1st grade creative writing worksheets

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This section of our worksheets works to help improve the writing skills of 1st graders. Writing is like anything else, to become an accomplished writer you need consistently write and work to improve yourself. I have never run into a solid writer that has not done this. We are not just born writers. It takes time and repetition to improve. Reading and writing go hand in hand, meaning that good readers are usually good writers and vice versa. Your take away from this is that you should read more often to improve your writing skills. One thing that is often overlooked at this level is that you should use a variety of writing tools. This tends to improve penmanship and in the end result in an increased writing confidence. At the 1st grade level we often encourage students to journal often and always. This helps students learn to express themselves while covering their favorite subject, themselves.

The early years of a child's should be replete with many grammar and phonics lessons that set him or her up for success later in their education careers. By working on all of these worksheets your students will come out of the writing gate by looking at an image and then writing a paragraph that describes the image. This lesson, as well as many other lessons in this series, stirs the imaginations of children that have plenty of imagination to give. Set a reasonable bar for learning expectations by introducing Easy Teacher Writing 1st Grade worksheets in the classroom. Most of the worksheets come with an answer key.

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Printable 1st grade writing worksheets, click the buttons to print each worksheet and answer key., the big mess.

Look at the picture. Write a story about what happens in the picture.

I'm An Animal

Your are given a unique scenario. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

If you could have any pet, what would it be? Why? How would you take care of your pet? What would you and your pet do together?

When I Grow Up...

What do you want to be when you grow up? Use your creativity to share your wildest dreams with us.

Don't Make Me Angry

What makes you really, really angry? Why do you that is? Do some things set you off that are unique to you.

My Favorite Character

Who is your favorite character from a story? What do you like best about them? What story are they in? Write about your favorite character in the space below. Draw picture of your favorite character.

My Favorite Holiday

What is your favorite holiday? Why? What do you do on that holiday? What is the holiday about?

Fun with Magic

If you could have a magical power, what would you want it to be? What would you do with your power? Why?

The Postcard

If you could travel anywhere in the universe, where would you go? Pretend you are there, and write a postcard to your best friend. Cut out the postcard, and draw a picture on the front.

Finish the Story

Ann went on the jet ski. She went far out into the water. She was going very fast. Suddenly... Tell us what happens from here on.

Describe your family. How many people are in your family? What do you like to do together?

The Picture Is Clear

Take a quick look at the picture. Write a story about what happens in the picture. You can be as crazy as you want to be.

Ralph the dog wanted to be a human. One day, a wizard told him he could be human for one day. Ralph was very happy. The first thing he did was... Tell us everything that happens from here on.

All About Me

Complete each sentence using you personally as the center of attention.

The last time I felt sad it was because of this... Tell us all about it.

How to Improve a 1st Grader's Writing

Writing is an excellent way for kids to share their ideas, creativity, and individuality with the world. In this way, children learn to think critically, organize and articulate their thoughts, and give them a tangible, long-term record of what they've learned in school. Children who are taught to write well are also taught to read better. However, students in 1st grade often have a hard time composing an active story. This article will discuss various ways to improve a 1st graders writing.

The following are efficient ways to improve a 1st grader's writing:

1. Provide Samples

Teachers should provide writing samples to help their students improve their own skills. They can elaborate on their student's work and explain how well they are doing in terms of their personal writing goals. If you are a parent concerned about the development of your child's writing, you should immediately make an appointment with your child's teacher.

2. Equip the Students with the Resources They Need

Your primary role as a parent or a teacher is to provide your child with a pen, paper, and a location to write. A designated place or basket for their writing equipment is a great way to ensure they always have what they need when they need it most.

3. Set a Goal for Your Students

Writing with a goal, style, and structure is essential. First graders write a lot because they have a specific purpose when creating stories, letters, and lists to share their thoughts and interests with the world. They can read their own handwriting pasted on the board or the refrigerator and get motivated to write better. Therefore, you need to set a goal and encourage them to read aloud.

