year-round writing prompts kit

Congratulations on your purchase of this Really GoodStuff® Year-Round Writing Prompts Kit—a ready-to-go, whole class or center activity to engage studentsin a variety of season-inspired writing.

This Really Good Stuff® product includes:• Year-Round Writing Prompts Box• 80 Writing Prompt Cards, 20 for each season• 20 Blank Prompt Cards, 5 for each season• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide

Assembling and Displaying the Year-Round WritingPrompts KitBefore using the Year-Round Writing Prompts Kit,make copies of this Really Good Stuff® ActivityGuide and file the pages for future use. Or,download another copy of it from our Web site atwww.reallygoodstuff.com. Band the Writing PromptCards together according to season and storethem in a zippered plastic bag inside the Box whennot in use.

Introducing the Year-Round Writing Prompts Kitfor Whole Class UseThe Prompt Cards include a variety of prompts forwriting in different modes and formats for eachseason, allowing you to choose appropriateprompts for your writing lessons. Choose thedesired Prompt Cards for the season, and placethem inside the Year-Round Writing Prompts Box.Explain to students that they are going to choosea writing prompt for the day’s writing lesson. Holdup the Box, and show the students each side.Have students identify the current season, andplace the Box with that side facing the students.Ask a volunteer to choose a Prompt Card andread the prompt aloud. Write that prompt on theboard, and encourage students to brainstormsome ideas as you record them underneath. Havestudents write the number of the chosen promptat the top of their paper, complete the writingassignment, and share their work with the class.Alternate volunteers so that each student hasthe chance to choose a Prompt Card for the class.Use the Blank Prompt Cards for each season tolabel with additional writing prompts more specific

to your curriculum and label them with numbersfrom 21 to 25. Use a copy of the Prompt TrackingReproducible to keep track of prompts thestudents have written.

Center WorkOn a copy of the Year-Round Writing PromptsDirections Reproducible, complete Number 5 andlaminate it. Place the appropriate Prompt Cardsinside the Year-Round Writing Prompts Box, andput it in the writing center. Post the Year-RoundWriting Prompts Directions Reproducible nearby tohelp students use the Kit independently. Remindstudents to write the number of the chosenPrompt Card at the top of their paper. Copy andpost the appropriate Season Word BankReproducible in the center so that students canrefer to it while planning and writing theirresponse to the writing prompt. Collect thestudents’ work for assessment.

Make and distribute copies of the My WritingPrompts Tracking Reproducible. Each time astudent works at the center, instruct him or herto circle the prompt number on the reproducibleand then to store it in his or her writing folder.Periodically, check the reproducibles to monitorstudents’ center work.

Small Group WorkChoose a Prompts Card to teach a small-groupremedial lesson to students who are in need ofadditional help: Place a chosen Prompts Card in theBox, then pull it out and read it to the group.Discuss the prompt and what it is asking the groupto write about. Have the group brainstorm ideas andpossible approaches before they begin to write.

Individual WorkPlace appropriate Prompt Cards for the seasoninside the Year-Round Writing Prompts Box.Encourage students to draw a Card forinspiration whenever they are having problemsthinking of something to write, for morning work,or for a little extra writing practice.

Year-Round Writing Prompts Kit

All activity guides can be found online:

Season Word Bank Reproducible

Prompt Tracking Reproducible

Prompt Card

Year-Round Writing Prompts Directions Reproducible

My Writing Prompts Tracking Reproducible