330+ ‘Critical thinking’ Writing Prompts
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Multilingual Metaphors of Love
Pick a metaphor that you associate with love or Valentine’s Day and translate it into different languages. Analyze how the metaphor might change or hold the same meaning in different languages.
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Inventive Innovation
Design an invention that could solve a current world issue, and detail how it would work and implement it.
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Analyzing Advertisements
Write a critique of a television commercial or online advertisement you recently saw.
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Current Event Tug-of-War
Choose a current event or issue and write two essays: one in support of it, and one against it.
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Understanding Climate Change
Write about the effects of climate change and the steps we can take to help mitigate them.
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Environmental Tale
Write a story about an environmental problem and how the main characters find and promote a solution.
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The Power of Social Media
Discussion about how social media has impacted the field of journalism in the recent years.
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The Dark Side of Social Media
Convince your readers about the negative impact of social media on young people’s mental health.
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The Divisive Dilemma
Narrate a detective story where the protagonist has to solve cases and puzzles using division operations.
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Deconstructing Flaws
Choose a character from a story who you found flawed or problematic and explain why.
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Bill of Rights in Real Life
Discuss one of the amendments from the Bill of Rights and present a real-life scenario where it is at stake.
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Dystopian Future
Imagine a dystopian future where a certain contemporary issue has drastically worsened.
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Santa’s Sleigh Upgrade
Imagine that Santa has finally decided to upgrade his old-fashioned sleigh. Write about the process he goes through to select a new mode of transport.
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Fantasy Sports League
Design and describe your own fantasy sports league and the rules that would govern it.
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Dino Debate
If you could bring back any species of dinosaur back to life, which one would it be and why?
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Historical Happenings
Choose an important event in history that interests you and describe it from your point of view.
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Observational Astronomy versus Theoretical Astronomy
Write about which branch of astronomy you feel is more significant and why.
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The Great Debate: Pluto’s Planet Status
Give your stance on whether Pluto should be reclassified as a planet.
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The School Without Teachers
What would a day in school be like if the students ran the show instead of teachers?
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The Missing Mascot
In your narrative, bring to life a story about a school mascot that mysteriously disappears on the eve of a big game.
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Letter to Corporate
Compose a business letter to a corporation regarding a product or service they offer that you’d like to see changed or improved.
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Character Exploration
Write about your favorite character from your favorite show and what makes them so special.
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Twisty Train Tale
Create a tense thriller set on board a high-speed train, where the conductor is murdered and everyone on board is a suspect.
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Historic Scraps
Choose a newspaper scrap or magazine clipping that you have saved at your home. Write about the event in the clip from an alternative perspective.
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Video Game Controversies
Write about a controversy in the gaming world that sparked your interest or concern.
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Blossoming with Juliet’s Words
Consider the famous quote from Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other word would smell as sweet.” and pen down your thoughts on the significance of identity.
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Ideas Made Visible
Imagine a concept or subject you find difficult has been turned into a visual art piece. Describe it in detail.
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Expressive Emojis
Create a story using only emojis, and then explain your interpretation of that story.
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Impact on Society
Write about the societal impact of Valentine’s Day and how it has affected our culture.
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Origins of Valentine’s Day
Write about how Valentine’s Day began, the history behind it, and the symbolism of its main elements.
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Defending Opposing Views
Consider a controversial topic and argue from the viewpoint that opposes your own.
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Time Travel Daylight
Imagine waking up on the day of daylight saving time change and finding out you’ve traveled to a different era.
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Life Beyond Earth
Do you think there’s life on other planets? Why or why not? Write about what you believe these extraterrestrial beings might look like.
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Postcard from a Foreign Land
Pretend you’re studying abroad in a country of your choice. Write a postcard to your family back home.
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New Responsibilities
Reflect on the responsibilities that come with becoming an eighth grader and how they might change your day to day life.
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Stance of Dissent
Write a dissenting opinion on a hypothetical case where you strongly disagree with the majority opinion.
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The Disappearing Snack Mystery
Write about how a favorite snack disappears from the class cabinet every day.
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Hero’s Journey
Narrate a fantasy story about an ordinary teenager who suddenly learns of their extraordinary destiny.
