[excitedteach]

I started Journals on the first day of the 2nd grading period. I have a topic each day and I write the date differently, numbers, abbreviate, full, etc...
They have to write 2 sentences about the topic and draw a picture.
Any suggestions for journal topics to enhance what I already have.
It is a Christian school so that opens up some new topics for me, but I feel like I will run out of ideas before the end of the school year.
Things like-
What would life be like living in the jungle?
What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend, who do you do it with?
What would you do if you were a bird?
What is your favorite holiday?
How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving?
How do you try to be like Jesus?

Also, I collect them every Friday, mark a few comments (mostly positive- I like that too, very creative, etc... ) Should I "grade" them on the participation? I don't spell words for them, they are learning to sound things out and it is adorable to see them spell! I do stress a capital and a period for sentences.

[olliesfollie]

I like your idea of writing the date a different way each day. At the beginning of the year, I just have them copy the two sentences off the board, to get the hang of word spacing, capital letters and periods. I walk around and put a sticker on the page if everything is correct. By now, they are using my starter, and adding their own sentences (and pictures). I have lots of starters, but my folder is at work. Here are some I can think of:
Over the weekend I . . .
One time I helped a friend . . .
Some of my chores at home are . . .
If I could plan the school day. . .
If I could design my dream bedroom . . .
My family went on vacation to . . .
I'll tell you about my family . . .
I have many more, and would be happy to share them with you. I sometimes do a starter based on the reading unit, science topic or social studies lesson we are doing. I also have a student who comes up to read the starter each morning. It's one of our classroom jobs, and they love it.

[hpy2tch]

So they learn to generate their own topics. On these days we take a minute to share ideas about what we can write about. Of course at first I am the one generating the ideas, but as the year progresses they come up with the ideas. I also have them respond to a story we've read. We do that about once a week.

[excitedteach]

I like the idea of having that as a classroom job! THanks! I also plan to have more open ended topics, or let them choose as the year progresses, but right now they are suited for how it is now. Thanks for the starters... I just need to boost my creativity! Thanks!

[mozza]

relate the journal prompt to the novel we're reading. We have been reading Charlotte's Web the last couple of weeks and some of my journal prompts have been:
What would you do if you had a baby pig?
What does Templeton the rat do when nobody is looking?
How would you feel if you were Wilbur trying to spin a web?
How do you think Charlotte will save Wilbur?
What would you write on the web if you were Charlotte? Why would that be a good thing to write?

I often come up with the question as I'm reading a chapter and we talk about the things we're reading. I'll use it the next morning for journals.