Writing Prompts

Tips for Teachers

​The following writing prompts can help students in a pre-writing phase to identify their topic for a Laws of Life essay. Whatever the writing catalyst may be, the greatest benefit of the Laws of Life process is obtained when students have the opportunity to complete a full writing process (outlining, drafting, peer/family review, editing, publishing.)
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• Describe the character of a positive role model in history or literature and why their character helped them be successful.
• Think of a family member, or a parent, or a friend whom you admire. What law(s) of life does that person demonstrate? How has that person influenced your law(s) of life?
• Describe a personal experience that has helped you develop your law(s) of life.
• Describe a time in your life when someone has helped you. How has this affected your law(s) of life?
• What law(s) of life would you like to develop to become a better person?
• Before too long, you will be graduating from high school. What are the most important law(s) of life that you believe will guide you in college or in the workplace?
• When you become a parent, what law(s) of life will you teach your children?
• Do you have a law of life that encourages you to be responsible for those who are less fortunate?
• Imagine that you have lived a long and meaningful life. As you look back on your life, what is it that you are most proud of? What law of life did you demonstrate?

Writing prompts may also be directly connected to existing academic objectives. For example, students assigned to read The Diary of Ann Frank have written Laws of Life essays about Ms. Frank’s perseverance. Students involved in the study of Homer’s Odyssey can write essays analyzing the character of Odysseus and suggest and support with text references Laws of Life for Odysseus. In history classes, an excellent comprehension exercise is to assign students the evaluation of great leaders and have them speculate on the leader’s Laws of Life and support their evaluation with two or three historical facts.

SEE has also created example lesson plans for three novels that are often taught in US schools.  Follow the link here to review sample lessons in support of Laws of Life essay writing for To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Great Gatsby and Holes.

In addition, the Templeton Foundation (the founder of the Laws of Life process) encourages students to reflect on quotes or maxims and analyze the Law of Life highlighted or supported by the quote. Do what fits! There are many ways the Laws of Life essay can be woven seamlessly into many content areas with the benefit of students reflecting on important civic values.

​Example Quotes and Maxims  

Honesty is the best policy ​	​ To have a friend is to be a friend	Do unto others as you would have others do unto you
Don’t judge a book by its cover	No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted	​Never, never, never, never give up
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again	You are only as good as your word  ​	It is better to give than to receive
Your attitude determines your altitude	You are either part of the solution or part of the problem	Life is the sum of your choices

​​Ethics in action creates character