7th grade English Journal Prompt

7th grade English Journal Prompts

Instructions for JOURNAL ENTRIES:
Read the following prompts and then spend 20 solid minutes responding to each one. You do NOT need to hit on all points or all questions. This is FREE writing and you can take it in any direction you'd like as long as you stay on one topic. There is no minimum or maximum to how much you must write, but points are given based solely on the amount of the page that you fill. You will not be graded on spelling or punctuation or grammar, so just write, write, write as much as you can without stopping. This will help you build fluency and your ability to get your thoughts down on paper. If you do not want to write on any given prompt, you are free to write about any other topic of your choice, as long as you keep your entry centered around one general idea and add an appropriate title when you're finished.
Date:	Journal Prompt 1: Summer Reading
Friday 8/27/10	Did you enjoy The Hunger Games? Would you recommend it to another seventh grader? Why or why not? How would it rank against other books you've read recently? Would you say it was better than those or not as good? If you enjoyed it, what SPECIFIC things made you like it? If you did not think it was that great, what was it that was lacking? What would you change to make it better? Be as detailed as you can when describing your opinion of the book. Look back into the book for examples of things that were excellent or poorly done. OR, if those questions don't intrigue you, and you have NOT already read Catching Fire, take the role of author Suzanne Collins and write the sequel to The Hunger Games, picking up where the book left off. What happens when Katniss gets off the train? How is she greeted by her district? What do her mom and Rue say to her? What about Gale? Is Peeta her friend? OR, if that doesn't sound like something you want to write about, write about anything you read this summer...
Friday 9/10/10	Journal Prompt 2: Friendship
	What's a good friend? Some people say that a real friend is someone who tells you everything about himself or herself, someone to whom you tell everything yourself. Others disagree, and say that some things are private, and that it's not always important to share everything with friends -- even good friends. What do you think? Is a good friend someone who supports you no matter what? Should a friend be similar to you -- dress the way you dress, like the same things you like -- or is it possible to have a good friend who's very unlike you? What is your idea of what friendship is all about? Write about it, and give some examples.
Friday 9/17/10	Journal Prompt 3: Memories and Family
	Use one of the following prompts as a jumping off point for a 30 minute free write. - The best memory I have with my family is... - Without my family I... - If I were to run away... - One of my worst memories is... - My family roots go back to...
Friday 10/1/10	Journal Prompt 4: Music
	How important is music in your life? Is music --whether instrumental or vocal, pop or rock, hip-hop or jazz, important to you? Is music for you simply as it is for some people -- a kind of background noise -- or is it something more, something you feel deeply, something that helps give meaning to your daily life? If music is important, how is it important, and why do you think it's important to you? Does it simply distract you, or does it stir something deeper? What kinds of music touch you, and what kinds leave you "cold"? Do you think you're open to listening to other kinds of music, or are you loyal to one type only? Write about it.
Friday 11/19/10	Journal Prompt 5: Money
	Can money buy happiness? Some people claim that happiness can be bought; a luxurious car, a lavish house, elegant furniture, the latest clothes... But is it true? Do you think that money and happiness are related? Is it possible, for example, to be quite happy and extremely poor? Or, on the other hand, does a person have a much better chance of being happy having a few bucks in her purse and/or lots of money in the bank? (Is it possible to be unhappy if you're rich?) Or is there some middle ground: an idea that money really helps as a factor -- maybe not the only factor -- in happiness? Write about it.
Friday 12/17/10	Journal Prompt 6: Gratitude
	There are most likely many things in your life for which you are thankful, but spend a few minutes thinking about what is at the top of your list. What makes you thankful? What comes to mind? What is one thing that truly makes you appreciative? What is one, very specific thing that you could not live without? What is one thing that enhances your life or brings you joy like nothing else? What is it about that thing that is so special? Why does it make you feel the way you do? It could be something very specific, or something that other people may even consider insignificant, such as your grandmother's recipe for pie or your dad's forgiving nature - especially when you've done something wrong - or your brother's ability to make you laugh when you need it the most. Think about when you feel the most gratitude and why, and then write about it.