4th grade essay template

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4th Grade CCSS: Writing

For fourth graders, this Common Core area helps students gain mastery of writing skills by working collaboratively and producing written texts, understanding syntax and vocabulary, and organizing their ideas. Among the complete standards for this grade, fourth graders will be asked to: write opinion pieces, explanatory texts, narratives, be able to effectively write introductions, supporting details, developed ideas, reasons, and conclusions to fully realize a piece of writing, properly use illustrations, formatting, and multimedia to enhance a text, use dialogue, and descriptions of emotions and thoughts to show the response of characters to situations, use transitional words to link events in a narrative, with some adult guidance use appropriate technology to publish writing, demonstrate keyboarding skill, understand writing for specific audiences, go through the process of writing, editing and revision for their written work.

Autumn: The Scarecrow’s Surprise Writing Prompt

Students will further develop their creative writing skills with this Autumn writing prompt activity. This is a great worksheet to keep your students’ creativity flowing!

Classroom Reporter: Interview with a Classmate

“Classroom Reporter: Interview with a Classmate” is the perfect way to introduce students to their classmates and learn more about one another.

Father’s Day Writing Prompt: He’s the Best

Your students will have fun writing about their father in this “He’s the Best” writing activity.

Fourth of July Writing Prompt: What Freedom Means to Me

Teach your students about freedom in America with this fun Fourth of July Writing Prompt printable worksheet.

Haiku: Write Your Own!

This worksheet features the Japanese poetry style haiku.

Kwanzaa Candles: Who Lights First? Writing Prompt

It’s the first night of Kwanzaa and the entire Thompson family has gathered for the celebration. It’s almost time to light the candles, and the question comes up: who should light the candles tonight? Write a story about how the Thompson family decides who will light the candles. This printable holiday writing prompt is ideal for 3rd – 5th grade, but can be used where appropriate.

Main Idea Graphic Organizer

Learning how to properly structure an essay can be difficult. With this Main Idea Tree, students will create an outline that allows them to better understand the different parts of a five paragraph essay. Students will be asked to write their introduction, a main idea, three topic sentences, three supporting details for each topic sentence, and a conclusion.

Main Idea Tree

Use this image of a large tree to help your students understand the components of a paragraph. With this worksheet, students will be asked to write a main idea and follow it with three supporting details. What a great way for students to visualize the importance of the main idea in a paragraph!

My Goals for the New Year

This writing prompt about New Year’s goals is a wonderful way to help your students practice their writing skills.

Native American Heritage: Create Your Totem Pole

In the box on the worksheet, design your own totem pole. Make sure it represents you and your interests. Then in the writing space, describe your totem pole and explain how it illustrates you. This printable Native American Heritage Month activity is ideal for 3rd – 5th grade, but can be used where appropriate.

New Year’s Reflections

Encourage your students to look back on the events of the past year and look forward to the ones ahead with this New Years reflection worksheet.

The Lost Dreidel Writing Prompt

The Goldberg family has lost their Hanukkah dreidel! Write a story and tell how you think the Goldberg family should solve their problem. This printable Hanukkah writing prompt activity is perfect for keeping students engaged in class while learning about the holiday.

Using Story Elements: Plan a Story

Planning a story can be tough. This activity helps students break things down so that it’s easier to envision and write the story. A great beginning writing activity for 3rd – 5th graders.

What Happens Next? Halloween Surprise Activity

Keep learning fun during the holidays with this Halloween Reading Comprehension Activity. Students will be asked to read a passage and then answer the given questions about the story. This worksheet is great for use both at home and in the classroom.

Write a Description: Melting Snowman

With this unique winter activity, help your students further develop their writing skills.

Write Rhyming Couplets

Time for some poetic rhyming couplets!

Writing Limericks

This activity lists opening lines for two limericks. Students write the other lines to complete the limerick, remembering which lines that need to rhyme.

Writing Prompt: A New Plant in Spring

Students choose from the letters on a Spring flower and write words that start with a vowel. A fun way to practice vocabulary and anticipate the warm days to come!

Writing Prompt: She’s the Best

Students write about a special sister, grandmother, mother, or friend!

Back to School Diamante Poem

Teach your students a fun way to write diamante poems using our new back to school worksheet.

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115 Exciting 4th Grade Writing Prompts for 2024 (Free Slides!)

