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Getting 8th graders engaged is easier when you have great tools. All you need is designated time in your class, the right writing materials, and a prompt that really inspires them.

This list of 8th grade writing prompts is sure to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboards!) faster than they can say “Where’s the hall pass?” You’ll also find tips for getting middle schoolers to write in every class. Yes, even math!

15 Journal Writing Prompts for 8th Graders

Any 8th grade teacher knows that getting students to express their feelings is easier said than done sometimes. That’s where journal writing prompts come in! Use these engaging questions and thought experiments to get middle schoolers to open up while practicing writing skills.

• Would you rather spend the day at the beach, on a snowy mountain, or at an amusement park? Why?
• If you could teach a class on anything, what would it be?
• What chore do you secretly like to do at home?
• If you could change one thing that’s happened this week, what would you change?
• Do you like making things, such as models or desserts? What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever made?
• What middle school class has been your favorite so far?
• Do you like sub days? Why or why not?
• Imagine you could talk to yourself on your first day of kindergarten. What would you say?
• Would you rather have a job where you made a lot of money, or a job where you could follow your passion?
• Do you like it when someone reads a book to you, or do you prefer reading independently?
• Describe the most beautiful place you’ve ever been.
• If you were making a time capsule to open in 20 years, what five items would you put in to represent this year?
• Which holiday do you look forward to the most?
• What advice would you give a first-year teacher about kids your age?
• Would you rather have ten more years of childhood or wake up as an adult tomorrow? What would you do?

10 8th Grade Social-Emotional Writing Prompts

Social-emotional learning is a way for students to find their place in the world around them while staying in touch with their own wants and needs. Use these SEL writing prompts to help students stay aware of their own emotional health and social understanding.

• Do you like planning out the details of your day, or would you rather be spontaneous?
• What’s the biggest source of stress for kids your age?
• How can you tell that someone is being dishonest?
• In general, do you feel that your generation is kind or unkind? What could they change to be more compassionate?
• What character trait do you like most in people? Do you think you have that trait?
• Is it important that people know who you are, or do you like staying under the radar? Does this change in different settings?
• How would you define “drama” to someone who’s never experienced it?
• Would you rather attend a big party or spend the evening with just a few friends?
• Do you like settling conflicts between your friends, or do you prefer to stay out of it?
• How are you different from yourself last year? What about five years ago?

10 Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire 8th Graders

Some 8th graders in your class may be secret fantasy or sci-fi aficionados, while others may frown at the idea of creating a story out of nothing. Use these 8th grade creative and narrative writing prompts to address CCSS for writing and to inspire even the most reluctant storytellers in your class.

• Write a short story about an alien invasion told entirely through text messages.
• You’re walking through school and take an unexpected turn. Someone or something magical approached you. What is it?
• A time traveler from the past or future appears in your house. What items would you need to explain, and how would you explain them?
• Write about a character with a big secret and another character determined to find out what it is.
• Your pet can talk for an hour! What would he or she say, and what would you say back?
• Something very unexpected happened at 8th grade graduation. What was it, and what happened next?
• You woke up in a tree! How did you get there, who else is up there, and how will you get down? 
• Write a short story about a mythical stranger and an object they left behind.
• Start a short story with the line “There was nothing else I could do.”
• With as much sensory detail as possible, describe what the average day on another planet would look like.

10 Argumentative and Persuasive Prompts 

If there’s one thing 8th graders like, it’s expressing their opinion. Give them a safe and structured place to let their arguments fly when you assign these persuasive writing prompts. They can even use them as longer argumentative essay topics during an argument writing unit!

• Should parents be responsible for their teens’ behavior?
• What are the benefits for parents of kids using social media?
• Should homework be required or just extra credit?
• Is it okay for teenagers to leave school early if they have a job?
• Should parents have access to their kids’ text messages and social media?
• Do you believe the United States should spend more money on the military or on education?
• Should students have to take P.E. if they’re on a sports team?
• Should parents be able to choose their children’s genetic traits?
• Should 8th graders have a mandatory bedtime?
• Does AI count as a school tutor?

10 Informative 8th Grade Writing Prompts

When you assign informative writing prompts to your 8th grade class, you’re letting them be the instructors! Use these expository and informative prompts as quick lesson starters or longer research topics, depending on your unit objectives.

• If you switched places with someone for the day, what would they need to know about your daily routine?
• Explain how to play your favorite sport to someone who’s never played it before.
• What political issue do people need to know more about?
• Describe your study process or homework routine.
• Write instructions for someone taking care of a plant or garden.
• What historical event has impacted your life the most?
• Explain why Earth has seasons and why they’re different around the world.
• What environmental issue should we pay the most attention to?
• Write a short essay about your favorite celebrity and their biggest album, movie, or show.
• What are the steps in making your favorite meal?

10 8th Grade Social Studies Writing Prompts

Stretch 8th grade writing prompts across the humanities with short social studies writing assignments. Practice writing skills based on the CCSS for history and social studies and your 8th grade history curriculum with tailored prompts. 

• If you could add one amendment to the Constitution, what would you add?
• What was the most important event in American history?
• Write a letter from the perspective of a Civil War soldier to a loved one.
• You’re a spy during the American Revolution! What side are you on, and how do you get information across enemy lines?
• Write a newspaper article about a historical event you’ve studied this year. What would people of the time need to know?
• Which historical figure should have their own holiday, and why?
• You’re the advisor to a historical king, ruler, or president. What would you tell them about a major historical event?
• What inventor do you wish you could have worked for? How would you help them demonstrate or finish their invention?
• Would you rather live in an agrarian era or an industrial era?
• You have the choice to travel to the New World or remain in your European home. Which do you choose, and why?

10 Math and Science Prompts for Interdisciplinary Writing

Writing in math and science can be as easy as pi! Use students’ writing skills and the CCSS for science and technical subjects to describe the logic and process behind mathematical operations and scientific experiments. 

• Explain the steps in solving an algebraic equation.
• Write about a time when you were challenged by a math problem and what you learned from it.
• How would your ideal math class look?
• Name five jobs that require math skills, and describe the job on that list you’d rather have.
• How does your favorite sport or activity use math?
• How are bees important in our ecosystem? What about flies?
• Describe a day in the life of an electron.
• What was the most important scientific discovery of the last 100 years?
• What natural disaster do you feel the most prepared for?
• How does the scientific process improve our daily lives?

Tips to Get 8th Graders Excited About Writing

So, how do you turn these prompts and resources into writing assignments that both challenge and inspire 8th graders? Follow these tips for implementing a writing routine into your class that students will look forward to.

• Make writing a regular part of students’ daily routine. They’ll be less resistant to writing if they know it happens every day.
• Give them relatable prompts. Ask about their real lives or topics that affect teens in particular.
• Provide choices on writing prompts. If they don’t want to write about the given prompt, give them another choice (or the option to free write!).
• Differentiate with more basic writing prompts. You can use 6th grade writing prompts for students who haven’t had as much writing experience.
• Use prompts aimed toward specific writing skills. Focus on CCSS-aligned writing strategies to ensure students are working on well-rounded writing skills.

Prepare them for high school the write way

Middle school is a chance for students to develop, hone, and master writing skills before they get to high school. With a variety of 8th grade writing resources, including a set writing schedule, clear expectations, and inspiring writing prompts for middle school, your soon-to-be 9th graders will flourish, both on and off the page!

For more opportunities to prepare middle school writers for the next step, use a collection of 7th grade writing prompts that are ideal for younger students, those needing a bit more support, or anyone who just can’t get enough writing in their day!