Journal Writing
with Children
Tonja L. Root, Ed.D.
Early Childhood & Reading Education
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698-0092
troot@valdosta.edu
Purposes for Journal
Writing
Record experiences
Stimulate interest in a topic
Explore thinking
Personalize learning
Develop interpretations
Wonder, predict, hypothesize
Engage the imagination
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Purposes for Journal
Writing
Develop independent thinkers
Develop creative thinkers
Process for discovery &
clarification of ideas
Build trust, acceptance,
appreciation of different opinions
Learn that writing is thinking
Expose them to others' thinking
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Types of Journals &
Trade Books
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Personal Journals
Students write about self-
selected topics of personal
interest.
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Personal Journals
Private: Sharing journals is
voluntary. or
Monitored: Teacher checks to
ensure that entries have been
made but does not read unless
entries are marked, "Read me."
or
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Personal Journals (cont.)
Shared Journals: Teacher
reads all entries except those
marked "private," & offers
encouragement & suggestions.
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Trade Books: Personal Journals
Curtis, J.L. (1993). When I was
little. New York: Scholastic.
Garrison, J., & Tubesing, A. (1996).
A million visions of peace. New
York: Scholastic.
Moss, M. (1995). Amelia’s
notebook. Berkeley: Tricycle.
Moss, M. (1996). Amelia writes
again. Berkeley: Tricycle.
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Trade Books: Content of
Personal Journals
Baer, E. (1990). This is the way we
go to school: A book about children
around the world. New York:
Scholastic.
Cheltenham Elementary School
kindergarteners. (1991). We are all
alike…we are all different. New
York: Scholastic.
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Trade Books: Content of
Personal Journals
Fox, M. (1997). Whoever you are.
New York: Scholastic.
Katz, K. (1999). The colors of us.
New York: Henry Holt.
Krensky, S. (1998). Arthur and the
lost diary. New York: Little, Brown
and Company.
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Trade Books: Content of
Personal Journals
dePaola, T. (1996). The baby
sister. New York: Scholastic.
Rogers, J. (1993). Best friends
sleep over. New York:
Scholastic.
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Your Turn
As an example of a personal
journal entry, write a few
sentences that you could share
with students.
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Home-School Connection
Journals
Students take turns writing about
school experiences, events,
assignments, &/or programs.
Students take turns taking home
the journal to share with family.
Family member(s) may respond
in writing to the entry.
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Home-School Connection
Journals
A family member may write
something about the child &/or
the family, as appropriate.
Student returns the journal to
school the next day for another
student to take home.
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Home-School Connection
Journals
Entries may be shared with the
entire class. Teacher may read the
entry to the class (if the student is
unable to).
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Home-School Connection
Journals
Serves as an alternative or
supplement to a classroom
newsletter.
Family members have an
opportunity to view school from
their child’s perspective & other
children’s perspectives.
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Home-School Connection
Journals
Family has an opportunity to
respond to whatever the child
writes.
Suggestion: Have several
circulating in the classroom
simultaneously: Family could read
an entry every week.
Entries do not need to be lengthy.
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Trade Books: Content of HomeSchool Connection Journals
Fox, M. (1997). Whoever you
are. New York: Scholastic.
Pelegrini, N. (1991). Families
are different. New York:
Scholastic.
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Travel Journals
Students take turns taking
home a bag that contains a
stuffed animal, journal, travel
brochures, crayons, markers,
colored pencils, scissors,
colored paper, glue, & other art
supplies.
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Travel Journals (cont.)
At home the child decides
where the stuffed animal visits,
writes a story about the visit, &
illustrates the story using the art
materials.
Student returns the journal to
school the next day for another
student to take home.
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Travel Journals (cont.)
Entries may be shared with the
entire class.
This would be an ideal way to
inform family members of
places nearby that could be
visited on weekends.
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Trade Books: Travel Journals
Krull, K. (1997). Wish you were
here: Emily”s guide to the 50
states. New York: Doubleday.
