258 JOURNAL IDEAS

1. If you won the lottery, what would you do?

2. Why do you think some people don't exercise their right to vote?

3. What is your favorite Disney character or movie and why is it your favorite?

4. My full name and how it was decided on

5. My dream house

6. I am the one who. . .

7. First Grade Memories

8. In the left corner, behind the filing cabinet. . .

9. The Holiday I Wish We Had

10. The day I went to the circus. . .

11. Yesterday I. . .

12. Games I like to play

13. I believe. . .

14. I can. . .

15. Sunshine makes me feel. . .

16. The cartoon I like the most on Saturday mornings. . .

17. The most amazing thing I've ever seen is. . .

18. Hospitals

19. Summer Memories

20. My Dad

21. My Mom

22. My Grandma

23. My Grandpa

24. If I could be doing anything right now, I'd be. . .

25. What if. . .

26. My shoe

27. Well, Doctor, it's like this. . .

28. Colors

29. My most embarrassing moment

30. Inside the box with the big red bow is. . .

31. The Midnight Visitor

32. Television

33. Money

34. Pizza

35. Everything I remember about this morning

36. What I would like to receive at Christmas

37. Snow

38. Eyes

39. If I was President of the United States. . .

40. Mysteries

41. Bugs

42. Rainbows

43. Dreams

44. Babies

45. Friendship

46. Violence

47. In 20 Years I'd Like to Be. . ..

48. Favorite Memories

49. My family

50. Dogs

51. Cats

52. It makes me blush when. . .

53. Cowboys

54. It was so funny when. . .

55. What my mom must have been like as a baby. . .

56. Good things about me

57. It would be funny if. . .

58. Mother Goose

59. When I get to college, I will. . .

60. The knight lifted his sword amidst the dragon's flaming breath. . .

61. My Talents

62. The best book I ever read. . .

63. The book someone should write is. . .

64. What confuses me about math

65. The Conversation between Mr. Triangle and Ms. Circle

66. Secrets

67. What I'd like to give people for Christmas

67. My responsibilities

68. Cars

69. How It Feels to Win/Lose

70. I'm thankful for. . .

71. The valentine I'd like to send/receive

72. Kindness

73. Mirrors

74. The first thing I remember. . .

75. The door was locked and I couldn't find the key. . .

76. Inside the cave

77. My Hero

78. No one would believe me when. . .

79. I wish I was there when. . .

80. What My Best Friend and I Have in Common

81. Something people usually don't notice about me is. . .

82. If I was a crayon. . .

83. My Life as a Pencil

84. What Do You Mean the Next Stop Is Hell?

85. Who filled the pool with strawberry jello?

86. How to eat an apple

87. How to dribble a basketball

88. How to do a somersault

89. How to drink with a straw

90. How to snap your fingers

91. How to jump rope

92. How to make a paper airplane

93. How to whistle

94. You are a small animal at a historical event. Tell what is happening.

95. What an alphabet journal entry 26 sentences long with each sentence starting with the alphabet letter as it appears in sequence.

96. Make a list of all the words that are related to or describe heat. Write a story about Texas in the summer using these words.

97. Places you like

98. Places you dislike

99. TV shows you like

100. TV shows you dislike

101. Sports events you enjoy

102. Sports events you don't enjoy

103. Automobiles you like

104. Things you have never owned, but like.

105. Things you would never own and never want

106. Foods you like to eat

107. Food you strongly dislike to eat

108. Restaurants you like and dislike

109. Sounds you like and dislike

110. Smells you like and dislike

111. Places you have never been to, but want to go to

112. People you don't know, but would like to know

113. Things you have never done, but would like to do (conduct an orchestra, etc.)

114. What if school was in session 6 days a week?

115. What if teachers were paid as much as professional baseball players?

116. What if our school classes only went until noon each day?

117. What are all the things you can think of that come in pairs?

118. List things that give protection, such as a turtle's shell, seat belt, etc.

119. Describe a friend who is NOT in the room.

120. I Did Something Really Nice

121. Observe at least 5 things you see happen on your way home from school. Write about them.

122. Write the directions to a favorite place (home, restaurant, ice cream shop, etc.) from the school parking lot.

123. Imagine that a close friend has lost something very valuable. It might be a ring, a pet, a key--something that must be found. How would you help him/her find it? What would you do? Would you be able to find it?

124. Write about a time when you were "sweating it," a time when you were very nervous.

125. How a classroom sounds

126. How a puppy feels

127. How a flower smells

128. How a sunset looks

129. The baby was sad because. . .

130. How an ice cube tastes

131. What might a curb and a car tire talk about?

132. What might a shoe and a sock talk about?

133. What might a cup and saucer talk about?

134. What might thunder and lightning talk about?

135. What might a cloud and the wind talk about?

136. A typical day in the school cafeteria

137. Things to Do When You Are Bored

138. What are the "in" places in town?

139. Write about an "ideal day."

140. A Time I Was in Trouble

141. The Saddest Day of My Life

142. What I Would Change About My School

143. What I Would Change About My World

144. The Perfect Pet

145. What Makes a Person Nice

146. My Biggest Gripe

147. What I Like About Being a Kid

148. Where Would I Go in a Time Machine

149. What Courage Means to Me

150. A Special Gift in My Life

151. My Relationship with God

152. How to tie a shoe

153. How to eat an apple

154. How to do a somersault

155. How to whistle

156. How I would like to have changed this school year

157. Tell about a time when someone has been kind to you.

158. Tell about your favorite childhood book and explain what you like about it.

159. Explain how to make your favorite sandwich.

160. Why do some people seem ashamed to share their beliefs with others?

161. Describe dinner time at your house

162. Give advice to a new student who will start school here next year.

163. I'll never forget the day ______(teacher's name) did __________

164. Your mom desires your respect and attention. Are there places you can take her for an evening to show her your appreciation?

