This Pull a Prompt activity uses the novelty of a pull tab flyer but with 10 fun narrative writing prompts, all based on a single character. It’s low-prep, easy for new teachers and subs, fun for elementary kids, and allows for student choice. Included are a PDF file with 6 story characters (includes color and B&W versions) with 10 writing prompts per character, 3 Word Bank levels with 20 words per level, a blank Word Bank, and a Google Slideshow of the 6 different characters. Each slide includes the color version of the character, a setting, and a song to help set the mood. Characters included are:

• Gary the dragon

• Maddy & Sam the superheroes

• Sal the astronaut

• Kai the ninja

• Lola the bird

• Max the robot

To use, pick one of the 6 character fliers to print out in either color or B&W and one or more desired word banks. Then students team up, select which prompt they want to write about and a word bank, and that’s it! To really help set the mood, display the selected character from the Google Slides and crank the volume up.

In my own 5th grade classroom, I asked my students to pair up in 10 teams, which meant I had teams of 2s and 3s. Ahead of time, I’d printed out a single copy of the Gary the Dragon flier and cut the strips apart, and printed a few of each of the word banks. Each team came up, selected a prompt to tear off the page and a word bank, and then got to work. On my interactive TV, I displayed the image of Gary the Dragon and let the music play on a loop. While the kids discussed the prompt with their partners, they cut the words apart and determined which words they would use and how/when. Kids collaborated and wrote for nearly an hour and still begged for more time.

This resources includes:

• 6 Character photos (included both in color and a similar photo in B&W) with 10 different writing prompts for students to choose from. The writing prompts for each character (Gary the dragon, Maddy & Sam the superheroes, Sal the astronaut, Kai the ninja, Lola the bird, and Max the robot) are the same for both the black and white image page and the color image page. That's a grand total of 60 different writing prompts!

• Word banks: 3 different levels of word banks with 20 words per bank. 1 blank word bank in case you want to write in your own vocabulary words.

• Google slideshow with 6 slides that include the color image for each character, a background setting image, and a song or soundtrack to help set the mood.

I'd love to hear how you use this resource in your classroom! Feel free to email me at iteachiwrite@yahoo.com with any questions or suggestions you may have.

Copyright © iTeach & iWrite by Betsy Newmeyer.

All rights reserved by the author.

Permission to use for single classroom use only.