Points for each day:
5 points for the "complete" heading
5 points for copying the "prompt" (see daily journal below)
5 points for complete sentences
5 points for answering the "prompt"
I subtract 1 point for each spelling, punctuation, and syntax error.
I add 1-5 points for illustrations each day.
Copy daily prompts and answer them in complete sentences.
Extra points are given for illustrations.
___________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal: 4.29-5.3.13
April 29, 2013: School Principal’s Day is May 1. Pretend that your school
will no longer have a principal. Write about how things might be different.
April 30, 2013: If you were a flower, would you rather be planted in a
garden at someone’s house or at a park? EXPLAIN!
May 1, 2013: Imagine that you arrive at school one day and there are no
teachers or any other adults in the building. Write about what happens next.
May 2, 2013: Imagine that when you get home from school one day, your family
looks different, and they are acting very strange. Write about what happens
next.
May 3, 2013: The first full week in May is National Pet Week. What animal
do you think would make the perfect pet? EXPLAIN!
___________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 4.15-4.19.13
Monday: April is Listening Awareness Month. Describe a time you
wish you had listened better than you di
Tuesday: How would you spend the perfect day? Where would you
go? Describe your day.
Wednesday: Imagine that you have a packet of magic seeds. What might
happen when you plant them?
Thursday: Has anyone ever said to you, "You're just like your mother," or
"Your grandpa used to do the same thing"? Describe a trait,
mannerism, or attitude that makes you similar to another
family member.
Friday: Many places around the world celebrate May Day (May 1)
with outdoor festivals, maypole celebrations, and special
breakfasts. Write about a fun way to celebrate spring.
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal: 4.8-4.12.13
April 8: An epitaph is something written on a person’s tombstone. What
would you like your epitaph to be?
April 9: If you were put in charge of Kid Health Day, name three things you
would advise children to do in order to lead healthier lives.
April 10: Black soldiers fought in Union Army in the Civil War but were not
given the right to vote or other rights. How do you feel about this?
April 11: Name two things that you can personally do to help those less
fortunate than you.
April 12: If you could choose your favorite time in history in which to
live, which time period would you choose? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 4.2-4.5.13
4/2/13 With so many plants growing in the spring, there are lots of chores
to do. Describe a new invention that would make weeding flower beds,
mowing grass, and planting vegetables easier.
4/3/13 Bike riding is fun, bit it can sometimes be dangerous. Design a
super safe bicycle that would eliminate some of the danger. Describe what
it looks like and why it is safer than other bikes.
4/4/13 Imagine a time before people had to have locks. Make up a very
short story about the first person who ever had to have a lock.
4/5/13 The average housefly lives on two weeks. If you were a fly in your
house, describe how you would spend that short amount of time.
____________________________________________________________________________
DAILY JOURNAL 3.25-3.28-2013
3.25.13 April 2nd is International Children’s Books Day. Pretend that you
are a children’s book that has been sitting on a library shelf for weeks
without being checked out. Would what you say to convince someone to check
you out?
3.26.13 April is National Humor Month. Imagine what life would be like if
everyone in the world were always serious. Do you think this
would be a positive thing? Explain!
3.27.13 List ten things that you can do indoors on a rainy day. Circle
your favorite and give reasons for your selection.
3.28.13 What is a hobby you would like to have? Explain what you like most
about it.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 3.11-3.15.2013
3/11 Some very powerful people wear hats, such as generals, kings, and
queens. If you could wear some else’s hat and be him or her for a day, whose
hat would you choose? EXPLAIN!!
3/12 Would you rather be an astronaut or a deep-sea diver? EXPLAIN!!
3/13 After waiting all winter, what is your favorite thing to do once spring
arrives? EXPLAIN!!
3/14 Imagine that you have just failed a test that you needed a good grade
on in order to pass the class. Would you tell your parent(s) right away? Or
would you wait until report cards were sent home? EXPLAIN!!
3/15 Imagine that you wake up and everything you touch turns green. Write
about what happens next.
_____________________________________________________________________________
DAILY JOURNAL 3.4-3.8.13
March 4, 2013 Celebrate Your Name Week is observed the first full week of
March. Write a fictional story explaining how you got your name.
March 5, 2013 Imagine you are an animal living on a farm or in a zoo.
Describe what your everyday life would be.
March 6, 2013 Would you rather be a polar bear or a grizzly bear? Explain
why.
