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1st Grade Writing Activities

66 1st grade writing activities, covering essays, narrative writing, sentences, plus 7 more topics. How teachers use these

1st Grade Writing Activities

66 1st grade writing activities, covering essays, narrative writing, sentences, plus 7 more topics. How teachers use these

Activity
Activity1st GradeWord Work Activity

This word work activity lets kindergarten and 1st grade students build CVC words with color-coded consonant and vowel tiles, then write each word. An answer key is included for quick checking.

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Activity1st GradeDear Valentine Activity

This dear valentine activity has K-2nd grade students pick heart word cards for family and school helpers and spell each word on a Valentine card. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity1st GradeSnowman Contractions Activity

Play this snowman contractions activity as a memory game: 1st to 3rd grade students match two-word Mitten Cards to Snowman contraction cards and record each pair. Answer key included.

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Activity1st GradeStrong Writing Activity

Using Strong Writing Activity, students respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

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Activity1st GradeApple Themed Writing Activity

This apple themed writing activity has 1st and 2nd grade children order apple life cycle cards, write the steps, compare apples and oranges, and write a poem and story. Answer key included.

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Activity1st GradeApple Shape Book Activity

This apple shape book activity lets K-2nd grade children color, cut out and write their own apple story on cover, picture and writing pages with kid-sized lines.

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Activity1st GradeComplete Sentences with Subject and Predicate Activity

This complete sentences with subject and predicate activity has 1st to 3rd grade students match picture subject cards to predicate cards, then practice on a worksheet. Answer key included.

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Activity1st GradeCVC Word Mats Activity

This CVC word mats activity helps preschool to 2nd grade students build and spell short vowel words with letter tiles, with a practice page and an answer key included.

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Activity1st GradeBarn Shape Book Activity

This barn shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own farm story, then cut out and staple the barn pages into a book to share.

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Activity1st GradeInformative Text Paragraph Writing Activity

Plan and write a first paragraph with this informative text paragraph writing activity for kindergarten and 1st grade: topic cards, a Fact Planner, a writing page and practice, answer key included.

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Activity1st Grade50 States Research Activity

Using 50 States Research Activity, studentsparticipate in shared research and writing projects to learn about the 50 states.

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Activity1st GradeSt. Patrick's Day Writing Activity

This St. Patrick's Day writing activity gives 1st to 3rd grade children prompt cards, shamrock step cards, a story map and themed writing paper so every child can plan and write. Answer key included.

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Activity1st GradeBack to School Adjective Writing Activity

This back to school adjective writing activity helps 1st to 3rd grade students plan a first-day story and add describing words. An answer key is included for the practice page.

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Activity1st GradeAdding Details to Your Story Activity

This adding details to your story activity helps kindergarten to 3rd grade writers turn one sentence into a longer story with question cards and a planner. Answer key included, so practice is quick to check.

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Activity1st GradeThe Best Season Is Writing Activity

The best season is writing activity guides 1st-3rd Grade writers to plan and publish an opinion piece about their favorite season, with a model, practice and answer key included.

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Activity1st GradeHouse Shape Book Activity

This house shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own story about home, then cut out and staple the house pages into a book to share.

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Activity1st GradeTelling A Story Activity

Using Telling A Story Activity, students use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events.

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Activity1st GradeEarth Day Writing Activity

UsingEarth Day Writing Activity, students brainstorm the sequence of events of a growing seed, then publish using them Earth Day themed writing.

Activity
Activity1st GradeFalling Leaves Sight Words Activity

This falling leaves sight words activity has children build a fall poem and hunt for 12 leaf words. Made for Kindergarten and 1st grade, with a practice page and answer key included.

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Activity1st GradeWrite about Bugs Activity

Using Write about Bugs Activity, studentswrite informative texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

From our teachers' playbook

From neat letters to whole stories

What do 1st graders learn in writing?

First grade is when kids go from writing words to writing real pieces. They form every capital and lowercase letter neatly, leave spaces between words, and start each sentence with a capital and end it with a period. Then they string sentences together: a story with a beginning, middle and end, a "how to" piece, or an opinion with a reason. Words like first, next, then and last become their best friends. The click moment is when a child reads their own story aloud and the class laughs in all the right places.

How we grow confident 1st grade writers

First graders write best when they see how it's done and get lots of short, fun chances to try.

Write it together first

On fun seasonal paper, write a short story in front of the class while thinking aloud: "I'll start with a capital. Now I need a finger space." Kids help choose words and spot mistakes. Then they write their own on the same paper.

Why it works: showing first, practicing together, then letting kids try alone is the "gradual release" model teachers have relied on for decades (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).

Pumpkin Writing PaperTry it withPumpkin Writing PaperWorksheetsOpen it →

Big letter, little letter

Many first graders still mix capitals into the middle of words. Flash a card and have kids show the capital and lowercase with their arms: tall for B, short for b. A quick daily round fixes a surprising number of messy sentences.

Why it works: pairing a picture with each word gives kids two ways to remember it, a well-tested principle of how people learn (Mayer, 2009).

Alphabet Uppercase and Lowercase Flash CardsTry it withAlphabet Uppercase and Lowercase Flash CardsFlash CardsOpen it →

Sing it, sky-write it

Play the alphabet song and have kids write each letter in the air with a big arm as it's sung. Big motions help them remember how letters are formed before they shrink them down on paper.

Why it works: a catchy, repeating tune gives the brain a hook to hang words on, so sung text is remembered better (Wallace, 1994).

Alphabet Song (Animated Music Video)Try it withAlphabet Song (Animated Music Video)SongsOpen it →

What's on this page

Teacher favorites right now: Word Work Activity, Dear Valentine Activity and Snowman Contractions Activity.

1st grade writing questions

What should a 1st grader be able to write?

By the end of 1st grade, most kids write several connected sentences on a topic. They use capitals and periods, spell common words correctly and sound out the rest.

How do I help my 1st grader with writing at home?

Let them write lists, cards and notes for real reasons. Ask them to tell you the story first, then write it. Don't correct every spelling; praise the ideas.

How long should a 1st grade writing piece be?

Most first graders write 3 to 5 sentences on one topic by the end of the year. Quality and order matter more than length.

What are good 1st grade writing topics?

Favorite foods, pets, a fun weekend, how to make a sandwich, or which season is best and why. Familiar topics let kids focus on the writing.