7th Grade English Journals

Your journal is one place I get to have a good in-depth "conversation" with you about the issues and ideas that come up in class and in the readings. It's not a private diary; I give you assigned topics to write about. But you have freedom of expression when you write, and no worry that you will be graded on the form, spelling, or grammar of what you write. I am interested in what you think and what you have to say, always. The school day is a busy one, though, so the journal is the one place we'll both always have time to "listen" to each other.

I take your journal very seriously, and spend a lot of time on it--as you will discover. It's my favorite thing to grade, and it will become your favorite thing that I grade.

Journal Rules:

A journal response is complete if you write more than half of one page.
If you are absent when a journal is due, you should hand in the completed journal the day you return to class, or it will be late. You can always get the latest topic here online.
Once your journal is late, I'd rather good writing than quick writing. Late journals should be handed in as soon as possible, but with no deadline except the end of the quarter and that I want good, thoughtful writing; once it's late, it's late, one day or one week.
Late journal responses count only for half credit.
Late journal responses count only for half credit.
If you handed in your journal on time, and a topic comes back to you with an "incomplete" written on it, you don't have any credit for that journal...yet. You can add to or re-write that topic. If you write more than half a page, it will be given a check that counts as late.
DO express yourself in the way you want to. If you draw a picture, make a chart, or write a poem in response to my assignment, I'll find a way to count that in the "half page" requirement.
Except for Journal #1 and the final topic of the year, one of your topic choices is always to write whatever you want to write. You are not restricted to the topic(s) I give you, even though most people will write on the given topic.

The Topics (This list grows as the year goes on.)

#1: Introduce Yourself
Here's the place to more formally introduce yourself to me. Tell me about your…

PAST: Your family, where you were born, where you've been, etc.
PRESENT: Describe yourself. What kind of person are you? What things do you like? What things do you dislike?
FUTURE: What are your plans for the future? Career plans? What would you like your life to be like in 10-15 years?

#2: A topic related to The Giver:
You are an Elder. You've been observing this group of 7th graders around you for a long time now, and you're ready to make their Assignments. Tell me what the Assignments are for the members of your class. (Real jobs and careers in our world--doctor, lawyer, artist, politician, etc.--not the ones in the book.) Say why you gave them these assignments, based upon some aspect of their characters, tempers, or talents. (At the end, if you want, you may give yourself an assignment, too.) Remember the rule: You may not write anything that would hurt anyone's feelings!

#3: Write on one or more of these topics related to The Giver:

Write a short story about the future of our world. Your story can be funny or serious, and the future you imagine can be excellent or horrible.
Describe 3 or 4 of your favorite/least favorite/strongest memories. Think of some that are negative, as well as positive. What would it be like to have the negative memories removed from your head?
Agree With, Disagree With, and Discuss this statement: Some people (maybe people who are abusive or violent, or people who live in terrible conditions but never try to rise out of them, or people who are just too immature) should not be allowed to have children.

Journal #4 is to return your progress report, signed by your parent.

#5: The final Giver topics. Write on one or more:

Imagine a Memory Department Store. You can buy memories, exchange bad ones, etc. Create advertising that would go in the store, with text and pictures.
Discuss rules in the world. Do rules make life easier, or harder? What are the important rules in your life? Are rules and laws necessary? Why or why not? Does society more often work because of its rules and laws, or despite its rules and laws?
Continue The Giver beyond the last page. Tell your view of what happened.

#6: I know that no one is perfect, but... (Pick one or more of these, related to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.)

...describe your idea of a PERFECT STUDENT.
...describe your idea of a PERFECT TEACHER.
...describe your idea of a PERFECT PARENT.
...describe your idea of a PERFECT CHILD.

#7: Topic choices related to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry:

Do you see examples of racism and prejudice today? Have you ever been a victim of prejudice? Tell about racism and prejudice today.
Some people assume that people who are poor deserve to be poor (they're lazy or they aren't smart enough to be more rich), and richer people work harder. Some people feel that rich people are not nice (they are mean, or don't care about others, or they're snobs), and poor people are nicer. Is there a difference between rich and poor people?
Free-write on the topic of PRIDE. When is pride good? When is it bad?

#8: Write on one or more of these Roll of Thunder topics:

"Sometimes a person's gotta fight," says Mr. Morrison. When is something worth fighting--physically hitting someone else--for? In Stacey's case, it was because he got whipped for T.J.'s cheating, while T.J. didn't stand up and admit it was his fault. In life, lots of people get in physical fights. Is any reason good enough?
T.J. was cheating on a test. Have you ever cheated in school?

