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Journal

Journal


Page Content:

Definition:

Personal record or elaborated diary written in response to one’s life and events. Journals chronicle our lives, include reflections and express emotions.

Purposes:

  • To provide a record of thoughts, experiences, dreams or memories
  • To provide a personal record of one’s life
  • To develop self awareness
  • To reflect
  • To gain perspective
  • To develop a popular form of prewriting for works of fiction

Characteristics:

  • A record of thoughts, impressions, experiences, memories, plans, etc.
  • Can be open or direct
  • Regularly written chronological record
  • To share understandings from those closely involved in historical events
  • Includes summaries, responses, unanswered questions
  • Freewheeling stream of consciousness
  • Autobiographical information
  • First person
  • May be a mixture of tenses

Grade Level Instructional Scope for COMPOSING the Genre and Text of a Journal:

Grade 8

Opportunities to Teach:

Composing the genre

  • Connecting with inner voice
  • Detailing
  • Summarizing thoughts and events
  • Strategies for writing fluency
  • Individual writing styles will vary, and are dependent on writer’s purpose

Composing text

  • Inner dialogue
  • Changes as writer experiences growth and insight
  • Reflection and emotion are expected
  • Author chooses style of writing (e.g. stream of consciousness, questioning, detailed events, brainstorming)
  • Depending on writer’s purpose subject matter may or may not be shared with a greater audience

Booklists:

  • Grade 8

Access to the Documents:

Complete K-8 Genre Project
From the Michigan Department of Education

Complete K-8 Genre Booklist
From Kent Intermediate School District


Page last modified on February 10, 2009, at 11:51 AM