• Schools and Districts
  • Free Webinars
  • Love To Write and Read All Day
  • Empowering Writers

Hub Free Trial

  • Scope & Sequence Guides
  • Standards Alignment Charts
  • Graphic Organizers
  • Literature Connection
  • Student Writing Samples
  • Lessons of the Month
  • Quick Writes
  • Recommended Reading

Personal Experience Narrative Sample- Grade 4- Snowed

Snowed.Sample Image copy

Personal Experience Narrative Grade 4 Sample Snowed

Summarizing Framework

This is a story about Danny and me. The experience was playing in the snow . The experience concluded when the boys were so cold they went inside .  

What worked:

  • Organization: There is a sense of story with a beginning, middle, and end.
  • Entertaining Beginning:   There is a good action beginning statement.

Feedback with Prescriptive Feedback:

CHOOSE a Focus Skill: One skill that will make the biggest impact

For this student, genre and organization needs to be the focus.

Genre and Author’s Purpose:   This story was difficult to summarize because it is a classic list of actions rather than a fully elaborated main event.  What is the main event from the list of actions in the middle of your story?  The story does not begin as close to the main event as possible because the main event is unclear.

  • Section 1 Lesson 1: Introducing Graphic Organizers - Summarizing Framework
  • Section 1 Lesson 8: Annotating Narrative Stories - the organizational structure and features of narrative 
  • Section 1 Lesson 10: Givens and Variables - practice planning focused narrative stories

Elaborative Detail: This student needs modeled lessons in description of setting and feelings.  Elaborative detail is a critical foundational skill that builds the essential parts of the narrative story. 

  • Section 3 Lesson 3: General or Specific?  The awareness level for elaborative detail.
  • Section 3 Lesson 5: Creating Elaborative Segments (modeling is crucial)

Entertaining Beginnings:  

  • Section 2 Lesson 1: Starting Off on the Right Foot
  • Section 2 Lesson 2: Analyze the Beginning
  • Section 2 Lesson 3: Revising Story Beginnings

Main Event:  What is the main event?  Student needs to establish a single, significant event.  Is it the snowball fight?  Is it going sledding?  Is it building an igloo?  Once that is established then add a balanced mix of action, description, thoughts/feeling, dialogue, and sound.

  • Section 5 Lesson 1: Comparing Summaries and Fully Elaborated Main Events
  • Section 5 Lesson 2: Main Event: apply the productive questioning techniques

Recommended Resources

  • Empowering Writer's Methodology
  • Narrative Writing Guide for Grade 4  

Download

731 Main Street Suite 117 Monroe, CT 06468

Administrators.

  • Administrators Home
  • Research & Case Studies
  • Teachers Home
  • The Teachers Toolbox
  • Our Products
  • Our Workshops
  • Career Opportunities
  • Tax-Exempt certificate
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Join Our Newsletter

  • Arts & Humanities
  • American Literature

Fourth Grade Personal Essay Opinion Unit Lessons and

personal essay 4th grade

Related documents

Essay Checklist

Add this document to collection(s)

You can add this document to your study collection(s)

Add this document to saved

You can add this document to your saved list

Suggest us how to improve StudyLib

(For complaints, use another form )

Input it if you want to receive answer

5 Helpful Hints On Writing A 4th Grade Personal Narrative Essay

If you are struggling to create the perfect narrative essay and to describe the perfect event you want to make sure you use a vivid description. For each event, object, or person that you describe you should try to answer the following information about them:

  • What did you smell?
  • What did you hear?
  • What did you taste?
  • What did you feel or touch?
  • What did you see?

These are the most important five questions to answer/hints to follow when writing a 4th grade personal narrative essay successfully. Answering these five questions about each object, person, or event that you experience will help you to present a much better story which the reader can appreciate.

You want to avoid ever describing what something just looks like. Do not say that the woman was tall. Instead explain to the reader what colors the woman was wearing, what close she was wearing what smells came off of her from her perfume or even her shampoo, what sounds you heard when she walks and even perhaps what she felt like when she hugged you.

Concrete language gives information that can be easily understood and sometimes that allows the reader to empathize. But abstract language will leave the reader feeling disconnected and even confused. Abstract means that there are no recognizable objects and it can be difficult to see what the story is trying to say. Simply saying that it was a nice day outside is very abstract and much brought. For each reader the definition of the word nice might be something different and therefore it might be challenging for them to truly understand what the day was like that you are describing. But if you instead say that the sun was shining and the wind blew softly against your cheek then the readers can all visualize the same day.

If you write that Mrs. Johnson is a good teacher that might not mean the same thing for another reader as it does for you. You, as the author, want the reader to think exactly what you were thinking about Mrs. Johnson. But in order for them to do this you have to give concrete details. You have to say, instead, that Mrs. Johnson knew how to help each student turned their individual thoughts into a good story.

Writing Ideas

  • Persuasive cause&effect paper topics
  • Paper on technology in an hour
  • How to train essay writing
  • The selection of an essay agency
  • Getting sample expository essays
  • What makes a proper custom essay
  • Template informative paper on speech
  • Getting essay samples about studies
  • Starting an evaluation paper
  • Getting template visual analysis essays
  • Crafting an essay on friendship: idioms
  • Sample reaction education papers
  • In search of a great essay writer
  • Getting paper introduction templates
  • Working with essay agencies
  • Looking for a writing company
  • Silence against violence: essay tips
  • How to pick an expert in essay writing
  • The selection of a good writing agency
  • Finding APA persuasive essay samples
  • Hints on argumentative essay intro
  • Grade 8 comparative essay samples
  • How to find a proper writer
  • Who can write papers fast?
  • Crafting an APA graduate essay

Inspiring Tips:

  • Persuasive essay sample
  • Illustration paper
  • Admission essays
  • Application paper tips

Writing guides:

  • Essay writing

Easy Solutions:

  • Problem solution paper
  • School games essay tips
  • Essay hints: environment

Essay Types:

  • Descriptive essay
  • Literary paper
  • Informative paper
  • Expository essays
  • Skip to main content

Not So Wimpy Teacher

The Not So WImpy Teacher creates resources for busy teachers in grades 2-5 who are looking to deliver engaging and meaningful lessons without overwhelm and chaos.

personal essay 4th grade

Personal Narrative Writing Unit FOURTH GRADE

Grade Level: 4th Grade

My fourth  grade personal narrative writing unit includes 8 weeks of done-for-you writing lessons about how to write a small moment story. This unit contains detailed lesson plans, mentor texts, anchor charts, student writing tasks, and rubrics –everything you need to be a capable, confident writing teacher with students who love to write.

Also available in the following bundles

personal essay 4th grade

More about this resource

My fourth  grade personal narrative writing unit includes 8 weeks of done-for-you writing lessons about how to write a small moment story. This unit contains detailed lesson plans, mentor texts, anchor charts, student writing tasks, and rubrics –everything you need to be a capable, confident writing teacher with students who love to write.

If teaching writing has ever made you cry, weep, tear out your hair, question your existence, or binge-watch reality television—because it’s just that frustrating and overwhelming—this writing unit is perfect for you. 

If your students dread writing time more than meatloaf in the school cafeteria…this writing bundle is perfect for them, too. 

Teaching writing can be tough. Teachers tell me that their district-provided writing curriculum is:

  • too complicated

Or worse, they don’t have any curriculum at all. Yikes! 

But my fourth grade personal narrative writing unit makes teaching writing easy . It takes all the guesswork out of teaching writing and gives you the tools you need to teach engaging and effective writing lessons without breaking a sweat.