165. Some of the richest times in your life can come from your quiet thinking and/or praying alone time. Discuss these times in your life.

166. How do you think a person finds out the best plan for his/her life?

167. Review the last movie you saw.

168. Describe the best ice cream and tell why you feel that way.

169. What is an experience you would hate to repeat?

170. What is the ideal age to be? Why?

171. Do you accept yourself as you are, or would you like to be someone else?

172. Answer this question," Have I in any way done something that has hurt my parents?"

173. What chores at home do your parents expect you to do?

174. What part of the newspaper do you read first, and why?

175. "A wise person learns from the mistakes of others." Do you agree?

176. "How I think will determine how I live." Do you agree or disagree? Explain

177. "If I'm not as close to God as I used to be, who moved?"

178. What are your plans for the summer?

179. Describe a typical day for you in the summer.

180. Describe a summer thunderstorm.

181. Describe the plight of an animal caught in a forest fire.

182. Tell abut a ride on the most exciting amusement park ride you have ever ridden.

183. Write about an Old West shoot-out in the streets of a western town

184. How might an astronaut feel who discovers that he/she will have to return to earth early because of a rocket malfunction?

185. Describe the actions of a person who has just hit his or her thumb with a hammer.

186. Describe the feeling of being chased in a dream.

187. Tell about the moment when a person realizes that he or she has forgotten to do a major assignment that is due today.

188. Describe the actions of an athlete in the final moments of a close contest when he or she makes a winning (or losing) shot, play, move, or effort.

189. Describe the action between a predator and its prey at the moment of attack

190. Describe the motions of a ballet dancer.

191. Describe a headache to someone who has never had one.

192. What is a rainbow?

193. Why are leaves green?

194. When and how did we become a country?

195. What classes should you take in high school?

196. How are the professional sports teams doing in this city?

197. Has a parent ever told you that you waste your time? How could you manage time better?

198. What is the best place to get pizza in your town? What makes it so good?

199. What do fuchsia and mignonette have in common?

200. How is a skiff like a lugger?

201. What is the same about a coracle and a raft?

202. How many ways can you serve a potato?

203. What are some uses for peach pits?

204. How can your town or church honor senior citizens?

205. Are you planning to go on any missions trips with your church youth group?

206. What games can you play with 3 people?

207. Name as many uses for ice cubes as you can.

208. What can you do to recycle old calendars?

209. What does this mean: "I was furious but I held my tongue."

210. Explain this idiom: "After the accident, things were touch and go."

211. How do you think this idiom got started: "Will you lend me a hand?"

212. Choose a fairy tale. Imagine how it might read as a news article in today's

newspaper.

213. You are doing morning announcements. Write an announcement about a surprise party for your coach.

214. It isn't fair. . .

215. Secrets

216. Write a note to a teacher.

217. Write about some compliments people have given you.

218. Write about some compliments you have given others recently.

219. Write about the taste of peanut butter, how it smells, and how it looks.

220. Create a menu from a fictitious restaurant and describe the entrees.

221. It was as clear as a bell

222. He (or she) was as stubborn as a mule.

223. He (or she) is as quiet as a mouse.

224. What would you do with a polyglot?

225. What would you do with a bairn?

226. What would you do with a dirigible?

227. How could a vector be harmful to a rector?

228. Could a lapidary play leapfrog in a lyceum?

229. Could you keep ice cream in a calabash?

230. "A good name is more desirable than great riches." Proverbs 22:1

231. "There is a time to plant and a time to uproot." Ecclesiastes 3:2

232. The day of graduation is close at hand

233. The dispute over comic books. Are they good or bad?

234. Should grocery stores continue to throw away good food each day?

235. How would you feel as a passenger in a space ship on the way to the Moon?

236. How can you make friends?

237. What farm machines have you ever seen? Describe them.

238. How should we raise money to support a middle school newspaper?

239. How do you like frozen food? Tell about some you have tried.

240. Everyone feels rejected by family or friends at some point. Tell about one such time.

241. Do you ever have trouble doing your history homework? Tell about it.

242. Tell how you could have avoided some accident, bump, or bruise.

243. Pick out any appliance in your home and write about how it works.

244. I remember the stiffness in my jaw from my last dentist's appointment when he. . .

245. Why I use my particular brand of toothpaste every morning

246. Are horses obsolete?

247. Dating on a dime

248. How do scientists and police now work together?

249. How do "clothes make the man" or "clothes make the woman" ?

250. Catching those "few extra winks" in the mornings

251. Do you ever "eat on the run"? Explain.

252. How to pack efficiently for a trip

253. The struggle to eat neatly while in the car or on a plane

254. The art of babysitting

255. The faces in the subway (train, plane, bus) are stamped by the heel of life

256. Could your dad have been a pirate? What characteristics does he have that would fit one?

257. How do you keep your teachers happy?

258. Describe Saturdays at your house.

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