Resources › For Educators April Writing Prompts Journal Topics and Writing Ideas Share Flipboard Email Print Hero Images/Getty Images For Educators Teaching Teaching Resources An Introduction to Teaching Tips & Strategies Policies & Discipline Community Involvement School Administration Technology in the Classroom Teaching Adult Learners Issues In Education Becoming A Teacher Assessments & Tests Elementary Education Secondary Education Special Education Homeschooling By Melissa Kelly Education Expert M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida B.A., History, University of Florida Melissa Kelly, M.Ed., is a secondary school teacher, instructional designer, and the author of "The Everything New Teacher Book: A Survival Guide for the First Year and Beyond." our editorial process Melissa Kelly Updated February 27, 2018 April is the month of showers or fools. Students and teachers will typically take their spring break during this month. Here is a writing prompt for each day of April that provides teachers with an easy way to incorporate writing in class. They can be used as straightforward writing assignments, warm-ups, or journal entries. Feel free to use and modify these as you see fit. Notable April Recognition Autism Awareness MonthKeep America Beautiful MonthNational Garden MonthNational Mathematics Education Month Writing Prompt Ideas for April April 1 - Theme: April Fool's DayHave you ever been 'fooled' successfully by someone on April Fool's Day? Have you ever fooled someone else? Describe the experience. Note: Your answers must be appropriate for a school setting. April 2 - Theme: World Autism Awareness DayUse #LightItUpBlue to share your experience across social media and help light the world up blue this April!OR International Children's Book DayInternational Children's Book Day encourages reading and promotes the love of books for children. The publisher Scholastic, Inc. compiled a list of the top 100 children's books of all time. Readers voted for the top five (5) selections: Charlotte's Web; Goodnight, Moon; A Wrinkle in Time; The Snowy Day; Where the Wild Things Are. Do you remember any of these books? What's your favorite children's book? Why? April 3-Theme: Tweed DayWilliam Magear "Boss" Tweed, was born on this day in 1823. Tweed's claim to fame was being convicted of graft and corruption while serving as a U.S. House of Representatives and a New York State Senator. He was exposed because of political cartoons that were drawn by Thomas Nast that pictured him unfavorably. What political issues today are the subject of political cartoons? Try your hand at drawing one. April 4 - Theme: Keep America Beautiful MonthWhat are your feelings about littering? Have you ever done it? If so, why? Do you think that the punishment for littering is too light or too heavy? April 5 - Theme: Helen Keller On this day in 1887: The tutor Anne Sullivan taught Helen Keller the meaning of the word "water" as spelled out in the manual alphabet. This event is dramatized in the play "The Miracle Worker." Keller became deaf and blind after a childhood illness., but she overcame these obstacles to advocate for others. Who else do you know advocates for others? April 6 - Theme: The North Pole was "discovered" on this date. Today, research stations relay information from the top of the world on the changes in the Earth's climate. What questions do you have about climate change? April 7 - Theme: World Health DayToday is World Health Day. What do you think the keys to a healthy lifestyle include? Are you following your own advice? Why or why not?April 8 - Theme: April is National Garden MonthDo you consider yourself an inside or outside person? In other words, do you like to hang out in your own home or spend time in nature? Explain your answer. April 9 - Theme: National Name Yourself DayNick Harkway is credited with saying, "Names aren't just coathooks, they're coats. They're the first thing anyone knows about you."In honor of National Name Yourself Day, go ahead and give yourself a new name. Explain why you chose this name. April 10 - Theme: National Sibling DayDo you have a sibling or siblings? If so, what is the best thing about them? The worst? If not, are you happy that you are an only child? Explain your answer. April 11 - Theme: National Mathematics Education MonthCelebrate mathematics and statistics, both of which play a significant role in addressing many real-world problems: Internet security, sustainability, disease, climate change, the data deluge, and much more. Explain three reasons why learning math is important for everyone. April 12 - Theme: Space Shuttle Columbia