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Christmas Time Machine
Imagine you have a time machine and you can spend the Christmas day at any point in history.
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Digital Age Dilemma
Explore whether the importance of writing has diminished in the middle school setting due to digital advancements. Support your argument with personal experiences or examples.
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Understanding the Value
Write an essay defining the importance of writing in your life and in school.
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Tiny Teacher
Imagine you are the teacher and have to explain the importance of writing to your first-grade class.
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Decoding Patterns
Explain how you recognized a pattern in your day-to-day life and what it means to you.
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Bureaucracy Overboard
Create an imaginary bureaucratic institution with extravagant and nonsensical rules, regulations, and procedures.
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The Revival of Civilization
Imagine the first community that manages to rebuild after an apocalypse and the challenges they face in their journey.
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Voice Against Bullying
Imagine that you’ve been elected as the student body president and your primary goal is to combat bullying in school.
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Design Your Ultimate Sport
Create a new sport explaining its rules, equipment needed, how to score points and why people would love to play it.
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Moon Landing Conspiracy
Construct an alternative history where the Moon landing was truly a hoax. What reasons and evidence would support this conspiracy theory?
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The Detective in Math
Write about solving a mathematical puzzle or problem as if you were a detective solving a crime.
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Journey to Sweetland
Imagine you’re a kid who’s magically teleported to a land where everything is made of candy. Write about how you would spend your day there.
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The Climate Change Dilemma
Describe your understanding of climate change and the feelings it evokes.
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Recycling Revolution
Imagine a world where everyone suddenly stopped recycling. How would it affect our planet and society? What solutions can you propose to mitigate the damage caused?
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Understanding Climate Change
Write about what climate change means to you and how it could affect our future.
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The Ethics of AI
Write about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, exploring potential benefits and drawbacks.
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Active Recess Impact
Investigate and analyze how physical activities during recess impact student’s overall performance.
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Learning Madness
Write about a topic you find hardest to understand in school and how you would make it easier.
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Mahatma Gandhi’s Peace Journey
Write a letter to Mahatma Gandhi, expressing your views on his concept of nonviolent resistance.
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Women’s Rights March
Write a letter to Susan B. Anthony detailing your thoughts on the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls.
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Galileo’s Persecution
Write a letter to Galileo Galilei offering support and discussing his theories.
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Emancipation Proclamation
Write a letter to Abraham Lincoln detailing your thoughts on the Emancipation Proclamation.
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Casting a Spell
Imagine that you have just learned a new magical spell. What is this spell, and how do you use it?
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Conundrum of The Never-Ending Maze
Imagine being trapped in a maze with shifting walls. Write about how you navigate through it to escape.
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The Secret Code
Imagine that you found a cryptic message with a code. Write about how you decipher the code and what it revealed.
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Second Chances
Write about a moment in your life that you wish you could revise, and how you imagine things would be different now.
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The Modern Patrick
Instead of driving snakes out of Ireland, what if St. Patrick drove out a modern issue or problem?
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Building a World
Imagine you got an opportunity to build your own planet. What would it look like and why?
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Historical Perspective
Investigate the history and origins of Daylight Saving Time and reflect on its relevance in today’s world.
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Fairy Tale Feelings
Rewrite a favorite fairy tale from your childhood from your current perspective.
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A Chronicle of Betrayal
Write a narrative of a particular moment of betrayal, but try to understand the perspective of the other person.
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My Magical Power
Choose a magical ability you would like to possess. How would it affect your daily activities? How could it be used to help others?
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Time-traveling Encounter
Write a story about going back in time to witness a historical event or meet a historical figure.
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Hidden Superpower
If you had a hidden superpower that only activated when you’re kind, what would it be?
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The Missing Letter
Imagine if one letter was missing from the alphabet. Which letter would cause the most trouble and why?
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Rewriting History
Choose a significant event in history and write a detailed account of how it might have transpired differently.
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Lost in the Wild
Imagine being stranded on a deserted island. Write a captivating story of survival.
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Alien Pen Pal
Imagine you’re exchanging letters with an alien from a distant planet. Write about your correspondence.
