What are some journal prompts that ninth-graders would find interesting? What would spark enthusiatic replies?

Question

I teach ninth-grade English, and to develop my students' writing ability, I offer daily journals that they respond to. The length of their reply must be at least 3/4 of a page long; this is to discourage any laconic replies and to encourage elaboration and support. I'm looking for some prompts that they would enjoy and feel eager to reply to. Thanks.

Answer 1

This sounds kind of silly---but ask them how they feel that day about the person they have a crush on/are dating (or if they don't have a crush on someone/or are dating, how they feel about that). :-) That is something that EVERY high school kid thinks about. Just a suggestion.

Answer 2

Interesting Journal Prompts

Answer 3

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What are some journal prompts that ninth-graders would find interesting? What would spark enthusiatic replies?
I teach ninth-grade English, and to develop my students' writing ability, I offer daily journals that they respond to. The length of their reply must be at least 3/4 of a page long; this is to discourage any laconic replies and to encourage elaboration and support. I'm looking for some...

Answer 4

I teach college freshmen, and I like to start my semester with this assignment, although I worry it's too easy, and lately I've been thinking how it could easily be expanded into a number of journal entries, or even a short paper. In it, each student creates a superhero identity for him/herself. This includes costume, sidekick, equipment, a mission (truth, justice and the American way for example), a supervillain, etc. There's so many ways you can go with this - just let it knock around in your head for a while and you'll see.

Another fun one I do is the six word novel. Hemingway (this is right about when they read The Old Man and the Sea, right?) wrote a six word novel which he felt was his best work: "For sale: baby shoes, never used." Many other authors have tried it out, and there have been a lot of amusing results. Of course, this is not 3/4 of a page long, but maybe you could do the six word novel activity, then have them write about why they feel theirs, or another student's, is the most interesting novel. Google "six word novel" and you will find some great examples.

I don't know if these will help, but I hope so! Good luck.

Answer 5

My mom teaches english and she does a project where she uses artwork as a writing prompt. Put various paintings or what not on the blackboard and let them pick one to write about. With it you could do tons of different prompts:

How does this picture make you feel?
What do you think the artists was feeling when they created this?
What do you think this painting is about?
Tell a story about this painting?

Pick a variety of types of art so that everyone will find something that inspires them to write.

Another good project i had once was to interpret the lyrics of a song...find similies metephors, theme etc, basically analyze it like poetry. You could have the kids bring in the lyrics to a song and write a journal entry about why the song is like poetry or why they picked that song, how does it make them feel...etc You could even play a song for them in class and ask them to all write about that particular song.

Those are my two ideas :) good luck

Answer 6

Try a website called writingfix.com They have prompts you can use. I have also used the Time for Kids website to find newstories and writing prompts, kind of a current events type prompt. I like those types better because if they are current events, the students are more apt to appropriately write to them. Good luck, I teach 6,7,8th graders in Spanish Lit. and it's hard to motivate them to write.

Answer 7

Definitely try some persuasive prompts that are currently relevant to their life experiences, i.e. "Should students be required to wear uniforms to school?" Mix it up sometimes by having half of the class write from one perspective and half from the other, and the next day give the same prompt but have them switch perspectives. Could even turn into a debate lesson.
Googling "persuasive prompts" will provide you with more resources than you could ever use in a year!

Answer 8

I found some neat journal writing ideas at a teacher's store. They have all kinds of little books about this. Some are called daily pen pal writings but those are just like journal ideas, so that is what I use. You should check with a teacher store and find tons of good stuff. Some of the things my students write about for example are their favorite foods/recipes, music, chores, friends.....

Answer 9

I would recommend starting with a newspaper or magazine. Read the students an article or simply show them a picture that evokes emotion. If you read them the article, try stopping short and ask them to finish the article or ask them for their opinions on the whole situation. Ask them if they would have reacted the same way or wanted the outcome to be different.

If you are showing them the picture, ask them what it is that the article is about with details. Ask them to tell the story from the beginning, seeing as how most pictures are taken after things have escalated.

The story from NYC with the man, Wesley Autrey, who saved another man from being hit by a subway train would be a great place to start!

Answer 10

When all else fails, go back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs...that is what sparks the most interest in any human...food, water, shelter, sex, reproduction, social standing,...you get the idea. Generate a situation that basic primal needs are threatened or cut off, there you will stimulate emotional responses in almost anyone.

Answer 11

I have had luck with descriptive / wishfull essays such as describe your dream bedroom or describe your first apt. Rhetorical Questions such as What qualities do you want your future spouse to have and why? Who is one person who is close to you (not stars) who doesnt know you admire them, why do you admire them and why don't they know? I have had students have fun with lists (brainstorming) lists of crazy holidays, best and worst presents etc. I had them describe the worst outfit their mother ever bought them and made them wear, and the outfit that thier mom or dad has that they wish they could burn and why. Ask them how they would change their parent's style (Think fashion make over) When I was teaching compound, complex sentences, we had a few days of contests about who could write the longest, correctly punctuated sentence with each noun only be allowed two adjectives and each verb only being allowed one adverb.