March 7, 2013 Pretend that you can travel back in time and change one thing
in your life. What would you change and why?
March 8, 2013 Imagine that you and your friend are in a race for a million
dollars. In the middle of the race, your friend falls and breaks her ankle.
Do you continue on in the race, leaving your friend behind, or do you stop to
help? Explain.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 2.25.08-3.1.13
2/25 Explain what you would do if you discovered one of your
classmates cheated on a test.
2/26 Write a poem that describes how you feel about winter.
2/27 Would you rather be wearing jeans and a sweatshirt or shorts
and a t-shirt? Explain.
2/28 Explain what you would do if you found out that your best
lied about something.
3/01 Think of one of the best days in your life. What happened on
that day?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 2/19-2/22/13
2/19/13 Pretend you are a fish that has just been caught. What would you
say to the person who caught you to convince him/her to let you go?
2/20/13 Imagine that you are a cat and a huge dog is chasing you. Write
about what you would do to outwit the dog and make your way to safety.
2/21/13 Pretend that you just found a ladder that leads to the underground.
Write about what happens next.
2/22/13 When sharing a project with the class, would you rather be first or
last?
EXPLAIN!
______________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 2/11-2.13.13
2/11/13 When you washed your hair yesterday, something very unusual
happened. Your shampoo made your hair turn green! Write a letter to the
company explaining what happened.
2/12/13 Your teacher has asked you to visit a third-grade classroom to tell
the students why drugs and alcohol are dangerous. What would you tell them?
2/13/13 What do you think you’ll be doing on this day next year? Write a
paragraph detailing your predictions.
_________________________________________________________________________
DAILY JOURNAL: 2/4-2/8/2013
2/4 What one thing would you like to do for a family member or friend to
make his/her life better? EXPLAIN.
2/5 If you had to choose, would you rather be too hot or too cold? Why?
2/6 What one compliment would you like to give to a friend?
2/7 Imagine that a pioneer girl arrives at your school in a time machine.
Name three things that you think would surprise her.
2/8 Would you rather go white-water rafting or skiing? EXPLAIN.
____________________________________________________________________________
DAILY JOURNAL 1/28/2013—2/1/2013
1/28/13 Many people enjoy using the computer to surf the internet. Describe
what kinds of information and graphics you would put on a web site of your
very own.
1/29/13 What do Harry Barnard, John Holt, Horace Mann, Elizabeth Peabody, and
Elizabeth Seton have in common? They were all famous educators. Write
about one of your favorite teachers.
1/30/13 Many people enjoy creating types of arts such as drawing, paintings,
sculptures, and designs. What kind of art do you enjoy creating and why?
1/31/13 Sometimes it's fun to get up at the crack of dawn before anyone
awake. What do you like to do when you are the first one up in your home?
2/1/13 George F. Green patented the electric dental drill on this day in
1875. Write a make-believe letter to Mr. Green telling him what you think of
his invention.
___________________________________________________________________________
DAILY JOURNAL 1/22-1/25/13
1/22/13 January is "Walk Your Pet Month." Besides walking your pet
daily, name 5 other important things you should do to take
care of it.
1/23/13 Cool! You have just created a delicious new flavor of ice
cream! Tell 4 reasons why your ice cream is a top seller.
1/24/13 If your pencil could talk, what do you think it would say
about being pushed around on paper to form letters, numbers,
and punctuation marks?
1/25/13 How are a bicycle, a car, and a scooter alike? How are they
different?
______________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 1/14-1.1.17.2013
1/14/13 Write a paragraph explaining what you think the following
saying means: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
1/15/13 Some say that the best things in life are free. Do you
agree with this? Explain.
1/16/13 Which of the following words describe you best: curious,
sensitive, outspoken, accident-prone? Explain.
1/17/13 Describe an animal that can be seen outside at this time
of year.
____________________________________________________________________________
DAILY JOURNAL 1.7—1.11.2013
1/7/13 Lyndon Johnson declared a war on poverty in his State of the Union
address on this day in 1964. Imagine you’ve been given $1000 to donate to
the poor in the community. Whom would you give it to, and how would you go
about handing it out?
1/8/13 What is your favorite sport? Write a few sentences to persuade the
U.S. Congress to make your favorite sport the national sport.
1/9/13 January is National Hobby Month. Write about your favorite hobby,
giving details about the hobby and how you got involved in it.