This resource is part of a money-saving writing bundle! Click HERE to see the bundle!

The ready-to-use lessons and activities in this personal narrative writing unit will teach your students how to write a small moment story with dialogue, a strong lead, interesting word choice, and paragraphs. And all you have to do is print and teach . The lesson plans are that simple. Seriously.

Student-friendly mentor texts make it easy to provide illustrative examples of new writing skills. You don’t have to waste your time and money hunting down just the right book.  Focused mini lessons and daily writing tasks simplify the writing process helping ALL students, even reluctant writers, experience success. Preprinted anchor charts make it easy to model new skills and engage in shared writing without wasting valuable time. 

And best of all, my personal narrative writing unit  makes writing fun  for  ALL  your students – from  reluctant writers  to  excited writers . The  Student Success Path  helps you identify where your students are on their writing journey and plan just-right lessons and  interventions .  Short, focused lessons  keep students engaged. Simple, direct writing tasks help kids develop confidence.  Conference materials,  including outlines and topic cards, you can use to guide small group discussion make it easy for you to  differentiate lessons.

Choice empowers students  to write about things they care about and makes them more invested in their writing. And that’s a big deal because  students who enjoy writing and get lots of practice perform better on standardized testing. 

Plus, these materials are  easy-to-use . Everything is organized in folders to help you find just what you need. A  Quick Start Guide  makes it simple to get started and provides tips on how to prep materials for long-term use.

The 2-week  Starting Writing Workshop mini-unit  will help you start your writing instruction on the right foot. Detailed teacher directions show you exactly how to use all the resources and activities.

What’s Included:

  • Detailed teacher directions and suggestions for simple implementation
  • Unit-at-a-glance calendar for each unit
  • 7 exclusive videos walking you through how to get the most out of these writing units
  • 40 days of lesson plans that include guiding questions, materials, mini lessons, student work tasks, student share tasks, intervention, and several extension activities
  • 14 original mentor text passages
  • 24 personal narrative task cards
  • 24 punctuating dialogue task cards
  • 24 personal narrative writing prompts task cards
  • 12 teacher anchor charts (blank and filled in versions)
  • Student anchor charts and printable for writing notebooks
  • Conference and goal tracking forms
  • Writing grades tracking forms
  • List of 12 additional mentor text books (Remember, using them is optional, because I’ve included all the mentor texts you need) 
  • 20 different writing publishing papers
  • Student writing notebook cover and dividers
  • Teacher notebook covers and binder spines
  • Multiple ideas for author share celebration
  • DIGITAL writing notebooks on Google Slides
  • Conferencing Materials – Conference outlines, a sample conference, and topic cards you can use to guide your small-group conferences
  • Student Success Path – Identify where your students are on their writing journey
  • Starting Writing Workshop Bonus – Two weeks of writing lesson plans to help build stamina and set your students up for writing success

Skills Covered:

Students learn h ow to write a small moment story with dialogue, a strong lead, interesting word choice, and paragraphs. Lessons include:

  • Setting goals
  • What is a personal narrative?
  • Generating story ideas
  • Narrowing your story idea to a small moment
  • Rehearsing and drafting
  • Writing a lead
  • Adding and punctuating dialogue
  • Adding details
  • Word choice
  • Show, don’t tell
  • Breaking writing into paragraphs
  • Transition words
  • Writing an ending

How to Use it in the Classroom: 

A typical day of writing:.

I recommend you set aside thirty minutes for writing each day (or more if you have it). Check out the sample schedules below. Each day follows the same plan:

  • Mini Lesson (8-10 minutes):  The day kicks off with a mini lesson to teach a particular skill. The mini-lesson uses mentor text (remember, it’s included in the unit) and anchor charts. For the teacher version of the anchor charts, you can project and fill them out with the class, or print and display them in your classroom. The student versions are smaller so they can fill them out and keep them in their writing notebooks for reference.
  • Work Time (18-20 minutes) : Students will apply the skill they just learned into their writing each day. The included writing tasks make it crystal-clear what to do during independent writing time–for you and your students. By the end of the unit, they will have completed two full masterpieces and many other independent writings.
  • Share Time (2 minutes) : Students are encouraged to share a piece of their writing with a partner or with the entire class. This makes writing more meaningful to kids and holds them accountable.

Organization made easy:

  • The personal narrative writing unit is organized into multiple folders and files so it’s easy for you to find what you need.
  • A 40-day daily schedule so you know exactly what to teach each day.
  • Detailed daily lesson plans make teaching writing easy.

Differentiation:

There are many ways to differentiate writing assignments:

  • Use the Student Success Path to identify where students are on their writing journey and use the suggested interventions to modify lessons.
  • These daily writing prompts are intentionally short and sweet so that all students, even those below grade level, can feel successful. Most tasks can be completed in 1-2 sentences.
  • More advanced writers can write longer responses, or work on a second masterpiece if they finish early.
  • Students can complete fewer task cards or work with a partner; you can also provide support to students as they work on task cards.
  • The process for teaching writing includes group conferencing time. These groups should be based on ability so that you can individualize your instruction to meet the specific needs of the group. Use the topic cards to guide your small group lessons.

Why you’ll love this writing unit:

  • You’ll save hours of prepping and planning time. The daily lesson plans are easy to implement. All you have to do is print and teach. 
  • Mentor texts are included. You do not need to hunt down or purchase any additional books! (Unless you want to. Far be it from me to stand between a teacher and new books.) 
  • Digital anchor charts project onto your white board-so you don’t have to be Picasso or Renoir to anchor your kids in the lesson.
  • Pre-printed student anchor charts make it easy for students to follow along without having to write every word and draw complicated diagrams.
  • Digital student notebooks are perfect for 1:1 classrooms and a great way to save paper.
  • These lessons work for all students, even students below grade level.
  • Task cards incorporate movement, reinforce concepts, and make learning fun. Daily share time encourages students to take pride in their writing.
  • Direct writing instruction provides a solid foundation of writing skills that leads to increased test scores

*****************************

More Fourth Grade Writing Units:

Informational Writing for Fourth Grade

Opinion Writing for Fourth Grade

Fiction Narrative for Fourth Grade

Writing Bundles for Other Grade Levels:

Second Grade Writing Bundle

Third Grade Writing Bundle

Fifth Grade Writing Bundle

Frequently Asked

Yes. I also have informational writing , opinion essay , and fiction narrative writing units available.

This personal narrative writing unit is available for grade 4. I also have personal narrative writing units available for grades two , three , and five .

I prefer composition notebooks because they are sturdy and easy to use and store. But other teachers have used spiral bound notebooks or three-ring binders.

Yes. These writing lessons are based on Common Core standards.

The lessons for consecutive grade levels are very similar because the standards are similar. The biggest difference is that the reading level on the mentor text passages is modified to meet the specific grade level. Other differences include new examples in the lesson plans and anchor charts and new task cards. It is generally fine to use units that are one level above or below grade level. You might want to select the lower grade level to ensure that the mentor texts are easier for students to read.

Each unit includes eight weeks of materials. I recommend spending 30-45 on writing each day. The lesson takes 8-10 minutes and the rest of the time would be used for independent writing.

Students complete two masterpieces in each unit. But they may work on additional pieces if they finish daily assignments early.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. However, they are based on the writing standards. My curriculum is organized into units of study and formatted in the workshop model and hundreds of teachers have successfully used my writing units with their district provided curriculum.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. With that being said, I have hundreds of teachers who have chosen to use my units as a supplement to their Lucy curriculum because it is more manageable and engaging for students.

