Third Quarter Journal Prompts
Write for the entire allotted time (generally 10 minutes) a
minimum of one page on each topic.
Prompt 1: 10A/H
How would you describe your:
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Mother
Father
Boss
Coach
Best friend
Gym teacher
Use direct and indirect characterization
Prompt 1: 12A
Describe a journey you have experienced
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A personal journey
A travel to a foreign land, another state, etc
An emotional journey
A physical journey
Prompt 2: 10H/A
 Synectics---making the familiar strange and the
strange familiar---respond to one of the questions in
#18 of your Writing Portfolio packet
Prompt 2: 12A
Write about a friendship that is important to you:
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One you lost
One you’ve had for years
One that has withstood the test of ups and downs
One you’ve just acquired
Prompt 3: 12 A
 Think back to August 29th,2011—your first day as a
senior at BRHS. What were your feelings then---the
expectations? …and now???
Prompt 3: 10H/A
 Marriage---who has the “upper hand”?
Write about the topic of marriage—who would be the
ideal mate for you? What do you think constitutes a
good marriage?
Prompt 4 for Both 12A and 10H/A
What does the media do to perpetuate stereotypes?
Prompt 5 for both 12A and 10H/A
 If you could host a dinner party inviting any four from
history, who would you invite and where would the
party take place?
Prompt 6 for 10A/H
 Respond to the activity from your writing portfolio
packet on color (#8)
Prompt 7: 10H/A
 Generate a poem by mimicking a sample poem from
the packet on poetry.
Prompt 7/8: 12A and 10H/A
 Writing Prompt--Respond to the following:
 If you could eliminate one day from your past so that
you would never have to live through it, which day
would it be? Explain why in detail.
Prompt 8—Block 5
 Synectics---making the familiar strange and the
strange familiar
Prompt 8/9—12A and 10H/A (Blocks
1/4) Alcohol—its use and abuse
Two years ago, a 22-year-old UVA student kicked in the door of his
former girlfriend and beat her to death in a drunken rage.
Yesterday, he received the lighter of two sentences, partially due to
a convincing argument from defense that his violence could be
directly attributed to his abuse of alcohol and that the jury wanted
him to serve some time behind bars so that when he was released,
“he would be more mature.”
Is alcohol an excuse for violence? Are some people more
influenced than others? What do you think of the decision in
the Yeardley Love-George Huguely murder case from UVA?
Prompt 9/10My Life as a Movie
 If your life as you see yourself were made into a
theatrical production, what type of story would be
told? A tragedy? A comedy? Maybe a bit of both?
Write the introduction to your story, not as others
perceive you, but as you see yourself.
My Tips for Success
 In some schools, senior mentors get paired up with
freshmen for the first weeks of school. What wisdom
would you pass along to a freshman student? What
three or four tips would you provide for success in
high school? Write an essay explaining the way to
succeed in high school.
Board Game Personality
 List all the BOARD GAMES you remember playing in
your lifetime. Choose several from your completed
list and write about HOW BOARDGAMES CAN
DICTATE WHAT TYPE OF PERSON YOU BECOME."
What Would You Do?
 You have an extra $100,000 to give away;
you cannot spend it on yourself. What
would you do with the money?
 What's the first step you can take to making
a difference in the world today? Would you
try to feed the hungry, improve the
environment, promote peace? How would
you start?
Weave a Story….
Last night I awoke to a
bright beam of light coming
in my window… (finish the
story)
Creative Exercises
 Describe the ocean to a person
who is blind.
 Using all of your 5 senses, describe
your favorite food.
Technology…forward? Or backward?
“Technological progress has merely
provided us with more efficient
means for going backwards.”
 Assignment: Do you agree that technological progress has
made us go backwards? Plan and write an essay in which
you develop your viewpoint on the issue. Support your
position with reasoning and examples taken from your
reading, studies, experiences, or observations.
 “Technology designed to make our
lives simpler often turns out instead to
make our lives more complicated.”
http://www.utdallas.edu/~duym/topicsIV.htm
 Assignment: Write a unified essay in which you perform the following
tasks: explain what you think the above statement means; describe a
specific situation in which a new technology might not make our lives
more complicated; and discuss what you think determines whether a
new technology simplifies or complicates our lives.
Free for a Day…
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If you and your best friend
could have a free limo for 24
hours, where would you go and
what would you do?
Hypothetical Situation
 Consider some of the parents others you know had
growing up. What type of person would you be if you
had one of those situations?
 Suspend reality for a moment and just suppose…
Who’s the Boss?
 “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire
everybody in the company from the chairman on down,
simply by spending his money somewhere else.” -- Sam
Walton
 Assignment: What is your view of the statement that
the customer is really the boss? Do customers have the
ability to fire members of the company? In an essay,
support your position by discussing an example (or
examples) from your work experience with customers
or with companies that have provided services to you.
Who’s the Boss?
 “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire
everybody in the company from the chairman on down,
simply by spending his money somewhere else.” - Sam
Walton
 “Treat every customer as if they sign your
paycheck…because they do.” –Anonymous
 Assignment: What is your view of the idea that the
customer is always right? Plan and write an essay in which
you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your
position with reasoning, and examples from your reading,
studies, experience, or observations.
