narrative essay 6th grade

43 Narrative Writing Prompts for 6th Grade

Narrative writing is a great way to help students take a break from more structured, academic writing, in order to reflect on their own thoughts or on things they’ve learned and experienced over time.

Below, you’ll find a list of narrative writing prompts to encourage your sixth graders to open up and write about things they typically might not.

Using This Guide

When it comes to reflective journaling, students often participate more when they aren’t being graded or judged based on what they write.

Consider keeping these prompts handy for downtime between activities, quiet time, or when it seems like a student needs a little extra nudge.

Here are some ways you can use this list in your classroom:

Print prompts on strips of paper, and have students pick their assignments randomly.
Include a copy of these prompts in your start-of-year paperwork for students to keep handy when they need them.
Consider letting students keep a separate, ungraded journal for more personal prompts and writing activities.

The Writing Prompts

Write about a time when you struggled with your self-esteem.
What is your favorite elementary school memory?
Who is someone you see as a role model? Why do they inspire you?
What would you do with your free time if you had less access to technology?
Write about a time when you felt afraid. What happened to make you feel better?
Have you ever been in a fight with your best friend? Write about your fight and how it was resolved.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Why?
Write 10 things you have in common with someone from your class with whom you aren’t friends.
What would you do if you woke up tomorrow with wings?
What sort of books would make you more interested in the required reading for class? Why?
Have you ever been a victim of racism? How did it feel?
Have you ever witnessed someone being bullied? What did you do?
What is one thing you wish you could change about your community to make it more inclusive?
Which video game character do you relate to most? Why?
Which book character do you relate to most? Why?
Which superhero do you relate to most? Why?
Write about a time when you felt betrayed. What happened next?
What is your favorite holiday memory?
Write about the last time someone surprised you. How did you react?
Would you rather spend the summer at a camp on a lake or in a condo on the beach? Why?
Do you have a secret you’ve never told anyone? Write about it here, with as little or as much detail as you’d like.
What are three careers you would like to have in the future? Why do these things interest you?
If you could live in the world of any video game, which would you choose? Why?
Do you think kids and teens spend too much time using technology? Explain your answer.
Do you think that students should have mandatory homework? Why or why not?
Write about someone in your family who you look up to.
Does your family have any holiday traditions? What are they?
Write the schedule of your typical day.
Do you have a particular teacher who has affected your life in a positive way? Write a letter to them.
If your best friend was a color, what color would they be? Explain.
If you woke up tomorrow and learned that you could talk to your pet, what would you talk to them about?
What is something that you’re afraid of? What do you think you could do to overcome this fear?
Which do you prefer: online learning or school in the classroom? Explain your answer.
What is your favorite restaurant? What do you like to order there?
Who is someone you can always depend on? Write about what makes them dependable.
What does it mean to be an ally?
What do you think it means to be a feminist?
When you are sick, what are some things that make you feel better?
Write about a time when you were excited about something.
What is your favorite type of weather? Why?
Which holiday is your favorite? Why?
Make a list of ten ways you can help the environment.
Compare and contrast yourself with a friend or sibling.

Looking For More?

Our site is home to a ton of great teacher, parent, and guardian resources that can be used in the classroom or at home. If you’re looking for something specific and can’t find it here, let us know. We’d love to help you out.

6th Grade Essay Topics – Best 100 Essay Ideas for Sixth Graders

6th grade essay topics don’t have to be boring and uninspiring. With the right essay topics, sixth graders can express themselves in depth and descriptively. This article aims to highlight 100 amazing essay topics for 6th graders that’ll enhance their writing skills and improve their mental performance. These essay topics all meet the Common Core Standards.

Since the 6th grade is the bridge to middle school, teachers will ensure students are prepared for middle school. The emphasis will be laid on the quality of writing and frequent writing assignments and tasks. The key to boosting the writing creativity of 6th graders is allowing them to research essay topics in advance. This will enable you to be more prepared and organised. To find the perfect 6th-grade essay topics, you have to allow your students to sift through the list of essay topics and select the one they feel interested in.

Narrative Essay Topic for 6th Grade

Whether you want your students to recount an event that happened shortly or an adventure that need them to fuel their imaginative spirit, narrative essays tell a story. The narrative essay is structured with a plot, which organizes it into beginning, middle and end.

