66 Insightful Journal Prompts for High School

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The high school years are all about new experiences, self-reflection, and building skills to use throughout life. Well-crafted journal prompts for high schoolers accomplish all of these goals — and they aren’t just for English class!

Find the next journal prompts for your high school classroom with our curated topic and resource list. We’ve included tips for classroom use and a range of subjects to interest every writer in your classroom, no matter their writing skills.

19 Bell Ringer Journal Prompts for High School

Bell ringer journal prompts are quick and effective ways to get a class started with writing. Use these bell ringer journal topics for any high school class where you’d like students to focus on a few moments of reflection before diving into your lesson.

• What was the best thing that happened today? What about the worst?
• Name something that is bothering you today, either physically or emotionally.  
• If you could have a robot do one chore in your life, which one would it be?
• You’ve got $1,000 to change something in your bedroom or house! What do you upgrade?
• Name a fun fact about animals that you think the class would be interested in hearing.
• Write a short note to a music artist about something they should change about their music.
• Who is a role model you know in real life? What about a celebrity or historical figure role model?
• Do you love or hate drama between friends?
• Write a paragraph to convince someone in class to try an activity you love.
• If you could start a career tomorrow, which career would you choose? Would it be a career you’re most qualified for or one you’ve always wanted to have?
• Finish the sentence and add details: I wish I knew more about …
• If someone asked you for advice about high school, what would you tell them? What would they have to figure out on their own?
• Do you like knowing spoilers about what you’re about to read or watch?
• Would you rather make a lot of money doing something you don’t love or make less money following your passion?
• Which holiday would you rather eliminate from the calendar: Halloween or Thanksgiving? Why?
• True or false: The best romantic relationships come from friendships. Explain your thought process.
• Do you like the town you’re living in? Why or why not?
• Do you believe dress codes are valid? Should students have the same rights on campus as adults do in society?
• What would be the most embarrassing award a teenager could earn?

Start class with a variety of journal writing prompts

If you’ve ever struggled to think of a good journal writing prompt for the next day, struggle no more. Keeping go-to lists of prompts provides a variety of thought-provoking topics that encourage even the most reluctant writers in your class to respond.

Journal Writing Prompts Bell Ringers for a Full Year Editable Distance Learning
By Tracee Orman
Grades: 5th-12th
Subjects: English Language Arts, Writing
Standards: CCSS RI.5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1, 9-10.1, 11-12.1; W.5.10, 6.10, 7.10, 8.10, 9-10.10, 11-12.10; CCRA.R.10; W.10

With over 400 prompts and endless possibilities for use, these bell-ringer journal topics are a great way to get pencils moving at the start or end of class. The resource comes with PowerPoint and Microsoft Word versions to best fit your instructional style.

Bell Ringer Journal Writing Prompts All Year for High School English
By Teen Tech University
Grades: 9th-12th
Subjects: Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Writing
Standards: CCSS.W.9-10.3, 3a, 3d, 3e; W.9-10.10, W.11-12.3, 3d, W.11-12.10

High schoolers take a moment to reflect on their day with an array of bell-ringer journal prompts. A full year of topics for teens includes over 200 prompts, each of which can be expanded into writing units for argumentative, descriptive, and expository essays.

20 Social-Emotional Journal Topics for High School

Journal writing can be an important way for students to use social-emotional skills. From SEL check-ins to deeper questions about their teenage experience, these prompts are effective ways for high schoolers to reflect on how they’re really feeling.

• What does the term “growth mindset” mean to you? How do you see yourself growing in high school?
• In your opinion, is social media helpful or harmful?
• Describe a time when you had to work extra hard to accomplish a goal.
• Describe a time when you worked as hard as you could, but you still didn’t accomplish your goal.
• What makes life relaxing at your house? What makes life stressful?
• Make a list of the three most important milestones all teenagers should have. Which ones have you accomplished? Which ones are coming up for you?
• Write about a time when you had to make a big decision. Do you have any regrets?
• Finish this sentence and elaborate: “This time next year, I’d like to be …”
• How can other people tell when you feel stressed out? How do you calm down?
• Name a book, movie, or TV show that you’d recommend to a friend going through a hard time. How would it help them?
• What is the hardest issue facing teenagers today?
• What does it mean to be strong? How can people tell if you are strong?
• Is there a personality type that you have a hard time getting along with?
• What are you most nervous about for the future?
• What is your favorite thing about yourself, both physically and personally?
• How old do you feel? If it’s younger than your real age, how do you nurture your younger self? If it’s older, how do you challenge your mature self?
• Does the weather affect your mood? How?
• What are you most grateful for in your life? How do you show your gratitude?
• How are you still like yourself as a small child? How are you different?
• What does true friendship feel like? What about fake friendship?

Encourage a growth mindset in reflective journal writing

The key to a healthy social-emotional outlook is having a growth mindset. Use growth mindset writing journal prompts to reinforce the value of perseverance, a positive attitude, and a reflective learning journey. 

Growth Mindset Bell Ringers: 30 Engaging Growth Mindset Writing Journal Prompts
By The Daring English Teacher
Grades: 7th-10th
Subjects: Classroom Community, English Language Arts
Standards: CCSS W.7.1, 2, 3, W.8.1, 2, 3, W.9-10.1, 2, 3

Designed for middle and high schoolers, 30 journal-writing prompts present young writers with an inspirational quote. Students then respond with narrative, informational, or narrative writing, depending on how they react to each growth-focused quote.