Journal writing, essay topics, story starters, and much more!

Fourth grade is a time for students to continue to hone their writing chops as they put to use the skills they’ve learned and gain confidence in their abilities. All writers can have a little trouble getting started, though, which is why you need this big collection of 4th grade writing prompts. They include essay writing prompts, creative writing story starters, journal prompts, and much more. Sharpen your pencils and get ready to write!

You can get 50 of these 4th grade writing prompts in a free PowerPoint slideshow bundle! They make it easy to share these writing ideas with your students.  Grab your free PowerPoint bundle by filling out the form on this page .

• Journal Writing Prompts
• Funny Writing Prompts
• Persuasive and Opinion Writing Prompts
• Descriptive Writing Prompts
• Narrative Writing Prompts
• Creative Writing Prompts
• Story Starters
• Current Events Writing Prompts

4th Grade Journal Writing Prompts

• What’s the best book you’ve read recently? What was it about, and why did you like it?
• What is the worst book you ever read?
• Write five rules for staying organized.
• What’s the best gift you’ve ever gotten? How did it make you feel?
• One of your little cousins is very nervous about starting kindergarten. What would you tell them to make them feel better?
• There’s an old saying: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” What do you think this saying means?
• Write about an adult you look up to.
• What’s the nicest thing anybody has ever done for you?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
• What makes your family unique?
• What would you say is your greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
• Are you a patient person? Why or why not?
• What is something you’ve never done that you would like to try?
• What is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you?
• What’s your favorite holiday? What makes it so special?

Funny Writing Prompts for 4th Grade

• What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?
• Imagine you came to school one day and found your teacher had turned into an animal. What animal would it be, and what would happen?
• Write a poem where most of the words start with the letter K.
• Imagine you and your pet switched bodies for a day, and tell the story of what would happen.
• Who is the funniest person you know? Describe them, and explain why they’re funny.
• When was the last time you laughed so much you couldn’t stop? What happened?
• What is something adults do that you think is funny or strange?
• Write a review of a restaurant that serves the worst food in the world.
• What is the funniest thing that someone could become famous for? Tell the story of how it happened.
• Write a story about someone who could never lie, no matter what.

Persuasive and Opinion 4th Grade Writing Prompts

• Are 4th graders ready to stay home alone? Why or why not?
• Would you rather be good at sports or good in school? Why?
• Would you rather have lots of money or lots of friends? Why?
• What is your favorite subject in school? Why?
• Name two characters from different books that you think might be good friends. Why?
• Which is more important for success, skill or luck?
• Should kids be paid an allowance to do chores around the house? Why or why not?
• Why are classroom rules important?
• If you had a time machine, what era of history would you visit?
• Why is math important?

• Which would you rather read: a scary story that gives you goosebumps or a funny story that cracks you up? Why?
• Why is science important?
• Should 4th graders have cell phones? Why or why not?
• If you could open a store, what type of store would it be and why?
• What is the hardest thing about being a 4th grader?
• If I were the ruler of the world, the first law I would pass would be … because …
• Is it ever OK to tell secrets? Why or why not?
• What animal makes the best pet? Why?
• Is it better to spend an hour a day reading or an hour a day exercising? Why?
• Do you like nonfiction books or fiction books better? Why?

Descriptive 4th Grade Writing Prompts

• If you won a million dollars, how would you spend the money?
• If you had a YouTube channel, what would you talk about?
• Describe what you think of as perfect weather.
• Describe how to build a birdhouse step-by-step.
• Imagine you are in a hot-air balloon above your house. Describe everything you can see.
• Describe the physical appearance of someone in your family in detail.
• Describe how to play your favorite board game.
• Explain the right way to do one of your household chores, like making your bed or cleaning your room.

• Describe your perfect day.
• Imagine you are an adult and describe your dream job.
• Explain your morning routine in detail, from waking up to arriving at school.
• Describe the perfect meal, including what you’d eat and where you’d dine.
• Share what you do on a typical non-school day.
• Describe your favorite room at home in detail.
• How do you prepare for a big test? Describe the ways you study or practice.