Here are some narrative essay topic for 6th graders:

Think about the best day of your life. What made it so great?
Who is the oldest person you know?
Describe a friend situation that changed over only one day.
Write about how it feels when you’re alone.
Describe your favourite vacation.
Has a book, movie, or album ever changed your life?
Think about your future self. Write about a day in your life, one year from today.
Tell a family story from your perspective.
Describe a memory you have of extreme weather.
Think about a time you had to work hard to learn something.
Your first day of school.
Your most exciting day of school
A field trip that your class took.
Your favourite summer vacation.
A trip that included something unexpected or surprising.
A time that you experienced something spooky.
A time that you experienced something truly frightening.
A time that you learned something new that changed you in some way.
The moment when you met someone who changed your life.
The day that you got your first pet.
A move from one place to another.
Something funny that happened to you.
Something funny that happened to one of your family members or friends.
Something embarrassing that happened to you.
Your favourite birthday party.
A birthday that was disappointing.
A big storm (rain, snow or even a tornado!).
A time that the power went out.
A summer day when the temperature got much higher than expected.
A time when you went to an amusement park
A time when you got lost somewhere.
A memorable experience with a favourite family member
A sad experience with someone about whom you care
Your most exciting moment playing sports
Your most exciting moment is performing in a play, singing, playing music, or dancing.
An experience that left you feeling frustrated.
An experience that was hard but ended up being worth it.
A time that you experienced rejection.
A weird encounter with a stranger
A random act of kindness.
A time that you took a stand for someone or for an issue that you care about.
A moment when you thought you might get hurt but didn’t.
Breaking a bone (or otherwise suffering an injury).
Your first time away from home for the night (or longer).
A time when you experienced a historic event.
Where were you when a major event happened? (Note: You don’t need to have been at the site of the event; this prompt is about where you were when you found out about the event and how you reacted.)
A time when you rebelled against your parents or teacher.
A dangerous experience.
A misunderstanding between yourself and someone else.
A difficult decision that you had to make.
The end of a friendship or relationship.
The beginning of a friendship or relationship.
A time when you judged someone first and then realized that you were wrong about the person.
A time when someone judged you first and then realized that he or she was wrong about you.
A moment when you felt that you were starting to grow up.
A time when you saw one or both of your parents in a different light.
A time when you looked up to your older sibling
A time when your younger sibling looked up to you
A time when you were grateful to be an only child.
An experience that you think has only ever happened to you!

Expository essay topic for the 6th Grade

Expository essays are informative. They are fantastic tools you can use to teach your 6th graders about the method of exploring and researching. You’d want to build their writing skills. So here are some Expository essay topic for the 6th graders:

Write an extended definition essay on one of your vocabulary words.
Pretend a friend hasn’t seen your favorite TV show. And what is it about?
Compare and contrast two of your friends.
Describe your school year so far. And what have been the most important events?
Choose a problem at your school. And what’s the best solution?
What was the cause of a recent argument you had? And what was the effect?
Compare and contrast two of your favorite sports or activities.
Discuss a conflict in a movie you like. And how was it resolved?
Write a definition essay about the concept of empathy.
Explain how to send a friendly text message.
Teach a reader how to play your favorite board or card game.
Write about the steps needed to tie a shoe.
Create a user manual for something you use a lot (e.g., hair straightener or cell phone).
Describe how you get home after school.
Tell a younger reader how to do homework without wasting time.
How do you get to the library from your classroom?
How do you choose what to watch on a streaming service?
Explain how to pass a difficult level in a video game.
Write about the steps you follow to listen to your favourite music.

Argumentative essay topic for the 6th Grade

Read: How to Write a Unique Scholarship Application

The argumentative essay is about debating. It is formal writing that aims to persuade readers to the writer’s line of thought or point of view. It is one way of spurring curiosity in your 6th grader, allowing them to passionately research and boost their writing skills.