You May Also Enjoy These Resources

personal essay 4th grade

  • Try for free

Writing a Personal Narrative (Gr. 4)

Writing a Personal Narrative (Grade 4)

Help your students tell their own stories!

Pearson Education

Scott Foresman, an imprint of Pearson

Featured 4th grade resources.

nonfiction writing examples and activities for students

Related Resources

Writing a Personal Narrative (Gr. 3)

  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Black History Month for Kids: Google Slides, Resources, and More!

65 Engaging Personal Narrative Ideas for Kids and Teens

Tell a story to engage the reader.

personal essay 4th grade

Personal narrative essays are all about telling stories. Engage your reader with lots of descriptive language, and ensure you have a beginning, middle, and end. ( Get more tips about teaching narrative writing here. ) Try these personal narrative ideas to inspire kids and teens to tell meaningful stories from their own lives, no matter what they’ve experienced.

“Describe a Time When You …” Personal Narrative Ideas

Firsts and bests personal narrative ideas, general personal narrative essay ideas, college essay personal narrative ideas.

These personal narrative ideas urge students to dig into their past experiences and share them with their audience. Be sure to share the details, including what took place and how it made you feel, and anything you learned from the experience.

Describe a time when you:

  • Were scared
  • Overcame a big challenge
  • Learned an important life lesson
  • Had to make a difficult decision

personal essay 4th grade

  • Were proud of a friend or family member
  • Did something you didn’t want to and ended up liking it
  • Met a celebrity or someone you really admire
  • Tried something new
  • Made a mistake and had to apologize and/or fix the mistake
  • Were in danger
  • Helped someone in need
  • Had a dream come true
  • Felt inspired
  • Had a really terrible day

personal essay 4th grade

  • Were a leader
  • Made someone else laugh
  • Did something you later regretted
  • Set a goal and achieved it

These essay topics explore the times you did something for the first time ever, or when you were the best version of yourself.

  • Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.

personal essay 4th grade

  • Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
  • Tell about your proudest moment.
  • What is your happiest memory?
  • What is your earliest memory?
  • Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
  • What’s the best (or worst!) vacation you’ve ever taken?
  • Tell the story of the time you got your first pet.
  • Describe your favorite field trip of all time.
  • Tell the story of your first day of kindergarten.
  • What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten?
  • Describe the best party or celebration you’ve ever attended.
  • Tell about the first time someone ever paid you for work (first job, chores for a neighbor, babysitting, etc.) and how it made you feel.

personal essay 4th grade

  • Describe the first time you spent a night away from home without your family.
  • What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

Here are more personal narrative topics to inspire young writers.

  • Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
  • Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
  • Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.
  • Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
  • Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.

personal essay 4th grade

  • Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
  • What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
  • Describe your morning routine from the time you wake up until the moment the school bell rings to start the day.
  • Share what you do on a typical non-school day.
  • Tell about a time when you were injured. How did it happen?
  • Describe an argument you and a friend had and how you resolved it.
  • Tell about what you think your life will be like when you’re 25 years old.
  • Explore a time when you felt you were treated unfairly.
  • What makes your family different from everyone else’s family?
  • If you could relive any day in your life, what would it be? Would you want it to be the same or different?

personal essay 4th grade

These personal narrative essay topics all come from real 2022–2023 college applications. ( See more college essay prompts here. )

  • Discuss a time when reflection or introspection led to clarity or understanding of an issue that is important to you.
  • Share an example of how you have used your own critical-thinking skills on a specific subject, project, idea, or interest.

personal essay 4th grade

  • Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you.
  • Reflect on a personal experience where you intentionally expanded your cultural awareness.
  • When was the last time you questioned something you had thought to be true?
  • Reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.
  • Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
  • Describe a time when you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond?
  • Elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you.

personal essay 4th grade

  • Describe any meaningful travel experiences you’ve had.
  • Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
  • What is the greatest compliment you have ever been given? Why was it meaningful to you?
  • What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?
  • Describe a time when you’ve felt empowered or represented by an educator.
  • Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

What are your favorite personal narrative ideas? Come share on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (100+ ideas) ., you might also like.

Discuss a time when reflection or introspection led to clarity or understanding of an issue that is important to you.

60+ College Essay Prompts From Actual 2023-2024 Applications

Ideas to inspire every college applicant. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

4th Grade Writing Prompts

Hero Images/Getty Images

personal essay 4th grade

Students in fourth grade need varied practice developing their writing skills. According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative , fourth-grade writing should include opinion pieces, informative or explanatory texts, and narratives about real or imagined experiences. Additionally, a fourth-grade writing curriculum should include short research projects. 

These writing prompts offer diverse forms of inspiration for every student.

Opinion Essay Writing Prompts

In an opinion essay , students must state their opinion and back it up with facts and reasons . Ideas should be organized logically and supported by details.

  • Best Friends Forever. Write an essay explaining what makes your best friend the best best friend. 
  • Awesomeness.  Describe the most awesome thing about being in fourth grade.
  • New Worlds. Would you rather help start a colony on a new planet or a city under the ocean? Why?
  • School Food. Name one thing you would like to change about your school’s menu and explain why.
  • Someday. If you could be a race car driver, an astronaut, or president of a country, which would you choose and why?
  • Cityscapes . If you had a friend visit from another state, what is the one place in your city you would insist he or she had to see? What makes this place so special?
  • Shipwrecked. You find yourself stranded on a deserted island with only three items in your backpack. What would you want those items to be and why?
  • Flat Earth. Some people still believe that the Earth is flat . Do you agree or disagree? Include supporting facts.
  • Extra! Extra! Name one class, sport, or club you wish your school offered and explain why it should be available.
  • Seasons. Which season is your favorite and why?
  • One-star . What is the worst book you have ever read and what made it so terrible?
  • Fandom. Who is your favorite TV, movie, or music star? What makes him or her the best?
  • Progress.  Identify a way in which you would like to improve as a student this school year. Explain why you would like to get better and list some steps you can take to make it happen.

Informative Essay Writing Prompts

When writing an informative or explanatory essay, students should introduce the topic clearly, then develop the topic with facts and details. When explaining a process, students should outline the steps in a logical order.

  • Bullied. Explain how you would handle being bullied and the steps you would take to stop a bully.
  • Mad Skills. Describe an unusual talent, hobby, or skill that you possess.
  • Cuisine. Describe a food that is unique to your family or area of the world to someone who has never tasted it.
  • Role Model. Think of a person who has made an impact on your life and describe the role they’ve played.
  • Pay It Forward. What is one thing you would like to do—either now or in the future—to make the world a better place?
  • Packing. Explain the most effective way to pack for a trip to ensure that you have everything you need.
  • Wild Kingdom. Of all the animals wild or domesticated, write about your favorite. Include interesting facts about this animal in your essay.
  • Gaming. Explain how to play your favorite video or board game to someone who has never played it before.
  • Problematic. Describe a problem you’re facing and three ways you could possibly solve it.
  • Extreme Weather. Choose an extreme weather condition or a natural disaster such as a tornado or a volcanic eruption. Explain its causes and effects.
  • Sweet Treats. Explain the process of making your favorite dessert.
  • Learning Styles. Think of the way you prefer to learn, such as by reading, listening, or doing. Explain why you think you learn best that way.
  • Edison. Thomas Edison said that he didn’t make mistakes, he just learned 10,000 ways not to make a light bulb. Describe a mistake you made and the lesson you learned from it.

Narrative Essay Writing Prompts

When writing narrative essays about real or imagined experiences, students should use descriptive details and logical sequence. They can use dialogue and sensory details to develop their essay .