Narrative Writing Prompts for 4th Grade

• Share one of the stories your family has told you about when you were a baby.
• If you found a backpack filled with dollar bills, what would you do?
• Write about a time when you felt proud of yourself.
• Imagine your parents let you plan your next family vacation. Tell about what you’d do, and how your family would react.
• Write about a time you felt like quitting but didn’t. How did you keep yourself going?
• Tell about an event that happened recently at your school or in your town.
• Start a story in the middle, and use “flashbacks” to fill in what happened earlier.
• Describe the most exciting game or sports event you ever saw or participated in.

• What is your earliest memory? Describe it in detail.
• Write about a time you tried something new and how you felt before, during, and after.
• Tell a story that a family member loves to share over and over again.
• Tell the story of your favorite field trip of all time.
• If you could relive any day in your life, what would it be? Would you want it to be the same or different?
• Write about a time you visited a haunted house or other scary place.
• Tell a story about a time you visited someplace new.

Creative Writing Prompts for 4th Grade

• Pretend you ate a magic pill that made you as tall as a redwood tree. Where would you go and what would you do?
• If you met an alien, what three questions would you ask them?
• Pretend you drank a magic potion that made you as tiny as an ant. Where would you go and what would you do?
• What would the world be like if dinosaurs still existed?
• If you could invent something new the world really needs, what would it be? How would it work?
• Describe a world where it rains fruit juice and snows M&Ms.
• Come up with the most ridiculous excuse possible for why you are unable to turn in your homework today.
• Describe a world where all the adults are robots, but kids are still human kids.
• Imagine a conversation between yourself and a talking animal.
• Describe the kind of creature you’d create if you were a mad scientist. Would it be scary and mean? Nice and friendly?
• Invent a new kind of candy. Give it a name, and write a commercial jingle for it.

4th Grade Story Starters

• Retell a classic story, making the villain the hero instead.
• Write a story that includes these five words: keys, spaghetti, uncle, jellyfish, spaceship.
• Imagine that one day you woke up and found everyone in the world could no longer talk. What would happen next?
• Write about a day where kids are in charge instead of grown-ups.
• Imagine you’re lost in a haunted wood, and tell the story of your escape.

• Describe a night in the life of the tooth fairy.
• Tell a story that ends with these words: “… and that’s how we all learned to fly.”
• Use these words to start a story: “When I opened the box that came in the mail, I never expected to find …”
• Write a new chapter of your favorite book, with yourself as a new character.
• Imagine you woke up one morning with a superpower, like invisibility or the ability to fly. Describe your experiences learning how to use that power.

Current Events Writing Prompts for 4th Grade

• Learn about an endangered animal, and describe what we can do to help it.
• If you made a time capsule for this year, what would you put in it?
• Describe something that you saw in the news recently and how it made you feel.
• What do you think is one of the world’s biggest problems right now, and how would you solve it?
• Read a news story about something happening in another country and summarize it.
• Write a news article about something important that happened to you this week.
• Create a poem about something in the local news right now.
• Write a letter to the editor about a current issue, explaining your opinion.
• Find a “good news” story, and share why it makes you happy.
• What living famous person do you most admire and why?
• What do you think kids today can do about climate change and global warming?
• What does the word “racism” mean to you?
• What is one thing you would do to make your school or town a better place?
• Choose an upcoming sports event, and explain who you think will win.
• Describe a current fashion trend or something that’s very popular in your school right now and how you feel about it.
• What can we do to help people with different opinions get along with one another better?
• Interview a grown-up you know, and write a news article about them.
• What do you think is the best new song right now? The worst? Why?
• Describe an event that’s happening in the world right now that you don’t understand. What questions would you ask a grown-up about it?

Looking for more? Check out 150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity !

How do you use writing prompts with your students come share your ideas and ask for advice in the we are teachers helpline group on facebook ., you might also like.

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Free Printable Essay Writing Worksheets for 4th Grade

Essay Writing just got more exciting for Grade 4 students! Discover our collection of Free Printable Reading & Writing worksheets, crafted by Quizizz, to enhance their skills and ignite their creativity.

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Explore printable Essay Writing worksheets for 4th Grade

Essay Writing worksheets for Grade 4 are an essential resource for teachers looking to enhance their students' reading and writing skills. These worksheets focus on developing the fundamental aspects of writing, such as brainstorming, organizing ideas, and constructing well-structured paragraphs. Additionally, they provide ample opportunities for students to practice their nonfiction writing skills, allowing them to explore various topics and genres. By incorporating these worksheets into their lesson plans, teachers can effectively guide their students through the writing process, ensuring that they gain a strong foundation in writing that will serve them well throughout their academic careers.