1/10/13 Today is International Thank You Day. Write a thank you note to
someone who has done something special for you or your family.
1/11/13 If you could choose someone from the past or the present to thank,
who would it be? What would you say to this person if he/she were standing
in front of you now?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal: 12.17-12.20.12
12/17 Did you ever wish you could fly? Why? Do you have any other “wishes”
that seem impossible? What are they?
12/18 The 13th Amendment in 1865 abolished slavery. Do you think we will
ever have a country free of racism? Explain.
12/19 Have you ever felt discouraged because someone else didn’t appreciate
your abilities and/or made an unfair remark? Explain what happened. Why do
you think this person acted this way.
12/20 Today is Mudd Day. In honor of Dr. Mudd. He was sentenced to life
in prison because he gave medical help to John Wilkes Booth. (The person who
shot Abraham Lincoln) Do you think Dr. Mudd was treated fairly? Do you think
he would be treated the same way today.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 12.10-12.14.2012
12/10/07 John Lennon, a member of the rock group, The Beatles, died in
1980. Many of the Beatles’ songs are still popular today. Do you think any
of your favorite songs will still be popular in 30 years? Which ones?
12/11/07 If you created your own web site, what would it include?
12/12/07 Make a list of your favorite holiday foods.
12/13/07 A is for airplane. B is for bicycle. Write your own toy alphabet
from A to Z.
12/14/12 George Washington, our first President, died on this day in 1799.
Imagine you were asked to deliver the eulogy, or speech, at George
Washington’s funeral. What would you say?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 11.26-11.30.12
11/26/12 December is a month for giving. Think of a talent you have. How
could you give it as a gift to someone?
11/27/12 The month of December can be quite chilly. Write a simile that
describes how cold it is (it’s as cold as a ….).
11/28/12 Big News! One of Santa’s reindeer has decided to retire. You must
hire a new one. What are the qualifications for a reindeer?
11/29/12 Imagine one cold, dark evening, as you are curling up by the fire
with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book, you hear a strange noise outside
your house. What will you do?
11/30/12 “Tell Someone They’re Doing a Good Job Week” is in December.
Write a note of praise to a hardworking student in your class.
______________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal: 11/12-11/16/2012
11/12/12 Describe a gift you could make with materials
lying around the house.
11/13/12 What is the most rotten day you can remember?
What could you have done to make it better?
11/14/12 What makes you laugh? Describe an incident that
shows this.
11/15/12 Describe a typical vacation day spent away from
school.
11/16/12 Samuel Clemons chose the pen name of Mark Twain.
If you had to pick a pen name, what would you
choose?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 11/5, 11/7-11/9/2012 (4-day week)
11/5/12 If you could choose any musical instrument to play, which one would
it be and why?
11/7/12 Write a short letter to your cafeteria. What suggestions would you
make to improve both the nutrition and the taste of your school’s meals? (no
more than 3 sentences)
11/8/12 Today marks the anniversary of the 1965 East Coast Blackout. More
than 30 million people were without power. How would you survive if you
were caught in a power outage?
11/9/12 Based on your experience, what are the 3 most important safety tips
for kids?
__________________________________________________________________________
DAILY JOURNAL 10/29-11/2/2012
10/29/12 Look around the room and choose an item. Then write a paragraph
that describes the item so well that a classmate can identify the item
without actually seeing it.
10/30/12 Imagine that you are the last leaf on a tree. Write a short story
describing how you feel.
10/31/12 Pretend that you are Tom the Turkey. Write a paragraph persuading
people to eat Pat the Pig for Thanksgiving dinner instead of you.
11/01/12 If you could be a fly on the wall at any historical event, which
event would you choose and why?
11/02/12 Mark Twain once said, “Never let school get in the way of your
education.” Describe a lesson you’ve learned outside school either alone or
with someone’s help.
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal
Journal 10/22/-10/26/2012
10/22/12 Write about an embarrassing moment in your life. Tell about who
else was involved and how you recovered from your embarrassment.
10/23/12 Write a short story that ends with the
following sentence, "From now on, I'll keep that door locked!"
10/24/12 Grandparents can teach us a lot. Write about what you might
eventually be able to teach your
grandchildren.
10/25/12 People often talk about how a full moon affects people's behavior.
Write a short story about how the full moon once affected you or someone you
know.