17 Cross-Curricular Journal Prompts for High School

Writing isn’t limited to language arts! Use these interdisciplinary journal prompts for high school in your science, math, history, music, or art class as well.

• Describe the most interesting day you had in science class.
• What concept from science fiction do you wish was real?
• What concerns you the most about the environment?
• In your opinion, what was the most important invention of the last 100 years?
• Name an animal adaptation that you’d like to have for yourself.
• How do you use math in other classes, such as art or science?
• Think of three ways that math is important in sports.
• What is your favorite math operation? Why is it your favorite?
• Which geometric shape would make the best house? Which would make the worst?
• Do you think math is fun? Why or why not?
• Should teenagers know how to read a map?
• What is the most interesting era in history? Why?
• Who is the most interesting musician alive today?
• Do you think schools should fund music and performing arts programs? 
• If you could choose a color to remove from the color wheel, which color would you remove and why?
• Who decides what art means: the artist or the audience?
• What is your favorite medium to use in art class? What medium do you like the least?

Reinforce writing skills in languages other than English with journal prompts

If you teach a language other than English, you know that the path to fluency includes lots and lots of practice. Help language learners practice their new skills with a variety of language prompts in multiple topics with varying levels of skill required. 

French Writing Journal – 75 Writing Prompts, Task Cards & Implementation Ideas
By French Teacher Canada
Grades: 3rd-12th
Subjects: French, World Languages

Comment allez-vous? Let students express how they’re doing with a series of 75 French writing prompts. Topics range from beginner to advanced French levels, allowing you to differentiate between skill levels or multiple classes.

Intermediate Spanish Discussion Questions/Journal Prompts and Chat Mats
By SuperSra
Grades: 9th-11th
Subjects: Spanish, World Languages

With 100 discussion questions in 10 topics, unit-specific chat mats, and ideas for implementation, you’ll never need to think of your own Spanish journal topics again. Use these preguntas as bell ringers, exit tickets, conversation starters in your intermediate Spanish class, or bring them into an advanced class for beginning-of-the-year review.

10 ELA Journal Prompts for High School

Incorporate language arts-specific journal prompts into your daily work to keep writing both personal and skill-based. No matter what you’re reading or working on in class, students can respond with a few analytic and creative topics.

• What’s the most important part of choosing a new book for you: the plot, the cover, the characters, the setting, or something else?
• How would your dream language arts class run? 
• Write an angry note to any character in the book or story we’re reading in class. What would you want to yell at them about?
• Would you rather write a famous book, a movie, or a song?
• What is the first chapter book you remember reading?
• If you could be a character in a story, would you be the protagonist, antagonist, or comic relief?
• Write a short argument for or against daily homework.
• What is your least favorite school-assigned book?
• Write a short review of the last movie you watched. Would you recommend it to others?
• How would you change the ending of the last book you read?

Add creative writing and literary analysis to journal assignments

No matter what novel unit you’re working on, ELA writing prompts reinforce any writing skill students need for the year. Use creative writing and literary analysis prompts to get students inspired and to practice important ELA topics in any unit.

9 Weeks of Creative Writing Journal Prompts for High School
By It’s Lit Teaching
Grades: 9th-12th
Subjects: Creative Writing, Poetry, Writing
Standards: CCSS W.9-10.3, 4, 6, W.11-12.3, 4, 6

Help high schoolers tap into their creative sides with 90 creative writing journal prompts for high school. Editable and available with multiple choices, these CCSS-aligned prompts in Google Slides format are the perfect way to start any language arts lesson.

Poetry Analysis Journal Writing Prompts for Any Poem Digital & Print
By Reading and Writing Haven
Grades: 6th-12th
Subjects: English Language Arts, Poetry, Writing
Standards: CCSS RL.6.1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, RL.7.1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, RL.8.1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, RL.9-10.1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, RL.11-12.1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, W.6.1, 4, 10, W.7.1, 4, 10, W.8.1, 4, 10, W.9-10.1, 4, 10, W.11-12.1, 4, 10

These poetry analysis writing prompts help students connect to and make meaning of any poem you’re teaching. After responding to literary analysis topics such as theme, figurative language, and structure, high schoolers make connections to other written works and their own lives in their journal prompts.

Tips for Creating High School Writing Prompts

Do you prefer crafting your own writing prompts for high schoolers? Follow our tips to keep your prompts both engaging and valuable for your class curriculum.

• Align your writing prompts to Common Core State Standards by incorporating narrative, argumentative, and expository elements into the topics.
• Choose subjects that your students are currently talking about, such as modern slang, popular movies and shows, current events in the news, and important issues to teenagers today.
• Encourage students to think about their goals for high school, no matter what grade they’re currently in.
• Find ways to access all writing skills and styles with more general topics that both struggling and advanced writers can answer in their own ways.
• Let volunteers share their writing if they’d like, but don’t make unwilling students share journal topics that might be too personal for the class to hear.

Help high schoolers discover the write stuff

No matter what prompt you put on the board, high schoolers will be eager to express themselves. Use these prompts and resources to get their creative minds moving, or find more high school writing resources to bring writing into your curriculum all year long. Every student is a writer waiting to be discovered!