Bite Size Writing Assignment: The First Day of School

This week have your student(s) write a paragraph or two about the first day of school. Perhaps the calendar was turned to September 3 on the first day or school began sometime in August. Whenever your student(s) returned to school, encourage a journal page about it.

This assignment is suitable for most grades (very young students may need a bit more help) and can be very short or rather long. Take a look at both versions below:

Very Short

Have your student take out a piece of paper or a journal and a writing tool. Instruct the student(s) to write a paragraph or two about the first day of school. If they need a writing prompt or two, have them choose from the following list:

• Was it hard to get up early?
• Did you get to school on time?
• What was your first subject of the day?
• What was your favorite subject of the day?
• What do you hope to learn about this year?
• Did anything funny happen on the first day of school?
• Did  you get all of your assignments done?

Rather Long

Using the same writing prompts listed above, have your student(s) write a full page for this assignment. After a first draft is complete, read the assignment and make notes regarding any grammatical or spelling errors. Also pay attention to how each sentence flows and if there is a good, strong start to the piece as well as an appropriate closing sentence.

Have your student(s) rewrite the assignment as a final draft.

Wrap Up the Summer Writing Project

It's hard to believe we are in the last month of summer. In September we will begin posting weekly writing assignments as blog posts again. Don't forget to check this site early in the week throughout the school year so you can fill up some elective time with a creative writing project for your little darlings.

This month, have your students write a summer essay. It doesn't have to be long. On the other hand, let them fill a notebook if they want to! Work with them on some topics, or just one topic, to write about. Below are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing.

• Summer trips
• Summer camp
• Summer trials
• Places I went this summer
• Family gatherings
• My summer job
• The best thing about this summer was...
• The worst thing about this summer was...
• Why I love summer

This writing project is more for fun and documentation. Make sure you tell your young writers to save this work for the memory box. In years to come they can look back and revisit the activities of the summer of 2013. Happy writing!