Bell Work and Early Finishers 15 Quick Writes: Narrative writing objectives for middle school

Title: "20 Epic Fantasy Writing Prompts: Unleash Middle School Creativity in 15 Minutes"

20 Morning bell work writing prompt for narrative writing.  20

 fantasy art prompts target different academic ELA domains in narrative writing for middle school students. Each prompt is a narrative writing prompt designed for a quick 15-minute writing exercise.

7. "A sentient city that walks on giant mechanical legs, seeking the promised land of its ancient prophecies"

Writing Prompt: You're a citizen of this walking city. Describe a typical day in your life as the city moves.

(Focus: Daily life in fantastical settings, sensory details)

Introduction:

Ignite your students' imagination and boost their narrative writing skills with this collection of 20 captivating fantasy-themed writing prompts! Perfect for middle school English classes, these quick write exercises are designed to spark creativity and enhance various aspects of storytelling in just 15 minutes.

Inspired by vivid Dungeons & Dragons-style scenarios, each prompt transports young writers to extraordinary worlds filled with magic, mystery, and adventure. From shimmering portals revealing alternate realities to emotion mines in the Shadowfell, these unique scenarios challenge students to explore character development, world-building, dialogue, descriptive language, and more.

These bite-sized writing tasks are ideal for morning bell work, creative writing warm-ups, or as engaging fillers between lessons. By targeting different academic domains in narrative writing, they offer a well-rounded approach to developing essential writing skills while keeping students excited and engaged.

Narrative writing objectives for middle school should focus on developing students' storytelling skills and their ability to create engaging narratives. Here are some key objectives:

Story Structure and Elements:

• Analyze narrative structure: Understand the beginning, middle, and end of a story, and how to pace the story using transitions.
• Identify story elements: Recognize characters, setting, plot, problem, resolution, and theme.
• Show, don't tell: Use action, dialogue, imagery, and precise language to convey the story instead of simply stating it.
• Create engaging openings: Start stories with action, dialogue, imagery, or emotion to hook the reader.
• Organize events chronologically: Sequence events in a logical order.

Point of View and Voice:

• Write in first-person point of view: Develop the ability to tell personal stories from their own perspective.
• Experiment with different points of view: Explore writing from multiple perspectives to enhance storytelling.
• Develop voice and style: Create a unique voice that reflects the character and story.

Character Development:

• Create well-rounded characters: Develop characters with distinct personalities, motivations, and flaws.
• Reveal character traits through dialogue and action: Show how characters behave and interact, rather than simply telling the reader what they are like.
• Use dialogue effectively: Convey character thoughts and feelings through dialogue.

Writing Process and Skills:

• Plan, draft, revise, and edit stories: Develop a strong writing process that includes multiple drafts and revisions.
• Use feedback effectively: Learn to incorporate feedback from teachers and peers to improve writing.
• Proofread and edit for grammar and mechanics: Ensure writing is free of errors.

Additionally, middle school narrative writing objectives may include:

• Analyzing and interpreting literature: Understand how authors use narrative techniques to create meaning.
• Writing in response to literature: Write narratives inspired by other works of literature.
• Writing different types of narratives: Explore various genres such as personal narratives, fictional stories, and historical fiction.
• Publishing and sharing writing: Gain confidence in sharing their work with others.

By focusing on these objectives, middle school students can develop their storytelling skills and write engaging narratives that entertain, inform, and inspire.

Prepare to embark on a journey through fantastical realms and watch as your students' writing abilities soar to new heights with these imaginative and educational prompts!

1. "A shimmering portal tears open the fabric of reality, revealing glimpses of countless alternate timelines"

Writing Prompt: Describe three different versions of yourself that you see through the portal. How are they different from you?

(Focus: Character development, parallel narratives)



2. "Ancient runes etched into a crystal cavern pulse with eldritch energy, whispering forbidden knowledge"

Writing Prompt: You can understand one sentence whispered by the runes. What does it say, and how does it change your life?

(Focus: Plot twist, foreshadowing)



3. "A celestial library suspended in the cosmos, where each book contains the fate of a world"

Writing Prompt: You find your world's book. Write the opening paragraph describing your planet's future.