Here are some argumentative essay topics for the 6th grade:

Would you rather get or give a gift?
If you were anybody when you grow up, who’d you be?
What is the most selfless thing that you have ever done?
Do you believe that there are things that only men or only women can perform? Why or why not?
Do you think that astrological horoscopes are true?
What are some of the problems faced by immigrants to a new country? How did this experience make you feel?
What was the funniest moment you’ve ever experienced? Why?
How do you talk to somebody who has political or spiritual beliefs which are different than your own?
What is the longest time that you have ever kept a secret? What was the key?
Write about an experience where you thought you knew something for certain, but were later turned out to be wrong.
Name and explain somebody that has been a inspiration to your life.
In 20 years, where do you think you’ll be? What will you do?
How do you start a conversation with somebody that you do not know?
What is your deepest, darkest fear?
What would you believe at the most? How can you create this belief? What’s it about?
What is your favorite thing to do after school or on this weekend?
Have you ever been lost? How did you end up finding your way?
Should kids have homework?
Is your city a good place to live?
Is it important to learn math?
Should school start later?
What’s the best way to eat an ice cream cone?
Should skateboarding be allowed in private parking lots?
Is Monday through Friday the best school schedule?
Does pizza make a good breakfast?
Are hamsters fun pets?
Should students be allowed to go anywhere they want on the Internet?

Narrative essay topic for the 6th Grade

The Narrative essay is used to motivate students to tell a beautiful story and craft pictures in the mind of readers. Here are some Narrative essay topic for the 6th graders,

Your favorite summer vacation.
Your favorite birthday party.
A time when you went to an amusement park.
A memorable experience with a favorite family member.
A sad experience with someone about whom you care.
Your most exciting moment playing sports.
Your most exciting moment performing in a play, singing, playing music or dancing.
A weird encounter with a stranger.
A moment when you thought you might get hurt but didn’t.
Where you were when a major event happened. (Note: You don’t need to have been at the site of the event; this prompt is about where you were when you found out about the event and how you reacted.)
A time when you looked up to your older sibling.
A time when your younger sibling looked up to you.

Descriptive essay topic for the 6th Grade

Here are some fun and inspiring essay topic for 6th graders:

Describe your favourite place.
Describe your ideal bedroom.
Describe the house in which you grew up.
Describe what the first house on the moon would look like.
Describe some of your favourite places in your hometown.
Describe a peaceful place that you’ve visited.
Describe a place that exists only in your imagination.
Describe a friend’s or family member’s house where you enjoy spending time.
Describe your perfect fantasy vacation destination.
Describe your favourite store.
Describe your favourite teacher’s classroom.
Describe a museum that you’ve visited recently.
Describe a place you have dreamed about that doesn’t exist in real life.
Describe a place where your pet likes spending time.
Describe an outdoor place that you know well.
Describe your favourite person.
Describe each of your family members.
Describe a famous person that you would like to meet.
Describe one of your friends.
Describe one aspect of someone that you like (for example laugh, style of dress, words that the person likes to use, etc.)
Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
Describe the average human to an alien who has never before seen a person.
Describe your pet.
Look at some old family photos and describe an older family member as he or she was when at your age.
Describe someone whom you miss.
Describe an object that is special to you.
Give a tour of one room in your house by describing the most important objects in that room.
Describe one of your favorite outfits.
Describe your favorite toy as a child.
Describe how you get around (for example: a bicycle, skateboard, sneakers, your parents’ car, the school bus).
Describe your favorite piece of furniture where you like to spend time and relax.
Describe something that you would bury in a time capsule to tell people about what life is like today.
Describe an object that has been in your family for a long time.
Choose a piece of food to eat; then, write a description of it that includes the way it looks, smells and tastes.
Describe a smartphone to a time traveler from the 1900s.
Describe your oldest memory.
Describe your best summer vacation.
Describe a memorable concert you attended.
Describe a memorable trip you took.
Describe a special time that you and your family had together.
Describe the first time you met one of your friends.
Describe a time you met someone famous.
Describe one of your happiest memories.
Describe one of your saddest memories.
Describe a time that you felt scared.
Describe a time that you felt excited.
Describe a time that something totally unexpected happened.
Describe a memory of someone whom you miss.
Describe one of your most memorable first days of school.
Describe one of your most embarrassing moments.

Creative Essay Topics for 6th Grade

What is the best thing someone has ever given to you?
What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?
Write about what you can teach others. Everyone is good at something. This question helps children think about what they’re good at and how they can help others.
Did you ever get into an argument with a friend or family member? How did that make you feel?
Did you ever hurt someone’s feelings? Explain what happened and how it made you feel.
Did someone ever hurt your feelings? How did it make you feel? Did you talk to that person about it?
Is there anyone you would like to switch places with? who and why?
What does it mean to be loyal?
When was a time you were loyal to a friend or a friend who was loyal to you?