Teary Tale
When was the last time you
cried?
Frienergy…
“When I find myself fading, I close
my eyes and realize my friends are
my energy.” --Anonymous
 Assignment: What is your view of the idea that friendships
are a source of energy? Is that always true? In an essay
support your position by discussing an example from
reading, studies, or experience
Fourth Quarter Quick Writes
 If absent find the prompt that comes right after the
last one you did in class and complete a page for
journal credit.
Never Apologize?
 “A leader should never apologize for his or her actions
because it shows a sign of weakness.” For a leader not to
apologize or to show remorse is easier to do because s/he
is denying his or her shortcoming, or choosing to ignore
the issue at hand.
 Assignment: What is your view of the idea that to
apologize shows a sign of weakness? Plan and write an
essay in which you develop your point of view on this
issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples
taken from your experience, reading, studies, and
observations.
Living in the Moment
“Do not dwell in the past; do not
dream of the future, concentrate
the mind on the present moment.” -Buddha
 Assignment: What is your view of the idea that living in the
moment is the way to live? Is that always the best way to
live? In an essay support your position by discussing an
example from reading, studies, or experience.
What if….?? And other Story
Starters…
 On Saturday morning you have plans to meet
your friend down the street. You walk to the
house, knock on the door, and a stranger
opens. You ask for your friend. “Who?” the
stranger replies…
 The wind howled through the window. The
girl sat huddling her knees waiting for the
storm to be over. . .
 The kid ran fast. His legs pumped and he
pushed himself past the point of pain. He
needed to get away. . .
If animals could talk…
• What would happen if animals could
talk? What are some of the questions
you would like to ask animals?
• Alternatively, write a story in which
your pet is narrating the action at your
home.
What Would YOU Do?
 If you were principal of Broad Run,
what would you do?
Age of Anxiety
 Our Age of Anxiety is, in great part,
the result of trying to do today’s
jobs with yesterday’s tools.
 Assignment: Do you agree that we are more anxious because
we use old tools for today’s jobs? Plan and write an essay in
which you develop your viewpoint on the issue. Support your
position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading,
studies, experiences, or observations.
Symbol of America
 There are many symbols of America and American
history. Some include the Declaration of
Independence, the Lincoln Memorial, the Statue of
Liberty, the Capital Building and the White House.
Which national monument or symbol of America do
you think best represents America? Why?
If there was a …. I…
 I wish there really was..... If there really was, then.....
What I like about me…
 What is something you dislike about yourself?
 What is something you do well?
 “If I am not for myself, who is for
me?”
- Hillel “The Elder,” Pirque Aboth, c. 30 B.C. - A.D. 9
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My Favorite Place
 What is your favorite room in your home and why?
 How many places have you lived? Describe the place
you remember the most. Pick one room of the house
that you remember the most and describe it.
Thirty-Something
What do you think the world
will be like when you are in
your thirties?
 What are you afraid of? Why?
 List twenty uses for a toothbrush.
 Describe the sights and sounds at 4:00 (when school
is out).
 Explain what you think life would be like without:
plumbing, electricity, cars, windows, air conditioning.
On a daily basis, what things would you do
differently?
 This week’s theme is quotable quotes! We’ve all heard a saying or
quote that strikes a chord in us and remains permanently encased in
our memories. We’ve chosen a quote for each day of the week for
you to ponder and write about. You could write what you think the
speaker meant, or you could write about what the quote means to
you personally. Free writing is an excellent way to get inside your
own head. Give it a try!
Monday
“When we ask advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.”
- Marquis De Lagrange d. 1876, Pensees
 Consider carefully the following excerpt and the
assignment below it. Then plan and write an essay that
explains your ideas as persuasively as possible. Keep in
mind that the support you provide – both reasons and
examples – will help make your view convincing to the
reader.
Learning by Experience
 It is often said that experience is a great teacher, but
experience isn’t the only way to learn. Write a brief
essay to a person younger than yourself, comparing
and contrasting learning by experience to learning by
studying a subject.
Proposal for Ashburn
 A vacant lot in your neighborhood has become an
eyesore, with tall weeds, litter, and insect pests. The
city has recently purchased the lot and is calling for
proposals for public use of the land. Write an editorial
to your local paper, proposing a plan for using the lot.
Provide specific details in your proposal and use
strong reasons to convince readers that you have the
best plan.
 What is the best place to get pizza in your town?
What makes it so good?
 Everyone feels rejected biy family or friends at some
point. Tell about one such time.
 Write about a time you had high hopes for something
and got let down.
 In 1965, the famous science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clark remarked,
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from
magic.” In 2004, we have many more electronic, electrical, and
radio-controlled devices than Clarke knew in 1965. Electronics,
electricity, and radio waves act invisibly, so we must wonder if we
can tell the difference between technology and magic.
 Source: Arthur C. Clarke, The Lost Worlds of 2001. (Dutton)
 Assignment: What is your view of the idea that advanced
technology is no different from magic? In an essay, support your
position by discussing an example (or examples) from literature, the
arts, science, technology, current events, or your own experiences
or observations.
 How would do you think your parents views would
change if they lived your life for one day?
 If you could live anywhere in the world, where would
it be?
 In 20 years, I will be...