Arts and Humanities

Writing Prompts

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RESOURCE GRADE LEVEL MEDIA TYPE
All Dressed Up

All Dressed Up

All Dressed Up shows a dog being groomed and asks the student to write a story about what the dog is thinking.

6-12

Video

America Weighs

America Weighs

America Weighs displays someone on a scale weighing themselves and asks the student what public schools should do, if anything, about the growing obesity problem in America.

6-12

Video

A Big Pot

A Big Pot

A Big Pot displays several people stirring a large pot of stew and the prompt at the end asks students to desribe how they would make the same dish.

6-12

Video

Bill and Ted's Most Excellent Adventure

Bill and Ted's Most Excellent Adventure

Bill and Ted's Most Excellent Adventure asks the students to write a script for Bill and Ted, the penguins featured in this video clip.

6-12

Video

Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather shows a variety of birds and asks students to explain the expression: Birds of a feather flock together.

6-12

Video

Breathing

Breathing

Breathing shows an underwater scene and asks the students to answer the question, How do the people, fish and turtle get the oxygen they need?

6-12

Video

A Bright Idea

A Bright Idea

A Bright Idea shows several different power sources and asks students to write about friction, electricity, combustion or light.

6-12

Video

Budgets

Budgets

Budgets shows a variety of ways money is used and asks students to list the products that they use each day and to compute how much money they will need to earn to afford to live on their own.

6-12

Video

The Cafe

The Cafe

Which person do you most identify with and why?

6-12

Video

Cars

Cars

Cars shows a car speeding away up a street and asks students to respond to the question, Do you ever feel unsafe and out of control when someone else is driving?

6-12

Video

Coin Tossing

Coin Tossing

Coin Tossing shows a person flipping a coin and asks the student to describe coin-flipping as a decision making option.

6-12

Video

Countries

Countries

Countires shows money and different locations around the world and asks students the question, If money was no object, where would you live and explain why?

6-12

Video

Dance

Dance

Dance shows a tribal dance and accopmanying music and asks the student to answer the question What would happen if you expressed yourself this way in our society?

6-12

Video

A Day at the Beach

A Day at the Beach

A Day at the Beach entices students to think about what makes a perfect day at the beach including something from all of their senses.

6-12

Video

Drugs

Drugs

Drugs shows a variety of technology and drug paraphernalia and asks the student to describe some of the benefits or problems associated with drugs.

6-12

Video

Fire

Fire

Fire shows a building under fire and asks the students to write a story about how this fire might have started.

6-12

Video

Freedom

Freedom

This video clip prompts students to write about their feelings when they have visited one of the great American monuments.

6-12

Video

Fussy

Fussy

Fussy

6-12

Video

The Game

The Game

After watching this brief interchange over a chessboard, please write what you think the dialogue is for the two players.

6-12

Video

Good Food

Good Food

Good Food is a video clip that asks students to think about owning a restaurant and wants them to write about the name, theme, menu and decor of their creation.

6-12

Video

Gravity of the Situation

Gravity of the Situation

Gravity of the Situation asks students to describe what role gravity plays on the movement of the three groups of kids in the video.

6-12

Video

Hard Cash

Hard Cash

Hard Cash shows coins being sorted and asks the students to describe what metals are used in making coins and why.

6-12

Video

Holidays

Holidays

Holidays video clip prompts students to write about two of their favorite family traditions.

6-12

Video

Hot Air

Hot Air

Hot Air shows a brief segment of someone blowing glass and asks students to describe what object they would create if they were a glass blower.

6-12

Video

If at first you don't succeed?

If at first you don't succeed?

This video prompt ask students to write about something that they have worked at to become successful and what obstacles they had to overcome.

6-12

Video

Innocence

Innocence

Innocence prompts students to write about the differences, if they think there are any, between innocence and goodness.

6-12

Video

Instant Messaging

Instant Messaging

This prompt asks students to write about their experience with Instant Messaging, including how long they spend online each day. The student should also include whether they think IM'ing affects their schoolwork or not.