4. Establish a Solid Base

Ideally, the foundation for a child's success in writing should be established at home before they begin school. Parents should ask their children for stories, print them, and read them aloud to their children. Teachers can also do that. They can help children learn basic skills like printing their names and creating letters.

5. Make a Photo Album

You can get your children interested in writing by having them create a family scrapbook. A cheap photo album can be a keepsake of the fun things you do together. Photographs, ticket stubs, and found objects, such as lovely leaves, can be included in this category. Start by printing the date and a brief description of where you were and what you did on that particular day. Afterward, you can work together to produce a more comprehensive overview. Incorporating amusing or irritating parts throughout your story is essential.

6. Practice Spelling

You should observe a mix of created and perfect spelling among first graders, especially words from a word wall or vocabulary list. A child's first attempts at spelling are not random. Invented spelling provides a window into the minds of children when it comes to the written word. Mistakes in spelling indicative of typical literacy development can be differentiated from those that signal a probable learning problem by an experienced teacher.

7. Give Them Your Own Notebook

Give your child a notebook. You can show them how to keep a journal by writing the date at the top of the page. This notebook serves as a nature diary where they can write about all the great things they have discovered and learned while exploring nature. It can also serve as a place where they can express their feelings about the day's events. Let them explore their creative side and have their say, no matter how wrong or made-up it sounds.

Final Words

And that's how you can improve a 1st grader's writing. Remember to give your children liberty and become their own person. Let them write whatever they want and encourage them to practice.

Home » 1st Grade Teaching Resources » 23 1st Grade Writing Worksheets To Practice New Skills

23 1st Grade Writing Worksheets To Practice New Skills

Spelling, reading, and writing are three of the most important skills children will learn in their first few years of school—that’s why having access to an assortment of first grade writing worksheets will make your life easier as a parent or a teacher. By the time students reach first grade, many have started learning basic words and are able to write basic ideas out on paper. The writing worksheets below offer a variety of different activities for all skill levels and help students focus on essential writing skills and develop them. Worksheets are great support for learning through practice—the unique offerings and the classic activities alike will create a strong foundation to build on!

Table of Contents

What should a first grader be able to write.

• Best First Grade Writing Worksheets 

Should First Graders Be Able To Spell?

Check out these additional 1st grade resources.

First grade introduces the basics of spelling, grammar, and vocabulary to students. As they practice all of these skills, they’ll inevitably grow as writers. First grade teachers want to see kids who can write simple, complete sentences. They should ideally be using proper capitalization and end punctuation. 

Even if their spelling isn’t perfect, the ability to use their knowledge of letters and letter sounds to take an educated guess is really what teachers are looking for. First graders should also be adept at copying down words and sentences provided to them, and able to produce their own simple sentences from scratch.  

In partnership with Teach Simple , whose marketplace is full of educational materials created by actual teachers (plus 50% of all revenues go to them), I’ve gathered 23 totally-awesome grade 1 writing worksheets to help inspire your students and support their core language arts skills!

Best First Grade Writing Worksheets

• You Write The Story Soccer Picture Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This writing worksheet offers students the chance to practice writing using a visual prompt. The use of visuals supports learning and aids students in idea generation. This 1st grade worksheet will help you teach brainstorming and the elements of a story. 

• Other Ways To Write Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This worksheet may seem like it is just focused on writing, but it also engages essential critical thinking skills. Understanding that writing is a process that can happen on paper or on a computer will set your students up for success well beyond first grade!

• Search The Word By Worksheet By Splash Learn

Search the word by Worksheet is aimed at enhancing children’s literacy skills, particularly their familiarity with common sight words. Through an engaging, picture-based activity, it encourages learners to identify and understand the usage of a specific sight word in various contexts. The exercise is designed to improve reading fluency, speed, and comprehension, making it a valuable tool for early literacy development.

• Capitalization Errors Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

There are many elements of grammar that students need to learn throughout elementary school, but capitalization is truly fundamental. Catching errors is a fantastic practice to reinforce learning! This worksheet will certainly engage your reader and support their knowledge of grammar as they fix the errors in seven different sentences.