  • Microscopic Details. Imagine being microscopic. Describe an adventurous trip through your body.
  • Alone. You find yourself locked in your favorite store alone overnight. Where are you and what do you do?
  • Homeless. A friendly stray dog follows you home from school. What happens next?
  • Time Travel. Imagine you could travel back in time to when your mom or dad was your age. Write an essay about your relationship with your fourth-grade parent.
  • Mismatched. Write a story about someone your age. The story must include a giraffe, a mouse, a flying carpet, and a large birdcage.
  • Pet Peeve.  Recount a moment when something really got on your nerves. Describe the experience and why it irritated you so much.
  • Surprise! Think of a time your teacher surprised your class. Describe what happened and how the class reacted.
  • Special Moments. Think of a specific day or event that you will always remember. What made it so special?
  • Travel Through History. Imagine you could travel back in time to live through one event from history . Describe the event and write about your experience.
  • The Most Terrible Day. Write an essay about a day when everything went wrong. How did the day start and end, describe the experience.
  • Road Trip. Write about a favorite family vacation or road trip. Where did you go? What made it special?
  • Funny Pet Tricks.  Can your pet do a funny or unusual trick? Describe it.
  • President. If you could be president for a day (or the principal of your school), what would you do?

Research Project Essay Writing Prompts

Fourth-grade students should also complete short research projects using books, magazines, and online sources . Students should take notes and provide a list of the sources they used in their research.

  • New Puppy. You want a new puppy. Do some research to determine the best breed for your family and write about it.
  • Battles . Research and write about what you consider the most significant or famous battle in history.
  • Famous People. Choose a famous person from history or science and write about their lives and contributions.
  • Animal Kingdom. Select an animal to research. Include facts about its behavior, habitat, and diet.
  • Countries. Choose a country. Investigate its culture and holidays, and find out what life there is like for kids your age.
  • States. Pick a state you’ve never visited. Learn three to five unique facts about the state to include in your essay.
  • Inventions. What do you think is the greatest or most useful invention of all time? Find out who invented it and how and why it was invented.
  • Native Americans. Choose a Native American tribe. Learn about where they lived, their culture, and their use of natural resources in their area.
  • Endangered Species. Research and write about an animal that is endangered. Include facts about why it is endangered and any changes that people can make to help increase its population.
  • Fine Arts. Learn more about an artist or composer. Include facts about their life and death and most well-known works.
  • Authors. Research an author whose books you enjoy. Include facts about what inspired him or her to start writing.
  • Dig Deeper.  Research something you’ve studied in history, science, or literature but would like to know more about.
  • State Standouts. Choose a famous person from your state. Learn about his or her life and contributions.
  • Engaging Writing Prompts for 3rd Graders
  • Second Grade Writing Prompts
  • Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students
  • Personal Essay Topics
  • January Writing Prompts
  • February Writing Prompts
  • First Grade Writing Prompts
  • Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
  • November Writing and Journal Prompts
  • 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Prompts
  • September Writing Prompts
  • December Writing Prompts
  • Writing Prompts for 5th Grade
  • How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech
  • May Writing Prompts

How to Write a Fourth Grade Essay

Karen hollowell.

People in library.jpg

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.

Related Articles

How to Write Opening Paragraphs

How to Write Opening Paragraphs

Good Ways to Start an Essay

Good Ways to Start an Essay

How to Restate an Expository Writing Prompt

How to Restate an Expository Writing Prompt

How to Write a Composition on the Figurative Language of a Poem

How to Write a Composition on the Figurative Language...

What Are the Writing Elements for a Personal Narrative?

What Are the Writing Elements for a Personal Narrative?

What Is an Impromptu Essay?

What Is an Impromptu Essay?

What Does It Mean When a Girl Says She Likes You as a Really Good Friend?

What Does It Mean When a Girl Says She Likes You as...

How to Write an Introduction for an Argument Essay

How to Write an Introduction for an Argument Essay

Three Components of a Good Paragraph

Three Components of a Good Paragraph

What Do You Say to Someone Whose Loved One Has Died?

What Do You Say to Someone Whose Loved One Has Died?

Steps for Going From Writing a Paragraph to Writing an Essay

Steps for Going From Writing a Paragraph to Writing...

How to Summarize a Paragraph

How to Summarize a Paragraph

How to Make an Outline for an Informative Essay

How to Make an Outline for an Informative Essay

How to Deal With a Friend That Told a Secret

How to Deal With a Friend That Told a Secret

How to Make a Good Introduction Paragraph

How to Make a Good Introduction Paragraph

How to Differentiate Between Vagueness and Ambiguity

How to Differentiate Between Vagueness and Ambiguity

8 Steps in Writing a Process Paragraph

8 Steps in Writing a Process Paragraph

How to Address a Letter to a Mayor

How to Address a Letter to a Mayor

How to Write an Introduction for a Literary Analysis Essay

How to Write an Introduction for a Literary Analysis...

How to Write a Request for a Waiver for the Military

How to Write a Request for a Waiver for the Military

Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers.

  • Accessibility
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright Policy
  • Manage Preferences

© 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. See disclaimer .

Trending Post : Books Made Into Movies

Imagination Soup

40 Impressive Personal Narrative Examples in Children’s Books

This post may contain affiliate links.

Build empathy by reading personal narrative examples in children’s books , including picture books and middle grade books . In other words, read someone’s authentic memoir based on their life experience. And see how it gives you empathy as you walk in that person’s shoes. (It will also help you become a better personal narrative writer!)

Choose from these picture book and middle-grade book mentor text examples to show your growing writers examples of good personal narrative mentor texts with sensory details, vivid verbs, small moments, and organization. Share with your writers how these personal narrative examples are written with sensory details to show experience and authority.

NOTE: I’m listing children’s books that are not personal narratives per se but still can be used as personal narrative examples. I’m doing this so you have a bigger list of choices to find good books that appeal to your writers and model skillful writing.

If you’re teaching personal narrative, it’s worth reading adult memoirs like Anne Laaott’s Bird by Bird , Jeannee Wall’s The Glass Castle , or Suleika Jaouad’s Between to Kingdoms . (Three of my favorite books of all time.)

Impressive Personal Narrative Examples in Children's Books

Here are my favorite children’s memoir books to share with growing writers who want to write a personal narrative or memoir. Starting with a mentor text of sample writing will make your students’ writing stronger. That’s what I recommend that works for me in my writing workshops for children.

Picture Books: Personal Narrative Examples

personal essay 4th grade

Palace of Books  by Patricia Polacco Fans of Polacco’s books will enjoy this personal narrative story of her moving from the farm to a town where she starts school. Patricia discovers the library and the library’s collection of bird artwork from John Audubon. Not only does she fall in love with the library, but drawing her own bird pictures as well.

personal narrative examples

My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World  by Malcolm Mitchell, illustrated by Michael Robertson Henley finds reading hard — and when his teacher gives the class an assignment to find their favorite book in the whole wide world, he struggles to find anything that he doesn’t hate. After asking his librarian and bookstore owner for help unsuccessfully, his mom helps him realize that inside he has his own story.  What he brings to school, his favorite book in the world–is a story that he writes about himself!  Use this as a personal narrative example.

personal essay 4th grade

Priya Dreams of Marigolds and Masala  by Meenal Patel An irresistible sensory experience of India with vivid descriptions ! When Priya helps her Babi Ba cook rotli, her Babi Ba shares her memories of India… the smell of roasted cumin and masala, the sound of motorbikes whizzing by, the taste of a steaming cup of cha, the feel of the hot sun on your face, views of arches and domes of the buildings, rainbow of saris, and brightly colored marigolds. I adore the writing, the illustrations, and the story that celebrates India’s culture and their grandparent-grandchild relationship.

personal essay 4th grade

Finding My Dance  by Ria Thundercloud, illustrated by Kalila J. Fuller Ria loves dancing — and starts dancing as a child in a powwow.  As her love of dancing grows, she learns different styles and becomes a professional dancer, and travels all over the world.

personal essay 4th grade

Alma and How She Got Her Name  by Juana Martinez-Neal Alma Sofia Esperanza Jose Pura Candela thinks her name is too long …until her father explains about each person she was named for — like Esperanza, Alma’s great-grandmother who hoped to travel.  This helps Alma make a personal connection to each person she’s named after.

