Idea Organization Workshop | Using Questions for Clear Writing Grades 7-12 ELA

Stuck at the brainstorming stage? This quick, student-friendly mini-lesson helps middle and high school writers generate strong ideas for expository and narrative pieces using the Five Ws and One H—plus imaginative “What if…?” prompts. Perfect as a bell ringer, notebook routine, or launchpad for short research and stories.

What students will do

• Practice turning broad topics into clear, open-ended questions
• Prioritize their best questions to guide a draft or inquiry
• Build confidence in prewriting with a simple, repeatable routine

What’s included

• Teacher directions: how to model questioning as a prewriting strategy
• Writing Skills Practice worksheet (with guided activity and teacher-facing think-aloud)
• 4-Point Mini Rubric & Success Criteria Checklist
• Teacher Think Aloud Script
• Answer key/model responses
• Standards Alignment chart for planning
• Persistent link to a Google Slides™ digital version (make-a-copy enabled)
• Print-ready PDF for easy classroom use

Classroom use

Use for warm-ups, stations, sub plans, or writer’s notebook days. Works across genres (informational, argument, narrative) and supports differentiation for mixed-readiness classes. The resource targets planning within the writing process and questioning for research: CCSS W.5, W.7, W.10; TEKS ELAR (plan → develop → revise → edit); VA SOL writing/inquiry strands (grades 6–10).

Tech & access

Google Slides™ digital file + printable PDF. Single-classroom license.

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