Journal Entry Ideas?

Ann Marissa · #1 07-12-2006, 09:53 AM

Hello! I was wondering if anyone knew a list of journal entry topics to give my 6th grade students. I used journals when i was in school, but can't remember any that were age-appropriate for 6th graders. I want them to be able to journal once a day (either in the morning, after lunch or at the end of the day, i haven't decided).

Should i allow them to write about their feelings? I feel, though, if i allowed them to write about their day or their feelings, that i shouldn't be reading it. I had a teacher who allowed us 5 minutes to write in the journal as a stress-reliever, but reassured us that she wasn't going to read them or grade the content, just grade the fact that we put something in the book.

I'm a new teacher and i want to go at this the right way!

Thanks in advance!
AM

wig · #2 07-12-2006, 01:51 PM

I usually give them a prompt. they have to fill a page skipping every other line. Often I will have them take one of their favorite journal entries and develop it. If you google daily journal prompts you will come up with quite a few. I use this one:
http://www.writingfix.com/dailypromptgenerator.htm
This site also has a lot of other great things to explore.

Ima Teacher · #3 07-12-2006, 05:48 PM

I have some really cool spiral bound prompt books that the kids love. I've got six or eight of them. I don't use them much anymore because we use our journals for our daily focus activities now. I'm going to school tomorrow, and if my brain allows me to remember them I'll write down the names and post them.

muinteoir · #4 07-12-2006, 05:59 PM

I don't exactly what you are looking for, but there some outstanding prompts posted every month here:

http://www.geocities.com/jhwayne/index.html

paperheart · #5 07-13-2006, 01:40 AM

I used this list often:
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/prompts.html

Ann Marissa · #6 07-13-2006, 07:22 AM

Thank you so much for all your ideas! i can't wait to use them!!!!

Iteachtwo · #7 07-13-2006, 10:03 AM

I teach 2nd and use a journal topics book for my below and average students. But for my higher students, I used the writing prompts from abcteach.com. It has a topic printed on a template w/writing space. I just printed out a few for the higher students. But you can just put the topic on the board. The topics may be appropriate for sixth grade. Check them out. They are monthly topics.

trulyblssd · #8 07-13-2006, 02:16 PM

We did journals in the 6th grade with my favorite teacher ever. I remember having free writes. It really helped my creativity. We wrote about everything on free writes days, whatever we wanted. It was fun. Brings back a lot of memories.

clarnet73 · #9 07-13-2006, 02:21 PM

Ann Marissa, one way of dealing with the "I don't feel I should be reading this" problem is to, for instance, allow them to fold over one entry a week, where they know you won't be reading it... or develop a symbol they can put on top if it's a "private" journal entry.

MsFong · #10 07-15-2006, 08:19 PM

I teach 6th grade in CA and for journal prompts I have a book called Daily Journal Prompts ( I think that's the title) that gives me two journal topics everyday to choose from. THere are creative topics that allow children to write stories and also think about current issues. I also give them the opportunity to free-write in their journal if there is something important or pressing going on in their lives. I read them once in awhile to see how their writing is progressing but if I get the feeling it's personal, I just don't read that topic.