Middle-Grade Books: Personal Narrative Examples

personal essay 4th grade

Knucklehead Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka Growing up Scieszka was a WILD time. There’s quite a bit of potty humor in Scieszka’s hilarious musings on his childhood, but the writing is excellent and captures personal narrative in short, digestible stories.

personal essay 4th grade

Lawn Boy  by Gary Paulsen It’s summer vacation and  our 12-year-old narrator needs to earn money.  Which he does by starting a lawn mowing business. Not only that, he learns about investing his money and makes a lot more money than he could have imagined. Fictional but reads like personal narrative examples.

personal essay 4th grade

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day The author of this book skillfully crafts a heartfelt story about growing up, family, and finding your identity in the context of adoption, the historical maltreatment of Native Americans, and the mystery of your own heritage.  Edie’s mom is an adopted Native American who can’t trace her heritage. When Edie unexpectedly finds a box of photos and letters from the woman she suspects was her mom’s birth mother, it prompts a journey to discover the truth of her heritage. And the truth is not what she expects but it opens her eyes (and ours.)

personal essay 4th grade

Inside Out & Back Again  by Thanhha Lai ( VERSE ) In this personal narrative memoir,  Thanhha reveals the overwhelm of immigrating from Vietnam to the American South in the 1970s, a completely different culture and language.  Despite feeling turned inside out, Hà resiliently figures out life in the U.S., despite the many challenges she faces. I loved this book –it’s written with such an authentic voice . Plus, it gives readers a first-hand look at an immigrant experience. Winner of the National Book Award and Newbery Honor.

personal essay 4th grade

Brown Girl Dreaming  by Jacqueline Woodson ( VERSE ) Written in verse, this is the author’s life story about  growing up as an African-American girl in the South and the North during the Civil Rights movement.  It’s a powerful introduction to this time period and the issues of race in the United States since it’s told through the eyes of a child. National Book Award finalist.

personal essay 4th grade

For Black Girls Like Me  by Mariama J. Lockington Just like the author’s own experience as an adoptee,  it’s hard for Makeda to be a black adopted girl in a white family  that she loves but doesn’t feel like she fits– or is even seen. But there are even more challenges for Makeda these days, starting with being the little sister to a newly-distant teenager, moving to a new town away from her BFF, having parents who constantly fight, and watching her mom’s mental health deteriorate and blaming herself. After her mom’s mania takes them on a trip to Colorado which abruptly nose dives into severe depression and a suicide attempt, Makeda reaches out for help.

Personal Narrative Mentor Texts for Teaching Writing

The Last Cherry Blossom  by Kathleen Burkinshaw (ages 11+) In this beautifully written, eye-opening story, we follow the life of Yuriko,  a Japanese girl who lives in Hiroshima during World War II.  Initially, her life revolves around drama with her family and friends, just like a typical child’s life in any country. But, in this recounting of Burkinshaw’s mother’s actual experience, her life is torn apart when the atomic bomb is dropped. Not to mention that it comes as a shock to learn that Japan has been losing the war. Yuriko’s life becomes a nightmare of survival and endurance.

personal essay 4th grade

Family Style by Thien Pham ages 12+ In Thien Pham‘s immigration story, he begins with his life in a refugee camp where he played and watched his parents be entrepreneurial. When they immigrate to the US, he learns English slowly and makes friends as he watches his parents be entrepreneurial by starting their own bakery after working hourly jobs. When he is an adult, Thien becomes a citizen to vote. I love how the earthy color palette and gorgeous illustration style help to narrate Pham’s personal memoir.

Read personal narrative examples in children's books, including picture books and middle grade books. In other words, read someone's authentic memoir based on their life experience.

KEEP READING

Mentor Text Book Lists

Books to Teach Description

Writing Prompts for Kids

Avatar photo

Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

Similar Posts

Soccer Books for Kids (Football Books Worldwide)

Soccer Books for Kids (Football Books Worldwide)

The Top Hockey Books for Kids

The Top Hockey Books for Kids

New Nonfiction Books, June 2023

New Nonfiction Books, June 2023

NEW Picture Books 2015

NEW Picture Books 2015

New Picture Books about Families (& New Baby)

New Picture Books about Families (& New Baby)

Happy Birthday, Cupcake! Review and Activities

Happy Birthday, Cupcake! Review and Activities

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hello, I used your letter writing unit and loved it. The students were very involved in the unit. on the last page that I printed off, yoiu mention other units you have such as personal narrative, fictional narrative, informational and procedural. There is a link to SEE ALL THE WRITING UNITS. I have searched throughout your website and cannot find these links. I’d love to incorporate them into my lessons. Can you please send me the link to them as I am not having luck with my search.

I sent you an email.

Teacher's Notepad

57 Narrative Writing Prompts For 4th Grade

Journaling is an important part of self-exploration and deep thinking. Giving students a list of prompts to choose from allows them to choose which parts of themselves to explore, and helps keep their writing headed in a certain direction.

Below, you’ll find a list of narrative writing prompts to inspire your students to reflect on their thoughts and feelings.

Using These Prompts

Writing prompts are great because they give struggling writers a sense of direction, but they also help more skilled writers explore thoughts and feelings that they might not have thought of before.

Here are a few ways you can use these prompts in your classroom:

  • Challenge students to pick one or two prompts a day for an entire week.
  • Create a spinner using a cut-out circle and a paper clip, and have students spin to see which prompt they’re going to use.
  • Keep these prompts nearby for students to use when they have spare quiet time in class.
  • If you sense a student struggling emotionally, recommend using one of these prompts to help them reflect on these feelings.

