2020

Journal #5 Dear Future Valentine

Write a letter to your future mystery life partner (AKA husband or wife). What do you ask/expect of him or her? What do you promise? What do you hope this future relationship will be like?

Journal #4 Chinese Horoscope

What year were you born in? The Year of the __ (what animal). Read the description of a person born in this year. Explain what characteristics you think accurately describe you and which do not describe you. Give specific examples to support what you say about your personality.

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/chinese-horoscopes/

Journal #3 Fortune Cookie

What was your fortune? Explain what it means in easier-to-understand English.

Journal #2 Conflicting Opinions

Think of a time when some people (or 1 person) believed something or wanted to do something that you thought was wrong. What did you disagree about and why? What happened? Who was right? Who was wrong? Did anyone change their opinion? Did anyone admit they were wrong or say I'm sorry? Remember that good writing includes specific details. If you can't think of a personal situation, then discuss a story, movie or tv show in which this happened to characters.

Journal # 1 Pledging and Protesting

Read the paper that contains the words of the Pledge of Allegiance. What are the reasons that some students decide not to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance? What is your opinion of these reasons?

From 2019:

To be or not to be strict

On a scale of 1 to 10, how strict is your family? (1 - you can do anything you want; 10 - super strict - there are lots of rules you have to follow or there are consequences). Now, think about a friend or cousin whose family contrasts yours (they are much less strict or more strict). Who is it? What rating on strictness would you give his/her family?

Include specific details as supporting evidence of your strictness ratings for your and the other family.

Now, when you are a parent (like in 10 years), how strict do you think you should be? What will be some of the rules you will want your own kids to obey?

Journal #2 – Truth and Lies

1) Have you ever told a lie (or a ½ truth) to an adult family member? Why did you do it? If not, do you know someone else who did? Why did he/she lie? What happened?

2) Has anyone ever told, posted, or texted a lie or a secret about you? Or threatened to tell? If not you, has this happened to anyone else you know? If not, has it happened in a movie or tv show?

Include details – who, to whom, what, why? What happened?

Journal #3 - Peer Pressure & Herd Behavior

Write about a time when you 1) followed the "herd" -- just did what others were doing, although you didn't want to or you regretted it later. Or 2) you didn't follow the "herd" -- decided not to do what others were doing. Why didn't you? What happened? How did you feel then? Are you happy with your decision? Why or why not? 3) If this has never happened to you, write about a tv show or a movie in which a character faces this situation - to follow or to go against the "herd."