Picture That! Writing an Amazing Picture Prompt Catherine Wishart Literacy Coach

What Is A Picture Prompt? When we see a picture, we can make up a story about it. The story should not just be about the picture, but should add the missing pieces.

What Is This?

How Do I Add to the Picture? Imagine that your mind is a camera. Take a snapshot of the picture in front of you. Think about what picture should come before the picture prompt picture. Think about what picture should come after the picture prompt picture.

Picture This Imagine you are told to write a story about this picture. Imagine you don’t have your mind’s camera turned on. All you see is static. What kind of story will you write?

This is… Boring! The fire truck is sitting in the fire house. It waits for a chance to go on a call. Bright lights sit upon the truck and wait to be used. Your mind’s camera only sees one picture.

Let’s Change The Film! Your mind’s camera doesn’t just snap one picture this time. Now your mind’s camera snaps three pictures.

Start With the Picture Prompt Picture Start with the picture prompt. What happened before the picture prompt picture? What happened after the picture prompt picture? Snap these thoughts with your mind’s camera.

This is… Fun to Read! Drew and Alex were thrilled to visit Grandpop at the firehouse. The played on the fire trucks and stared at all the equipment. Suddenly, the alarms went off! Grandpop handed Drew and Alex back to their mom. He swiftly got into his gear and climbed aboard the truck. “I’ll be back, Drew! Alex, wait for me here!” yelled Grandpop as the truck whizzed away. Little did any of them realize that today, Grandpop would save a man whose car was caught under a fallen tree….

You Try It! Turn on your mind’s camera. Add a picture before the Picture Prompt. Add a picture after the Picture Prompt. What does your story look like in your mind?

Draw It Out First On most tests, there will be a “Prewriting Page.” You can draw out what you see happening before the picture prompt and what you see happening after the picture prompt for your prewriting. Make sure that you tell a story – don’t just describe the picture!

Draw Your Story Now What happened before? What happens last?Write your story characters’ names here:

Think About the Blank Pre-Writing Page Draw sections on the paper Quickly sketch your story ideas Time yourself – only spend 5 minutes sketching your ideas. Use the sketches to write your story. Your first picture here – what happens first Pretend the picture prompt picture is here Your next picture here – what happens last Give your characters names.

Did You See It? Your mind’s camera snapped the pictures! Your mind’s camera filled in the blank spaces in the picture prompt. Your mind’s camera helped you write a story, not just talk about a picture!