The Writing Prompts

  • Describe your ideal field trip.
  • Write about a special memory that you will never forget.
  • Describe your style. Do your parents choose how you dress or do you choose your own clothes?
  • You wake up this morning with wings. Describe what happens next.
  • What kinds of books do you prefer to read? List some examples.
  • Write about a conflict you had with a friend. How did you resolve the situation?
  • Rewrite your favorite children’s story, but make the main character a superhero.
  • Describe the most frightening dream you’ve ever had.
  • How do you entertain yourself when you don’t have access to screens and devices?
  • Write about your favorite family tradition.
  • There’s a classroom in your school that is always locked with its lights off. One day, you walk by and the door is ajar. What happens next?
  • Write about a role model you have, and describe how they’ve affected your life.
  • Describe the ideal snow day.
  • Have you ever lost something important? What happened next?
  • What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this year?
  • Think of a time when you were very irritated. Explain why, and then explain how you resolved it.
  • What is the best part of the school day? Why?
  • What would you do if you were the principal for the day?
  • Write a story about someone who wakes up and realizes they’re microscopic.
  • Why is it important that people help others?
  • Describe something you’ve learned recently. Was it easy or difficult to learn?
  • Write a story from the point of view of someone meeting you for the first time.
  • Are you good at keeping secrets? Explain.
  • Describe a time when you stood up for yourself.
  • Describe a time when you stood up for someone else.
  • What is your favorite thing about your best friend?
  • Explain your favorite board or card game to someone who has never played it before.
  • Write your plans for the perfect weekend.
  • A harmless but wild animal wanders into your classroom. How does your class react? What happens next?
  • You wake up and realize that you can speak to your pet. What do you talk about?
  • Describe a time when you participated in a contest.
  • Write about the perfect summer day.
  • Tell a story about two people who switch jobs for a day.
  • Write about something that makes you laugh.
  • Why is patience important? Do you consider yourself a patient person?
  • Do you think boys and girls are actually different from each other? Explain.
  • Do you enjoy writing? What is your favorite thing to write about?
  • Write the story of how you met your best friend.
  • Describe what you hope your life is like 10 years from now.
  • Describe what you hope your life is like 20 years from now.
  • Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Explain.
  • The plant on your teacher’s desk suddenly sprouts a strange fruit. What is it? What happens next?
  • Do you have a funny or interesting story about losing a tooth? Write about it.
  • Write about a time when you shared a special meal with your family.
  • What would you do if you woke up tomorrow in your favorite video game?
  • If you were to describe your best friend as a color, what color would they be? Why?
  • What is your favorite food? Why do you like it?
  • What is something that you worry about at night?
  • Make a list of ten things you love about yourself.
  • Write a story from the point of view of your shoes.
  • Write about a time when you gave in to peer pressure.
  • Describe the last time you got hurt. What happened?
  • Tell a story about a time when you got caught doing something you weren’t supposed to.
  • Which person in your family are you most similar to? How are you alike? How are you different?
  • Describe a time when you felt embarrassed.
  • Invent a new sandwich. Write about how to make it, and try to convince others to try it.

Looking For More?

Whether you’re looking for writing prompts or classroom resources, our site is your one-stop destination for making your classroom run more smoothly.

We are home to writing resources, premade forms, and much more! If you’re looking for something specific and can’t find it here, let us know.

We’re here to help your classroom run more smoothly so you can spend more time shaping the minds of the future.

personal essay 4th grade

Home

Reading & Math for K-5

  • Kindergarten
  • Learning numbers
  • Comparing numbers
  • Place Value
  • Roman numerals
  • Subtraction
  • Multiplication
  • Order of operations
  • Drills & practice
  • Measurement
  • Factoring & prime factors
  • Proportions
  • Shape & geometry
  • Data & graphing
  • Word problems
  • Children's stories
  • Leveled Stories
  • Context clues
  • Cause & effect
  • Compare & contrast
  • Fact vs. fiction
  • Fact vs. opinion
  • Main idea & details
  • Story elements
  • Conclusions & inferences
  • Sounds & phonics
  • Words & vocabulary
  • Reading comprehension
  • Early writing
  • Numbers & counting
  • Simple math
  • Social skills
  • Other activities
  • Dolch sight words
  • Fry sight words
  • Multiple meaning words
  • Prefixes & suffixes
  • Vocabulary cards
  • Other parts of speech
  • Punctuation
  • Capitalization
  • Cursive alphabet
  • Cursive letters
  • Cursive letter joins
  • Cursive words
  • Cursive sentences
  • Cursive passages
  • Grammar & Writing

Breadcrumbs

  • Narrative writing

Grammar and Writing Workbook for Grade 4

Download & Print Only $6.89

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

personal essay 4th grade

Narrative writing worksheet for grade 4

What is K5?

K5 Learning offers free worksheets , flashcards  and inexpensive  workbooks  for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member  to access additional content and skip ads.

personal essay 4th grade

Our members helped us give away millions of worksheets last year.

We provide free educational materials to parents and teachers in over 100 countries. If you can, please consider purchasing a membership ($24/year) to support our efforts.

Members skip ads and access exclusive features.

Learn about member benefits

This content is available to members only.

Join K5 to save time, skip ads and access more content. Learn More

  • Forgot Password?

Jump to navigation

  • Inside Writing
  • Teacher's Guides

Student Models

  • Writing Topics
  • Minilessons
  • Shopping Cart
  • Inside Grammar
  • Grammar Adventures
  • CCSS Correlations
  • Infographics

Student Writing Models

How do I use student models in my classroom?

personal essay 4th grade

When you need an example written by a student, check out our vast collection of free student models. Scroll through the list, or search for a mode of writing such as “explanatory” or “persuasive.”

Jump to . . .

Explanatory writing.

  • How Much I Know About Space Explanatory Paragraph
  • My Favorite Pet Explanatory Paragraph
  • Sweet Spring Explanatory Paragraph

Narrative Writing

  • A Happy Day Narrative Paragraph
  • My Trip to Mexico Narrative Paragraph

Creative Writing

  • Happy Easter Story Paragraph
  • Leaf Person Story

Research Writing

  • Parrots Report
  • If I Were President Explanatory Paragraph
  • My Dad Personal Narrative
  • The Horrible Day Personal Narrative

Response to Literature

  • One Great Book Book Review
  • A Fable Story
  • Ant Poem Poem
  • The Missing Coin Story
  • Winter Words Poem
  • Horses Report
  • Ladybugs Report
  • How to Make Boiled Eggs How-To

Persuasive Writing

  • Plastic, Paper, or Cloth? Persuasive Paragraph
  • The Funny Dance Personal Narrative
  • The Sled Run Personal Narrative
  • Hello, Spring! Poem
  • Cheetahs Report

Business Writing

  • Dear Ms. Nathan Email
  • My Favorite Place to Go Description
  • My Mother Personal Essay
  • Rules Personal Essay
  • Shadow Fort Description
  • Adopting a Pet from the Pound Editorial
  • Letter to the Editor Letter to the Editor
  • Ann Personal Narrative
  • Grandpa, Chaz, and Me Personal Narrative
  • Indy’s Life Story Personal Narrative
  • Jet Bikes Personal Narrative
  • The Day I Took the Spotlight Personal Narrative
  • A Story of Survival Book Review
  • Chloe’s Day Story
  • Did You Ever Look At . . . Poem
  • Dreams Poem
  • I Am Attean Poem
  • Sloppy Joes Poem
  • The Civil War Poem
  • The Haunted House Story
  • The Terror of Kansas Story
  • When I Was Upside Down Poem
  • Deer Don’t Need to Flee to Stay Trouble-Free! Report
  • Height-Challenged German Shepherd Report
  • Friendship Definition
  • What Really Matters News Feature
  • Cheating in America Problem-Solution
  • Hang Up and Drive Editorial
  • Musical Arts Editorial
  • Summer: 15 Days or 2 1/2 Months? Editorial
  • A Cowboy's Journal Fictionalized Journal Entry
  • Giving Life Personal Narrative
  • The Great Paw Paw Personal Narrative
  • The Racist Warehouse Personal Narrative
  • Limadastrin Poem
  • The Best Little Girl in the World Book Review
  • How the Stars Came to Be Story
  • Linden’s Library Story
  • My Backyard Poem
  • The Call Poem
  • I Am Latvia Research Report
  • Mir Pushed the Frontier of Space Research Report
  • The Aloha State Research Report
  • The Incredible Egg Observation Report
  • Unique Wolves Research Report
  • Dear Dr. Larson Email