Self-Esteem Essay Topics for 6th Grade

Has a friend ever betrayed you? How did it make you feel? What do you think your friend should have done differently.
Have you ever been friends with someone who was unpopular or not part of the group? This is a great question to ask children when teaching them about acceptance and how it feels not to be part of a group.
When was a time you felt you were treated unfairly? How did it make you feel?
Is it fair to give someone a head start in a race? When is it fair? When is it not fair?
Write about a time when you had a strong opinion about something? Why did you feel so strongly about it?
Write about a time you made a big mistake. How did you fix it? Everyone makes mistakes. This writing topic helps children understand that mistakes are part of the learning experience.
Write about a time when you were very angry. What happened? How did being angry make you feel? I find that many times children will feel sad when they are angry. Did I make a good choice when I was angry?
If you heard a rumour about a friend that you knew wasn’t true, what would you do? How would it make you feel?
\Write about a time when you cheered someone up. What did you do? How did it make you feel? How did it make that person feel?
Write about a time when you used your inner strength to get through a tough situation.
Write about 3 things that are hard for you and why.
When was the last time you were afraid? What scared you? How did you react?
What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
Who is your hero and why?
What do you think risk-taking is? Have you ever taken a risk?
Write about your best friend. Who are they, how long have you known them, why are they your best friends?
What does it mean to have good character? Do you think you have a good character? Why?

Compare and contrast essays for grade 6

Group work and individual work
Only child vs. having siblings
Nature vs. nurture
Anxiety and depression
Old friends and new friends
Your teacher vs. your parent/guardian
Car ownership and public transportation
Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
Parents and grandparents
Elementary school and high school
Learning to read vs. learning to write
The importance of any two school subjects
Wearing glasses vs. having braces
You and your best friend
Friendship vs. romantic love
Public and private schools
Online school and in-person school
Any two schools or colleges
Going to college vs. starting work full-time

2 thoughts on “6th Grade Essay Topics – Best 100 Essay Ideas for Sixth Graders”

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6th Grade Writing A Narrative Essay Lesson Plan Example (Language Arts)

Topic:narrative essay, objectives & outcomes.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to write a narrative essay by describing a personal experience or event.
Copies of the narrative essay template (provided below)
Examples of narrative essays (provided by the teacher)
Writing materials (pen/pencil, paper)
Ask students to brainstorm a list of personal experiences or events that they would like to write about in their narrative essays.
Write the student suggestions on the board.
Ask the students to discuss their suggestions and why they would like to write about them.

Direct Instruction

Explain to the students that a narrative essay is a type of essay that tells a story.
Explain that the story should be interesting and engaging, and that it should have a beginning, middle, and end.
Introduce the key elements of a narrative essay, including:
Introduction: where the writer introduces the topic and setting of the story
Body: where the writer tells the events of the story
Conclusion: where the writer summarizes the story and leaves the reader with a sense of closure
Explain how to structure a narrative essay, using the sample narrative essay as a guide.
Demonstrate how to brainstorm, organize, and write the introduction, body, and conclusion of a narrative essay.

Guided Practice:

Have students work in pairs or small groups.
Give each group a topic and have them brainstorm ideas for a narrative essay.
Have each group organize their ideas and begin drafting their narrative essay.
As they are drafting, have them consult with their teacher and/or tutor as needed.

Independent Practice:

Have students finish drafting their narrative essays.
Have them proofread their drafts and make any necessary revisions.
Have them present their narrative essays to the class.
Have students share their narrative essays with the class.
Ask them to explain the main points and main themes of their essays.
Have them point out any interesting or surprising parts of their essays.
Ask them to reflect on the process of writing their essays and what they learned.

Assessment:

Observe students during the independent practice activity to see if they are understanding the concept of a narrative essay.
Use the narrative essays to assess students' ability to write a narrative essay and their understanding of the concept of closure.
Use the closure as a form of assessment to see if students are able to effectively explain the main points and themes of their essays and reflect on the process of writing their essays.

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