• Writing About Me Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Cultivating a strong sense of self and identity is an important element of social-emotional learning for young children. This worksheet blends together writing, spelling, and those SEL elements to create an engaging and fun activity where students can write about someone they know very well!

• In My Own Words Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Summarizing paragraphs and retelling narratives with a focus on key information are essential skills. They support not only reading and reading comprehension but also critical thinking as a whole. This worksheet asks students to retell four different quotes in their own words and offers particularly effective practice for your first grader! 

• Once Upon A Pancake For Younger Storytellers — Creative, Interactive Activity Book For Kids From A Story Book Day

This workbook is full of writing prompts and unfinished stories to spark kids’ creativity and enhance their writing by finishing up each one. This workbook is a fun way for children to develop their reading, writing, and storytelling abilities, using prompts about superheroes , friendships, magic, and more!

• “I” Handwriting Practice B By Have Fun Teaching

Handwriting is key to academic success and legibility is a key part of writing in the first grade . This simple worksheet let’s students practice uppercase and lowercase “I” handwriting while also constructing sentences starting with I or making silly sentences that only use “i” words.

• Journal Writing Prompts By Minds And Heart

Whether you need beginning of year writing activities, literacy centers, morning work, or early finisher work, these prompts will work for any time! With a checklist to self-edit for capitals, punctuation, and details, students will be reminded to utilize the components of strong writing that they are learning every day. 

• You Write The Story Artist Picture Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This worksheet offers another delightful visual writing prompt—this time about some artists and a dinosaur. The benefits of the visual prompt paired with the writing practices will lead to fun and learning all at once!

• Draw A Story Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Kids love to draw, and visuals are wonderful supports for reading and writing. This worksheet blends the two and guides your little author through the process of creating a story and illustration of their very own. 

• My Opinion The Big Orange Splot Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Opinion writing includes elements of informational texts. This worksheet asks first graders to think critically about the prompt, practice writing, and focus on their opinion of the characters and plot of the story .

• The Big Orange Splot From Art with Mrs. F

• Capitalization And End Punctuation Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

A sentence has distinct features to indicate where it begins and where it ends. Early literacy skills focus on these text features to support students in their grammatical understandings. This practice worksheet is a wonderful resource for emerging readers and writers to practice capitalization and end punctuation on different types of sentences.

• Comprehensive Language Arts Skills Practice Test For Grade 1 By Twin Sisters Digital Media

Knowing where your students are is important to tracking progress. These worksheets are designed to be used as a practice test, focusing on core writing and reading skills. Ranging from punctuation and grammar to story structures and more, this is a great assessment tool to check in on your student’s learning. 

The worksheets in this bundle include topics like:

—Consonant Sounds

—Blends and Digraphs

—Compound Words

—Contractions

—Synonyms and Antonyms

—Adjectives

—Sequencing and Story Mapping

—Capitalization

—Punctuation and Grammar

• Writing Sentences Printable Workbook By Twin Sisters Digital Media

A simple but useful tool, this sentence writing practice looks at the writing basics younger students need to learn and focuses on each one!

• Writing Conventions And Applications Printable Workbook By Twin Sisters Digital Media

Make learning more fun with a variety of activities and games related to all things about writing conventions! This set features various types of practice with nouns, verbs, plurals,  subject-verb agreement, adjectives, statements vs. questions, capitalization, punctuation, complete sentences and beginning/middle/end-story structure. Packed in a set of unique worksheets, this practice is fun and effective.

• Describing Emotions Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This worksheet is a double whammy! Not only are you getting engaging writing practice, but you will also be supporting students’ emotional learning. A simple but effective way to ask kids to write about their own feelings in descriptive words.

• Make Sentences With The Sentence Maker By Guinea Pig Education

A choose your own adventure of sorts, this worksheet allows students to piece together words and create sentences. A fun and tactile tool, this activity encourages students to be creative while offering a support scaffold and building a solid foundation for writing sentences on their own.