Personal Writing

  • A Lesson to Learn Journal
  • Caught in the Net Definition
  • From Bed Bound to Breaking Boards News Feature
  • If Only They Knew Comparison-Contrast
  • Save the Elephants Cause-Effect
  • Student Entrepreneur Reaches for Dreams of the Sky News Feature
  • Internet Plagiarism Problem-Solution
  • Mosquito Madness Pet Peeve
  • Anticipating the Dream Personal Narrative
  • Huddling Together Personal Narrative
  • H’s Hickory Chips Personal Narrative
  • It’s a Boy! Personal Narrative
  • My Greatest Instrument Personal Narrative
  • Snapshots Personal Narrative
  • Take Me to Casablanca Personal Narrative
  • The Boy with Chris Pine Blue Eyes Personal Narrative
  • The Climb Personal Narrative
  • The House on Medford Avenue Personal Narrative
  • Adam’s Train of Ghosts Music Review
  • Diary of Gaspard Fictionalized Journal Entry
  • My Interpretation of The Joy Luck Club Literary Analysis
  • Mama’s Stitches Poem
  • The KHS Press Play
  • Rosa Parks Research Report
  • The Killer Bean Research Report
  • Mid-Project Report on History Paper Email
  • Vegetarian Lunch Options at Bay High Email

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types.

  • Rating Count
  • Price (Ascending)
  • Price (Descending)
  • Most Recent

Free 4th grade writing rubrics

Preview of Reading Comprehension Strategies MEGA Bundle + Differentiated Reading Passages!

Reading Comprehension Strategies MEGA Bundle + Differentiated Reading Passages!

personal essay 4th grade

Black History Month Bingo Game {30 Cards}

personal essay 4th grade

ESL Newcomers Curriculum Activities & Vocabulary ESL Reading, Writing, Speaking

personal essay 4th grade

Black History Month - Biography Research Project Informational Writing Template

personal essay 4th grade

4th Grade Math Spiral Review | Guided Math Intervention | Test Prep Worksheets

personal essay 4th grade

4th Grade Test Prep Math Reading Language Test Prep Bundle

personal essay 4th grade

GRADE 4 CSI Math Murder Mystery Activity - Fun Review of all CCSS Topics

personal essay 4th grade

4th Grade Reading Passages GROWING BUNDLE Fiction Nonfiction Poetry

personal essay 4th grade

Common Core Writing Rubrics FREE for Grades 1-4

personal essay 4th grade

Reading Paired Passages Comprehension Questions Test Prep

personal essay 4th grade

FREE Narrative Writing Checklists | Rubrics | All Ages | Editing Assessment

personal essay 4th grade

Oral Presentation Rating Rubric for any subject area

personal essay 4th grade

How to Write A Paragraph

personal essay 4th grade

Writing Rubric - Expository, Argumentative, Narrative (Common Core)

personal essay 4th grade

RACE Strategy Grading Rubric

personal essay 4th grade

Writing graphic organizers, rubrics, and handouts FREEBIE SAMPLE

personal essay 4th grade

ESL Writing Activities: Quick Write Rubric & Prompt

personal essay 4th grade

Cell Phones Passages and Writing Prompts | B.E.S.T. Text Based Writing Essays

Preview of Creative Writing - Student Peer/Self Editing Checklist and Rubric

Creative Writing - Student Peer/Self Editing Checklist and Rubric

personal essay 4th grade

Tools For Writers: Peer Editing Checklist, Feedback Rubric, Reference List

personal essay 4th grade

Narrative Writing Checklist - FREE - Primary Exploration - Grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

personal essay 4th grade

Writing Rubric and Student Response Sheet

personal essay 4th grade

Biography Report Rubric

personal essay 4th grade

4th grade: Writing Rubrics for narrative, informational and opinion essays

personal essay 4th grade

  • Word Document File

Preview of Sentence Writing Editing Checklist | Early Years Literacy

Sentence Writing Editing Checklist | Early Years Literacy

personal essay 4th grade

Friendly Letter Writing Checklist /self-assessment

personal essay 4th grade

Paragraph Writing Rubric

personal essay 4th grade

Personal Narrative Rubric

personal essay 4th grade

Text Type Rubrics

personal essay 4th grade

On Demand Free Writing Assessment - Easy Grade Opinion Writing Prompt

personal essay 4th grade

CUPS Checklist for Editing Narrative/Writing Stories

personal essay 4th grade

FREE 4-Point Writing Rubric (Checklist) for Expository Writing Grades 4-5 (NYS)

personal essay 4th grade

Find Writing resources | TPT

Learn more about writing resources.

Writing worksheets can help your child develop essential writing and literacy skills needed for school and life. If you’re a teacher or parent looking for printable and digital writing resources to help your student learn a writing concept, look no further! TPT has an extensive collection of resources, created by other teachers, that are designed to help with any need across grade levels.

For elementary students who are just learning to write, you can use worksheets to practice letter formation. Students in middle and high school can use learning stations to learn how to write and revise essays. With plenty of TPT resources at your fingertips, you can sharpen your student's writing skills in no time. Extend writing activities beyond the classroom and observe as your child nurtures their imagination, enriches their vocabulary, and enhances their storytelling prowess.

Fun and engaging writing activities to try

Here are a few ideas for writing activities — from our teacher-created resources — that you can find on TPT and that are designed to teach students how to write effectively. (Pro tip: These worksheets serve as an excellent complement to our reading materials.)

Encourage students to keep daily journals where they can freely express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This practice helps them develop their writing style and build the habit of writing regularly.

Writing Prompts

Provide engaging prompts that encourage imaginative storytelling. For instance, you could ask students to write about a world without the internet, or ask them to describe something only using one of their five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste).

Peer Editing

Have students exchange their written work with a peer for feedback. This helps them strengthen their ability to identify and correct mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and spelling; give constructive criticism; and revise their writing based on feedback.

Sentence and Paragraph Construction

Provide sentence and paragraph building exercises to help students understand the basic structure of writing and how to organize their ideas coherently.

Letter Writing

Ask students to write letters to real or fictional recipients. They could compose formal letters, persuasive letters on specific topics, thank-you notes, or postcards.

Create a classroom blog where students can publish their writing for a wider audience. This teaches them to write for a purpose and consider their audience's perspective.

Research Papers

Guide students through the process of researching and writing informative or argumentative essays. Teach them how to construct persuasive arguments and counterarguments on various topics, include evidence, and cite sources.

Poetry Writing

Explore different forms of poetry, such as haikus, sonnets, and free verse. Encourage students to experiment with imagery, rhythm, and metaphor.

By incorporating these (and other!) writing activities into your lesson plans, you can nurture a love for writing.

Frequently asked questions about teaching writing

What types of writing resources are available on tpt.

There are many different types of writing resources sold by Sellers on TPT. Some popular writing lessons include creative writing, poetry, writing essays, writing expository, and handwriting.

How do I find writing lessons on TPT?

Educators can save time preparing writing lessons with resources created by experienced teachers. Simply start a search for writing resources on the TPT marketplace, and filter by grade level, price, and/or resource type to find materials that've been proven to work in classrooms like yours. No matter what you’re teaching, there are plenty of writing lessons and activities sold by Sellers on TPT that are tailored to meet your students' skill levels.

