Break through writing blocks and improve your communication skills with this list of writing prompts for high school students. Use them for daily warm-ups, journal entries, creative writing, narrative essays, and more.
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Benefits of Writing Prompts
The more writing practice your child gets in high school, the better. Here’s how they can benefit from using writing prompts in any classroom.
Improve written communication skills
In today’s world, many careers require people to be able to communicate clearly and concisely through the written word, whether through email, online messages, reports, or other means of communication. For some students, writing comes easily, but in general, the best way to improve your grades is to practice, practice, practice!
overcoming writer’s block
Teachers hear it over and over: “I don’t know what to write!” Specific prompts can help overcome these complaints by providing focus, style, or other instructions to help students get started.
Develop critical thinking skills
Challenging writing prompts and essay topics encourage students to think more deeply about topics and approach them from different perspectives. Writers practice assessing cause and effect, weighing evidence, and taking a position on an issue.
Invite personal reflection
Journal prompts and personal narratives inspire students to think about their own emotions, reactions, and behaviors. They inspire students to develop resilience, mindfulness, and personal power as they write.
encourage self-expression
Creative writing and journaling prompts are especially helpful in encouraging students to share more about themselves. This helps build self-confidence and provides them with ways to process their experiences and emotions.
How to Use Writing Prompts with High School Students
Wondering how to write prompts in class? Try these ideas:
- Daily Warm-Up: Start with a short writing prompt to get kids thinking and ready to participate.
- Journal Writing: Give children space each day to write personal and private thoughts and reflections.
- Creative Writing Exercises: Help students write stories, plays, poems, and more.
- Discussion Starter: After students have spent some time writing on a topic, break them into pairs or small groups to discuss their ideas.
- Test Prep: Provides tips students might find on the SAT, ACT, AP, or other standardized tests to practice timed essay writing.
- Alternative Plans: Writing prompts make it easy to create sub-plans! Give the substitute teacher a list of names for students to choose from and the class will flow naturally!
- Post-lesson reflection: Use prompts as an exit ticket or as a way for students to summarize what they learned and make real-life connections.
High School Diary Writing Prompts
- What do you value most in a friend?
- What is one thing you want to improve about yourself? How to get started?
- Write down the qualities you admire about yourself.
- What are you most afraid of? How can you overcome this fear?
- Describe a place where you feel completely comfortable.
- Which subject was the most difficult for you and how did you handle it?
- Write about a teacher who had a positive impact on your life.
- Do you prefer working alone or in a group? Why?
- When life feels difficult, what motivates you to keep going?
- How do you feel about homework?
- Describe your ideal classroom environment.
- Who do you respect and why?
- What makes a person trustworthy?
- What role does social media play in your friendships?
- How do you cope when you feel anxious or worried?
- What lessons have you learned from a relationship that didn’t work out?
- How do you express appreciation for others?
- Which is more important, honesty or kindness?
- Do you think high school friendships can last a lifetime? Why or why not?
- What does happiness mean to you?
High School Creative Writing Prompts
- There were power outages all over the world. Write down what happened in the next 24 hours.
- A character writes a letter but never sends it. What does it say? Who was it written for?
- You find an old photo taken decades ago and realize you’re in it.
- Write about a day in a world where emotions are sold in bottles.
- Describe the UFO that landed in your backyard and who or what was inside.
- Write about a superhero with silly superpowers and how “real” superheroes treat them.
- Write about the day when every thought you have will be seen by everyone around you.
- Describe a world where music has magical power.
- Today you realize that your life is a reality TV show – and everyone else is an actor. What now?
- Imagine a day in the life of a pet (yours or someone else’s).
- Write a story about the first people to visit another planet and search for life there.
- Write an episode of your favorite show with you as a guest star.
- Choose a book or story and write a different ending to it.
- Write a story set in a world where people age backwards.
- What would happen if people could no longer see color and could only see black, white, or shades of gray?
- News article that wrote this headline: Scientists Discover Secret to Immortality.
- Write a story set in a world where people communicate through dance rather than spoken words.
- You are accused of a horrific crime that you did not commit. Write about your experience.
- Write a story set around a spaceship that travels the galaxy but never lands anywhere.
- Write a dialogue between two historical figures from different eras.
5-Minute Writing Prompts for High School
- What’s a skill you’d like to learn that isn’t taught in school?
- Use only weather words to describe your current mood.
- What sounds do you find particularly annoying?
- What is one thing you are grateful for today? Why?
- Give today a movie title and explain why you chose it.
- If you could, which school rule would you change?
- List five things you would put in a time capsule that would be buried today and opened 50 years from now.
- Write a complete story in five sentences or less.
- What little things have made you happy lately?
- What’s one small thing you can do today to make the world a better place?
10-Minute Writing Prompts for High School
- Write a letter to someone you love and tell them why you love them.
- Write down the smells associated with happy memories.
- Set a small goal for yourself and explain how you will achieve it.
- Write a text message exchange between two fictional characters.
- What is going well in your life right now, and what is the most challenging?
- Choose a favorite song and describe how it makes you feel.
- How to cheer yourself up on a bad day?
- If money was no object, what career or job would you choose?
- List three new things you have learned recently and explain which one is the most important.
- If someone gave you something you wanted most, what would you be willing to give up in exchange for it?
Fun Writing Prompts for High School
- What’s the funniest joke you know? Why does it always make you laugh?
- Describe a perfect meal from start to finish.
- Do you want to fly or become invisible?
- How would you fight a monster 50 times your size?
- Write an ad for shoes that can be walked on the ceiling.
- Create a new holiday and explain how to celebrate it.
- Make a list of the five funniest excuses for being late for class.
- Create a sport that could only exist on another planet.
- What if every time you sneeze, you switch bodies with the person closest to you?
- Write a letter to one of your heroes and imagine their reaction to you.
Writing Tips for High School Students
- What is your favorite grade school?
- Which grade level do you like least in school?
- When you look back on your K-12 years, what do you wish you had done differently?
- What course (real or imagined) would you like to be able to take?
- Do you think your K-12 years prepared you for adulthood? Why or why not?
- Compare and contrast your elementary school friends with your current friends.
- Make a list of 10 things you hope to accomplish in 10 years. Which of these is most important to you?
- Which teacher has had the greatest impact on your life over the years?
- What advice would you give to a child starting kindergarten?
- Fill in the blanks and explain your answer: Graduation is the end of ____________ and the beginning of ____________.
High School Narrative Writing Prompts
- Describe a time when you did something that you later regretted.
- Write about your proudest moment.
- Describe your favorite field trip.
- Write about the best party or celebration you have ever attended.
- Write about a time when you or someone you knew showed courage.
- If you could relive any day in your life, which day would it be? Do you want it to be the same or different?
- Explore a time when you were treated unfairly.
- When was the last time you questioned something you thought was right?
- Choose one of the communities you belong to and describe the community and your place in it.
- Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
Get more engaging personal narrative topics here.
Challenging Essay Writing Tips for High School
- What is the difference between equality and fairness?
- What responsibilities do the rich have towards the poor?
- Is artificial intelligence (AI) dangerous or helpful?
- Should terminally ill patients be allowed to choose when and how to end their lives?
- Why does society seem so divided and hostile today?
- Choose a person who is considered a hero by many and explore why you disagree.
- Which is more important, personal freedom or community safety?
- Should freedom of speech be restricted?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of standardized testing?
- If you could make one change in our system of government, what would you do and why?
Find more high school essay topics here.
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