Description
Check out these What I Did Over the Summer Back to School Writing Prompts, First Day & First Week of School Writing, Writing Prompts or Discussion Starters, Activities and Worksheets. Get students excited about writing with low-prep, reusable writing prompt cards perfect for centers, morning work, and small group occupational therapy handwriting activities! This resource includes 96 kid-friendly prompts or discussion starters covering summer vacation, the first day of school, the first week of school, and any school break.
Created by a certified occupational therapy assistant, this 35 page PDF was originally designed for special education occupational therapy students. These prompts are perfect for kindergarten and 1st grade but are easily adaptable for any elementary grade level. 15 worksheets are also included for convenience, but you can also use your own paper.
Skills Students Will Practice with the What I Did Over the Summer Back to School Writing Prompts Packet:
- Fine motor skills through handwriting practice
- Sentence formation and structure
- Personal narrative and storytelling
- Creative thinking and idea generation
- Vocabulary building and descriptive writing
- Sequencing and organizing ideas
- Drawing to support comprehension and expression
What’s Included:
4 Topics, 24 Prompts Each (96 total prompts)
What I Did Over the Summer
First Day of School
First Week of School
What I Did Over School Vacation
3 Differentiated Writing Page Styles:
Picture-only page – for drawing or pre-writing responses
Picture + large writing lines – for one-sentence responses
Picture + multi-sentence writing space – for more detailed stories
Prompt Cards – ready to print, cut, and laminate for reusable writing center activities
When to Use the What I Did Over the Summer Back to School Writing Prompts:
- Back-to-school season
- After summer, winter, spring, or fall break
- First day and first week of school activities
- Writing centers and literacy stations
- Morning work or early finisher bins
- Occupational therapy sessions for handwriting and fine motor skills
Skills & Benefits of the What I Did Over the Summer Back to School Writing Prompts:
Build expressive language skills by forming complete sentences and sharing personal experiences.
Practice receptive language skills by listening to peers and responding appropriately.
Increase vocabulary through exposure to summer-themed words and related concepts.
Improve conversational turn-taking and active listening.
Strengthen sequencing skills when recalling events in order.
Boost social communication by encouraging students to ask and answer follow-up questions.
Develop narrative skills by telling stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Key Features:
96 prompts with seasonal and school themes
Three writing format worksheets for easy differentiation for each prompt style, 12 total
3 general worksheets to use anytime during the year
Prompt cards can be used year after year in centers
Students can respond on the included pages or in their own notebooks or classroom writing paper
Meets academic writing goals while supporting fine motor development
Low Prep Tip: Print the prompt cards on cardstock, cut them apart, and laminate for a grab-and-go writing center that lasts all year. Students choose a card, draw and write on the included page style that fits their ability level, and share their work.
