Everyone forms opinions about food early on; the food you eat as a kid informs how you eat as you get older. And while people certainly grow, change and even completely restart their palette as they age, your students probably don’t what to hear why they might like salad more in the future. They know what they like to eat now!
These strong opinions should serve your students well when they sit down to write their answers to these writing prompts. It will make it easy to think about what they like and don’t like.
There are also lots of ways that these prompts can be used in conjunction with other subjects—from science (where does the food come from) to math (measurements for ingredients). So pick and choose what works for your class and have fun reading their answers!
3 First Grade Writing Prompts About Food
Writing prompts seem to work best when it’s about a topic that your students care about—and well, who doesn’t like to eat? Your students will certainly find these topics entertaining and fun to think about and, of course, write about, as much as you’ll surely enjoy reading each others answers.
It’s projects like these that deserve to be captured in a classbook!
Writing Prompt #1: Invent a new dessert. What would your dessert be made of? What would it taste like?
Almost every kid loves a good dessert—from cookies and cakes to candy and ice cream. There’s an endless number of combinations and ideas that your students could come up with that sound delicious to them.
Don’t spend too much time on it, but gathering a few pictures of some over-the-top desserts might provide inspiration to your students. This slide show from the Food Network might be a good option, or this one from Southern Living could do the trick.
This writing prompt also allows you to explain how a recipe works, and how all the ingredients mix together to create the final product. While they won’t be creating real recipes — they can definitely try at home — it’s good for them to think about measurements, temperature and refrigeration.
PROJECT IDEA
When you’re discussing recipes, be sure to show your students a recipe card and explain how many people used to use these cards to remember how to make something they liked. Besides just the writing exercise, have your students make a mock recipe card and include a drawing of their imaginative, new dessert next to it. Who wouldn’t want to memorialize your students’ dream desserts and how to make them in a delicious classbook?
Writing Prompt #2: You get to plan the school lunch menu for a week. What meals would you include and why?
All of your students will want to voice their opinions about the school lunch menu through this writing prompt. Perhaps some kids hate all the food served in the lunchroom, but there might be others who enjoy most of it.
No matter what, we’re sure they will want to take a stab at creating a yummy school lunch menu. It might be filled with macaroni and cheese, but it should be enjoyable to see what your first graders come up with to fill the week.
PROJECT IDEA
Have fun with this mock school menu prompt by having your students describe what they would put on their menu. Ask them to include little drawings to help illustrate the chosen meals. Put the drawings and writing together into a fun classbook. The unique project will now be something the kids can revisit as they move through school—will they even still like the foods they picked as a first grader?
Note: It might be fun if you have a person who handles the lunchroom, and your students know this person, to invite him or her to a party to celebrate the arrival of the published books!
Writing Prompt #3: What is your favorite food? What is the process for making it?
Even though your students are in first grade that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of doing a simple research project. Whether it’s something you work through together as a class or you ask parents to help with the project, your students will benefit from gaining an understanding of the research process.
Students can either find out the process of making their favorite foods through written recipes or videos on Youtube. Your students should take notes as they research how to make their favorite food.
If you’re looking for ideas on how to explain the research process to your students as well as examples and methods that worked for other first grade teachers, check out this website that offers up great ideas and suggestions to help your students understand the concept of what research is.
PROJECT IDEA
Have your students take their notes and write out the steps it takes to create their favorite foods. Your students can then look for a photograph of their favorite food and create an ad showing the world how delicious the food is and why they should eat it. Pair the two, and plan to create a classbook of your students’ final pieces. What an excellent way to make a keepsake of what is likely their first research project!
Additional Resources
Visit our online teacher’s lounge for more tips and ideas about improving your students’ writing. It’s there to help you understand the importance of learning how to write.
Don’t forget that while you’re visiting, sign up to receive your free classbook publishing kit. You won’t want to miss a chance to give your class the gift of having a published book!