• Silly Stories Story Starters By Have Fun Teaching

Who doesn’t love a silly story? Inspire your students to flex their imagination with this worksheet full of story starters. They’ll have ideas to jump off from and will practice writing while being creative and thinking of stories that are outside of the box.

• Scholastic Success With Writing, Grade 1 By Worksheetbee

This comprehensive writing workbook from Scholastic focuses on several different parts of writing skills in 1st grade including identifying sentence parts, building sentences, sequencing, writing descriptive sentences, and identifying story parts.

• Star Wars Workbook: 1st Grade Writing Skills From Workman Publishing 

Get kids hooked on writing by providing them with writing activities about their favorite characters from Star Wars. This workbook is aligned with Language Arts Common Core Standards and combines editorial quality, fun presentation, and the rigorous educational standards that Workman applied to the Brain Quest Workbooks as well.

• Space Poetry Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

This charming worksheet is a perfect way to practice poetry and tie in science. The creative writing elements and cross-curricular connections make this a wonderful resource for your first grader to think about how to write a poem about space.

• Uppercase And Lowercase Letters Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching

Having two versions of each letter can be a weird concept to wrap your brain around as a child. This set of practice worksheets around the basics offers a quick and easy way to support students in understanding the difference. It also serves as handwriting practice making it a double whammy!

• Capital Letter Examples Worksheets By Have Fun Teaching

Let your students apply what they know with this worksheet. A little more capitalization practice can’t hurt, and with this sheet you can easily check their understanding of the concept before you move on from the topic.

The answer is yes and no. We want our first graders to be able to spell out CVC words they’ve memorized and can identify by sight. They should also have a handle on some decodable words—mostly those that can be broken down into their composite letter sounds. 

Complex, compound, and trickier letter combinations are not going to be words teachers expect first graders to spell correctly, but with practice they will come! Using these first grade writing worksheets will support your students in becoming proficient readers and writers in tandem with developing spelling skills they’ll need for second grade and the rest of elementary school.

About the Author Ali Pierce has been a proud public school teacher for nearly a decade. An English teacher by day, Ali works with educators throughout K-12 in a variety of coaching and support roles. A proud Wildcat, Ali earned both her BA in Creative Writing and M.Ed. in Teaching and Teacher Education from the University of Arizona. When not teaching, Ali can be found hanging out with her two young sons and sneaking in some reading for fun.

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Last Updated on September 10, 2023 by Teach Simple

Free Writing Worksheets for 1st-Graders

Let your students’ creativity flow with our sentence starters, 1st-grade writing prompts and other printable 1st-grade writing exercises. Creating a classbook may seem like a simple project, but who knows, you may come to find that you’ve helped nurture a batch of future authors!

Feel free to browse through the worksheets below to see which ones best suit your students. Simply download the worksheets for free to get started.

Students are naturally creative and imaginative. They often have out-of-the-box story ideas that are just waiting to be put to paper - and that’s where our writing prompts for first graders come in.

Studentreasures Publishing is here to set your class up for writing success. We offer free classbook publishing kits to help teachers foster creativity in the classroom. We also provide fun, exciting 1st-grade writing prompts and worksheets so that you can better engage your students.

Download the available writing worksheets below.

K-1: BRAINSTORMING

K-1: opinion writing, k-1: writing checklist, k-1: narrative writing, k-1: final checklists, k-1: informative writing, parts of a book, k-1: word choice, k-1: editing.

Our worksheets include exercises on brainstorming, informative writing and narrative writing. Our story-writing checklists guide young students as they begin their writing journey.

In addition, these worksheets are aligned with Common Core and other educational standards. Through creative writing prompts, we help 1st-grade students meet the learning goals of their grade level.

Ready to make your students published authors? Get started today!

We provide teachers and schools with a FREE hands-on writing activity that motivates students to write and inspires students to learn by turning their stories into professionally bound books. Learn More

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