Moss, M. (1997). Amelia hits the
road. Berkeley: Tricycle.
McNally, R. (2000). Safari across
America: A travel journal. New
York: Rand McNally.
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Your Turn
As an example of a travel
journal entry, write a few
sentences that you could share
with students.
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Simulated Journals
Students assume role of a
historical personality or book
character, & write entries from
that person's viewpoint.
Entries are shared with
classmates.
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Trade Books: Simulated Journals
Waters, K. (1996). On the Mayflower:
Voyage of the ship’s apprentice & a
passenger girl. New York: Scholastic.
Blos, J. (1979). A gathering of days: A
New England girl’s journal. New York:
Scribner’s.
Moss, M. (1998). Rachel’s Journal: The
story of a pioneer girl. New York:
Scholastic.
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Trade Books: Simulated Journals
Hopkinson, D. (1997). Birdie’s
lighthouse. New York: Atheneum.
Bierman, C. (1998). Journey to Ellis
Island. Toronto: Madison Press.
Moss, M. (2001). Rose’s Journal:
The story of a girl in the Great
Depression. New York: Scholastic.
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Trade Books: Simulated Journals
Roop, P., & Roop, C. (1990). I,
Columbus: My journal, 1492-1493.
New York: Walker.
Dyson, J. (1991). Westward with
Columbus. New York: Scholastic.
Conrad, P. (1991). Pedro’s journal: A
voyage with Christopher Columbus,
August 3, 1492-February 14, 1493.
New York: Scholastic.
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Trade Books: Content of
Simulated Journals
Waters, K. (1993). Samuel Eaton’s
day: A day in the life of a Pilgrim
boy. New York: Scholastic.
Waters, K. (1989). Sarah Morton’s
day: A day in the life of a Pilgrim
girl. New York: Scholastic.
Waters, K. (1996). Tapenum’s day:
A Wampanoag Indian boy in pilgrim
times. New York: Scholastic.
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Learning Journals
Students write about content
of subjects learned.
Young children may use
both developmental spelling
& words/sentences.
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Trade Books: Learning Journals
Cole, S. (1999). Walking with
dinosaurs: Photo journal. New
York: Dorling Kindersley.
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Professional Resource:
Learning Journals
Popp, M.S. (1997). Learning
journals in the k-8
classroom: Exploring ideas
and information in the
content areas. Mahway, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum.
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Your Turn
As an example of a learning
journal entry, write a few
sentences that you could share
with students.
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Reading Journals
Students respond to stories,
poems, informational books.
Entries may be shared with
classmates.
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Double-entry Reading
Journals
A type of reading log.
Students write quotes from a
story in left column.
They relate each quote to their
own life & other literature read
in the right column.
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Dialogue Journals
Students write entries to share
with teacher or classmate.
The receiver reads & responds.
Entries are written like a
conversation.
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Writing Notebooks
Students make notes & write
lists of useful information about
writing & other language arts in
writing notebooks.
Students refer to information as
needed.
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Project Journals
Students record ongoing
work on projects: planning,
organizing, &
accomplishments.
Teacher checks journals to
determine progress.
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Class Logs
Students take turns recording
assignments, class notes, &
other information from each
class to file in a notebook.
Serves as a record of actual
lessons.
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Professional Resource: Journaling
Bromley, K. (1993). Journaling:
Engagements in reading,
writing, and thinking. New York:
Scholastic.
Parsons, L. (2001). Response
journals revisited: Maximizing
learning through reading,
writing, viewing, discussing, and
thinking. Portland, ME:
Stenhouse.
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Professional Resource: Journaling
Popp, M. S. (1997). Learning
journals in the K-8 classroom:
Exploring ideas and information
in the content areas. Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
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Journal Writing: Summary
There are many types of
journals.
Purpose & variety are the key
to a balanced writing program
involving journal writing.
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