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Sunday, January 10, 2016

Adding Rigor to Journal Prompts

I think most of us use writing journals in our classrooms. One thing that's difficult for me is coming up with fresh journal prompts throughout the year. I know I could have them write about their favorite food or their favorite animal--and there's nothing wrong with that. But you know me, I want them to dig a little deeper. 

So if you are looking for some ideas of ways to add a little rigor to your journal writing-here are some ideas. 

1) Instead of just "what is your favorite.....", why not ask "if you could BE any animal, food, holiday, etc. what would you be and why". They use these questions in job interviews for a reason!

2) What if we didn't have.....? For example, clocks, names, electricity, school-what would be different?

3)  Why do we have.....birthday parties (this was a hard one for my kiddos), pets, desserts, etc.

4)  Why don't we....have school every day, wear the same clothes every day, celebrate holidays every day?

5)  What would you do if... you woke up with blue hair, saw someone steal something, you couldn't hear anything?

6)  Is it right that.... snow melts, leaves fall off the trees, we keep animals in zoos, some people are rich and some aren't?

7) What is ALWAYS true about... fairy tales, shoes, cars, schools, moms (love doing this one for Mother's Day).

8) How would you create a new kind of.....candy, nursing home, Christmas tree, school, car, fairy tale?

9) What might happen if.....your teacher was an elephant, you woke up 100 years in the past, you visited another country?

10) Give them a quote and ask them to interpret it: 

If you have any other ways you challenge your kiddos in writing-I'd love to hear them! :)






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