeschool writing tips.

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

Finally, look at how to make an elementary school creative writing journal.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WRITING TOPICS JOURNAL

You will need:

Composition book
Scrapbook paper
ribbon
Stickers
Glue
scissors

First, lay your composition book on the “wrongside” of your chosen scrapbook paper.

Then trace around it with a pencil. Do this for each side. I like to leave the clean bound edge outside of the tracing area so it leaves a nice binding.

Unless your paper is the same on both sides, trace one side each time so that the pattern will be showing on the outside rather than cutting the same side out twice.

Next, repeat the same process with solid cardstock for each side.

Cut out all 4 pages and set to the side.

Next, cut out a length of ribbon twice as long as the height of the comp book.

Glue to the inside back cover so that when pulled through the pages at least an inch will still hang out the bottom.

Using a generous amount of glue, attach the solid cardstock to both sides of the inner covers, making sure it is pressed down well and covers the ribbon attached to the back.

Then, wipe away excess glue and allow it to lay open overnight or for several hours until the glue dries. You can use a quick drying glue stick but it may not hold as well as a good coat of school glue, alternatively use a thin layer of hot glue for a really quick dry.

Cover the outside of the journal with glue and press in your patterned paper to cover well. And if needed, trim any edges off neatly.

Additionally, use stickers or markers to add anything else you would like to add. A strip of solid cardstock glued across the middle gives you a clean canvas for adding a name or a title for the writing journal.

We found a bunch of words that were inspiring for writing all types of topics to decorate our journal with.

Finally, allow the glue to dry and the journal is ready to hold all your fabulous stories using what you learned about writing.

Free Summer Handwriting Worksheets & Setting Up A Writing Station

April 10, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Summer handwriting worksheets are perfect to keep fine motor and other writing skills sharp throughout the summer break. Or, if you school year-round, it gives your child a fun change of pace for their handwriting practice. Also, look at my page Practical Homeschool Writing Curriculum from Pre-K To High School for more tips.

To really embrace the summer theme, we are also creating a summer writing station.

Free Summer Handwriting Worksheets & Setting Up A Writing Station

And the beauty of it is that you can customize it for preschoolers all the way up to high school by personalizing it with challenging worksheets and inviting supplies.

Why would you want to make your child write through the summer?

There are plenty of reasons why you should, if not every day at least a couple times a week

BENEFITS OF SUMMER HANDWRITING WORKSHEETS PRACTICE

Strengthens hand and finger muscles.
Enhance dexterity and coordination.
Prevents summer learning loss.
Enhanced Cognitive Development.
Boosts memory and recall.
Improves focus and attention.
Preparation for the next academic year.
Makes the transition back to writing tasks smoother.
Encourages journaling and storytelling.
Provides an outlet for self-expression.
Build confidence in writing abilities.
Fosters a sense of accomplishment.

Also, look at more homeschool writing curriculum and tips.

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

The best writing practice utilizes handwriting skills and creative writing, maybe even some grammar.

So, I have gathered up a little of each as they work hand in hand.

15 FREE SUMMER HANDWRITING WORKSHEETS

Try Summer Writing Topics For Kids if you or they are at a loss for writing ideas and stop the stall.
My Free Under the Sea Worksheets : Dive into the Ocean’s Wonders give your child practice with writing,drawing, and unscrambling.
Tracing the Free Print Handwriting Worksheets for ABCs of Summer Fun daily is great practice, whether it’s on paper or you laminate them and use dry erase markers.
What screams summer more than Ocean Themed Writing Prompts? A great way to get the creativity going.
How about a free worksheet Summer Writing Challenge Calendar that gives an idea for each day.
Summer Writing Activity
Free Printable Summer Tracing Worksheets for Preschool
Preschoolers can color and practice simple letter formation using Summer Alphabet Worksheets.
For older children you will want to work on a skill like Cursive Summer Tracing Words Challenge.
With just a little bit of writing the Summer Word Scramble is a great quick practice idea.
Use these free Editable Writing Sheets for name practice, sight words, or any summer words you would like. If you have a vacation planned you can sneak in some words related to that.
Free Printable Summer Theme Pre Writing Practice Tracing Paths for Toddlers & Preschoolers are for pre writers, great practice for developing fine motor skills and hand eye coordination.
Easy and straightforward these Summer Months Coloring and Writing Pages familiarize younger children with summer months.
A Summer Goals Printable Worksheet is good for elementary through high school.
A blank Summer Bucket List that can be colored as well is a perfect blank slate for practicing writing while making summer plans.

Finally, look at how to make this fun summer themed writing station.

HOW TO MAKE A SUMMER HANDWRITING STATION

You will need:

Stackable acrylic drawers. These are perfect!
Writing paper
Fun pens/pencils
Summer themed stickers
Small beach bucket
Post it notes
Postcards
Blank greeting cards
Envelopes
Summer scrapbook paper
Alpha stamps/inks

First, begin by cutting out summer patterned scrapbook paper the size of your acrylic drawers and line them to create a fun backdrop for the season.

