- How argument writing grows across middle school
- Argument ladder: claim and evidence (best for sixth grade)
- Argument ladder: the other side (best for seventh grade)
- Argument ladder: answer the counterclaim (best for eighth grade)
- Point-of-view stories for any middle school grade
- Reflection and research prompts
- How to get better writing from middle schoolers
- Using these prompts with a mixed-age group
- My advice for middle school writing
- Frequently asked questions
Here are 25 writing prompts for middle schoolers, organised so they grow with students from sixth to eighth grade: arguments that move from supporting a claim to tackling counterclaims, stories with a clear point of view, and research and reflection prompts. They're ready to copy, and each group notes which grade's expectations it fits best.
Middle school covers three very different years, and it's easy to forget how much changes between them. An eleven-year-old starting sixth grade and a fourteen-year-old finishing eighth are at different stages, and the writing standards change each year. So instead of one long list, I've organised these prompts into a ladder. You can start anywhere, but if you're teaching a mixed group or a homeschool family with siblings, the ladder helps you pitch each prompt.
How argument writing grows across middle school
| Grade | Common Core argument expectation | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| 6th | Support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources | Claim plus evidence |
| 7th | Acknowledge alternate or opposing claims | Mention the other side |
| 8th | Distinguish the claim from opposing claims; relate claims, counterclaims, reasons and evidence | Answer the other side |
Stamina grows too: the sixth-grade standard already expects students to type at least three pages in a single sitting. If your middle schoolers mostly handwrite, build in some typed pieces.
Argument ladder: claim and evidence (best for sixth grade)
Start here. Each prompt asks for a claim and evidence from a source students trust. If a student can't find evidence, that's a sign the claim needs narrowing, and that's a lesson in itself.
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Should students have a say in what's served for school lunch? Make your claim and support it with evidence.
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Are electric cars better for the environment than petrol cars? Use one credible source in your argument.
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Should students be allowed to listen to music while they work in class? Back up your claim.
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Should there be a limit on how much homework teachers can set each week?
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Is it better to read e-books or printed books? Support your view with evidence.
Argument ladder: the other side (best for seventh grade)
These ask students to name the strongest opposing point before they finish. They'll often discover the other side's argument is better than they'd assumed, which is the point.
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Should phones be banned during the whole school day? Acknowledge the best argument against your view.
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Should people under sixteen be allowed on social media? Make your case and mention what the other side would say.
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Should competitive sports be compulsory at school? Present both sides, then explain your own.
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Should schools run on a four-day week? Consider an opposing view in your argument.
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Should museums be open late at night for teenagers? Make a claim and acknowledge a counterpoint.
Argument ladder: answer the counterclaim (best for eighth grade)
These need the counterclaim in full and a clear response that shows how your claim differs.
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Should school start and finish later? Write the strongest counterclaim, then explain why your claim still holds.
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Should graffiti be treated as art or vandalism? Distinguish your claim clearly from the opposite view.
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Should students get extra credit for helping younger pupils? Answer the most serious objection.
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Should the school year be shorter with shorter holidays spread out? Use linking words to connect claim, counterclaim and evidence.
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Should video games be studied in English lessons like novels? Respond directly to a counterclaim.
Point-of-view stories for any middle school grade
Narratives that ask students to step into someone else's head.
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Write a day at school from the point of view of the school building itself.
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Tell the story of a lost pet's journey home from the pet's point of view.
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Write about a big family event from the perspective of the person who planned it.
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Two rivals are forced to work together on a project. Tell it from each side.
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Write a story about moving house told by the youngest person in the family.
Reflection and research prompts
Short pieces for any grade, mixing personal writing with small research tasks.
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Write about a goal you reached and what it taught you about yourself.
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Research a young person who changed something in their community and write a short profile.
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What's something adults often misunderstand about people your age? Explain with examples.
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Research the history of a game you play and write a short report with your sources.
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Write a letter to your future self about what middle school was really like.
How to get better writing from middle schoolers
- Let students choose between two prompts from the same group; choice increases effort.
- Use the ladder: when a student masters one level, move them up a rung.
- Ask 'how do you know?' about every fact and 'what would someone who disagrees say?' about every claim.
- Mix long projects with quick single-sitting pieces, as the standards expect both.
- Share good student examples, anonymously, so everyone can see what success looks like.
If your students like games as warm-ups, my list of word puzzle games for your brain builds vocabulary, and my guide to writing an essay on time has planning habits worth starting early.
Using these prompts with a mixed-age group
If you're teaching a homeschool group or a club with sixth, seventh and eighth graders together, give everyone the same topic but different rungs of the ladder. A sixth grader argues for later school starts with evidence, a seventh grader acknowledges the other side, and an eighth grader answers the counterclaim. They can then read each other's work and see exactly how an argument grows.
My advice for middle school writing
The three years of middle school are where students learn that writing can change someone's mind. Use the ladder to build argument skills step by step, keep stories in the mix so writing stays enjoyable, and let students research questions they care about. By the end of eighth grade, they should be arguing with evidence and answering the other side without being prompted.
Frequently asked questions
What should middle schoolers write about?
Topics they care about with evidence available: school rules, technology, sport, the environment, and their own experiences.
How does writing change from 6th to 8th grade?
Under the Common Core, sixth graders support claims with evidence, seventh graders acknowledge opposing claims, and eighth graders distinguish their claim from counterclaims and connect them clearly.
How long should middle school writing be?
It varies. The standards expect longer projects over time and shorter pieces in a single sitting, and sixth graders should be able to type at least three pages in one sitting.
How do I use prompts with mixed ages?
Give everyone the same topic but a different level: evidence for younger students, opposing views for the middle, counterclaims for the oldest.
What's a good writing prompt for a reluctant middle schooler?
A point-of-view story or a reflection on something they know well, kept short.
