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3rd grade writing prompts
60 prompts for third graders, in five groups: narrative, opinion, informative, creative and journal. Need more? Tell Sparky your topic and it writes a new set at the same level.
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3rd grade narrative writing prompts
Third graders tell real or made-up events in order, with dialogue and the characters' thoughts and feelings (Common Core W.3.3). Each prompt here asks for one event a student can tell from beginning to end.
Other grades have their own pages: 4th grade, 5th grade, middle school and high school. The writing prompt generator writes prompts on your own topic.
Times you remember
- Write about a time you were brave. What happened, and how did you feel at the end?
- Tell about the first time you tried a new food. Use words like "then" and "after that" to show the order.
- Write about a time you lost something important and how you found it.
Family and friends
- Write about a day you spent with a grandparent or another grown-up you love. Include one thing they said.
- Tell the story of how you met your best friend.
- Write about a time you and a friend disagreed and how you fixed it. Show what each of you said.
School days
- Write about the most surprising thing that ever happened at recess.
- Tell about a field trip or class party you remember. Describe what you saw and heard.
- Write about a time you helped a classmate who was having a hard day.
Stories you make up
- A puppy follows you home from the bus stop. Write what happens next and how the story ends.
- Your class pet gets out of its cage during the night. Tell how the class finds it.
- A storm knocks out the power at your house. Write about the evening from the first flicker to bedtime.
3rd grade opinion writing prompts
An opinion piece in third grade states the opinion, gives reasons, and links them with words like because, therefore, since and for example (W.3.1). These ask about things students already know well, so the reasons come easily.
At school
- Should recess be longer? Give two reasons and use the word "because."
- Which subject is the best one in school? Tell why, with an example.
- Should every student learn to play a musical instrument? Give reasons for your opinion.
At home
- Should kids get an allowance for doing chores? Explain your opinion.
- Is it better to have a brother or sister, or to be an only child? Give your reasons.
- Which season is the best? Give two reasons and end with a sentence that sums up your opinion.
Books
- Who is your favorite character from a book you read this year? Use details from the book in your reasons.
- Is it better to read the book or watch the movie? Explain why.
- Should our next read-aloud be a funny book or an adventure? Tell the class why.
Your choice
- Would you rather visit the ocean or the mountains? Give reasons.
- Should kids be allowed to choose their own bedtime? Give your opinion and two reasons.
- What is the best pet for a family that lives in a small apartment? Explain your choice.
3rd grade informative writing prompts
Informative writing in third grade groups related facts, uses definitions and details, and connects ideas with words like also, another and but (W.3.2). Several prompts here match third grade science topics: life cycles, habitats, weather and magnets.
How to do it
- Explain how to make a sandwich so someone who has never made one could do it.
- Tell how to take care of a houseplant. Use "first," "also" and "another."
- Explain how to get ready for school in the morning, step by step.
Animals and habitats
- Choose an animal and explain its life cycle, from birth to adult.
- Write about an animal that lives in the desert. How does its body help it survive there?
- Explain what a habitat is. Then describe one habitat and two animals that live in it.
Weather and magnets
- Describe the weather where you live in each of the four seasons.
- Explain what people can do to stay safe in a thunderstorm.
- Explain what magnets stick to and what they don't. Give examples you have tested.
Your community
- Describe three places in your community and what people do at each one.
- Explain a job someone in your family or neighborhood does and why it matters.
- Write about a holiday or tradition your family celebrates. Explain what people do and why.
Creative writing prompts for 3rd grade
These start from one strange change to an ordinary day, which gives third graders a clear place to begin. They work as stories, letters or short poems.
What if
- What if your shoes could take you anywhere you wanted? Where would you go first?
- You plant a seed and a tree grows overnight. What grows on the tree?
- What if it rained something other than water for one day? Tell what happens.
Letters and voices
- Write a letter from your pencil to you, telling you how it feels about the way you use it.
- Pretend you are a leaf falling from a tree. Describe your trip to the ground.
- Write a thank-you note to a character from a book.
Inventions
- Invent a robot that does one chore. Describe how it works and what goes wrong on its first day.
- Design a new ride for the playground. Describe what it looks like and how it feels to ride.
- Make up a new holiday. What is it called, and how do people celebrate it?
Poems
- Write a five-line poem about rain that uses words for sounds.
- Write an acrostic poem using the letters of your name.
- Look out the window for one minute. Write what you see as if it were the first page of a story.
3rd grade journal prompts
Short questions about the writer's own life, for a few minutes at the start or end of the day. Third graders can answer each one in a few sentences, and there is no wrong answer.
About me
- What are three things that make you happy? Why?
- What is something you are really good at? How did you get good at it?
- If you could teach the class one thing, what would it be?
Feelings
- Write about a time you felt proud of yourself.
- What do you do when you feel upset? What helps you feel better?
- Who is someone who makes you laugh? Tell about them.
This year
- What is one goal you have for this school year? What will help you reach it?
- What do you want to be when you grow up, and why?
- What is something you want to learn how to do this year?
Wondering
- What is one question you wish you knew the answer to?
- If any animal could be your friend for a day, which one would you pick?
- What is the best gift you ever gave someone?
Get more 3rd grade prompts from Sparky
Say what you need
Type one line, like "opinion prompts about recess for 3rd grade" or "story prompts about our class trip to the farm".
Get prompts back
Sparky writes them in the chat or in a document. Ask for changes, like a different topic or a sentence starter under each prompt.
Use them in class
Copy them onto the board or your slides, or ask for a printable sheet you can save as a Google Doc or a Word file.
Ways 3rd grade teachers use them
Morning journals
A short prompt on the board as students come in, answered in their journals in ten minutes.
Paragraph practice
Prompts with a sentence starter, for students moving from single sentences to a full paragraph.
Read-aloud responses
Prompts about the chapter you just read: how a character felt, what happens next, the best part and why.
Science and social studies
Informative prompts on your unit, such as plant life cycles or your town's history, so students write what they learned.
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Frequently asked questions
Are these 3rd grade writing prompts free?
Yes. Use or print any prompt on this page, and Sparky is free for teachers when you want more.
What should a 3rd grader be able to write?
In the Common Core writing standards, third graders write opinion pieces backed by reasons, informative pieces with facts and definitions, and stories with dialogue and a clear order of events. Each piece sets up its topic or situation and ends with a closing.
What are good creative writing topics for 3rd grade?
Third graders do well with one strange change to an ordinary day: a seed that grows a tree overnight, a robot that does one chore, a letter from their pencil. The creative section has twelve, and Sparky can write more around a theme your class likes.
How do I help a 3rd grader who can't get started?
Give a sentence starter and two or three words to use. Ask Sparky to add a starter under each prompt, or to write an easier version of a prompt for some students.
Can I print these prompts?
Copy the ones you want, or ask Sparky for a printable sheet. It makes a document you can print, save to Google Drive as a Google Doc or download as a Word file.
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