JOURNAL PROMPTS
Affective/Attitudinal Prompts
Number
A-1
A-2
A-3
A-4
A-5
A-6
A-7
A-8
A-9
A-10
A-11
TOPIC
What is education to you?
What does it mean to learn?
Why do you come to school?
Make believe you are writing a letter to a
mathematics teacher you had in a previous grade.
What would you tell that teacher you wish
he/she had done more or less of?
Describe yourself to me.
Do you think algebra is an important subject for
you to study?
Why or why not?
Explain fully.
Explain how you feel about yourself in this class
today
Tell me something you think I need to know
about you and algebra or about you in algebra
class today.
Write about any topic of your choice.
The topic does not have to involve mathematics
or algebra.
My worst experience with math was when…
My best experience with math was when…
My best kept secret about math is…
If math could be a color (shape, sound), it would
be ….because…
Date
A-12
A-13
A-14
A-15
A-16
A-17
A-18
A-19
A-20
A-21
A-22
A-23
A-24
A-25
A-26
A-27
A-28
Write a letter to the newspaper editor
explaining why more importance needs to be
given to math education.
My parents feel that math is…
I want to become better at math so that I…
People who are good at math….
When it comes to math, I find it difficult to…
When I hear someone say math is fun, I…
Is journal writing helpful?
Do you like writing in your journal?
If I were better at math, I would…
Which trigonometric function are you?
Why did you choose that function?
Does mathematics or math class scare you in any
way?
Describe fully.
My three personal goals for this semester are…
Describe how today’s math class will affect your
day.
My math grade now is … because…
This is how I feel about (Calculus, Algebra,
Trigonometry, Fractions, etc.)
One mathematics activity I really enjoy is …
because…
Write a letter to a student who will be taking
this class next year, giving some advice about
this class.
Explain how you feel about mathematics now as
compared to before you took this class.
JOURNAL PROMPTS
Mathematical Content Prompts
Number
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-4
B-5
B-6
B-7
B-8
B-9
B-10
B-11
B-12
B-13
B-14
TOPIC
The difference between undefined slope and
zero slope is…
I think a function is …
How would you describe a square root?
What patterns do you notice in… (fractions,
geometry, trigonometry, derivatives, etc.)?
How do you use fractions in your life?
What is a reference angle?
Why is it necessary?
Write your own definition of a polynomial.
Write all you know about … (exponents, the
Cartesian plane, vectors, standard deviations,
etc.)
Find a shortcut for adding the numbers between
1 and 100.
Explain the Pythagorean Theorem.
How could it be used to remember the distance
formula?
Describe practical uses for each of the conic
sections.
Compare and contrast the terms median,
altitude, perpendicular bisector of a triangle.
Explain everything you know about imaginary
numbers.
Write an explanation about the differences
between area and perimeter.
Date
B-15
B-16
B-17
B-18
B-19
B-20
B-21
B-22
B-23
B-24
B-25
B-26
B-27
In geometry, what is a degree?
What is a radian?
Which do you prefer to use?
How are the graphs of y=1/x2 and y=x2 related?
How could you predict the behavior of the
second from that of the first?
What is the difference between combinations
and permutations and by what clues do you
distinguish problems involving one or the other?
Explain the FOIL method.
What are the differences between a circle and
an ellipse?
Compare and contrast the meanings of the terms
“parallel” and “perpendicular.”
Why can’t you divide by zero?
What is a prime number?
Write all you can about prime numbers.
How do you simplify a radical expression?
What is an asymptote?
Explain as much as you can.
Distinguish between congruent and similar
triangles.
Write all you can about them.
Why do we need proofs in mathematics?
Remember when you learned how to __(factor a
polynomial)__ ?
Imagine that you are writing a note to your best
friend to explain how to do this.
Write your note, assuming that your friend really
wants to know how to _____ and that he/she
must rely on you and only you for an explanation.
B-28
B-29
B-30
What is your favorite single digit number?
How many reasons can you list for your
preference?
What about the shape do you like?
What do you associate with the number?
Be as specific as you can and elaborate as much
as possible on why a certain number is your very
favorite.
A local mathematics contest requires that
students compete in mental computation. This
means that they are not allowed to use paper and
pencil or a calculator to compute an answer.
They must do everything mentally.
Two students were given the following problem
to test their knowledge of “order of operations.”
In less than five seconds one student gave the
correct answer. When asked how he could work
the problem so quickly he said “I used the
property of zero.”
Explain the property of zero and how this
property helped this student work this problem
so quickly
A student needed to multiply 6 x 530 mentally
because she did not have a calculator or a pencil
and paper.
She had recently learned the distributive
property in algebra class so she decided to use
that property to mentally compute the product.
Explain how she used the distributive property
to find the product of 6 x 530.
JOURNAL PROMPTS
Process Prompts
Number
C-1
C-2
C-3
C-4
C-5
C-6
C-7
C-8
C-9
C-10
C-11
TOPIC
The most important part of solving a problem is…
What does it mean to solve an equation?
Write instructions for a fifth grader to follow
when (adding fractions, finding percentages,
calculating averages, etc.)
Write a lesson plan on how you would teach a
specific math topic.
Find something that you learned today that is
similar to something you already knew.
Write about these similarities
Do you use tables or diagrams when solving a
problem?
Why or why not?
You know several ways to … (solve an equation,
factor a quadratic, add fractions, etc.)
Which method is your favorite?
Why?
How important is being neat and organized to you
in general, and when are you doing math?
When I study for a test I…
Write a letter to your teacher explaining what
you do understand about the topic, and what
needs to be clarified.
Describe the graph of … as if you were explaining
it to a friend over the phone?
Date
C-12
C-13
C-14
C-15
C-16
C-17
C-18
C-19
C-20
C-21
C-22
C-23
C-24
C-25
What are the benefits of journal writing for
mathematics classes?
How could journal writing be changed to be more
effective?
When you get a test back, do you make
corrections/ask questions?
Why or why not?
How should we use class time to the best
advantage?
Write possible test questions for this unit.
What is the most significant thing you learned
today?
What questions are still unanswered at the end
of class today?
Explain how you can improve you communication
and cooperation in the mathematics classroom.
Describe any discoveries you make about
mathematics (patterns, relationships,
procedures, etc.)
Describe the process you undertook to solve this
problem.
Write WHO, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW
across the top of your page.
Answer these questions based on today’s class.
Describe the steps you take to prove something
in geometry.
Tell me what you think the goals or purposes of
today’s class were OR explain to me the point you
understood best in class today.
How did you prepare for the test?
In light of the test results, would you change
your strategies or not? Explain fully.