First LaunchedWould you ever consider being an astronaut? If so, explain why and where you would like to visit. If not, tell why you don't think you'd like to be one. April 13 - Theme: Scrabble DaySometimes, the two word combinations in Scrabble (Hasbro) can be high scoring such as the points given for these examples:: AX=9, EX=9, JO=9, OX=9, XI=9, XU=9, BY=7, HM=7, MY=7Do you like to play word games like Scrabble? Why or why not? April 14 - Theme: The Titanic Disaster -1912The Titanic was billed as an unsinkable ship, but it struck an iceberg on its first voyage across the Atlantic. Many saw the fact that it sunk as an example of what happens in extreme cases of hubris (arrogant pride). Do you believe that people who are overconfident and arrogant will always fail? Explain your answer. April 15 - Theme: Income Tax DayThe 16th Amendment that created income taxes was ratified in 1913:The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.What are your feelings on taxes? Do you think that the government should take a higher percentage of money from the wealthy? Explain your answer. April 16 - Theme: National Librarian Day.Celebrate a librarian that you know from elementary, middle, or high school.Visit the library today, and make certain to say hello and "Thank you" to all of the librarians.April 17 - Theme: Daffy Duck's BirthdayDaffy Duck is a character foil to Bugs Bunny.Do you have a favorite cartoon character? What characteristics make this character a favorite? April 18 - Theme: EvolutionOn this date in 1809, the botanist Charles Darwin passed away. Darwin had proposed a theory of evolution for living organisms, but there are other things that evolve, for example, technology, music, dance. Respond to his quote, "In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed."What do you notice that has evolved in your lifetime? April 19 - Theme: National Poetry MonthIn honor of National Poetry Month, write a poem using the tanka format. The tanka consists of 5 lines and 31 syllables. Each line has a set number of syllables see below: Line 1 – 5 syllables Line 2 – 7 syllables Line 3 – 5 syllables Line 4 – 7 syllables Line 5 – 7 syllables April 20 - Theme: Volunteer Recognition DayPay tribute to someone who volunteers or (better yet) volunteers to help others. You will find out that the benefits can be fun and camaraderie. What could you volunteer to do? April 21 - Theme: Kindergarten DayResearch shows that students who learn more in kindergarten are more likely to go to college and earn more. What skill(s) did you learn in your kindergarten class that help you today? April 22 - Theme: Earth DayTake the Earth Day quiz from the World History Project website.What are specific actions that you and your fellow students could take to help protect the environment? April 23 - Theme: ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was born on this date in 1564. His 154 sonnets can be read, analyzed, or used for Reader's Theatre. Turn one or two lines from Shakespeare's sonnets into a dialogue. Who is speaking? Why? April 24 - Theme: Time TravelRecent reports claim to supports time travel. Why might physicists be interested in time travel? Maybe because we want to test the boundaries of the laws of physics. If you could travel back in time, to which age and location would you go? Why? April 25 - Theme: DNA DayIf you could determine the sex, eye color, height, etc. of a child in advance by using genetic advances, would you do it? Why or why not? April 26 - Theme: Arbor DayToday is Arbor Day, the day we are to plant and take care of trees. Joyce Kilmer started his poem "Trees" with the lines: I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree. What are your feelings about trees? Explain your answer. April 27 - Theme: Tell a Story DayWrite a short story about a funny event that occurred in your or your family's past. April 28 - Theme: Astronomy Day-during Dark Sky WeekDownload, Watch, and Share “Losing the Dark,” a public service announcement about light pollution. It focuses on the dangers of light pollution on a dark sky and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it It can be downloaded for free and is available in 13 languages. April 29 - Theme: Film Genre Thriller.Alfred Hitchcock died on this date in 1980. He was one of the most influential filmmakers in the genre of horror or thriller.What is your favorite thriller or horror movie? Why? April 30 - Theme: National Honesty DayHonesty is defined as fairness and straightforwardness of conduct; an adherence to the facts. Does this definition apply to you? Do you consider yourself an honest person? Why or why not?