To add another layer of fun you can let your child decorate the drawers with themed stickers as well.

When the next season comes along you can simply apply a bit of heat with a hair dryer to loosen up the adhesive and remove them, swapping them out for new ones.

In one drawer place writing paper that is for whatever level your child is at, primary, wide, college-ruled, etc.

HOW TO MAKE A HANDWRITING STATION

You could also include some handwriting worksheets.

In the other drawer add some envelopes, postcards, stickers, post-it notes, pencil sharpener etc…

Finally, fill up the sand bucket with pencils, markers, and pens in fun colors and different sizes.

You can just pop this on top for an inviting summer themed writing station.

You can change out the stickers, use different types of paper, and include fun prompts like one of the worksheets listed above each week during the summer to keep it fresh.

Think about adding fun erasers, scented markers, and other items other than basic pens and pencils to make the writing station more inviting.

You might also occasionally include a treat or coupon for one like “go out for ice cream” once their handwriting practice is done.

Now that you have set up a writing station that is summer themed your child can use it to write:

thank you notes for gifts received
postcards to friends and family
a short story
letters to pen pals
out favorite song lyrics
a summer menu for the week
a review of a book or movie

Then, use it to practice:

letters or numbers
their name and address
common sight words
short sentences

Finally, keep a summer journal, create a summer bucket list and write out each activity and creating a comic strip with captions give you a variety of activities.

Free 30 Days PreK To High School Simple Writing Activities

April 8, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free 30 printable writing prompts for simple writing activities. The free printable prompts are for grades prek to high school to give you ideas for all your children. Also, look at my page Practical Homeschool Writing Curriculum from Pre-K To High School for more tips.

And one of the best ways to improve the writing process and foster creativity is through writing prompts.

Prompts take all the stress out of what you write about.

Free 30 Days PreK To High School Simple Writing Activities

It allows writers of any level to focus on their creativity, their thoughts and personal expression.

Those reasons are the very ones we want to teach our children to write for.

Not to seek a grade, not to please other people with their topics but kids should write for their own intrinsic value.

And just what are writing prompts?

Writing prompts are short, thought-provoking statements or questions which spark creativity.

WRITING PROMPT BOOKS FOR KIDS

Next, look at these books to help spark ideas for your children.

5 Writing Prompt Books & Story Starters

Use these fun books and story starters to stir the imagination of your writer.

Story Starters: Helping Children Write Like They've Never Written Before

Karen Andreola's charming book is part of The Gentle Art of Learning series. It has all the right ingredients to inspire even the reluctant writer or the student who has experienced discouragement. Karen's JUMBO book of Story Starters encourage children to write in ways they have never written before. Karen's carefully-crafted story starter suspends a student in the middle of a predicament. He is then faced with the question; What happens next? This is his cue to expand and embellish the story however he wants. He learns to write freely; with imagination and zest - and with far more boldness than he may be accustomed to. The action-packed stories are especially appealing to boys. Thumb through the pages to choose whatever story or illustration catches your fancy. Karen has written a large selection to satisfy the varied interests of both boys and girls. To spark even more curiosity, each story is illustrated with one or more engaging, and often amazing, 19th century pictures. The settings are sometimes: intense, sometimes funny, sometimes sweetly domestic, but always pose a challenge. Here is your child s opportunity to: rescue those in danger, comfort the sick, cheer the lonely, laugh with the ridiculous, tame the wild, and do battle for good! Awaken the dormant writer in your child with this lively approach to creative writing.

The Storymatic Kids – Writing Prompts for Young Writers – Storytelling Games – Teacher Tool

Gazillions of Writing Prompts: Make writing fun with 360 storytelling prompt cards and story starters for kids; A creative, family-friendly activity that little and big kids can play together; Age 5 and up, up, up; A gift for writers of all ages

How to Use: The basics are super easy: combine yellow character cards with blue complication cards and let your imagination take over; Includes a booklet with creative prompts and non-competitive storytelling games; Play by yourself or in a group

Writing Prompts for Kids: A Creative Writing Workbook To Inspire Young Writers

Writing stories is one of the best ways for children to give focus to their creativity while learning and having fun. With this fabulous book, your child will find all the guidance and help they need to hone their writing skills and create amazing original stories.Packed with ingenious and inventive writing prompts, this guide inspires kids to channel their inner author. Every child should be encouraged to give free rein to their imagination… These story starters give them the help they need to put pen to paper and create something truly magical.

101 Story Starters for Teens: Creative Writing Prompts to Kick Your Imagination into High Gear (Story Starters for Kids)

Take your writing skills to the next level with these fun and creative story starters for teens. This workbook contains over 100 creative writing prompts for teenagers in middle school and high school. Kids in grades 8-12 will get plenty of ideas for their next Language Arts class, short story assignment, or storytelling project.

