Ready to energize your writing activities? There are lots of online resources with ready-to-use writing lesson ideas you can customize for a group of students. Whether you want a quick idea to supplement a one-day lesson or a robust set of resources, we’ll take a look at a variety of writing activities for your classroom.
If you’ve joined me for a webinar, workshop, or keynote this year, you know that I am so excited about the role AI can play in instructional planning. I even released a second edition of my book EdTech Essentials with two new chapters all about this topic. But just like anything new that seems to be everywhere, it can also be nice to take a break and revisit some favorites.
So today, I have a combination of the resources I’ve grown to love in the past, along with some new platforms and websites I think you’ll appreciate.
Writing Ideas for Your Classroom
While AI has become a popular tool in the classroom, today, we’re putting AI aside. We’ll look at techy ways to enhance writing without it. There’s nothing wrong with using AI for inspiration—I’ve shared lots of resources on how to do just that—but this post will focus on options that leave AI behind.
Whether you’re trying something brand new or looking to remix an old favorite, these activities are worthy of your consideration. Writing gives students a creative outlet while also providing a valuable assessment opportunity. You can adapt the resources on this list to create writing activities that align with the needs of your students.
11 Websites with Writing Activities You Can Use Right Away
Let’s jump into the list of resources with writing activities you can explore this school year!
The Achievery’s Writing Lessons
The Achievery platform provides interactive writing lessons that blend media and prompts to give students a unique writing experience. I’ve featured them on the blog in the past and even chatted with power users on the podcast. Their search features make it easy to locate English Language Arts and writing lessons. However, you’ll find plenty of cross-curricular content there, too.
Write the World
Write the World is an online community that provides students with weekly writing prompts. It also provides a chance to share their work with peers around the world. It focuses on real-world issues, encouraging students to think critically and express their views in writing. Write the World is designed with teens in mind, but you might find inspiration for upper-elementary writing activities, too. The platform offers feedback and revision suggestions. This can help students refine their writing while gaining a broader perspective on global events and different cultures.
Newsela Writing Prompts
Do you ask students to read about current events? You might be familiar with Newsela, a platform that offers high-quality, leveled news articles. Teachers and students with full access to Newsela will find that each article comes with a writing prompt tailored to the topic. The prompts encourage students to reflect on current events and analyze real-world issues. This can help them build both their writing and critical thinking skills. You can integrate these prompts into a lesson or as part of a regular writing routine, adapting them to different reading levels.
The Learning Network by The New York Times
In addition to its curriculum, The Learning Network offers daily writing prompts tied to current events, photos, videos, and opinion pieces. These prompts are designed to inspire students to express their thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. The site also hosts student contests, giving them the opportunity to showcase their writing and receive feedback from professional educators and writers. These resources can help promote discussion in addition to writing responses.
BetterLesson
BetterLesson offers free lesson plans for writing across various grade levels. Teachers can find detailed, standards-based lessons for narrative, informative, and persuasive writing, along with practical strategies for improving student outcomes. The platform also includes video tutorials and other resources to support educators in delivering effective writing instruction.
Wonderopolis Writing Prompts
Wonderopolis offers daily “Wonder of the Day” questions that spark curiosity and are followed by writing prompts. These questions often explore science, history, and culture, making them perfect for creative writing activities that allow students to explore new topics in a fun, informal way. Teachers can use these prompts to start discussions and then transition into reflective or imaginative writing assignments. They include extra resources to give students background on the topic to prepare them for these writing activities.
PBS LearningMedia Writing Activities
PBS LearningMedia provides a wealth of writing lessons that include videos, articles, and writing prompts. These activities are great for tying writing to media literacy and helping students practice writing while critically engaging with videos and digital content. The platform’s wide range of subjects makes it easy to find activities that align with your classroom goals. You’ll find content for different writing types, too, like narrative and persuasive writing.
NoRedInk
NoRedInk provides free grammar and writing lessons that are highly interactive and tailored to individual student needs. Educators can access lessons on sentence structure, punctuation, and essay writing, with the option to upgrade for access to premium features.
Scholastic Story Starters
Scholastic’s Story Starters offers creative, randomized writing prompts that inspire students to write unique and imaginative stories. The tool allows students to pick a genre and spin for a new story idea, giving them freedom and fun while guiding them toward creative writing. This activity can be adapted for individual writing time or as a group project and is perfect for displaying on a big interactive board for a whole class writing activity.
ReadWriteThink
ReadWriteThink offers a vast collection of free writing lesson plans, interactive tools, and printouts for educators. The lessons cover everything from narrative writing to poetry, with activities that support student engagement and creative expression. It also provides resources to help teachers integrate writing across different subjects. On the left-hand side of the screen, you’ll find a menu you can use to find resources or a keyboard at the top.
Teach Writing with The New York Times
This curriculum offers a range of writing prompts that tap into current events, making it easy to connect your lessons to the real world. Instead of the daily writing prompts I linked to above, this includes access to a more robust curriculum. There are nine units for this school year, including “The Podcast: Writing for Audio.”
Finding Writing Activities for Students
If you’re looking to take a break from all things AI, these resources are worthy of your consideration. They cover a range of topics and grade levels and are ready for you to customize for the needs of your students. These activities allow for personalization, creativity, and collaboration—without needing AI.
If you’re looking for even more ways to support student writers and creators, my book EdTech Essentials: 12 Strategies for Every Classroom in the Age of AI, 2nd Edition, has you covered. You can check it out on this landing page or download the free study guide if you already have a copy!
And if you have a favorite place to go to gather writing activities for your students, I’d love to hear all about it! Reply to my weekly newsletter and tell me all about it.
