Story Starter Worksheets

Story Starter: "The Homework Machine"

Writing can be a challenge

To write effectively, children must generate a number of ideas on a given topic, put their ideas into words, organize those words into a sequence that flows from beginning to end and throw in enough supporting details to make the finished product interesting to read.

For a lot of kids, that can be a pretty tall order! It’s pretty challenging to teach too!

How can Pencil Pete’s Story Starters help teach children writing skills?

Pencil Pete’s Story Starter worksheets help students join all of the steps together, from generating and organizing ideas to guiding your children through their own creative writing with open ended questions and prompts.

Teaching Tip
Encourage your child or students to draw extra details in the story starter pictures. (Don’t forget to color them too!) Then include all of those details when writing their stories.

Pencil Pete’s Story Starters can be used in conjunction with the other strategies and techniques you are currently using in your Language Arts Program. Use Pencil Pete’s® Story Starters to encourage reluctant writers and add more fun to your writing program!

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Practice is the key

To become good writers, children need to write… A LOT! Pencil Pete’s Story Starters will help motivate your children to start writing!

Story Starter: "Alien Visitors!"

Encourage and inspire imagination while developing creative writing skills

Created by a second grade teacher as a tool to teach creative writing, Pencil Pete’s® Story Starters show students that the process can be a whole lot of fun!

Many uses

  • Use as a daily writing assignment
  • Use at writing centers
  • Encourage extra writing at home during the school year or over school vacations
  • Show your child or students it’s possible to become absorbed in something other than TV or video games!
Teaching Tip
Don’t get hung up on spelling! When children focus too much on spelling each word correctly they will use “safe” words that they are sure they know how to spell. This can really limit their writing vocabulary. Encourage them to sound out the words as they write and keep on going. (Go back and fix misspelled words later.)
Story Starter: "Don't Let Go!"

Help your child or students bring their writing to a whole new level

  • Finish the pictures to generate & organize ideas (a true graphic organizer).
  • Turn thoughts and ideas into images, then build those images into stories!
  • Prompts help children develop their stories from beginning, to the middle, to the end.
  • Continue writing and illustrating the stories using the blank story page (included with the package) and staple to make a booklet.
  • Provide an outlet for your child or students to develop and express their creativity!

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Teaching Tip
After finishing their story starter pictures, ask younger children to dictate their stories to you. Or even better, write their own stories using “invented spelling”; when they have finished writing, ask them to read back what they have written as you rewrite. (Be sure to have children go back and re-read out loud several times.) Try having beginning readers go back and circle specific letters; i.e. circle all the words beginning with “g”. They should say the letter and the sound it represents (start with single consonants at the beginning of words.) This is a great technique to reinforce letter recognition, phonemic awareness and develop reading skills while enjoying story writing!
Story Starter: Bonus Blank Page

Package includes

There are two copies of each story starter worksheet in this package:

  • Dotted line worksheets – for younger children
  • Solid line worksheets – for older writers

36 worksheets in each set
(72 worksheets total)
Plus bonus blank page

Worksheets included

  • A Bear in a Hurry!
  • My Favorite Mini Golf Hole!
  • 3… 2… 1… Blast Off!
  • Alien Visitors!
  • My Magic Hat!
  • Don’t Let Go!
  • First Place at the Science Fair!
  • I Can Do Lots of Things!
  • My Robot!
  • I Have Had a Lot of Great Toys!
  • I’m a Super Hero!
  • I Found a New Animal!
  • Look Out!
  • I’m All Grown Up!
  • Jungle Paradise!
  • Look! I’m On TV!
  • A Trip in Our Mini Sub!
  • Underwater Discoveries!
  • The Homework Machine
  • My New Car Design
  • The Greatest Playground!
  • My Wild Magic Carpet Ride!
  • The Magic Teapot!
  • Star of The Show!
  • The Solar Powered Car Race!
  • The Best Birthday Ever!
  • The World’s Greatest Treehouse!
  • The Big Game!
  • The Great Helicopter Ride!
  • These Aliens Need Help!
  • This is My Family!
  • What a Great Tree!
  • The Best Field Trip Ever!
  • This is Where I Live!
  • A Great Camping Trip!
  • How to Catch a Leprechaun
  • Extra page (blank page)

Download and try one for free!

Download a story, “Alien Visitors!”, in either the dotted line or solid line format:
Download “Alien Visitors!” (Dotted / Dashed Line)
Download “Alien Visitors!” (Solid Line)

Please note: Adobe Reader is required to view and print the Story Starters. You can download it from Adobe here.

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