6-12

Video

Last Day of Summer

Last Day of Summer

A video prompt to remind kids of what they did on their summer vacation. Students should include a full schedule of what they did on their last day of summer vacation.

6-12

Video

Laughing

Laughing

Laughing

6-12

Video

Mind Reading

Mind Reading

Mind Reading shows three different people and asks the students to write a thought for each person that was shown.

6-12

Video

Money

Money

Do you ever feel like you are throwing money away? Why or why not?

6-12

Video

Mug for the Camera

Mug for the Camera

Students are asked to describe the man from the clip for a police sketch artist because he had just stolen their purse/wallet.

6-12

Video

New War

New War

How does war, with today's technology, differ from the wars in the past where soldiers fought another face-to-face?

6-12

Video

Nose Ring

Nose Ring

Video shows tribal people removing their nose ring and prompts students to think about fads and how they know where the line is between fads that are fun and those that are dangerous.

6-12

Video

Playing

Playing

Playing shows kids playing jumprope and asks your students to create their own jump rope rhyme.

6-12

Video

Poverty

Poverty

Poverty shows children in unclean conditions and asks your student to write a description of what they think life is like for these children.

6-12

Video

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice Makes Perfect

As we all know, practice makes perfect. This clip highlights several children playing musical instruments and challenges the students to write about a time when they felt proud of themselves for working hard at something.

6-12

Video

Priorities

Priorities

This clip asks students wto think about what their most valuable way is to spend their free time.

6-12

Video

The Red Dynasty

The Red Dynasty

Why is the person pictured in the portrait important? Please identify him and explain.

6-12

Video

Right to Life?

Right to Life?

This clip asks students to respond to the question about what animals are to us and should human needs outweight their need for habitat.

6-12

Video

Rock Concert

Rock Concert

This clip asks students to place themselves in the parents shoes and respond to their teenager's request to attend a rock concert and to think about the concerns parents have when making their decisions.

6-12

Video

Self Image

Self Image

This video clip asks students to respond to the question, what does society tell you about the value of self esteem?

6-12

Video

Sources of Light

Sources of Light

This video clip shows a number of different light options and asks students to answer the question, where does light come from?

6-12

Video

Space Exploration

Space Exploration

Students are prompted to respond to the question, do you think money spent on space exploration is justified?

6-12

Video

Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship

Is winning more important than good sportsmanship?

6-12

Video

Stream of Consciousness

Stream of Consciousness

What is the mountain biker thinking about while he completes his ride from start to finish line?

6-12

Video

Stupid or Smart?

Stupid or Smart?

This video clip highlights several dangerous hobbies/pasttimes and asks students to explain if they would do any of these and why.

6-12

Video

Sunrise or Sunset?

Sunrise or Sunset?

What difference does a sunrise or sunset make in your mood and which one do you prefer?

6-12

Video

Sunset

Sunset

What are the things you watch for to determine what season it is?

6-12

Video

Support

Support

Who do you turn to for support when you need help or guidance?

6-12

Video

Tourists!

Tourists!

Write a dialogue for the gulls, who appear to be having some issues with the humans cluttering their beach.

6-12

Video

Transportation

Transportation

Do you think that modern transportation limits our ability to see and/or enjoy what the first settlers saw and did?

6-12

Video

Traveling

Traveling

Is it more important to know where you are going or where you have been?

6-12

Video

Underwater

Underwater

Explain which fish you would want to be in this school and why.

6-12

Video

Value

Value

What do you think society values more than money?

6-12

Video

Vehicles

Vehicles

If you placed these two cars in a race, which one would win and why?

6-12

Video

War

War

Write a short essay on when and under what circumstances war is justified.

6-12

Video

Where is the Chemistry?

Where is the Chemistry?

After watching several outdoor activies the students are asked to explain where the chemistry is in relation to the activities shown.

6-12

Video

Yawn!

Yawn!

Write about something that you used to enjoy doing but that you no longer find interesting. What has changed and what have you learned?

6-12

Video

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