Journals: Semester 2
Copy down the journal number and
prompt name only. Then answer the
prompt with complete sentences.
Journal #1: What Do You Think
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Read the following Letter to the Editor and
tell me if you agree or disagree with the
author.
Read the article titled “Two reasons to give
up on hunting in Idaho”
http://www.idahostatesman.com/letters/stor
y/1031299.html
Journal #2: The Best Education
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“The best education in the world is that got
by struggling to get a living.”
—Wendell Phillips
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Many students sick of high school make
arguments similar to Phillips. Do you agree
with Phillips that hard work provides a
sufficient education, or do you think
success is more likely for those people who
receive a traditional education?
Journal #3: No T.V.
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Before the age of television, people
entertained themselves largely by reading,
telling stories, playing music, chatting and
doing things outside. If you had to stop
watching T.V. for one month, how would
you fill your time? Would you miss TV
terribly, or would you welcome the break?
Journal #4: Everyday Heroes
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How do you define hero? Do you think
fame is an important component of
heroism, or do you think most heroes are
unknown? Is there anyone you know
personally whom you consider a hero?
Journal #5: About My Name
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Many names have special meaning or
history. For example, the name Hannah
means “favor” or “grace.”
Write about your own name. Who named
you? What does your name mean? Does
it have a special ethnic or religious
significance? Are you named after
someone in your family? If you could
change your name, would you?
Journal #6: The Worst Time of Life
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What was your most humiliating middle
school experience? Write a short, possibly
funny, description of it using ten adjectives.
An adjectives describes/modifies a noun.
Journal #7: About My School
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You have been chosen to describe you school in a brochure
that will be given to students who live across the country.
Assume that your readers know nothing about your city or
school. Address the following topics
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Sayings (i.e., “yo”)
Dress
Character types (i.e., Cowboy)
Groups/cliques (i.e., Mean Girls)
Best thing
Worst thing
The ONE thing your readers should know
Journal #8: What I’ve Learned
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Imagine you are moving to a foreign
country and won’t see your friends and
family for many years. Write a letter to a
friend or sibling, shelling out some words of
wisdom and explaining how you would
have done certain things differently.
Journal #9: Childhood Memories
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Most people have vivid memories of certain
events from childhood. What sticks out in
your mind? Pick on particularly strong
memory and describe it in detail using 15
adjectives.
Journal #10: Alone at Last!!
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Your parents just left on a weekend
vacation—leaving you all alone, in charge
of the house. What do you do? Instantly
call your friends and announce a party?
Decide to have a party and then regret it
when you’re cleaning for six hours the next
day? Worry and don’t do anything?
Journal #11: I’m nobody, who are
you?
I’m NOBODY! Who are you?
Are you—Nobody—Too?
Then there’s a pair of us?
Don’t tell! They’d advertise—
you know!
How dreary—to be—Somebody!
How public—like a Frog—
To tell one’s name—the livelong
June—
To an admiring Bog!
Using this excerpt as a frame, write about who you are. (Don’t worry about rhyming every line.)
I’m ________________! Who are you?
Are you—_____________—Too?
Then there’s a pair of us?
Don’t ____________! They’d ___________—
you know!
How _____________—to be—____________!
How ________________—like a Frog—
To tell one’s name—the livelong ______________—
To a (an) _________________!
Journal #12: Active and Passive
Voice
The active voice occurs when the subject performs the action. in
the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is acted on by
another agent. Look at the following examples:
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PASSIVE VOICE: Snuffles was taken to the vet by my mom.
ACTIVE VOICE: My mom took Snuffles to the vet.
Eliminate the passive voice from your writing as much as
possible. In the beginning, it will seem impossible, but after a
while it will get easier, and you’ll notice that your writing has
become far more interesting and punchy.
Rewrite the following sentences, changing the passive voice to
the active voice:
The exam was administered by the teacher.
Georgia’s outfit was chosen by the saleswoman.
The city was invaded by barbarians.
Journal #13: Similar Similes
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A simile is a comparison using like or as, as in my
heart is like a drum. Think of several words or
phrases to complete the following simile:
My heart is like_____________________.
My heart is like_____________________.
My heart is like_____________________.
My heart is like_____________________.
My heart is like_____________________.
Journal #14: Mismatched Similes
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Come up with a word or phrase to complete each
of the following similes:
I’m as hungry as a _________________.
My hair is like ____________________.
A rainy day is like _________________.
The cars on the street sound like _____.
I woke up feeling like _______________.
Now, mismatch the word or phrase you came up
with, applying them to the other four similes.
What sorts of results do you come up with?