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 Your mind’s camera
truck and wait only sees one picture.
to be used.
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 Your first Pretend
the paper picture the picture
here – prompt
• Quickly sketch what picture is
your story ideas happens here
first
• Time yourself –
only spend 5
minutes
sketching your Your next Give your
picture characters
ideas.
here – names.
• Use the sketches what
to write your happens
story. last
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!