10/26/12 If you won a contest that allowed you to appear on any TV show,
which show would it be? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________DaD
Daily Journal: 10.8-10.12.2012
10/8 Name four words that describe you.
10/9 Name an animal you think is grouchy. Why?
10/10 If you could trade places with someone, who would it be? Why?
10/11 Name an animal that you believe to have bad eyesight.
10/12 What is the first gift you remember getting. What was it and who gave
it to you?
___________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal: 10/1-10/5/2012
10/1 If you could write a best-selling book, what would be the title?
10/2 Why should people install fire detectors?
10/3 What is your favorite school lunch?
10/4 What would it feel like to be in a hot-air balloon?
10/5 If we used candy instead of money, which candy would be worth $100?
___________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal: 9/24—9/28/2012
9/24 Your teacher sends you to the closet for staples. Just as you
reach for a box, you discover that the closet is really a time travel
machine! Where and when does it take you? What do you see while
you're there?
9/25 Are you an early bird or a night owl? What changes in the
school schedule need to be made to fit your style?
9/26 National Student Day, a day to encourage students to do well in
school and go on to college, is celebrated in September. What would
you like to be when you grow up? How will you prepare for it?
9/27 September is All-American Breakfast Month. Give step-by-step
instruction on how to prepare your favorite breakfast food.
9/28 In 1965, Ted Erikson of Chicago became the first American to
swim the English Channel. If you could be the first person to
accomplish something great, what would it be?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal
Journal 9.17.2012-9/21/2012
September 17, 2012 If you could relive one school year, which grade would
you choose? Explain.
September 18, 2012 September 12 is Video Game Day. Imagine
that you have been asked to come up with an idea for a new video game.
Describe it.
September 19, 2012 Pretend that you just opened a fortune
cookie and pulled out a very unusual fortune. Write about what happens next.
September 20, 2012 Pretend that your teacher has asked you to compile a list
of tips to help your next substitute teacher. What five tips would you
include on the list?
September 21, 2012 Imagine that you could remove all the
furniture in your classroom and replace it with items of your choice.
Describe what your classroom looks like with your new choices.
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal: 9/10.12--9/14.12
9/10 Imagine that your school board is considering starting school an hour
earlier. Write a letter to your school board expressing your opinion about
this.
9/11 If you could relive one school year all over again, which grade would
you choose? Explain.
9/12 World Gratitude Day is observed in September. For whom or what are
you most grateful? Explain.
9/13 Pretend that you have just opened a fortune cookie and pulled out a
very unusual fortune. What does it say?
9/14 What new subject would you like to add to your school day? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 9/4-9/7/2012
9/4/2012
Eavesdrop on an imaginary conversation that's going on between items
in your backpack or desk. What are your belongings saying to each
other?
9/5-2012
Imagine that you are playing a video game with a friend when the two
of you are pulled into the television and become part of the game.
Write about what happens next.
9/6/2012
Celebrate National Do It Day by writing a plan to accomplish
something you've been putting off. Be sure to include a deadline for
completing your plan. Good luck!
9/7/2012
The first Miss America Pageant began today in 1921. How do you
define beauty?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal
Journal 8/27/2012
August 27, 2012 Describe a new hat that is perfect to wear for the fall
season.
August 28, 2012 Pretend you are a bear and you have just spotted a beehive
dripping with honey. Describe how you will get the honey without being stung
by the bees.
August 29, 2012 Imagine that your parent put you in charge of doing the
grocery shopping this week. What five items will you be sure to buy?
Explain.
August 30, 2012 What new subject would you like to add to your school day?
Explain.
August 31, 2012 If you had to choose between a computer and a television,
which one would you choose? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daily Journal 8/20/--8/24/2012
8/20/2012
Pretend that a toy company has just challenged you to create the ultimate new
toy that every child will be beg for. Describe your new creation and give it
a name.
8/21/2012
What is the item you think all students should have when heading back to
school? Why?
8/22/2012
You have met your new teacher for the upcoming year. Write a short letter to
your teacher about what you hope to learn this year.
8/23/2012
Pretend that you are a monkey in the zoo, and you spot some children eating a
banana. Explain what you would do to get their attention and persuade them
to give you the banana.
8/24/2012
After getting ready for school, you sit down for a quick breakfast. You pour
yourself a bowl of cereal and pick up your spoon to eat when you notice
something swimming around in the bowl. Write about what happens next.
_____________________________________________________________________________