Engaging Persuasive Writing Prompts (Free Download)

Persuasive writing is one of my favorite writing genres to teach. The students get so excited about the different topics and love debating and supporting their arguments and claims. On this post, I will share some of my students’ favorite persuasive writing prompts with a free download of a printable list and task card version of the writing prompts.

Student-Approved Persuasive Writing Prompts

The list below (available as a free download at the end of this post) contains a variety of engaging persuasive writing prompts and topics that students will enjoy researching, debating, and writing about.

As you will see, the writing topics are varied as our students are often varied in their interests. However, these topics are ones that most students enjoy debating and writing about. Some lend themselves to research-based persuasive writing and some are more opinion-based.

1. Should children be paid for good grades?
2. Should fidget spinners be allowed in classrooms?
3. Are professional athletes overpaid?
4. Should cell phones be allowed in classrooms?
5. Is bottled water or tap water better?
6. Do children need strict bedtimes?
7. Should we resurrect extinct species via cloning?
8. Should schools be year round?
9. Should students have homework?
10. Should students be required to wear uniforms?
11. Should students be required to learn cursive?
12. Should girls and boys play competitive sports against each other?
13. Should Columbus Day be removed as a holiday?
14. Are white lies okay?
15. Are zoos beneficial or harmful for animals?
16. Should animal testing be banned?
17. Should school lunches be free for all students?
18. Should we move to driverless cars in the near future?
19. Should screen time be limited for children?
20. Should we keep the penny as a unit of currency?
21. Should all forms of sugar be eliminated from school lunch options?
22. Should pets be allowed in school?
23. Are reusable or recyclable bottles better?
24. Should textbooks be replaced with tablets in schools?
25. Should schools have sports?
26. Should school buses be discontinued?
27. Do classrooms have too much unneeded technology?
28. Should schools be funded with taxpayer money?
29. Should children be paid for chores?
30. Should schools have extended or multiple recesses?
31. Should school weeks be shorter?
32. Should animals be illegal to have in circuses?
33. Do video game sports count as actual sports?
34. Should chocolate milk be served in school cafeterias?
35. Should junk food and candy be banned in schools?
36. Is graffiti an expression of art or vandalism?
37. Should gum be allowed in classrooms?
38. If you find $100, is it yours to keep?
39. Should schools have dress codes?
40. Are earbuds or headphones better for children?
41. If you find a historical treasure, does it belong to you?
42. Should college athletes be paid?
43. Should schools or classrooms be separated by gender?
44. Should students be able to choose their seats?
45. Should people be allowed to go barefoot anywhere they want?
46. Should students get paid for attending school?
47. Should skateboarding be banned in public places?
48. Is space exploration worth the money we spend on it?

About the Digital Writing Prompts

The persuasive writing prompts are also available in Google Slides. In this ready-to-assign version, students can scroll through the prompts and respond to the ones they choose in text boxes on each slide.

Using the Persuasive Prompts

Here are some ideas for using these persuasive writing prompts in your classroom:

• Use the list format as a teacher-guide when choosing engaging persuasive writing topics for your students.
• Use the prompts at a writing center or station.
• Allow students to choose from the list topics that interest them.
• Use the writing prompts as early finisher options…Need more early finisher ideas? Click here.
• Use these in conjunction with research. Allow the students to choose a topic (or assign a topic) with two clear sides to debate, have them research facts and information to support both sides of the debate, then have them choose the one to write about, bringing in facts from their research to support their opinion or claim.

Download the Persuasive Writing Prompts

Click the animated image below and then enter your email address in the pop-up. You’ll be able to download the resource immediately and it will also be sent to your inbox.

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