Quizizz offers a comprehensive platform that complements the use of Essay Writing worksheets for Grade 4, providing teachers with a variety of tools to assess and improve their students' reading and writing abilities. With Quizizz, teachers can create engaging quizzes and interactive lessons that align with the content covered in the worksheets. This allows for a seamless integration of the two resources, ensuring that students receive a well-rounded education in reading and writing. Furthermore, Quizizz's extensive library of resources, including games, flashcards, and other supplementary materials, provides teachers with additional support in their efforts to help students excel in their Grade 4 nonfiction writing endeavors. By combining the use of Essay Writing worksheets with the innovative features of Quizizz, teachers can create a dynamic and effective learning environment for their students.

How to Write a Fourth Grade Essay

Karen hollowell.

If you are a fourth grade student, you are just beginning to learn about composing an essay. You began writing words and short sentences in kindergarten and first grade, and learned how to combine sentences into a paragraph in second and third grade. In fourth grade, you will learn how to combine paragraphs into a composition. A basic essay is made of five paragraphs that discuss one topic. These paragraphs introduce, support, and conclude your information, but should do so in a way that another reader can easily understand.

Explore this article

• How To Write A Fourth Grade Essay
• Choose a topic
• Write the introduction
• Write the body of the essay
• Write the conclusion
• Proofread your essay

1 How To Write A Fourth Grade Essay

2 choose a topic.

Choose a topic. Sometimes the teacher may give you a list of topics, or you may have to brainstorm ideas. When deciding on a topic, focus on a specific subject. For example, if you want to write about dogs, choose one breed of dog or discuss characteristics of dogs that make them good pets.

3 Write the introduction

Write the introduction. This is the first paragraph of your essay. It will contain two or three sentences that tell the reader what you will be discussing in your composition. (Ref. 1.)

4 Write the body of the essay

Write the body of the essay. The body is usually three paragraphs that include details supporting your topic. For example, if your essay is about your favorite character in a novel, each paragraph should discuss one aspect of the character that relates to why he or she is your favorite.

5 Write the conclusion

Write the conclusion. The ending paragraph is similar to the introduction, but you do not use the same words. The conclusion needs to summarize the main point of your essay. For example, a conclusion for an essay about your favorite character in "Huckleberry Finn" might be written like this: "Jim is my favorite character in this novel because he remained brave even though he faced many dangers. He was also a good friend to Huck and helped him to see how bad slavery was."

6 Proofread your essay

Proofread your essay. Your teacher will probably guide you through this process until you know the procedure. Usually you will read your essay after you have written it to be sure the sentences support the topic. Delete or add details as necessary at this time. Then check for grammar mistakes like subject/verb agreement and spelling errors. It is also a good idea to get a classmate or someone at home to read your essay. They may be able to see things that you missed. They can also tell you if your writing was easy to understand.

• 1 Sample Five Paragraph Essay

About the Author

Karen Hollowell has been teaching since 1994. She has taught English/literature and social studies in grades 7-12 and taught kindergarten for nine years. She currently teaches fourth grade reading/language and social studies. Hollowell earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Mississippi and her Master of Arts in elementary education from Alcorn State University.

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Narrative Writing for Grade 4

Narratives tell stories.

These worksheets and writing prompts focus on creative and effective story writing for kids . 

Writing hooks : 5 ways to get your reader's attention

Plot structure : 5 stages of plot structure

Creating settings : place, time and environment of a story

Character development : create character traits through Q&A

Show, don't tell! : actions and details rather than exposition

Sensory details : writing about what characters see, smell, taste, feel & hear

Descriptive writing : create a complete mental picture of a scene

Small moments writing : write in great detail about a specific moment

Point of view : first, second and third person

Writing personal narratives : organize and write a personal recollection

Narrative writing practice : tying together characters, setting and plot

Narrative writing prompts : creative prompts for grade 4 students

Narrative writing worksheet for grade 4

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Writing a Compare-and-Contrast Essay (Gr. 4)

Scott Foresman, an imprint of Pearson

Featured 4th grade resources.

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