(Focus: World-building, setting description)



4. "The last tree of an extinct forest, its bark inscribed with the entire history of a fallen civilization"

Writing Prompt: You're an archaeologist deciphering the tree's story. What crucial event led to this civilization's downfall?

(Focus: Historical narrative, cause and effect)



5. "A council of elementals debating the fate of the material plane, their forms constantly shifting"

Writing Prompt: You're the human representative at this council. Write your one-minute speech to save the material plane.

(Focus: Persuasive writing, dialogue)



6. "The ghost of a forgotten god, fading from existence as the last of its worshippers passes away"

Writing Prompt: You're the last worshipper. Write a prayer that might save your god from fading away.

(Focus: Emotional writing, descriptive language)



7. "A sentient city that walks on giant mechanical legs, seeking the promised land of its ancient prophecies"

Writing Prompt: You're a citizen of this walking city. Describe a typical day in your life as the city moves.

(Focus: Daily life in fantastical settings, sensory details)



8. "The Astral Sea's shipwreck graveyard, where the spirits of lost voyagers still sail their phantom vessels"

Writing Prompt: Write a short ghost story from the perspective of a young sailor's spirit in this graveyard.

(Focus: First-person narrative, atmosphere)



9. "A dragon's hoard of stolen memories, each one a glowing orb containing a life's worth of experiences"

Writing Prompt: You accidentally absorb a memory orb. Describe the most vivid scene from someone else's life.

(Focus: Vivid imagery, perspective shift)



10. "The Feywild's Grand Masquerade, where every dancer's mask holds a fragment of their true identity"

Writing Prompt: Describe the mask you would wear to this masquerade. What part of your identity does it represent?

(Focus: Symbolism, character introspection)



11. "A demiplane chess game between archdevils and celestials, using mortal souls as living pieces"

Writing Prompt: You're a pawn in this cosmic chess game. Write a letter home describing your experience.

(Focus: Epistolary writing, conflict)



12. "The Underdark's bioluminescent democracy, where light itself is currency and darkness is outlawed"

Writing Prompt: You're running for office in this democracy. Write a campaign slogan and a short speech about your 'bright' ideas.

(Focus: Persuasive writing, wordplay)



13. "A time-locked battlefield where an epic war has been raging for millennia, frozen in a single moment"

Writing Prompt: Describe this battlefield from the perspective of a time traveler who can move through the frozen scene.

(Focus: Descriptive writing, unique perspective)



14. "The last sunset of a dying universe, its fading light revealing hidden truths about existence itself"

Writing Prompt: As you watch this final sunset, what is the most important truth you learn about life?

(Focus: Theme, philosophical reflection)



15. "An academy for wayward sorcerers, built inside the mind of a slumbering elder brain"

Writing Prompt: You're a new student. Describe your first day of classes in this unusual school.

(Focus: World-building, imaginative scenarios)



16. "The cosmic loom where the threads of fate are woven, guarded by blind oracles of immense power"

Writing Prompt: You find a loose thread of fate. Whose life does it belong to, and what happens when you pull it?

(Focus: Cause and effect, moral dilemma)



17. "A floating archipelago of inverted mountains, each peak home to a different planar embassy"

Writing Prompt: You're an ambassador visiting a new embassy. Describe the unique customs you must follow to avoid offense.

(Focus: Cultural writing, creative problem-solving)



18. "The Hall of Unsung Heroes, where statues come to life to recount tales of forgotten valor"

Writing Prompt: Write a short tale of heroism as told by one of these statues. Why was their story forgotten?

(Focus: Historical fiction, narrative structure)



19. "A market bazaar that exists simultaneously across all planes, where anything can be bought or sold"

Writing Prompt: You have one gold coin. What extraordinary item do you purchase, and how does it change your life?

(Focus: Creative problem-solving, consequence exploration)



20. "The Shadowfell's emotion mines, where raw feelings are extracted and bottled for the emotionally bankrupt"

Writing Prompt: You're an emotion miner. Describe the process of extracting and bottling one powerful emotion.

(Focus: Process writing, emotive language)