Classroom Journal Prompts

Topic Suggestions for Teachers to Help Jump Start Student Writing

May 1, 2008 Adrienne Wilson

Suggestions for teachers who are searching for daily journal prompts.

Journal writing is an excellent way to encourage student creativity and composition skills. In addition, an educator can get to know his or her students by their impassioned responses to innovative writing prompts. This is, of course, the point where it gets dicey. Keeping the momentum is only possible when students are supplied with exciting topics. Let these suggestions stave off the days when you’re tempted to simply assign a free write.

Complete the Sentence

At the beginning of the school year, journal writing can be a daunting task to ask of students who may be intimidated with the prospect of filling those empty white sheets with sentences of their own creation. Spontaneous expression does not have to be intimidating. Start the year off right and use exercises built around the idea of completing the sentence.

Examples:

In ten years I will be.....

The idea of going to middle school/high school is very..........

When I am a/n ____________, I will be so thankful for______________, (he/she/it) helped me___________________.

I expect this school year to be....

The most important thing I want my teacher to know about me is.....................

Letter Writing

Encouraging students to pretend the writing prompt is a letter to a friend or family member often inspires honest, refreshing narratives. Get them comfortable with this test taking strategy by having journal prompts that are built around the concept of a letter.

Examples:

Write a letter to yourself when you were first starting school. What do you wish you knew then that you now know?

Compose a letter to a student from another country. Tell him about your school. Be sure to tell him all the things you think he would need to be a successful student in your class.

Write a letter to the mayor. What makes you proud of your community? In what areas are there room for some improvement?

Write a letter to the youth of your generation. What should your peers understand about the world around them?

Curriculum Based Writing

Reinforce your standard lesson plan by building journal entries around the idea of the previous day’s lesson. This meshes exceptionally well for a novel study or a vocabulary unit.

Examples:

When (insert character from novel) made the choice to (insert character action) what did it demonstrate about his/her personality? Do you see any of your own personal choices in this decision?

Write the opening of a screen play based on the novel. Describe the actions, motivations, and setting so that the actors and actresses will be able to deliver their lines in the same spirit of the novel.

Choose a vocabulary word that describes you and write an acrostic poem that explains that term's relationship with you.

Choose five vocabulary words. Write five sentences leaving a blank for the vocabulary words you have chosen. Pass your journals to the classmate on your left/right and see if he is able to insert the right words into the sentences.

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Journal Writing