#9: More Roll of Thunder choices:

Tell about a time you knew you were right, but you weren't believed. Or a time you were accused of doing something, and you were innocent.
The family in this book should now be clear to you: strict, but loving; proud; warm; facing challenges with dignity. Compared to other families you know, in real life and on television and in the movies, describe your family.
Now, a harder question: Compared to other people you know, or just on your own terms, describe yourself: How decent are you? How nice and kind? How open? Are you a good person, by your own standards?

Journal #10 was to return a signed progress report.

#11: Anne Frank's Diary--In Her Shoes
Imagine that some situation has occurred, and you and your family must go into hiding. You tried to escape the country, but now it's too late. You're going to be spending the next two years or so in a modest three-room apartment. There will be some food there, and you can bring some clothing with you. There will be a radio to listen to, only at night, but no other electronic devices. You can pack a small suitcase in addition to the one for your clothing. What special things from home would you bring along? (Remember, you may not bring any electronic devices!) During your 25 months in hiding, how do you think you'd spend your time? Who and what would you miss most, from the outside world?

#12: Kindness. This picks up from the last topic for Journal #9, but relates to Anne Frank's Diary:

Who is the kindest person you know? Describe that person.
How kind are you? What is the kindest thing you've ever done?
How could you improve, to make yourself kinder?
Of course, the big question is: Would you ever be so kind that you'd risk your life and reputation to help a stranger, even if you weren't Jewish, or if you weren't Muslim, or if you weren't gay, or you weren't Christian, or if you weren't in the group that was being threatened, and you could safely just do nothing and stay out of it? Would you take a public stand to help or defend someone that everyone else--even your friends--thinks is uncool, laughable, or horrible? This is partly kindness, and partly bravery. They are related, I think.

#13: Anne Frank choices--Pick one or both:

Draw a picture of any scene from the book so far. Make it detailed, quality work, please, and fill the page. No quick, careless stick figures! If you don't think you can draw well, or you don't want to put in the effort for a nice picture, choose Option B.
Anne, despite complaining a lot about others in the annexe, seems to be such an optimist about life and her situation. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? An optimist is someone who is optimistic, sees the good side of situations, and a pessimist is pessimistic, seeing the negative side of things. For this topic, I mean optimism or pessimism about life and the future in general, or about your life and future in particular.

Journal #14 is to return a signed progress report.

#15: Research Project Update (Answer all of the questions, please.)

Tell me some interesting thing(s) you've learned so far about your topic.
Describe things that have been easy/good or hard/difficult about choosing a topic and researching so far.
What stage is your project at right now? Be honest. Have you made any decisions? Have you written anything?

#16: Your first Pigman topics--Choose one or both to answer:

Describe an adult in your life--not your parents or grandparents--who has had a big effect on you. Pick someone who has made you a better person for being in your life.
What is the most interesting thing that has ever happened to you, or that you have ever done?

#17: More Pigman topic choices:

Describe and tell me about one of your best friends, someone who gets you through hard times and helps you to live life.
Do you enjoy school and fit in, or are you a misfit?
Have you ever been in a fight (a real fist fight)? Tell me about it.

Journal #18 was to return a signed progress report.

#19: Write on one or more of these Lupita Mañana topics:

What is the most dangerous thing you've ever done?
Lupita and Salvador have a dream for the future. What is your dream for the future?
What's a better life, according to you: Life in a small, quiet town, or life in a large, busy city? Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each.

#20: Related to Lupita Mañana--Write on one or more of these topics:

Describe your feelings about the United States. (Everyone seems to have feelings about the U.S., whether they've visited there, lived there, or never been there.) Is it a land of opportunity...or a place with no traditions? Is it a land of freedom...or a place with too many freedoms? Would you like to live there...or would you never want to live there? Is there a stereotype about "typical Americans" that you think has some truth in it?
Is there any difference (besides money) between rich people and poor people? Are poor people generally nicer, or not as nice; more honest or not as honest; smarter or not as smart; as rich people? Or does everyone, rich or poor, have the same--good or bad--character?
What are your prejudices? Prejudice means pre-judging, because a person is part of some group. Are there groups of people you find hard to deal with or don't like? Lots of people have prejudices about different groups, different religions, races, cultures, overweight people, homosexuals, school groups like nerds, jocks, etc.
Have you ever been the victim of prejudice or racism? Explain.

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