Whether you're using this book in the classroom or at home, these story starters will banish blank-page anxiety and kick your teen's imagination into high gear. It's great for teachers, parents, students, aspiring authors, and anyone who loves to write exciting young adult stories.

The Ultimate Writing Prompt Book for Kids Ages 8-12: a creative workbook to boost literacy skills and spark imagination while exploring exciting story themes and genres.

This fun, stress-free workbook is much more than a collection of prompts—it helps kids develop strong writing skills, ignite their imagination, and build confidence in storytelling! With engaging prompts and creative exercises, young writers will explore different genres, experiment with new ideas, and discover their unique storytelling voice.

Then, look at more simple writing activities.

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

ABOUT THE 6 PAGE FREE PRINTABLE WRITING CHALLENGE

Next, look at what is included in this free printable writing challenge.

1 preschool writing challenge page for 30 days
1 elementary writing challenge page for 30 days
1 middle school writing challenge page for 30 days
1 high school writing challenge page for 30 days
2 pages rewards and incentives for preschool to high school

HOW TO GET THE FREE PRINTABLE WRITING CHALLENGE

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Energize Creativity: Free Writing Prompts for Middle School

April 4, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 50 free writing prompts for middle school to help get the creativity flowing when your child doesn’t know what to write about for the day. Also, look at my page Practical Homeschool Writing Curriculum from Pre-K To High School for more tips.

You can choose from them daily, twice a week, or just when they need a little creative push and a fun idea.

To help give them some ownership in the writing prompts we are also going to let them decorate a jar to hold them all.

Energize Creativity: Free Writing Prompts for Middle School

There are many benefits to having your child write daily, no matter what type of homeschooler you are unit study, classical, Charlotte Mason, or unschooler.

Besides when using writing prompts middle school kids get a break from thinking what to write about and focus on how to write it.

Simply put, the more a child writes the better he becomes at organizing his thoughts.

Look at some more benefits of writing daily.

BENEFITS OF DAILY WRITING

Improves writing skills.
Enhances creativity.
Clarifies thoughts and emotions.
Boosts memory and cognitive function.
Reduces stress and anxiety.
Facilitates problem-solving.
Strengthens self-discipline.
Increases productivity.
Encourages self-reflection.
Provides a sense of accomplishment.

The beauty of assigning writing is that you can decide how many words, how many paragraphs , how neat, etc your child should have in their daily creative writing.

But they get to make it their own.

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

Also, look at more tips and activities.

Also, look at how to make this jar to store the free writing prompts.

HOW TO MAKE A WRITING PROMPTS JAR FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL

You will need:

Printed or handwritten writing prompts (add your email at the bottom by clicking on the link or graphic to grab the freebie instantly)
An old book
Clean, smooth jar
School glue
scissors

First, cut strips of words, sentences or paragraphs from an old book.

This is going to feel criminal but you can use an old book that is falling apart or grab a cheap one from Dollar Tree. You could also use a newspaper or magazine.

Make a mixture of half water and half school glue.

Paint the glue mixture on the jar, working in sections.

Apply your strips, pressing into glue

Brush more of the glue mixture over the top of each strip as you add it.

Repeat until the majority of the jar is covered, set aside to dry.

Now, you can take these 50 prompts and whatever other ones you come up with and print them out leaving a line of space between each.

Cut them out in strips and roll or fold them up.

Add them all to your jar and replace the lid.

Finally, look how to grab the freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE 50 PRINTABLE WRITING PROMPTS

It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

writing prompts

Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts

MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL PLAINS INDIAN WRITING TOPICS

Free Writing Prompts

ELEMENTARY WRITING PROMPTS ABOUT THE PLAINS INDIANS

NARRATIVE WRITING TOPICS

Personal Experiences

Imaginary Stories

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING TOPICS

Places

Objects

People

EXPOSITORY WRITING TOPICS

How-To

Factual Reports

Opinion Pieces

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WRITING TOPICS JOURNAL

BENEFITS OF SUMMER HANDWRITING WORKSHEETS PRACTICE

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

15 FREE SUMMER HANDWRITING WORKSHEETS

HOW TO MAKE A SUMMER HANDWRITING STATION

HOW TO MAKE A HANDWRITING STATION

WRITING PROMPT BOOKS FOR KIDS

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

ABOUT THE 6 PAGE FREE PRINTABLE WRITING CHALLENGE

HOW TO GET THE FREE PRINTABLE WRITING CHALLENGE

BENEFITS OF DAILY WRITING

MORE HOMESCHOOL WRITING CURRICULUM & TIPS

HOW TO MAKE A WRITING PROMPTS JAR FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL

HOW TO GET THE FREE 50 PRINTABLE WRITING PROMPTS

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