Connecting writing to a favorite subject or topic is a great way to include and to teach writing skills in an engaging way. As children grow in their writing skills they will begin to learn about the various forms of writing: persuasive, reports, comparative, and imaginative for example. Having an 8th grade writing prompts list can help you and your child know what to write about, and give them a starting point to write from. If you are studying a particular geographic region, you can incorporate these writing forms into your study. The best way to encourage writing is to give a child a topic they want to write about.
Creative 8th Grade Writing Prompts About Europe
Europe as a continent, although small, has a rich history, and diverse cultures. This creates a broad scope for study and learning. Within this learning, there are many ideas to include and many types of writing to help middle school students study Europe in greater detail. With a selection of fun writing prompts to spark inspiration, your middle schoolers and high school students will have some great ideas to help them write and direct their learning to fulfill English language arts requirements.
Imaginative or Narrative | 8th Grade Writing Prompts
Creative writing prompts, if chosen well, can really help a young writer soar. These are particularly good for reluctant writers. If they have a topic that particularly inspires them they are more likely to write about it.
- Take (or find) a picture of any European city and ask your student to write a descriptive paragraph of the scene. Set goals for including strong adjectives, alliteration, simile, metaphor, personification, etc. Some wonderful choices are Paris, Rome, Madrid, Reykjavik
- Write a story entitled: “A hike through an Alpine meadow.”
- Write a story about a young American soldier taking part in the D-Day landings in Normandy, France during the Second World War.
- Write a story about a gondola ride through the canals of Venice, Italy.
- Write a fantasy story with the Greek/Norse gods (in the style of Perry Jackson or the Marvel movies).
- Create a diary of a vacation in London, and have different journal entries for different days.
- Write a short story about a Viking raiding Britain.
- Imagine you have built a time machine. You and your best friend go back to Medieval Europe during the Black Death. Write a story about your time there.
Report Writing Using 8th Grade Writing Prompts
Report writing for eighth graders allows your child to learn the skills of researching a topic from multiple texts and creating an informational essay. More reluctant writers may want to create a PowerPoint presentation with less actual writing and more images and diagrams.
- Research the biggest geographical features in Europe: country, mountains, rivers, cities, populations, islands, etc.
- Write a report about the Second World War. Include the causes and countries involved, the effect on civilian life in Europe, and the role America played in the war.
- Write a report outlining Paul’s missionary journeys in Europe.
- Research the European Union and have its governmental systems work.
- Research and write a report about the Sami people in northern Finland and their way of life.
- Write about how the Renaissance started in Europe and its impact across Europe. Include dates and leading figures in the arts and sciences.
- Write a news article about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed Pompeii, Itlay in AD79.
How To Use 8th Grade Writing Prompts For Persuasive Essays
As kids move toward seventh grade and beyond, they begin to think more critically. Persuasive writing is a good way to build critical thinking skills in kids. This higher age group thrives on considering more concrete problems, which are not always black and white. Persuasive writing also allows teens to think about different sides of the issue. At this age, it is good to consider an English composition program that will teach these writing skills. These writing prompts may work well within a coop or debate club setting. Often, with these big ideas, the most important lesson is to listen to the other side of the debate, regardless of personal beliefs.
- Finland has a very different educational model to America. Consider how school life differs in the two countries. Which system do you think is better and why?
- European healthcare is often funded by the government. Compare this to the US, where private health care is more accessible. Which system do you think is better?
- Holland was one of the first countries to legalize cannabis. Do you think this is the right thing to do?
- Europe is the home to soccer (it’s called football), and the US has American football. Which is the better sport and why?
Poetry Prompts For 8th Grade Writing
- Write an acoustic poem with the word: EUROPE
- The sonnet is a form of love poetry originating from Italy. Write a sonnet inspired by your favorite Italian food.
- Look at a picture of the Alps and write a poem about it.
Many of these writing prompts can be used with lower grades, like 5th grade, 4th grade, or 3rd grade (even 2nd grade). Some younger students may want to narrate their stories to you. Many of these poetry prompts you may wish to revisit over the years as a way of seeing your child’s writing progress. They become great family keepsakes as well as proof of education and evidence of the level of skill your homeschooled family member has as they progress into high school and beyond.
Writing prompts are always great to have handy for a quick assignment on days when you find you are juggling multiple activities. A read-aloud in the morning, along with a European geography activity and a free creative writing prompt helps everyone engage with learning in an easy-for-mom-to-manage way.