  • We're hiring
  • Help & FAQ
  • Privacy policy
  • Student privacy
  • Terms of service
  • Tell us what you think

IMAGES

  1. 4th Grade Essay Examples

    personal essay 4th grade

  2. 4Th Grade Narrative Writing Prompts

    personal essay 4th grade

  3. 4th grade writing prompts luxury brand

    personal essay 4th grade

  4. Essay Writing For 4th Grade

    personal essay 4th grade

  5. 5th grade spelling words list pdf

    personal essay 4th grade

  6. 4th grade personal narrative examples

    personal essay 4th grade

VIDEO

  1. class 4th Topic=Essay Pollution

  2. Essay on HEALTH

  3. Effectiveness of Training Programs

  4. M.A 1st semester ~ Economics 4th paper 2024 #shorts #vikramuniversity #trending #ma #ba #shorts

  5. How Can I Utilize Literary Criticism to Enhance My Essay for a Top Grade?

  6. essay on makar sankranti || essay on lodi || crazy knowledge shorts

COMMENTS

  1. Personal Experience Narrative Sample- Grade 4

    Personal Experience Narrative Grade 4 Sample Summarizing Framework This is a story about me. The experience was competing in a basketball game against the Longhorns. The experience concluded when the game was over and my team lost . What worked: This is a focused narrative with all elements of the diamond included:

  2. Personal narrative writing worksheets

    Personal narrative writing for grade 4 Organize then write Students are prompted to write a personal narrative using a graphic organizer to plan their text. Worksheet #1 Worksheet #2 Worksheet #3 Worksheet #4 Worksheet #5 Worksheet #6 Worksheet #7 Worksheet #8 Worksheet #9 Worksheet 10 What is K5?

  3. 4th Grade Essay Writing Worksheets & Free Printables

    Journal Writing Task Cards #1 Worksheet Argument Writing: Parts of an Argument #2 Worksheet Informative Essay: Mixed Up Essay Worksheet Opinion Essay: Mixed Up Essay

  4. 101 Engaging Fourth Grade Writing Prompts for 2023

    Oct 6, 2023 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. We've collected this list of fourth grade writing prompts—including opinion, persuasive, informational, and narrative—to spur your students' imaginations and get them writing!

  5. Personal Narrative Prompts by Grade (K-12) » JournalBuddies.com

    A personal narrative outline is one of the best ways to start brainstorming ideas for the final piece. After the students have created an outline, they can write the first draft of their personal narrative. At that point, the teacher can review the draft, or the students can participate in a peer-review process.

  6. Personal Experience Narrative Sample- Grade 4- Snowed

    Recommended Reading Personal Experience Narrative Sample- Grade 4- Snowed (Click image to download sample and feedback) Personal Experience Narrative Grade 4 Sample Snowed Summarizing Framework This is a story about Danny and me. The experience was playing in the snow. The experience concluded when the boys were so cold they went inside .

  7. Fourth Grade Personal Essay Opinion Unit Lessons and

    Page 26 Personal Essay: Grade 4 Writing Unit 2 Personal Essay Assessment Rubric 4 The writer creates an exceptionally clear and relevant point of view Ideas/ about a meaningful Content idea. The writer includes relevant stories, quotes, lists, and observations, and a conclusion that are clearly angled to support and develop the idea.

  8. 4th Grade Personal Narrative Essay: Useful Writing Advice

    These are the most important five questions to answer/hints to follow when writing a 4th grade personal narrative essay successfully. Answering these five questions about each object, person, or event that you experience will help you to present a much better story which the reader can appreciate. You want to avoid ever describing what ...

  9. Personal Narrative Writing Unit FOURTH GRADE

    Add to Wish List. $25.00 - Add to Cart. Grade Level: 4th Grade. My fourth grade personal narrative writing unit includes 8 weeks of done-for-you writing lessons about how to write a small moment story. This unit contains detailed lesson plans, mentor texts, anchor charts, student writing tasks, and rubrics-everything you need to be a ...

  10. Writing a Personal Narrative Printable (4th Grade)

    Download Add to Favorites Share Help your students tell their own stories! Use this printable writing packet to teach students how to write a personal narrative paragraph. A model story organizer, a blank story organizer, and a personal narrative at four different stages of completion are provided.

  11. 65 Engaging Personal Narrative Ideas for Kids and Teens

    All Grades K-5 All Grades 6-12 PreK 6th Grade Kindergarten 7th Grade 1st Grade 8th Grade 2nd Grade 9th Grade 3rd Grade 10th Grade 4th Grade 11th Grade 5th Grade 12th Grade. ... Personal narrative essays are all about telling stories. Engage your reader with lots of descriptive language, and ensure you have a beginning, middle, and end. ...

  12. 4th Grade Writing Prompts

    Updated on April 01, 2020 Students in fourth grade need varied practice developing their writing skills. According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, fourth-grade writing should include opinion pieces, informative or explanatory texts, and narratives about real or imagined experiences.

  13. How to Write a Fourth Grade Essay

    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.

  14. Narrative Writing Prompts for 4th Grade: 51 Great Ideas

    Using these high-interest narrative writing prompts for 4th grade, fourth graders will enjoy sharing their personal experiences. So include a few of these narrative writing prompts for 4th grade into your lesson plans this week. Narrative Writing Prompts for 4th Grade . 1. Share an important lesson you have learned this school year. 2.

  15. Narrative Writing: Personal Narrative Unit Introduction

    Grade 4 Writing Personal Narrative PN - 8 DRAFT - August 2009 PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS Example of personal narrative element chart to make and refer to throughout the unit Personal Narrative Writing … true stories based on events from the writer's life. Writers write personal narrative about topics that matter to them.

  16. 40 Impressive Personal Narrative Examples in Children's Books

    Middle-Grade Books: Personal Narrative Examples . Genius Under the Table by Eugene Yelchin Growing up in Cold War Russia, Yevgeny's Jewish family is crowded into one room of an apartment housing many other families and a KBG spy, so he sleeps under the table -and draws under it, too. His mother works at the ballet and is obsessed with Baryshnikov and finding Yevgeny's talent — which ...

  17. PDF Personal Essay: Grade 4 Writing Unit 2

    Fourth grade opinion unit On-Demand Personal Essay Pre-Assessment Instructions Students should be at their regular writing seats and will need loose-leaf paper and pencils. They need to be able to add pages if they want. Write the following statement on the board: "Some people judge others by the way they look instead of what is on the inside."

  18. 57 Narrative Writing Prompts For 4th Grade

    57 Narrative Writing Prompts For 4th Grade Journaling is an important part of self-exploration and deep thinking. Giving students a list of prompts to choose from allows them to choose which parts of themselves to explore, and helps keep their writing headed in a certain direction.

  19. Personal Narrative 4th Grade Teaching Resources

    Teach your students how to write a personal narrative or memoir with this 6-week 4th - grade writing unit. This easy-to-use resource has everything you need to teach your students how to write a personal narrative. Week #1 presents the genre to students and includes a model essay. Weeks #2-5 offer more practice with different topics and include ...

  20. Narrative writing worksheets for grade 4

    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

  21. PDF 4 Grade Narrative Story Writing Rubric

    W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. Construct Measured 3 = Meets Grade Level Expectations 2 = Approaching Grade Level Expectations 1 = Below Grade Level Expectations Points Awarded e lary The writing: L.4.1 L.4.2 (L.4.6)

  22. Student Writing Models

    Student Models. When you need an example written by a student, check out our vast collection of free student models. Scroll through the list, or search for a mode of writing such as "explanatory" or "persuasive.".

  23. Free 4th grade writing rubrics

    I have included a rubric for each grade level (Grades 1-4) in each of the 3 types of Common Core Writing: Opinion, Informative/Explanatory, and Narrative Writing. You can use this as a self-assessment for the students or as a teacher assessment guide. This is the perfect companion to my Common Core Writing Bundles #1 and #2. They Subjects: