journal writing for class 7

7th Grade Journal Prompts

💾 Print or download a free PDF copy of this page:

Unlock your 7th grader's creativity and enhance their writing skills with our engaging journal prompts. Explore topics that are relevant, fun, and thought-provoking - perfect for their academic journey.

Entering into the 7th grade can be a whirlwind of new experiences, emotions, and discovery. A journal can serve as a wonderful companion during this time, enabling young writers to express themselves, explore their thoughts and navigate their tween life.

In this article, we’ll be sharing a collection of 7th grade journal prompts to stir up exciting writing sessions. Perfect for school projects, daily practice, or just a creative outlet to unwind, these prompts will engage students in thoughtful self-reflection, build their writing skills, and fuel their imaginations.

So, whether you’re a 7th grader starting your journaling habit, a teacher seeking inspiration for your class, or a parent helping your child channel their thoughts meaningfully, grab a journal and pen, cozy up, and let’s delve into the captivating world of creative writing together.✨

Themes For 7th Grade Journaling

Themes in 7th grade journaling play a crucial role in shaping the mental, emotional and creative growth process, offering a structured way for students to express their observations, feelings, and perspectives. Here are 20 themed prompts to cultivate a unique expressive journey:

• Write about your experience adjusting to the new demands of 7th grade.
• Describe a new friendship you've made this academic year.
• Think of an issue at school that you'd like to change. Write a letter to the school principal about it.
• Jot down your feelings on a current global event and how it impacts you.
• Write about a day you spent without any electronic devices.
• Describe a dream or goal you wish to achieve by the end of 7th grade.
• Imagine traveling back in time. Choose a historical period and describe your experience.
• Write a movie review for the last film you watched.
• Describe the perfect day. How do you feel at the end of it?
• Reflect on a time you had to deal with a difficult situation. What did you learn from it?
• Discuss a book you've recently read. What was your takeaway?
• Write about a cultural festival you celebrated recently. How does it enrich your understanding of your culture?
• Think of an invention that could solve a problem in your life. Describe it.
• Reflect on a personal achievement you're proud of. What obstacles did you overcome?
• Write about your favorite family tradition. Why is it important to you?
• Describe your favorite hobby or pastime. How did you get started with it?
• Write about a fear or challenge you’ve faced and how it made you feel.
• Choose a cause that you are passionate about. Write down why it is important to you.
• Think about an unexpected positive event recently. How did it change your day?
• Lastly, reflect on your identity. How would you describe yourself to a stranger?

Expressive Writing Prompts

Expressive writing prompts for 7th graders are designed to help students express their emotions, thoughts, and experiences creatively. Here are 20 prompts to spark your imagination and inspire your expressive writing:

• Write about a time you felt the strongest emotion you've ever experienced.
• Describe your favorite location and why it means so much to you.
• Imagine it has rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Describe how the world would look and how people are affected.
• Write a poem expressing your feelings about a social issue you care about.
• Create a short story about encountering a mythical creature in your town.
• Describe an imaginary world where animals rule and humans do not exist.
• Create a character based on your favorite fruit. Detail their adventures in a world dominated by food-based characters.
• Write about a time you did something you thought was impossible and describe how you felt afterwards.
• Describe a moment where you overcame a fear and how it changed you.
• Imagine you have the ability to stop time. How would you use this power?
• Write a letter to your future self 10 years from now.
• Write a short story about an adventure you would like to embark on.
• Describe a memory that makes you happy whenever you think about it.
• Write about a dream you had and how it made you feel.
• Imagine you and your best friend swapped bodies for a day. Describe your experience.
• Write a letter to someone who has hurt you, expressing your feelings but also forgiving them.
• Imagine you are a detective solving a mystery. Write about your investigation and how you solve it.
• Write a poem celebrating the beauty of nature.
• Create a short story about a world where children are the rulers.
• Write about a time you helped someone and the joy it brought you.

Journaling For Personal Growth

Journaling for Personal Growth offers a constructive way to explore one's feelings, motivations, and reactions, allowing us to understand and improve ourselves better. Here are 20 prompts that can be used to guide this self-exploratory practice:

• Write about a situation where you had to make a difficult decision. What factors did you consider?
• Reflect on a mistake you made recently. What lesson did you learn from it?
• Describe a moment in your life where you felt truly proud of yourself.
• What do you value the most about yourself? Why?
• Identify a habit you want to change. What steps can you take to work on it?
• Write about a person who has significantly influenced your life.
• How do you deal with stress? List three ways you can improve your stress management skills.
• Write about a challenge that you overcame recently. How did it make you feel?
• Describe a time when you felt truly grateful. What prompted this feeling?
• What does success mean to you? Explain your definition with personal examples.
• Reflect on a moment when you stood up for yourself. How did that situation unravel?
• Write about a goal you want to achieve in the next year. What steps will you take to achieve it?
• What qualities do you look for in a friend? Why do these qualities matter to you?
• Reflect on a time when you felt out of your comfort zone. What did you learn from this experience?
• Write about a recent act of kindness you performed. How did it make you feel?
• How would you describe yourself in three words? Why did you choose these words?
• Present a recent situation where you handled criticism. How can you use it constructively?
• Discuss a fear you’ve overcome. How did you deal with it?
• Write about an achievement that made you feel accomplished. How did it change you?
• Describe an ideal day. What would you do, and who would you spend it with?

Mental Health Prompts

Maintaining mental health in the face of the unique challenges and pressures of the 7th grade can be made easier by regularly responding to carefully curated journal prompts. Below, you'll find 20 mental health prompts specially designed for 7th graders:

• Write about a situation where you felt anxious. What strategies did you use to manage that anxiety?
• Reflect on a day when you felt really happy. What made it so great?
• Jot down three things that you like about yourself and explain why.
• Think about a time when you felt sad or upset. What helped you feel better?
• Describe a dream that you've had recently. How did it make you feel?
• Write a letter to your future self. What advice or encouragement would you give them?
• Recall an incident when you were unable to control your anger. What could you have done differently?
• List down five things that help you to relax when you are stressed.
• Discuss a situation where you felt peer pressure. How did you handle it?
• Describe a moment when you felt proud of yourself and why.
• Write about a time when you felt misunderstood. How did you handle it?
• Discuss a situation where you felt nervous or scared. How did you overcome these feelings?
• Jot down three things you're grateful for in your life.
• Write about a challenge you've faced and how you've overcome it.
• Describe a situation where a friend or relative helped you through a tough time.
• Think about a time when you didn't meet your own expectations. How did you handle disappointment and what did you learn from the experience?
• Talk about a fear you have and how it impacts you.
• Write a letter to someone who has hurt you in the past, expressing your feelings but focusing on forgiveness.
• List down three things that always bring you joy, no matter what.
• Finally, envision your ideal day. What does it look like and how does it make you feel?

Prompts For Hobby Exploration

Exploring new hobbies through journaling aids in developing new ideas and cultivating diverse interests tailored for 7th graders, hence offering an avenue for skill acquisition and self-discovery. Here are 20 prompts that can guide in channelling your thoughts towards uncovering potential hobbies:

• Write about a hobby you know nothing about but would love to learn.
• Jot down five things you would like to make, grow or create as part of a hobby.
• Express your feelings when you think about your favorite hobby.
• List three hobbies that your friends enjoy that you'd like to try.
• Write out the steps you would need to take to get started with a new hobby.
• Create a detailed narrative about your ideal day spent doing your prospective new hobby.
• Envision a future where your hobby turns into your career. What does it look like?
• Describe the most interesting hobby you've ever heard of and why it appeals to you.
• Discuss about a hobby you tried and didn't like. What lessons did you take from it?
• Imagine and write about a hobby unique only to you and how you would pursue it.
• Draft a detailed plan on how you will share your new hobby with a friend.
• Express any fears or anxieties you may have about starting a new hobby.
• Write a pretend letter to a hobby expert seeking advice.
• Reflect on a hobby you enjoyed as a child. How can it be adapted for your age now?
• Write about the feelings you hope to experience while practicing a new hobby.
• Pen down the places, if any, you would like to visit to learn or improve your chosen hobby.
• List three hobbies you think your parents enjoyed at your age, and write if any appeal to you.
• Detail out the reasons why you believe hobbies are important in life.
• Chronicle a day in the life of a person entirely consumed by your chosen hobby.
• Express the life skills you expect to gain from your chosen hobby.

Family-themed Writing Prompts

Family-themed Writing Prompts not only enhance a 7th grader's writing skills but also deepen their understanding and appreciation of their family dynamics, values, and heritage. Here are 20 writing prompts that encourage reflection on the various aspects of family life:

• Write about a cherished family tradition. Why is it important to you?
• Describe a time when your family overcame a challenge together.
• Write a letter expressing gratitude to a family member who has significantly influenced your life.
• Create a story about your ancestors based on the stories and information you've heard.
• Reflect on your role within your family. How do you contribute to your family's dynamics?
• Describe a typical day in your family's life.
• Write about a favorite memory with your immediate family.
• Imagine a conversation with a family member 50 years in the future. What would you ask them?
• Write about a way in which your family celebrates a particular holiday.
• Describe a time when a family member taught you an important lesson.
• Imagine your family is moving to a different country. What challenges might you face together?
• Write about a time you did something fun with your cousins.
• Reflect on a moment when a sibling or a parent became your hero.
• Share a funny event or tradition in your family.
• Write a letter to a relative who lives far away, expressing your wish to connect with them more.
• Describe the most important values your family has instilled in you.
• Write about a talent or trait that seems to run in your family.
• Reflect on an unforgettable trip or outing with your family.
• Imagine how your family will change in the next five years and describe how these changes might affect you.
• Write a narrative about your favorite family-owned item that has been passed down through generations.

Journaling About Friendship

Through journaling about friendship, students can examine the dynamics, joys, challenges, and growth that occur within their social relationships. Here are 20 prompts to probe deeper into the realm of friendships:

• Write down the names of your five closest friends and mention one quality you admire about each one.
• Recall a happy memory with a friend and detail it in your journal.
• Share a challenging time when a friend was there for you. How did that make you feel?
• Describe an instance where you felt let down by a friend. What lessons did you learn?
• Outline what elements you think are essential for a strong friendship.
• Jot down an apology to a friend you might have upset unknowingly.
• Write a fictional story about two friends going on an adventure together.
• Detail the ways you can be a better friend in the future.
• Narrate a situation where you had a disagreement with a friend. How did you resolve it?
• Contemplate about a friend who moved away. Share your feelings on this.
• Consider an influential friendship in your life and its impact on you.
• Write about a time when you were proud to be someone's friend.
• Document how your friendships have changed from the past to now.
• Put down an appreciation letter for a friend who never judged you.
• Imagine meeting a new friend who shares your interests. Describe this person.
• Think about a friend who consistently brings out the best in you.
• Relive a friendship milestone moment. What did it signify to you?
• Consider an activity you and your friends enjoy. Why do you enjoy it?
• Describe the feeling of making a new friend.
• Index 3 attributes you seek in your friends and elaborate why they matter.

School-related Journal Prompts

School-related journal prompts provide an opportunity for 7th graders to explore their academic experiences, friendships, and personal growth in a school setting, allowing them to better understand their feelings about school. Here are 20 school-related journal prompts for your consideration:

• Write a letter to your future self for the end of this school year. What are your goals?
• Compare your first day of school with your most recent school day.
• What extracurricular would you like to undertake, and why?
• Describe a time when you worked hard to understand a difficult topic.
• Write about your favorite teacher and what makes them stand out.
• Discuss a time when you handled a conflict at school. How did you solve it?
• Who are your school friends and why do you associate with them?
• Describe a school project that you're really proud of.
• What is your favorite school subject and why?
• If you were the principal for a week, what changes would you implement?
• Discuss a subject or topic you struggle with. How do you plan to improve?
• Describe an instance where you demonstrated leadership in school.
• Talk about a book you read for school that you actually enjoyed.
• Who is your most challenging classmate and why?
• Share a memorable field trip experience, and explain why it stands out.
• Write about a time when you received constructive criticism. How did it impact you?
• Reflect on your relationship with your homeroom teacher.
• Describe the happiest school-related moment this year.
• Share a thought on a current event, or issue that your school is facing.
• Write about a change in your study or learning habits that you've noticed recently.

Fun And Imaginative Journal Prompts

Fun and imaginative journal prompts can inspire creativity, adventure, and exploration for 7th graders, sparking interesting thoughts and stories. Here are 20 writing prompts to engage the minds of young writers:

• Imagine you've discovered a new planet. Describe what it's like.
• Invent a new animal and write about its habitat, diet, and behavior.
• Picture yourself as a superhero. What powers would you have and how would you use them?
• Think of a regular object, like a pencil or a shoe. Write a story where that object is of great importance.
• Suppose you were trapped in a video game. Which game would it be and how would you win?
• If you could invent a machine that can do anything, what would it do?
• Write a diary entry for a famous historical figure.
• Imagine a world where animals could talk. How would this affect daily life?
• Picture that you have a magical backpack which can give you three things you wish each day. What would you ask for and why?
• Write a short story using these five words: dragon, treasure, storm, rainbow, mysterious.
• If you were granted three wishes, what would they be and why?
• Describe what it would be like if you could walk on clouds.
• Imagine you've found a secret door in your house. Where does it lead to?
• What would your autobiography be titled and why?
• Pretend you are a home appliance for a day. Write about your experiences.
• If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be and why?
• Suppose you've been chosen to design a new city. Describe it in detail.
• Picture that your pet (or an imaginary pet) can suddenly speak. What would they say?
• Invent a new holiday and describe how people celebrate it.
• If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and what would you talk about?

Journaling About Dreams And Aspirations

Journaling about dreams and aspirations in the context of 7th grade journal prompts stimulates self-awareness, encouraging students to recognize and articulate their goals and hopes for the future. To facilitate this introspection, consider the following 20 writing prompts:

• Write down your biggest dream and why it appeals to you.
• Describe one major goal you have for this school year.
• Discuss a character from a book or movie who embodies your dream career.
• Write about a skill you aspire to master and why.
• Imagine it's five years in the future and you have achieved your dream. What does your life look like?
• List three smaller, personal aspirations you have.
• Write about what your dream home would look like, and who else might live there.
• Pen down an aspiration that scares you and explain why.
• Describe a dream you have that might surprise others.
• Write about someone who inspires you and the dream you share with them.
• Chronicle a step you've taken towards achieving your dream in the past week.
• Create an action plan to carry you closer to one of your aspirations.
• List three people who can support you on your journey towards your dream.
• Discuss circumstances that might hinder your progress towards your aspirations and how you could overcome them.
• Imagine that a wish-granting genie has given you one wish, what dream would you wish to come true?
• Detail a dream that seems impossible- how could you make it possible?
• Reflect on a dream you’ve had since you were younger, has it changed? How and why?
• Write about a person or experience that made a significant impact on your aspirations.
• Consider your ideal version of yourself in ten years. What other dreams or aspirations might this person have?
• Name one small dream you can commit to achieving in your life right now and devise a plan for achieving it.

Environmental Awareness Prompts

Environmental Awareness Prompts encourage thoughtful engagement with the natural environment and sharpen our conscious about the crucial role we play in its sustainability. These prompts can stimulate poignant reflections in a 7th grade journaling exercise:

• Write down three ways you can reduce your impact on the environment.
• Imagine Earth could talk to you, what would it say?
• What do you appreciate most about the natural world?
• Write a dialogue between yourself and a tree.
• How can you convince your friends to recycle more?
• Picture you've invented an eco-friendly version of your favorite gadget, describe it.
• What are three things you'd like to learn about climate change?
• Reflect on what your life would look like in a world without pollution.
• Write a letter to your future self about the environmental changes you hope to see.
• Describe a situation where you saw someone not respecting nature, and how you responded.
• Imagine what would happen if all the bees disappear.
• List ten things you can do to save water.
• Write about a fictional character who commits to living environmentally friendly.
• What's your favorite nature spot and why do you love it?
• Describe the journey of a plastic bottle from your house to the ocean.
• If you were an environmental policymaker for a day, what would you change?
• How can schools contribute to preserving the environment?
• Visualize a day without using any electricity. What's your routine like?
• If animals could talk, what would they tell us about how we treat the environment?
• Convince someone in your family to start composting.

Historical Themed Journal Prompts

Moving the lens from present to past, Historical Themed Journal Prompts guide students to delve into different eras, significant events, and influential figures, enhancing both their understanding of history and their creative writing skills. Here are 20 intriguing prompts that can stimulate the young historians in their journal writing, offering an exploration into the depths of history:

• Imagine you were a child during the American Revolution; narrate a typical day in your life.
• If you could have a conversation with Abraham Lincoln, what questions would you ask him?
• Write a diary entry from the perspective of a soldier in the First World War.
• You discovered a time machine. What historical period would you visit and why?
• Pretend you are an archaeologist uncovering the mysteries of Ancient Egypt. What do you find?
• Describe a day in the life of an inventor during the Industrial Revolution.
• Write a letter from the perspective of a passenger on the Titanic before it sinks.
• You are a music enthusiast in the 1960s. What influences this era's music and why?
• As a colonist living in Plymouth Colony in 1621, describe your first Thanksgiving feast.
• You are a Civil Rights activist marching on Washington in 1963. What emotions do you experience?
• Imagine you are an explorer discovering a new land for the first time. Describe your experience.
• Pretend you were a challenger in the Roman Colosseum. Write about your thoughts and feelings.
• As a woman, express your excitement and disbelief on the day you earn the right to vote.
• Write a news reporter's account of the first moon landing in 1969.
• Describe a day in the life of a Native American before European settlers arrived.
• Imagine you are Martin Luther King Jr. Write a speech advocating for equality and justice.
• You are a scientist deep into the discovery phase of penicillin. State why this is an important invention.
• You are a citizen in the 1920s. How did the stock market crash affect your life?
• Describe the excitement and nervousness of a teenager attending Woodstock in 1969.
• You're a child living during the Civil War. Write a letter to your father who is on the battlefront.

7th Grade Life Skills Journaling

7th Grade Life Skills Journaling involves introspection and critical thinking about various aspects of personal growth and development, as well as social interaction. Here are 20 journal prompts to stimulate insightful reflection in 7th graders:

• Discuss a time you resolved a conflict. How did you feel?
• Describe a situation where you had to manage your time effectively. What worked and what didn't?
• Reflect on a moment when you were a good listener. How did it impact your relationship with the individual?
• Think of a situation where you had to demonstrate mild patience. What was it and how did you cope?
• Describe an instance when you had to show responsibility. How did it make a difference?
• Describe an accomplishment you are proud of. What does it teach you about perseverance and dedication?
• Write about a time you helped someone in need. What motivated you to help?
• Describe an instance where you had to accept a mistake. How did it help you grow?
• Write about a scenario that required you to show empathy to someone else.
• Reflect on an occasion when you had to resist peer pressure. How did it make you feel?
• Imagine your future self five years from now, what advice would you give to your current self?
• Write about a moment when you had to stand up for what you believe in.
• Discuss a time when you recognized and respected someone's difference. How did it change your perspective?
• Write about a situation where you dealt with stress or anxiety. How did you manage it?
• What is your strategy when you encounter a challenging problem or task?
• Discuss an incident when you had to use effective communication. What difference did it make?
• Think about a time when you had to conserve resources (be it time, money, or materials). How did you go about it?
• Describe a personal trait that you consider a strength. How does this strength help you deal with day-to-day tasks?
• List three things you can do to enhance your personal learning style.
• Write about how maintaining good health habits affects your overall well-being.

Bullying Awareness Journal Prompts

Bullying Awareness Journal Prompts are designed to encourage empathy, understanding, and informed action among 7th graders. Here are 20 writing prompts on the topic:

• Recount a situation when you witnessed bullying. How did it make you feel?
• How would you define bullying? Write about it in your own words.
• Write a letter to a bully, expressing your feelings and offering a way towards resolution.
• Reflect on a time when you stood up against bullying. What was the result?
• Imagine you are a superhero with a power to stop bullying. Describe how you would use this power.
• Write an acrostic poem using the word RESPECT. How does it relate to bullying?
• List five reasons why someone might become a bully.
• Recall a time when you felt bullied. How did you handle the situation?
• Imagine a world without bullying. What would it look like?
• Write a dialogue between you and a friend discussing how to prevent bullying in your school.
• List three strategies to help someone who is a target of bullying.
• Write a fake news article about a school that eradicated bullying. What measures did they put in place?
• Describe how you might feel if you were the bully. What might lead to such behavior?
• Construct a conversation you would have with your parents about bullying you've witnessed.
• Think about a character from a book or movie who was bullied. How did they deal with it? What would you do differently?
• Propose a campaign to spread awareness about bullying in your school.
• Write about the impact of online bullying and how it can be prevented.
• Imagine if you could speak to a bully's parents. What would you say?
• Write a short story where a victim of bullying becomes a beacon of hope and inspiration.
• Reflect on how bullies are portrayed in the media. Share your thoughts on what could be improved.

Journaling For Building Empathy

Utilizing journaling as a tool for developing empathy strengthens our ability to identify and comprehend the feelings and perspectives of others, further preparing us to respond compassionately and effectively. Here are 20 distinct prompts to assist you in using your journaling habit to enhance empathy:

Describe a time when you empathized with a character from a book or a movie. How did it impact your view of the story?

Write about an instance when you did not understand someone else's feelings. What steps could you have taken to empathize with them?

Think about a misunderstanding you had with a friend. How could empathy have changed that situation?

List three words that you feel best represent empathy. Why did you choose these words?

Write a letter to your future self, discussing an empathetic life lesson you learned this year.

Think of someone who is very different from you. How can you better understand their perspective?

Reflect on a moment when your empathy significantly affected someone else's day.

Describe how you felt the last time someone showed you empathy.

Consider a global issue that deeply affects you. Write about the different perspectives around this issue.

Recall a time when you struggled to empathize with someone. Why was it difficult, and what could have made it easier?

List three benefits of improving empathy skills. Provide personal examples if possible.

Write about a time when someone's empathy towards you was unexpected. How did this change your relationship with this person?

Imagine you are in someone else's shoes who you disagree with. Write about their viewpoint.

Describe an incident where showing empathy made a positive difference in your life.

Think of an animal you feel a connection with. Can this connection help you in understanding empathy better?

Write about a situation where you felt heard and understood. How can you offer this feeling to others?

Reflect on a moment when understanding someone else's perspective changed your viewpoint.

List three habits you can adopt to become more empathetic in your day-to-day life.

Write about how empathy can impact your interactions with family and friends.

Think of a social issue you feel strongly about. How can empathy play a role in addressing this problem?

Book Review Journaling Prompts

Book Review Journaling Prompts within the context of 7th grade journaling exercises can empower students to deeply explore the themes, narratives, and characters of books they read in a personal and reflective way. Here are 20 prompts to prompt intriguing reflections concerning Book Review Journaling:

• Re-write the ending of the last book you read.
• Detail a conversation between you and your favorite character.
• Write a letter to the author sharing your thoughts about the book.
• Illustrate the main theme of the book in your own words.
• Draw a parallel between an event in the book and an event in your life.
• Justify the actions of a character you don't like.
• Predict what will happen to the main character in the future.
• Create a scenario where you meet a character in the real world.
• Record a new adventure based on the world the author has created.
• Make a list of questions you would ask the author about the book.
• Speculate how your best friend would react to the story.
• List all the emotions you felt while reading the book.
• Imagine you were the villain in the story.
• Illustrate the setting created in the book.
• Write a poem about the book's main conflict.
• Select a secondary character and rewrite a scene from their perspective.
• Share how the book changed your viewpoint on a certain topic.
• Imagine if the story took place in your town instead.
• Create a new chapter that can fit in the middle of the book.
• If you were a literacy critic, how would you rate the book?

Science Exploration Journal Prompts

Science Exploration Journal prompts inspire students to reflect and document their observations, inquiries, and breakthroughs, facilitating a deeper understanding and love for the subject. Here are 20 thought-provoking prompts that will stimulate curiosity and activate the investigative thought process:

• Write down an experiment you would like to conduct. What do you predict the results will be?
• Describe an existing scientific concept that baffles you and why.
• Choose a science-related news headline. What are your thoughts on this matter?
• Discuss the function of a specific organ in the human body that you find fascinating.
• What would the world be like if gravity didn’t exist? Discuss your thoughts.
• Record your observations after looking at the sky for ten minutes.
• Describe and explain your favorite invention or piece of technology.
• If you could meet any scientist, alive or from history, who would it be and why?
• Imagine you are a scientist who discovered a new species. Describe this discovery in detail.
• Write about an ecological problem and propose a scientific solution.
• Analyze the relationship between plant growth and sunlight exposure.
• Contemplate on the question: Does everyone see colors the same way? Explain.
• Write about the possibility of life existing on other planets.
• Propose a new feature or design for a smartphone of the future.
• Journal about a fascinating animal adaptation and its survival benefits.
• Discuss how weather impacts daily life and how technology would change it.
• How does recycling help the environment? Discuss your thoughts.
• Debate the merits and drawbacks of renewable and non-renewable energy resources.
• Write about a scientific breakthrough you'd like to see in your lifetime.
• Reflect on a science class experiment that had surprising results.

Positive Affirmation Journaling

Through Positive Affirmation Journaling, seventh graders can build self-confidence, reinforce positive self-concepts, and visualize their goals. Here are 20 writing prompts to help start the journey of Positive Affirmation Journaling:

• Write about a skill or talent you are proud of and how it makes you feel.
• Reflect on a compliment you received recently. How did it make you feel?
• Write about your strongest trait and how it has helped you in life.
• Create a list of five things you like about yourself.
• Think about your biggest accomplishment yet and describe how you achieved it.
• Write about a challenge you’ve faced and how you overcame it.
• Imagine your dream future, where do you see yourself in 10 years?
• pen down the steps you are willing to take to make your dream a reality.
• Reflect on three things you are grateful for today.
• Write about a person who inspires you and what qualities you admire about them.
• Pen an encouraging letter to yourself as an adult.
• Describe an accomplishment you want to achieve this school year and how you plan to do so.
• Talk about how you have improved in a skill or area compared to how you were last year.
• Write a thank you letter to yourself acknowledging all the good you did this week.
• Think about a moment you felt proud of yourself, describe what happened and how it made you feel.
• Write about a quality you wish to develop in yourself and the steps you will take to build it.
• Write about your favorite hobby and why it brings you joy.
• Pen down the positive changes you intend to make in your school, home, and community.
• Write about a thing you love about your personality.
• Describe your happiest memory and why it means so much to you.

Exploring Feelings And Emotions

In exploring feelings and emotions via 7th grade journal prompts, you encourage a deeper self-awareness and understanding in your students. Below are 20 prompts that will guide students in exploring their feelings and emotions:

• Describe a time when you felt really happy. What were the circumstances?
• Write about a moment when you felt sad. What triggered this emotion?
• Think about an event that made you angry. Why did it evoke such a strong reaction?
• Recall a situation that made you feel scared. What fears were triggered then?
• Are there moments when you feel annoyed? Write about what usually causes this.
• Reflect on an event that made you feel excited. Describe your anticipation.
• Consider a time when you felt calm and peaceful. What made you feel this way?
• Describe a situation when you felt frustrated. What was the reason for this?
• Recall a memory that caused you surprise. Discuss your reaction.
• Think about a time when you felt proud. Why were you proud?
• Write about a scenario where you felt embarrassed. How did you handle the situation?
• Reflect on a moment when you felt guilty. What did you learn from it?
• Describe an event that made you feel confused. How did you clarify things?
• Consider a time when you felt relieved. What were the circumstances?
• Recall an instance when you felt jealous. How did you deal with that emotion?
• Remember a time when you felt lonely. How did you cope?
• Think about a moment where you felt confident. What boosted your self-assurance?
• Reflect on a situation that made you feel grateful. Why were you thankful?
• Write about an experience when you felt disappointed. What were your expectations?
• Recall a time when you felt content. What were the elements that contributed to your contentment?

Game And Sports-themed Journal Prompts

Game and Sports-themed journal prompts inspire students in the 7th grade to explore their experiences and attitudes towards various physical activities, encouraging personal growth and active lifestyle appreciation. Here are 20 writing prompts centered around Game and Sports:

• If you could invent a new sport, what would it be and how would it be played?
• Describe a time when playing a game or sport taught you a life lesson.
• If you were an athlete in the Olympics, what sport would you participate in and why?
• Write about your favorite sport. Describe why you love it and what excites you about it.
• If you could meet any athlete, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you ask them?
• Discuss a time when you had to be a team player during a game or sport. How did this affect your relationship with your teammates?
• Imagine you are a professional athlete. Describe a day in your life.
• Write a set of rules for fair play and sportsmanship for your favorite sport.
• Talk about a sports game you lost. How did you handle the loss and what did you learn?
• What is an unusual or lesser-known sport you wish more people knew about? Describe it.
• In your own words, define what ‘team spirit’ means to you.
• Write about a time when a sport or game challenged you physically. How did you overcome that challenge?
• Who is your favorite athlete, and what do you admire about them?
• If you could change one rule in your favorite sport, what would it be and why?
• How do you prepare yourself before a big game or competition? Describe your routine.
• Discuss a moment when you made a mistake during a game. How did it make you feel, and what did you do to make it right?
• Explain how participating in sports or active games can be beneficial to one’s health.
• What is the most difficult aspect of playing your favorite sport or game, and why?
• Write about a time when your favorite team won a match. Describe the emotions you felt.
• Describe a sport you've never tried but would like to. What draws you to it?

Cultural Appreciation Journal Prompts

Cultural Appreciation Journal Prompts help foster respect, understanding, and appreciation for diverse cultures and societies. Here are 20 prompts to inspire thoughtful reflection on different cultures:

• Write about a cultural celebration from another country that you find exciting. What elements appeal to you?
• Discuss a dish from another culture that you've tried and enjoyed. What made it memorable?
• Reflect on a popular tradition from another culture. How does it contrast with or relate to your own traditions?
• Write about a time you experienced culture shock. What did you learn from it?
• Describe a cultural artifact from another country that you find fascinating. What significance does it hold?
• Research and discuss a folk tale or myth from another culture. How might it reflect cultural values or beliefs?
• Write a letter to a pen pal in another country, introducing them to a unique aspect of your own culture.
• What is an influential invention or idea that originated from another culture?
• Discuss the challenges immigrants might face when adapting to a new cultural environment.
• Explain the importance of diversity and cultural representation in media.
• What customs or social norms from another culture do you find particularly interesting?
• Write a short story inspired by a cultural practice different from your own.
• Explore a major historical event from the perspective of another culture.
• Describe a famous piece of architecture from another culture. What does it symbolize or represent?
• Reflect on an act of kindness or hospitality you've witnessed or received while exploring a different culture.
• Discuss a musical style or dance from another culture that you admire.
• Write about a book or movie that gave you insight into another culture. How did it change your perspective?
• Describe a cultural celebration or practice from your heritage that you would like to pass on to future generations.
• Discuss a value or principle from another culture that you would like to incorporate into your own life.
• Reflect on global issues like climate change or poverty. How might these be addressed differently in other cultures?

Current Events Journal Prompts

Keeping a journal about current events helps 7th graders understand and reflect on the world around them, enhancing their knowledge and critical thinking skills. Here are 20 prompts to encourage writing about current events:

• Choose a headline from today's news. Describe why you think it's important.
• Write a letter to a world leader about a current issue you care about.
• Suppose you're a reporter. Write an article about a local event or issue.
• Analyze a recent political speech. What was the speaker's main message?
• How has a recent event changed your understanding of the world?
• Discuss a recent scientific discovery. How does it impact our daily lives?
• Describe a current event that made you feel hopeful. Why did it influence you that way?
• What was the biggest lesson the world learned last year?
• Compare a current world event with a historical one.
• Think about an environmental issue in the news. What can we do to help?
• Discuss a recent event that made you question your beliefs or values.
• Write an obituary for a famous person who recently passed away. What was their most significant contribution?
• Discuss the impact of a recent technological innovation.
• Write about a current event that made you feel angry. Why did it provoke this reaction?
• What was a recent event in sports that surprised you? Why?
• Explain how a recent event in the news has directly affected you or your community.
• Choose a current event related to public health. What have you learned from it?
• Discuss a recent cultural event or trend. Why is it significant?
• Predict how a current world conflict might resolve.
• Choose a recent humanitarian issue from the news. How can people help?

Social Justice Journal Prompts

Social Justice Journal Prompts encourage young writers to explore issues of equity, inclusion, and rights through reflection and expression. Here are 20 writing prompts to inspire thought and discussion around social justice for 7th grade students:

• Write about a cause you care about. Why does this issue matter and how could it be addressed?
• Discuss a moment when you encountered an unfair situation. How did you handle it and what would you do differently?
• Explore the concept of privilege. How does privilege impact society?
• Reflect on a time when you spoke up for someone who was being treated unfairly.
• Write about a world leader who fights for social justice. What steps have they taken to initiate change?
• Imagine you could change one law to improve social justice. Describe the law and how it would create change.
• Discuss how education can play a role in achieving social justice.
• Write about a book, movie, or song that you think sends a strong social justice message. Why did it resonate with you?
• Describe how you can make your school or neighborhood more inclusive and fair.
• Imagine you're organizing a social justice rally. Who would be your key speakers and why?
• Write about a historical event that significantly impacted social justice.
• Reflect on a discussion you had with someone who has a different perspective on a social justice issue.
• Discuss how social media can be used to promote social justice.
• Explore the idea of diversity. How does a diverse community benefit everyone in it?
• Describe your vision of a socially just world.
• Write a poem inspired by the word "Equality".
• Record a time when you realized the importance of social justice.
• Brainstorm ways to use creativity, like art or writing, to express social justice ideas.
• Write a thanks letter to someone who stands up for social justice.
• Imagine you have the power to eradicate one social injustice. What would it be and why?

Confidence-building Journal Prompts

Building confidence through journal prompts allows seventh graders to explore their inner strengths and push beyond their comfort zones while fostering self-assuredness. Here are 20 prompts that can pave the way for a stronger, more confident self:

• Write about a time you felt confident. What were you doing? How did it feel?
• List five skills you are proud of mastering.
• Share a moment when you stood up for yourself or someone else.
• Write a letter to your future self, brainstorm ten goals you wish to achieve.
• List three affirmations that make you feel empowered.
• Describe a situation where you wish you had been more confident. How could you act differently next time?
• Do you prefer being a leader or a follower? Explain why.
• Recall a time when you succeeded at something difficult. How did it boost your confidence?
• What is your favorite thing about yourself? Why does this make you feel self-assured?
• Imagine stepping into a role or taking on a task that scares you. How would you tackle it?
• Write about someone who inspires you. What characteristics do they have that you’d like to develop?
• List three things you can do to be more confident in school.
• Describe a moment when someone praised you or acknowledged your abilities.
• How do you contribute positively to the lives of people around you?
• Write a statement that begins with "I am confident when…"
• Describe how overcoming a challenge has helped boost your self-esteem.
• Identify three strengths you believe you possess and explain how you can use these strengths in everyday life.
• Write about a risk you took that paid off.
• What is one thing you want to improve about yourself and why?
• Write about something you're excited to learn or do in the future. Explain how this could enhance your confidence.

Creative Storytelling Prompts

Creative Storytelling prompts provide a unique opportunity for 7th graders to explore their imagination and improve their writing skills. Here are 20 creative storytelling prompts that can be used as a foundation for their varied narratives:

• Imagine if all the world's water turned into a different liquid. Describe your day.
• Write a tale about a mythical creature that moves into your neighborhood.
• What if you woke up one day in the shoes of your favorite movie character? Detail your adventure.
• Describe what happens when time freezes for everyone but you for 24 hours.
• Write your own fairy tale starring a chameleon and a grumpy gnome.
• Recall a dream you had and spin it into an exciting short story.
• Write about a day where everything you think of materializes.
• Create an alien species and describe their visit to Earth.
• Imagine that your pet or a neighborhood animal can speak- what is their story?
• Detail a day in the life of the worst superhero.
• Write about a time travel mishap that leads to a historical event.
• Construct a tale about a face-off between a mountain and a sea.
• Descend into the world of an ant- describe challenges and triumphs.
• Detail an adventurous journey to the center of the earth.
• Write a story from the perspective of an abandoned toy in a store.
• Imagine that the paintings in a museum come to life at night. Detail their adventures.
• Descend into a future where humans coexist with robots. What is a typical day?
• Construct a story around an unexpected letter from a pirate.
• Describe what happens when the last tree on Earth starts to speak.
• Write about a child who discovers that his/her shadow has a life of its own.

Share this page with a friend:

Browse more writing guides:.

Vision Journal Ideas

January Journal Prompts

Journal Prompts For Moms

Future Self Journaling Prompts

Vintage Journaling Ideas

ADHD Journal Prompts

September Journal Prompts

Growth Mindset Journal Prompts

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Start typing and press enter to search

• PAST: Your family, where you were born, where you've been, etc.
• PRESENT: Describe yourself. What kind of person are you? What things do you like? What things do you dislike?
• FUTURE: What are your plans for the future? Career plans? What would you like your life to be like in 10-15 years?
• Did you like the endinf of this book? Many students think that it provides more questions than answers. Did Jonas and Gabriel survive their trip? Did they read Elsewhere? Did they die? Here's you chance to write the ending you prefer. Continue the ending beyond the last sentence of the novel , and tell what happens next.
• Write a story about the future. Imagine our world in the future, like Lois Lowry did, but your version can be positive or negative, and you can feature any characters or situations from your imagination.

Grading for Growth

Using a Class Journal to build writing skills

Giving students options while pushing them towards excellence.

Robert’s post about video assessments last week inspired me to think about unusual types of assessments that I use. This week, I’ll share one of the most successful: a Class Journal. A Class Journal is like an academic journal, run entirely for the students in one class. It gives students a venue to showcase their very best work and to support each other, while giving me a chance to help them develop their writing skills.

The ideas I’m sharing here were originally inspired by TJ Hitchman , who also first introduced me to the ideas in Standards-Based Grading . Since learning about how TJ uses a Class Journal, I’ve taken the idea in my own particular direction.

Class Context

To understand what the Class Journal is and how it works, it helps to know a bit about the class I use it in: Euclidean Geometry. This is a junior-level class aimed primarily at pre-service teachers, and I typically teach between 20 and 40 students.

The class itself is focused around student presentations. I provide students with a carefully curated selection of problems — big, open-ended, many-paths-to-success questions — and students attempt these before coming to class. These proofs typically involve many steps of mathematical reasoning, making connections to previous ideas, and representing concepts both in writing and diagrams. In other words, they take a lot of work! Class time consists primarily of students volunteering to present their solutions, asking questions of the presenters, and working in groups to patch up any issues found in the presentations. In a 75-minute class, we might see anywhere from one to four presentations.

I’ve written previously about how I’ve “ungraded” this class , removing grades and marks entirely. At the end of the semester, students make an argument for their grade and provide a portfolio of evidence to support that argument. I provide general criteria that students should meet to earn an A, B, C, or lower. Two critical criteria for “excellence” – to earn the highest grades – are:

Write not just correct, but exemplary proofs throughout the semester, and

Regularly share ideas with the class

To do this, each week, I assign several of the presented problems for students to write up as formal proofs, and students can include their best proofs in their final portfolio to demonstrate “exemplary” work. Likewise, students can share their ideas by volunteering to present.

But there’s another way to both demonstrate exemplary work, and share ideas with the class: the Class Journal.

How the Class Journal works

The Class Journal is a miniature model of an academic journal that lives entirely within my Euclidean Geometry class. Periodically, I post a list of problems that are open for Class Journal proofs (these are mostly questions that never got assigned to be written up after class). The list is usually fairly long, with lots of options. Students can access the list on our LMS.

At any time, a student can email me to “claim” a problem for the Class Journal. Once they’ve claimed a problem, they have one week to produce a written proof and submit it to the journal editor -- me. I put the student’s name and deadline next to the problem on the LMS, so that others can see it’s been claimed, and a student can only have one problem claimed at a time. 1

Once I’ve received a student’s proof, I write an academic-style referee report on their work (a helpful one – not Reviewer 2 ) and return it, usually with a request to “revise and resubmit” or to complete “minor revisions” or to “reformat according to the style guide” (we have a class style guide for writing proofs). We usually go through several rounds of revisions in this way, with me always providing help and encouragement. I begin with broad, general comments about mathematical correctness, style, and voice. As the proof takes shape, I begin to focus on details of mathematical notation, writing mechanics, creating useful diagrams, and such.

Students know that a proof might be rejected if it is fundamentally flawed or shows a significant lack of effort, but that has happened only a small handful of times. In the rare instance that I do reject a proof, I “re-open” the problem so that another student can claim it instead.

Once the student and I are both satisfied with a proof, I send them an acceptance email, again in the style of an academic journal. I post their proof in a shared document, which all students have access to through our LMS. Each student is clearly credited as the author of their proofs. I post periodic announcements about updates to the journal (in the style of “new issue” announcements) and I encourage everyone in the class to read the journal.

Benefits of using the Class Journal

The Class Journal provides a way for students to both write exemplary proofs and share them with the class. I’ve found some big benefits from the Class Journal:

First, the Class Journal lets me work very closely with a student and address their specific needs . The back-and-forth revision process lets me give super-targeted feedback to a single student. I often ask a student what they want to focus on in their writing, and give detailed feedback that addresses exactly those needs. Students tend to feel a great deal of “ownership” of their proof since it’s uniquely theirs — nobody else in the class will write up that problem. So they are also highly motivated to make use of the feedback, and the quick revision cycle enables them to use it immediately. The feedback in each revision tends to focus on just a few key issues, which makes each revision cycle even more effective. Working with a student on a Class Journal proof is one of the times when I can most directly see a student making big strides in their learning.

The Class Journal also lets me push students to excel both mathematically and in their writing . I tell students that the Class Journal is a way for them to take an intensive “short course” in excellent mathematical communication, and I encourage them to move out of their comfort zone and try a Class Journal problem as a way to work on improving their writing. Within the limited confines of a Class Journal problem, students and I both know that the goal is excellence, and that makes it a safe place to push them harder than usual.

But I deliberately don’t focus on excellent writing in the rest of class. Students write a lot in my class, and they consistently say how much they’ve developed as writers during the class. But the goal of our written proofs isn’t perfection . Instead, the goal is to show that the student has understood the underlying mathematics and can communicate it clearly enough to be convincing. This is already a challenge: Students typically take Euclidean Geometry right after our “intro to proofs” class. They often feel unconfident about their ability to write and communicate mathematics, much less while learning the new context of geometry. So, a big part of the class is about helping them become more confident in producing solid, valid proofs. I’ve found that it can be counterproductive to focus on the finer details of writing in such a context.

I believe there is value in finding the right time and place to focus on excellent writing, and the Class Journal lets me do exactly that. In a Class Journal problem, I often comment on general principles of writing and push students to improve their organization or clarity in ways that I might never mention in a homework proof. I can also focus on subtle issues of mathematical logic that, while not central to the proof, are worth thinking about. Students mention how much they’ve learned about excellent writing and logic from the highly tailored comments that I give.

Also, the Class Journal gives students models for excellent communication. Because accepted journal solutions are posted for the whole class to see, students can use them as models of excellent proofs. I encourage students to use them to learn more about mathematical writing, and because the work comes from classmates, it’s more authentic than any examples I might supply. Students also know that they can use the Class Journal as a reference guide to see how to structure a complicated proof, how to create useful diagrams, or to use certain types of notation.

Finally, the Class Journal gives students options. This was my original motivation for using the Class Journal. While I work hard to make sure the class is a friendly and supportive environment, some students just aren’t comfortable presenting their work. The Class Journal gives them an alternate way to make their voice heard (and to show that they are fully engaging with class). Students know that Class Journal problems involve a lot of effort — much more than an in-class presentation — and they can decide for themselves what they prefer to do. Every year, I have a few students who focus entirely on the Class Journal. A few others focus only on presenting, and most have some balance of the two.

Using a Class Journal in your own class

I think that a Class Journal could be useful in many different classes. Here’s what I recommend:

You’ll need a large collection of meaningful problems for the Class Journal. There need to be enough that each student can “claim” their own personal problem. “Writing prompts” could work here as well, especially if students can propose their own particular approach to a prompt.

These problems should involve something extra that pushes students beyond the regular expectations of the class. For me, that “something extra” is excellence in mathematical writing. In other contexts, the focus could be on improving other types of writing (such as expository writing, scientific communication for the public, etc.), working with a particular problem-solving strategy, or even demonstrating excellence with particularly difficult course content (like Hubert Muchalski’s “ Mechanism Portfolio ”).

To keep the Class Journal manageable, set up the rules and limits carefully. I’ve found my approach to work well with 20-40 students. In particular, ensure that each student can only work on one problem at a time, and that each problem is limited to one student at a time. Encourage students to focus deeply on their one problem rather than trying to race through it.

Overall, I’ve found it best if the Class Journal is both optional and clearly beneficial for students, as a way to demonstrate excellence (and therefore provide evidence they can use for earning a higher grade). The moment it’s required, student attitudes towards it will change as well.

One thing I’ve wanted to try, but never actually done, is to invite students to be referees. This is another way to promote excellence: Students who have demonstrated understanding of the key issues in Class Journal writing could then read other students’ submissions and write referee reports (which they would send to me, the editor, for review). This could be a great way for pre-service teachers to practice reviewing others’ work and giving helpful feedback. I’ve had plenty of students who I thought could be excellent reviewers, but I’ve never felt comfortable asking them to take on the extra workload. If you figure out a way to make this manageable, please let me know!

Thanks for reading Grading for Growth! Subscribe for free to receive new posts every Monday right in your inbox.

Both parts of this are essential: It’s important for students to know that the problem is “theirs” to feel ownership of it; and it’s critical to limit students to one problem at a time in order to encourage focus and keep the instructor’s workload manageable.

Ready for more?

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Journal Writing

How to Write a Journal

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Catherine Boswell, PhD . Dr. Catherine Boswell is a Licensed Psychologist and a Co-Founder of Psynergy Psychological Associates, a private therapy practice based in Houston, Texas. With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Boswell specializes in treating individuals, groups, couples, and families struggling with trauma, relationships, grief, and chronic pain. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston. Dr. Bowell has taught courses to Master’s level students at the University of Houston. She is also an author, speaker, and coach. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 246,936 times.

Journal writing is a creative form of recording your feelings free from the fear of judgement or criticism. Writing in a journal can allow you to work through complex issues in your life, exploring them thoroughly and candidly. It can also be a way of relieving stress, rather than inadvertently taking out your unexplored feelings on someone else. See Step 1 below to start writing your own journal.

Journal Entry Template

Starting Your Own Journal

• If you're looking at computer-based options for your journal, you might want to consider starting a blog - essentially an online journal that other people can read . A variety of free blog sites exist, some of which allow you to control who can and cannot read your blog.

• If you're writing a blog, you may want to begin by addressing your readers.

• As an exception to this rule, if you're writing a blog, while you'll want to be open with your emotions, consider your audience. You may want to consider censoring your most intense and/or personal thoughts.

• Many journal-writers like to add an entry every night before bed. This is a healthy routine because it allows the writer to relax and unwind at the end of the day by "letting out" any lingering emotions. Be sure to write honestly, don't overthink it, and stay focused.

• Use your past entries to reflect on your life. As you read, ask yourself questions like, "Am I the same person who wrote this entry?", "Is my life going the way I want it to?", and "How can I work to solve any problems that may have been troubling me when I wrote this entry?"

• The experiences you have while travelling can be some of the most influential ones in your life. Discovering the beauty of nature, making a friend in a far-off place, and even simply leaving your home can shape you, so document these things!

• If you're using a digital journal, like a blog, try adding photographs to your posts, including links, and choosing colorful templates.

Writing Great Journal Entries

• If you're having trouble turning off your filter, try writing "free form" as an exercise - scrawling your thoughts down in a stream-of-consciousness form the moment they come to you, whether they make sense or not.

• For instance, were you in a miserable mood when you wrote yesterday, but are now feeling better? Comment on this! By doing so, you may start to understand why you felt this way in the first place.

• You may find that, by pursuing a prompt, your writing ventures into interesting new areas you might otherwise never have explored. Be adventurous and pursue these new topics to your heart's content!

• The diary of Samuel Pepys
• The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank's diary)
• The diary of Jemima Conduct
• The diary of Franz Kafka
• Bridget Jones's Diary
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• The Color Purple
• Flowers for Algernon
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

• Find a secluded and familiar place to write (for example, your bedroom with the door locked), but other secluded places are good too. (Your backyard.) Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 0
• It's best to write with a pen because pencil can fade. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 3
• It's best if it is a secret. It's better if no one reads about your feelings and your secrets. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 3

Tips from our Readers

• If you're worried about someone reading your journal and invading your privacy (like nosy siblings, for example), don't mention that you have one (and especially don't mention where you keep it).
• If you really need a safe place to hide your journal, you can hide it behind a picture frame or canvas.
• Try giving a name to your journal so it doesn't feel like you are writing to an inanimate object.

• Always keep it in a safe no-one-knows box of secrets after writing. It's best if it has a lock. Thanks Helpful 85 Not Helpful 7
• If this person does and reads it, confront them and tell them you absolutely do not want them to read it. Then take necessary precautions, such as getting a notebook with a lock. Thanks Helpful 77 Not Helpful 7
• Your secrets may be posted around the net if you don't lock it. (This is for blog authors only.) Thanks Helpful 60 Not Helpful 8
• Someone could find out about your journal. Thanks Helpful 67 Not Helpful 15

Things You'll Need

• A cheap but good composition notebook.
• A working pen or pencil.
• Colouring in pens or pencils.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://docs.google.com/
• ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/ready-set-journal-64-journaling-prompts-for-self-discovery
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindful-musings/201611/3-reasons-let-yourself-feel-your-emotions
• ↑ Catherine Boswell, PhD. Licensed Psychologist. Expert Interview. 29 December 2020.
• ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/7-writing-routines-that-work
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/22/how-to-start-journal-writing-drawing
• ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/travel-photos-journal-memories-/
• ↑ https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1
• ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/ready-set-journal-64-journaling-prompts-for-self-discovery#the-journal-prompts

About This Article

To write a journal entry, start by writing down the date, time, and location where you're writing. Then, let your emotions flow and write about your feelings, like your family life, crush, or dreams. Try not to overthink it by writing things down as soon as they come into your head. You can also use writing prompts. To make your entries as useful as possible, get into a routine of writing regularly. Then, review your past entries to assess your feelings with the benefit of hindsight. To see a list of some famous journal writers and get tips on how to decorate your journal, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Monica Sharma

Apr 11, 2017

Did this article help you?

Antony John

Oct 26, 2023

Adele Hassanieh

Jan 6, 2017

Alexa Mahabir

Jan 11, 2017

Burhan Dholkawala

Feb 5, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

Journal Writing

Journaling is a powerful learning tool with many benefits, including building creative and critical thinking skills, as kids express thoughts and ideas, respond to fiction & nonfiction texts in all content areas, practice using vocabulary, and more. Here are motivating lesson plans, writing prompts, journal-writing worksheets, and activities to improve writing fluency at every level.

TRY US RISK-FREE FOR 30 DAYS!

ADD TO YOUR FILE CABINET

THIS RESOURCE IS IN PDF FORMAT

Printable Details

• Number of pages:
• Guided Reading Level:
• Common Core:

• Our Mission

5 Tips for Unleashing Student Creativity Through Writing

Expand the possibilities of journaling by encouraging students to doodle, diagram, or make flipbooks.

Journals are often used for classroom writing assignments, and teachers have come up with a variety of prompts and purposes for journal entries. In “ How Student Journals Can Spark Curiosity and Inspire Creativity in the Classroom ” John Spencer describes five simple strategies to make journaling a creative outlet: 

1. Have students write for themselves. “Choose an audience of one,” Spencer advises students. When they know they’re not writing for others to read, students can be bold and creative, and the freedom of the process can result in some exceptional writing. “Let them choose the topics, the length, the style, and the approach,” he writes. “Treat it less like an assignment and more like a tool used to tap into creativity and curiosity.” Sketchnotes, unanswered questions, and bulleted lists all have their place in journaling.

2. Don’t limit journaling to text on a page. Have students use the space for doodling, drawing, diagramming, and informal writing. They might sketch diagrams or images of scientific concepts, or “incorporate elements of interactive notebooks by having students cut out items and tape them in. So, a page in the notebook becomes a short flipbook.”

3. Have students keep their journals organized. Spencer distinguishes between a journal and a diary. A diary is often for jotting down fleeting thoughts, but a journal can be a place to investigate those ideas more deeply or organize them into actionable items. Spencer numbers his pages and keeps an index in the back of the journal. “Other people," he writes, "use a left side/right side process for their journals (words on one side and pictures on the other, or notes on one side and reflections on the other),” he writes. Color coding is another fun and easy way for students to organize their work.

4. Encourage students to “go cheap.” Journaling doesn’t require a fancy notebook. In fact, a more expensive book might lead students to be overly cautious and timid with their writing. “As a teacher, this also means reducing student fear and risk aversion,” Spencer writes. “You might make journals a pass/fail assignment or make them entirely optional. You might say, ‘I’m going to look at your journal but I’m not grading the content.’”

5. Give students time to write regularly.  Have them write daily—the process “doesn’t need to be laborious.” But the journal writing doesn’t need to be limited to a formal, designated time: Encourage students to carry their notebook and jot down ideas as they happen. The goal is to have them embrace writing as a spontaneous activity. Encourage students to think of their journal as “a playground,” Spencer writes.

In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

10 Journal Writing Guidelines for Students to Learn and Use

Do you want to use journaling with your students? Check out our expert journal writing guidelines for students to find success in your classroom.

In the classroom, journaling can be a valuable way to get students writing, even if they are reluctant writers. On the elementary level, student journals often have fun writing prompts that encourage kids to write when they might be reluctant. As students move through middle school and into high school, journaling becomes more detailed and specific, often asking students to reflect on topics read in class.

Either way, journaling  can help develop critical thinking skills that can be useful for essay writing . For help with essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers . Here is a closer look at student journals and some guidelines to help students write them well.

What is a Journal for Students?

How do you write a good journal entry, 1. choose the journal type, 2. ignore strict grammar rules, 3. use a journal writing prompt, 4. spend time reflecting, 5. state a topic sentence, 6. write without stopping, 7. be truthful, 8. draw a conclusion, 9. practice regularly, 10. try different techniques, what are the types of learning journals, what’s the difference between a journal and a diary.

A journal for students is a journal that students use to reflect on their thoughts and feelings, to get writing practice, or to record their ideas about the subject matter learned in the classroom. Student journals can become the jumping-off point for valuable discussions in many classrooms. With journals, learners are given time and space to collect their ideas before opening the floor for discussions.

Student journals provide valuable critical thinking opportunities. They also provide a chance to practice writing skills. Finally, they provide freedom to write without fear of a grading rubric hanging overhead. Students who journal become better thinkers and writers overall, which is why teachers often incorporate this learning technique into their lesson planning.

A good journal entry will contain an analysis of the material the student is writing about, some self-reflection on the topic, or some of the emotions the writer is feeling. To write a good journal entry, students must reflect on the question and write their thoughts and feelings. Many teachers find they need to teach students these journaling skills because they don’t come naturally. You might also be interested in these articles about assessment .

Before students can journal well, they need to know what type of journal they are writing. A journal may have different types of entries that change based on the assignment, or it may have one over-arching journaling type that extends through the whole journal. The type of journal pages a student writes will dictate the steps to writing a good journal page, so this is the first step in writing a good entry. Some common journal types include:

• Reflective journal: Reflective journals are personal records of a student’s learning experiences, according to Northern Illinois University .
• Writing prompt journal: This type of journal uses a writing prompt given by the teacher. Prompts can be fun, creative writing-style activities or directly related to a subject taught in the classroom.
• Self-discovery journal: The primary goal of this type of journal is to help the student discover something about themselves. A self-discovery journal might be used in a language arts classroom to encourage self-reflection and writing at the same time.
• Subject journal: This type of journal reflects on lessons taught in a particular subject area, such as social studies or science journal. It can be a way to incorporate language arts and writing skills across the curriculum.

While teachers should encourage good grammar whenever possible, student journals are not the place for strict grammar adherence. Instead, they are the place for students to write freely and get their thoughts on paper. Allowing students to write in journals without strict grammar will encourage more critical thinking, and it will also encourage less fear of the writing process for many students. 

That said, the writing should still make sense. Teachers can encourage students to write clearly enough that the reader can understand it, but they should not grade grammar, punctuation, spelling, and syntax for journals. Leave this critique for more formal papers, and allow journal writing to be a type of free writing.

When writing a journal entry, students of all grade levels, from elementary school through high school and even college, can benefit from journal prompts . Prompts give the writer a starting point, which can help students overcome writer’s block and allow them to get their thoughts down on paper. A journal writing prompt will depend on the goal of the journal, but some ideas include the following:

• What would you invent if you were an inventor?
• Create a new animal or an alien.
• Which animal most represents you, and why?
• Imagine you’re in the zombie apocalypse. How will you survive?
• Write a guidebook for your grandparents to understand your generation.
• What modern issues concern you most, and why?
• What do you remember most about (last year’s grade level)?
• Do you believe in love at first sight/karma/law of attraction/similar ideas?
• What are 10 things you know to be true?
• What are the 10 best words in the English language?

Many of these journal prompts encourage thinking skills and self-discovery. They can be adapted for elementary, middle, and high school, depending on the age of the writers. Teachers can also choose subject-specific writing prompts if they require a subject-area journal. The key to a good prompt is leaving it open-ended, so the student can reflect and draw their own opinion on the topic.

Before students can write a good journal entry, they must gather their thoughts. Students must spend time carefully reflecting and reading the prompt before writing. They can use pre-writing techniques and brainstorming tools to get some basic ideas down before they start directly working on the journal entry. For example, the teacher could give the students a couple of minutes to create a mind map of the topic area, then have them start their journal.

Even though journal writing is less formal than writing research papers and academic essays, students should learn to use topic sentences in their journals. For many writing prompts, the topic sentence is the writer’s opinion or conclusion about the question. Then, the rest of the journal will build reasons behind that topic sentence. Learning to write good topic sentences in a journal will help students in other areas of writing. With the exception of narratives, most types of writing need topic sentences. Journals can be an excellent place to practice this skill.

The use of journal writing in school is an attempt to get kids to write, even if they’re typically reluctant writers. The goal should be for them to write as long as possible without stopping in the allotted time frame. After reflecting and brainstorming, they should write with minimal pauses. Set a timer, and then instruct the students to write continuously until the timer goes off. Three to five minutes is often enough time for a daily journal entry. 

If students wish to edit or “clean up” their journal entry, they should do so at the end of the writing process. During the designated writing time, all they should do is write. If you plan to collect the assignment, consider giving students time to erase stray marks or add punctuation, but don’t let them get bogged down on editing and proofreading. Too much time spent proofing or editing the piece will destroy the benefits of writing in a journal because they will become more focused on grammar than getting their thoughts on paper.

Students should be truthful when writing journal entries, even for school assignments. This is no different than if they are writing in their journals. Journal writing is primarily used to reflect on one’s thoughts, feelings and beliefs, even in regard to less personal writing prompts. To encourage students to be truthful, teachers should not judge their opinions when reading journal entries throughout the school year. The journal should be a safe space to explore feelings and ideas without fear of rejection or judgment of those ideas.

Whenever possible, students should be encouraged to draw some sort of conclusion through their learning journal writing activities. The journal gives them a place to work through their ideas, but at the end of the day, they should have a final thought or decision. 

If the journal is a self-reflection style, the conclusion may be more of a personal action plan. The student could discuss steps they will take if they face a similar situation in the future or to achieve a goal . If it’s a subject-specific type of journal, the conclusion could re-state their position or give one final reason why they made the choice they made for their answer to the prompt.

Few students are good at journal writing the first time they try it, but practice makes perfect. It takes thinking and writing skills to reflect on a topic and then write knowledgeably about it. Learning how to write a journal entry requires regular practice. Some teachers will have their students journal daily, particularly in language arts classrooms.

However, learning  to journal daily is challenging, and there may not be enough classroom time to dedicate to daily journaling . For this reason, other teachers will offer weekly journal assignments. Regardless of the frequency, the key to good journaling is including this writing activity in lesson plans so students get used to the process.

Try different journaling techniques in a student journal that has a set focus. For example, one day, students could do a bullet journal, which isn’t written in paragraph form but rather as a series of short bullet points to get ideas out. Students can also do art journaling which incorporates drawing with their written words.

Stream-of-consciousness writing lends itself well to journaling as well. By incorporating different journaling techniques, students can keep their writing fresh and also explore writing styles that are appealing to them. This will also allow the teacher to see what their students can truly do with creative writing.

Journal Writing Guidelines for Students FAQs

Student learning journals ask students to reflect on what they have learned in a class or to write their opinion on a subject-related discussion question. Some common learning journals include language arts journals, social studies journals, and science journals.

Understanding the difference between a diary vs. journal is important to use these tools well. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a diary records daily experiences. A journal incorporates analysis, emotion, or self-reflection. It can include a record of the daily experience, but only if it includes emotions and reflection. Journals are often used in the classroom.

If you liked this article and want to put these ideas into practice, check out our round-up of storytelling exercises .

What Is It?

Journaling is the practice of recording on paper a collection of thoughts, understandings, and explanations about ideas or concepts, usually in a bound notebook. Teachers ask students to keep journals, with the understanding that students will share their journal with the teacher.

Teachers can use journaling as a kind of window into how students are thinking about what they are learning. Student journals can be an important source of information about learning difficulties, misconceptions, strengths and weaknesses, and metacognition. The act of transferring thoughts, ideas, and feelings into written words also encourages students to examine their own thought processes. It is a private record of students' thoughts that provides a safe way of communicating with the teacher, giving teachers insight into those thoughts.

"Writing is more than living. It is being conscious of living." Ann Morrow Lindbergh (1965)

Why Is It Important?

Toby Fulwiler has written extensively about the usefulness of student journals as the "heart" of a school-wide literacy program:

"Journal writing works because every time a person writes an entry, instruction is individualized. The significance of journals as records of thought cannot be under-estimated by teachers who value independent thinking. The journal records the student's individual travel through the academic world; at the same time it serves well when formal papers or projects need to be written." Fulwiler (2000)

"Journals belong at the heart of any writing-across-the-curriculum program. Journals promote introspection on the one hand and vigorous speculation on the other; as such they are as valuable to teachers in the hard sciences as to those in the more cushioned humanities." Fulwiler (2000)

How Can You Make It Happen?

Teachers need to make instructional decisions about how to use journals in their classrooms. Journaling can be a private conversation that students have with themselves and that they let the teacher eavesdrop on. Double-entry journals help students analyze central concepts and refer to the text for justification. Reflective journals help students develop metacognitive skills by reflecting on what they learned and how they learned it. Dialogue journals help students converse in writing about content they are learning, and learning logs help students keep a record of their learning, clarifying their thinking and learning. Writing journals or writing notebooks can also help students keep track of their ideas and thoughts that they may want to write about in the future. Journals work best when students know they will not be evaluated (or graded) on their writing , and that it is a safe place to record their thoughts.

When beginning to use journals, model journal writing for the class. Students should be aware of what is expected of them in relation to quality, content, and length. Encourage students to extend, defend, debate, elaborate on, and question their own ideas. This can be done within an entry or by revisiting an entry that was completed earlier in the year.

In order to set clear expectations and procedures for journal writing, teachers must plan how often students will write in their journals, when, for how long, and for what purposes. Be sure to establish a level of respect for each student's journal, and make clear that it is a private conversation that can be shared with other students if the student wishes, but is meant to be read by the teacher.

Organization

The journal can be a spiral-bound notebook or a binder of loose-leaf paper.

Keep the journals in a designated place in the classroom, or have students keep journals in their desks so they can access them easily.

Develop a classroom routine for distributing and collecting the journals; for example, assign a student who is responsible for the journals each week.

If you are going to have students use their journal writing for several purposes, have them divide their notebook into different sections. The sections could be labeled by subject area , or one section of the notebook could be assigned for each type of journal writing you will ask students to do during the year. As you introduce and model each type of journal writing students will use in their notebooks, have them take some simple notes on the first page of each section. Later, when you assign that type of journal writing, they can refer to their notes to remind them of the expectations.

Establish a system for identifying each entry in the journal, such as writing the date at the beginning of each entry. Students may use page numbers or clever titles, which will be helpful when students want to revise or reevaluate a past entry.

Provide an adequate amount of time for students to gather their thoughts and write them down. Tell them how long you will give them to write and how much writing is generally expected.

Seat students in a location that allows them to concentrate. Enforce a "no talking" rule during journaling time.

Provide feedback in the form of a written conversation, questions, notes in the margin, or some notation that lets students know you are reading and thinking about their entries.

In This Article:

Featured high school resources.

Related Resources

About the author.

TeacherVision Editorial Staff

The TeacherVision editorial team is comprised of teachers, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the teaching space.

Writing in a Journal: A Short Course on Journal Writing for 2023

Do any of the following statements or questions sound like you?

• “I don’t have time to write a journal!”
• “I don’t know what to write about!”
• “How do I get started?
• “I’m a lousy writer!”

If so, then this short course on journal writing is for you! Here are five easy steps to get started with writing, eight suggestions for new journal writers, and 14 writing techniques for your journal.

How to Get Started with Journal Writing

It’s Easy to W.R.I.T.E.

Just try these five easy steps. You’ll be writing in no time!

W – What do you want to write about? What’s going on? How do you feel? What are you thinking about? What do you want? Name it.

R – Review or reflect on it. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Focus. You can start with “I feel…” or “I want…” or “I think…” or “Today….” or “Right now…” or “In this moment…”

I –  Investigate your thoughts and feelings. Start writing and keep writing. Follow the pen/keyboard. If you get stuck or run out of juice, close your eyes and re-center yourself. Re-read what you’ve already written and continue writing.

T – Time yourself. Write for 5-15 minutes. Write the start time and the projected end time at the top of the page. If you have an alarm/timer on your PDA or cell phone, set it.

E – Exit smart by re-reading what you’ve written and reflecting on it in a sentence or two: “As I read this, I notice—” or “I’m aware of—” or “I feel—”. Note any action steps to take.

In summary….it’s easy to W.R.I.T.E. ! W hat topic? R eview/reflect I nvestigate T ime yourself E xit smart

Looking for free journaling workshops?  Check out our on-demand courses including “ J is for Journal: A Short Course on Writing for Healing, Growth, and Change ,” with seven lessons containing a total of 68 writing prompts!

Eight Suggestions for New Journal Writers

1. protect your privacy..

Store your journal in its own special place so that the temptation for others to read is diminished. Ask for agreement with your housemates that your journal is private. Reserve the first page of any new journal for your name and phone number or e-mail address, along with a notice: This is my personal journal. Please do not read it without my permission. If none of that would stop whoever might read your journal, get a shredder. Find a creative way to protect your privacy, such as a new gmail or yahoo account, freshly passworded, from which to write yourself at that address. Or keep your journal on a flash drive. Make your privacy an intentional act.

2. Start with an entrance meditation.

Nearly every journal technique benefits from a few minutes of focused quieting. Use visualization, soft music, candles, deep breathing, stretches, whatever works for you.

3. Date every entry.

If you only establish one habit in your journal, let it be this one! Dating every entry allows you to chronologically reconstruct your journal by date. It also lets you hear the silence between your entries.

4. Keep (and re-read) what you write.

Often the writes that feel like throw-aways contain the seeds for future insight. Keep it, re-read it later, and surprise yourself with how much you knew that you didn’t know you knew!

5. Write quickly.

You can outsmart dreaded “journal block” by writing so fast that the Internal Critic and the Internal Censor can’t keep up. Keep your pen moving!

6. Start writing; keep writing.

Start with the present moment (“What’s going on?”) Or start with a feeling (“I’m so mad I could bust!”) Or start with a story (“Today the weirdest thing happened….”) Once you’ve started, don’t go back to edit or rewrite. And don’t think too much. Let it flow.

7. Tell yourself the truth.

Your own truth is not your enemy. Don’t try to talk yourself out of knowing what you know or feeling what you feel. Give yourself permission to tell the truth. Also give yourself permission to pace yourself. If the truth seems too bright or harsh, then slow it down.

8. Write naturally.

If there is one inviolate rule of journal writing, it is that there simply are no rules! Do what works. Don’t worry about what you’re not doing. Give yourself permission. Let yourself enjoy the process!

14 Writing Techniques for Your Journal

1. sentence stem..

A sentence-completion process. Fill in the blank with a word or phrase. May be very universal (Right now I feel———-) or highly customized to an individual’s immediate question, problem or interest.

Start with the beginning of a sentence:

• Today I will—
• Right now I feel—
• The most important thing to do—
• I want—
• I need—-
• What I wish I could say to you—
• If only I could—
• I wonder–

—and finish it with a word, a thought, the rest of the sentence.

Boom. You’re done.

2. Five-Minute Sprint .

A timed writing process designed to bring focus and intensity in short bursts. Excellent for those who are resistant or aversive to journal writing, or who are uncertain about how to start, or who state they do not have time to write journals.

It’s a two-step process that couldn’t be more simple:

• Set the timer on your phone or kitchen stove. Stop writing when signaled!
• Keep your pen or fingers moving the entire time. It’s only five minutes. It goes fast.

Ready? Set your timers–and WRITE! Start with this prompt: What’s going on?

3. Inventory.

An assessment of life balance in major areas of living (health, family, home, work, spiritual/religious, emotional well-being, etc.) Gives a quick picture of which life areas might need attention.

4. Structured Write.

A series of Sentence Stems grouped and sequenced to reveal consistently deepening layers of information and awareness.

5. Clustering.

Visual free-association from a central word or phrase. Lines and circles connect key thoughts and associations to the central core. Work quickly to maximize results. A brief writing to synthesize findings may follow.

6. Lists of 100.

A list of 100 items, many of which will probably be repetitions, on a predetermined theme or topic. Repetition is an important part of the process. Topics can be about any current issue (for example: 100 Things I’m Sad About; 100 Things I Need or Want to Do; 100 Places I Would Like to See). At the end of the list, group the responses into themes and synthesize the information.

In this video, Kathleen Adams, Founder of the Center for Journal Therapy, shares what she likes about using short lists as a journaling technique.

7. Alphapoem.

Write the alphabet, A-Z, or any collection of letters, vertically down the side of a page. Then write a poem in which each successive line begins with the next letter. Excellent for groups as it promotes a high level of participation and sharing. Adolescents and reluctant writers respond well.

Check out this example of an Alphapoem:

An Alphapoem on Alphapoems   

by Kay Adams and Scribe (journal group members)                             

A nticipate a B lossoming of                                                          C reative                                                                          D elight!                                                                          E asy, really, once you                                                    F ind the rhythm and the pace.                                                      G ather up the thoughts you                                          H old secret in your heart.                                                I magine them                                                                            J ust drifting out, a                                                                    K aleidoscope of                                                                        L etters                                                                                              M aking words. N o rules to follow–except the O bvious one. P erhaps you’ll find a poet inside? Q uite likely! R ead your Alphapoems; you’ll find them S tartlingly T rue–an U nusual way to give V oice to the W himpers, wonderings, whys, wins. X hilerating feeling to find Y ou’ve reached the Z enith of the poem!

8. Captured Moments.

Vignettes capturing the sensations of a particularly meaningful or emotional experience. Written from the senses with strong descriptors. Captured Moments of beauty, joy, blessing, calm can add balance, hope and perspective to a challenging time.

9. Unsent Letters .

A metaphoric communication to another that is written with the specific intention that it will not be shared.

10. Character Sketch .

A written portrait of another person or of an aspect of the self. Can also be written about emotions by personifying an emotion and giving it a characterization – an appearance, a style of dress, a personality and temperament.

11. Dialogue.

A metaphoric conversation written in two voices. Anyone or anything is an appropriate dialogue partner. There is no constriction by time, space, physical reality or literal voice.

On the page, it looks like a script:

Me:  So how do I do this?

Dialogue Partner:  Just ask me a question, and I’ll respond.

Me:  Seems a little silly.

D.P.:  Just make it up! Write the next thing in your head.

You can write a dialogue with anyone or anything: Your Wise Self, your spouse/partner/child, your job, your body, your feelings, your dreams and desires – anything goes!

12. Perspectives .

An alteration in point of view that provides a different perspective on an event or situation. Through magical realism, we can jump time, compare alternative realities and walk a mile in another’s moccasins. The writer experiences a new dimension of time, place or voice.

• A different time:  Using imagery, time-travel to a date in the near or distant past or future. Write that altered date at the top of the page. Imagine who you are, how you feel, what is different, how a problem got solved or an issue resolved. Write in the present tense, as if it were that time.
• A different place:  When faced with a tough choice or decision, jump time and write Perspectives entries in the present tense as if you’d made each choice. One man, conflicted about applying to medical school or a psychology program, saw himself miserable as a psychiatrist and fully engaged as a psychotherapist working with veterans and their families. See what nudges forward from your subconscious mind!
• A different voice:  Write in someone else’s “I” voice, in the present tense, as if that person were writing in a journal about you or a disagreement (argument, conflict, painful difference) the two of you are experiencing.
• Another different voice:  Alter your own voice by writing in past tense, in the third-person voice (s/he, her/his), about your own experience. This pulls back the camera lens, puts you in the role of omniscient  narrator/compassionate witness and allows useful distance and objectivity. This is particularly helpful if you are working with difficult stories that can create intense emotional states.

13. Springboard.

A free-write with a prompt. Starting a free-write with the smallest structure of a question, thought or topic can focus and frame the writing session.

Here are some sample springboards:

• What’s the next thing to do?
• A year from today, I will ….
• Why don’t I … ?
• I’m sorry I didn’t….
• What am I avoiding?
• If I knew I would succeed, I would ….
• I want to overcome….
• Where am I going?
• What do I want?
• If I weren’t scared….
• What’s the best thing? What’s the worst thing?

In this video, Kathleen Adams, Founder of the Center for Journal Therapy, talks about using props to get started with writing.

14. Free Writing.

Unboundaried, unstructured, unpaced narrative writing. Useful for creative flow or spontaneous writing sessions. Can be structured by adding a time limit or page limit.

(c) Kathleen Adams. All rights reserved. For reprint permission please email us .

Center for Journal Therapy

3440 youngfield st., #411 wheat ridge, co. 80033 phone: (303) 209-9599 contact us >>.

We help you  tap into the power of journaling to change your life!  Learn how to write consistently, deeply and authentically.  Join a community of people who love journaling .

• Deepen your journaling
• Be inspired to write consistently
• Spark your creativity
• Connect with other journal writers
• Receive all of our exclusive member benefits

Plus , receive The Great Journaling Journey course FREE (value $67.00) when you become a member!

Be Inspired to Journal.

You will also receive a complimentary subscription of our IAJW Journal Juice Museletter. Your information will NEVER be shared. We respect your privacy.

I often think about how different my journaling world has been since becoming a member of IAJW. While journaling has been such an important part of my life since 1974, it was pretty much a solitary journey, aside from the occasional journal workshops I would facilitate. People in my life knew about my extensive collection of journals, but that’s where it ended. Now I am loving being part of a community of like-minded individuals and having the opportunity to share with them in a variety of ways. It has opened new doors for me, and I am immensely grateful.  – Merle R. Saferstein, IAJW Member

Do you want some creative inspiration and fresh ideas for your journaling? Get more benefits out of going to the page with our amazing life journaling courses!

Register now for our FREE Go To The Page Speaker Series !

How to Use Journaling to Thrive During Change & Transition 

Get access to an inspiring interview each day June 19th – 26th .

Discover inspiring ways to think about change so you can make the best of all transitions in your life!  

For years, I’ve been searching for a community of fellow journalers. I am thrilled to be part of such a supportive group of writers who understand the value of journaling, are devoted to learning more about themselves and the world through the process, and happily share their insights with the rest of us. I encourage anyone with a love for the written word and the power of journaling to join IAJW to discover the amazing benefits of this practice!

– Vicky DeCoster, Life Transitions Coach and Author

The Power of Daily Practice

In this FREE Webinar you will learn:

• The fundamental importance of daily practice
• The relationships among daily practice, meaning & purpose
• The eight keys to daily practice
• Varieties of daily practice – what’s available to you?
• Challenges to daily practice – and what to do about them!

Come join Lynda Monk and Dr. Eric Maisel for this inspiring hour!

Join The Journal Lounge with Lynda Monk on June 20th from 9:00-9:30 am PST – complimentary and everyone is welcome!

It’s like meeting at a cafe to journal together. Take time to replenish, pause, take time with yourself and unburden on the page. Journal alone together in the company of fellow journal writers from the comfort of your own home.  Be inspired to journal. Register here >>

Our 2nd Annual High Five Gratitude Giveaway is on now – Sept.18-21, 2023! Sign-up here to get your free gifts >>

Featured Product

The Great Journaling Journey will help you start, re-start or deepen your existing journaling practice.  This powerful, inspiring and creative 13 lesson course will take you to new journaling heights!

Learn More >>

“I am loving The Great Journaling Journey course! Thank you much! I am greatly inspired.” ~ Deborah Lyn

From Our Journal Writing Blog…

4 Good Reasons to Join our Journaling Community

4 Good Reasons to Join our IAJW Journaling Community 1. We are a place where journal writers belong! Community is a place of belonging, connection, and inspiration. Connection fuels our creativity... Read More >>

Journaling to Live True with Lynda Monk – Guest Podcast Episode

Fabulous After Fifty Podcast with host, Julie Kennedy I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Julie Kennedy on her inspiring podcast dedicated to women over 50.  She is a long time journaler and... Read More >>

A Journaling Community Can Change Your Life

Meet Lyn Smith, IAJW Member from Tasmania, Australia Lyn Smith is one of the original members in the IAJW and has been part of our global journaling community for over 7 years. Lyn... Read More >>

Journaling has been my soft place to land since my first “5-year personal diary” until now, many years later. I am still learning, growing and using journaling personally and professionally. Meeting Lynda Monk and coming to the IAJW was like coming home to a family dear to me that I respect, value and know who love Journaling just as much as I do. Being part of the Journal Council, is an honor and I know I can wholeheartedly trust the expertise, the integrity of the organization and the quality of products offered here.    – Nicolle Nattrass, Counsellor, Author, Performer

How can the IAJW help you with your Journal Writing?

We know how to help you get the most out of your journal writing:

• To help you write often, in your own voice, and move into new and deeper territory
• To help you find the gold in your journals.
• To help you know yourself better.
• To help you make connections, gain insights, see life patterns, and ultimately make the life changes you want–whether it is to improve relationships, to figure out how to move forward through a transition period, to balance your emotions, to improve your health, or to become a better writer.

We do this by offering:

• eCourses designed specifically for Journal Writers
• Journal Writing Products including eBooks , self-paced Audio Classes and Journal Writing Tools
• A Journal Writing Blog packed full of great tips and ideas
• PLUS, once you are an IAJW Member , you will get access to our Library of Journal Writing Articles and Audio Recordings, Our Monthly Telechats and our Monthly Journal Writing Circles.

Our mission is to inspire your creative self-expression and life enrichment through journaling!

It’s Our March Madness Sale!

I love that I can always count all the warmth, shared ideas and comraderie of the IAJW community. I appreciate Lynda’s leadership, wisdom and loving-kindness which she infuses into all that she does. I also appreciate the courses, tools, and spontaneous writing prompts all of which enhance my journaling, and broaden my point of view. The monthly tele-chats are always lively, and informative and the guests share ideas and in-the-moment experiences that enhance and refresh my journaling and my life. All the way around the IAJW is a treasure that feels like home to me, and it always has. Thank you Lynda!  – Cheryl Finley Goggins, IAJW Member

Get Our Journaling Books!

Diary Entry for Class 7 Exercises and Answers

Explore Diary Entry for Class 7 Exercises and Answers, provide a sample diary entry, offer improvement tips, discuss the benefits, and address common mistakes. “Diary Entry for Class 7 Exercises and Answers” is a writing exercise aimed at students in seventh grade.

  What is a Diary Entry?

A diary writing for class 7 is a way for students to document their daily experiences and thoughts in a journal format.

Format of Diary Entry for Class 7

Sample Example of Diary Entry for Class 7

This example follows the format of a diary entry, starting with the date, followed by the salutation “Dear Diary,” the content of the entry, and concluding with a closing signature. Remember, your diary is your personal space to express yourself, so feel free to customize your entries however you like.

Date: March 12, 2024

Dear Diary,

Today has been a busy yet fulfilling day. In the morning, I had a math test at school, which I was quite nervous about. However, I studied hard last night, and I’m hopeful that I did well.

After school, I went to soccer practice, where we had an intense training session. I love playing soccer—it’s my passion—and being on the field always helps me forget about any stress or worries I may have.

In the evening, I spent some time working on my art project for class. I’m really proud of how it’s coming along, and I can’t wait to see the finished product.

Overall, today was a productive day, and I feel grateful for all the opportunities I have to learn and grow. I’m looking forward to what tomorrow brings.

[Your Name]

Diary Entry for Class 7 Exercises

Exercises 1.

1. Imagine you are Ms. Sudha Chandran. You gave your first dance performance after the accident. You are also indebted to Dr. Sethi, whose bearing and elegant manners helped you get back into normal life. Write a diary entry expressing your gratitude towards Dr. Sethi and also pen down your feelings about the first stage performance. (Word limit:100- 120 words)

Exercises 2

2. Your school has organized a Science exhibition on the eve of Children’s Day where students have displayed various projects with interesting charts and models of futuristic schools, robot teachers, and smart classrooms. This event has ignited your curiosity and determination to pursue science and technology and contribute to the nation’s growth and development in the future. Taking hints from the Reader Unit, ‘The Future World’, write a diary entry in about 120-150 words sharing your feelings on the same.

Exercises 3

3. Yesterday it was your first day in your new school. You made new friends. The teachers were good to you and you liked the infrastructure of the school. Write about your experiences and feelings about the new school in your diary. 

Exercises 4

4. It was the happiest day of your life when your class teacher informed you that you had been selected as the ‘Best Sportsman of the Year’. You are excited as now you will receive the award at the Annual Day Celebrations. Make a diary entry recording your feelings in it.

Exercises 5

5. You visited one of your relatives today with your parents. Write about your feelings in the diary in about 100-120 words.

Exercises 6

6. You are Neha. Write a diary entry on winning first prize in an online Competition.

Exercises 7

7. You have recently visited an old age home today with your classmates. Express your feelings in the form of a diary entry of not more than 100 words.

Exercises 8

8. Write a diary entry about how you spend the day of the holiday

Exercises 9

9. Imagine you went to the Jungle and lived with Mowgli write a diary entry about your day spent in the day.

Exercises 10

10. We had gone to a hill station for a holiday with our parents while understanding we lost our way right a diary entry about your fear and picnic and how you managed to reach home

Exercises 11

11. Imagine you are an astronaut and you are travelling in a space ship write a diary entry and record all that you see in space your experience thoughts about your family the view of the art from space

Exercises 12

12. Your school organized a trip to the zoo you felt terrible when you saw the pathetic conditions of animals and birds express your feelings in the form of a diary entry

Exercises 13

13. You won the best student ever make a diary entry to express your feelings

Exercises 14

14. Today was your birthday write a diary entry about how you celebrated your birthday

Exercises 15

15. You have just returned home after watching a match of your favourite sport write a diary

Exercises 16

16. Write a diary entry on the day of the Parents-Teachers-Meeting PTM in your school

Exercises 17

17. Write a diary entry on the autobiography of a mango tree

Exercises 18

18. Write a diary entry on the loss of your pet

People also ask

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Diary Writing

• Write honestly and authentically, 
• Avoid the temptation to exaggerate.
• Beware of spelling and grammar mistakes before finalizing them.
• Stick to your original writing.

Answers to Diary Entry Exercises for Class 7

Today marks a significant milestone in my journey of resilience and gratitude. Dr. Sethi’s unwavering support and graceful demeanor have been instrumental in my recovery and return to the stage after the accident. Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude towards him.

As I stepped onto the stage for my first performance since the accident, a rush of emotions overwhelmed me. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, I felt a sense of exhilaration and triumph. It was a moment of profound gratitude for the opportunity to dance once again, a testament to the power of perseverance and the kindness of those who believe in us.

Forever indebted,

Sudha Chandran

Date: November 14, 2024

Today was an extraordinary day filled with innovation and inspiration at our school’s Science exhibition. Witnessing the fascinating projects showcasing futuristic schools, robot teachers, and smart classrooms ignited a spark within me. The creativity and ingenuity displayed by my peers left me in awe and fueled my determination to pursue science and technology.

As I walked through the exhibition hall, I couldn’t help but imagine the endless possibilities that lie ahead in the field of science. The idea of contributing to the nation’s growth and development through technological advancements excites me beyond measure.

This experience has reaffirmed my passion for science and strengthened my resolve to embark on a journey of discovery and innovation. I am eager to explore the wonders of science further and play a meaningful role in shaping the future world.

With enthusiasm and determination,

Date: March 11, 2024

Yesterday was my first day at my new school, and it was surprisingly wonderful. I was nervous at first, but I quickly made new friends who were kind and welcoming. The teachers were friendly and supportive, making me feel right at home. I was impressed by the school’s infrastructure; the classrooms were spacious and well-equipped, and the campus was beautiful. Overall, I’m feeling optimistic about my time here and excited to explore everything this school has to offer. Here’s to new beginnings and exciting adventures!

I can hardly contain my excitement as I write these words. Today, my class teacher informed me that I have been selected as the ‘Best Sportsman of the Year’! I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for this honor.

Being recognized for my dedication and passion for sports is truly a dream come true. It’s a testament to the countless hours of practice and hard work I’ve put in over the years.

The thought of receiving the award at the Annual Day Celebrations fills me with a sense of pride and accomplishment. I am looking forward to sharing this moment with my friends, family, and teachers.

This is undoubtedly the happiest day of my life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to represent my school as the Best Sportsman of the Year.

With a heart full of gratitude,

Today, my parents and I visited one of our relatives, and it was a heartwarming experience. As soon as we entered their home, we were greeted with warmth and affection. It felt comforting to be surrounded by family, sharing laughter and stories over a delicious meal.

Seeing my relatives filled me with a sense of belonging and connection. Despite the distance and time apart, it was as if no time had passed at all. Their hospitality and genuine interest in our well-being touched my heart deeply.

Leaving their home, I felt grateful for the bond we share and the cherished memories we create together. Today reminded me of the importance of family and the joy that comes from spending time with loved ones.

With gratitude,

I am overflowing with excitement and gratitude as I write these words. Today, I received the news that I have won the first prize in an online competition! The feeling of accomplishment and validation is indescribable.

Participating in the competition was a journey filled with hard work, dedication, and moments of doubt. But in the end, it all paid off. Winning the first prize is not just a recognition of my efforts, but also a testament to my passion and creativity.

I am grateful to everyone who supported and believed in me throughout this journey. This achievement has filled me with confidence and inspired me to continue pursuing my dreams relentlessly.

With a heart full of joy,

Today, my classmates and I visited an old age home, and it was a humbling experience. Witnessing the resilience and wisdom of the elderly residents touched my heart deeply. Despite their age, they radiated warmth and kindness, reminding me of the importance of compassion and empathy. Interacting with them filled me with a sense of gratitude for the simple joys of life and a renewed appreciation for the value of human connection. This visit has left an indelible mark on my soul, and I am determined to cherish and respect the elderly in our community.

Warm regards,

Today was a delightful holiday filled with relaxation and adventure. I started the day by sleeping in, relishing the luxury of extra rest. After a leisurely breakfast, I ventured outdoors for a refreshing hike in the nearby forest. The crisp air and lush greenery rejuvenated my spirits, and I reveled in the beauty of nature.

In the afternoon, I indulged in some creative pursuits, working on a painting that had been lingering in my mind for weeks. Immersed in colors and strokes, I lost track of time, finding solace in the act of creation.

As the day drew to a close, I spent quality time with loved ones, sharing laughter and stories over a delicious meal. Today was a perfect blend of tranquility and adventure, leaving me grateful for the gift of time and the joys of simple pleasures.

With contentment,

Today, I embarked on an extraordinary adventure into the jungle, where I had the privilege of spending the day with Mowgli. From the moment I entered the lush greenery, I was captivated by the sights and sounds of the wilderness.

Mowgli welcomed me with open arms, and together, we explored the wonders of his jungle home. We swung from vines, chased butterflies, and encountered fascinating creatures along the way.

As the day unfolded, I found myself immersed in Mowgli’s world, learning valuable lessons about resilience, friendship, and the interconnectedness of all living beings.

As the sun set on our unforgettable day, I returned to my own world with a heart full of gratitude for the experience and a newfound appreciation for the beauty of nature.

With wonder and awe,

Today started off as a much-anticipated holiday to the hill station with my parents, but it quickly turned into a frightening ordeal as we lost our way while on a picnic. Fear gripped my heart as we realized we were lost in the unfamiliar terrain.

Despite the panic, we managed to stay calm and collected. Using our instincts and a map, we navigated our way through the winding paths and dense foliage. Along the journey, we encountered challenges and setbacks, but we persevered with determination and unity.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we spotted familiar landmarks and rejoiced at the sight of home in the distance. Our misadventure taught us the importance of staying calm in the face of adversity and working together as a family.

With relief and gratitude,

Today marks another extraordinary day aboard the spaceship as I traverse the boundless expanse of space. The sheer vastness of the cosmos never fails to leave me in awe. The stars, like distant beacons of light, twinkle against the infinite darkness, while galaxies swirl in mesmerizing patterns.

As I gaze out into the void, thoughts of my family flood my mind. I miss their presence dearly, longing for the familiar embrace and laughter. Yet, amidst the solitude, I find comfort in the memories we’ve shared and the knowledge that they’re rooting for me from afar.

The view of Earth from space is nothing short of breathtaking. The azure oceans, verdant continents, and wispy clouds create a masterpiece of unparalleled beauty. It’s a reminder of the fragility and preciousness of our home planet, urging us to cherish and protect it for generations to come.

With each passing moment, I’m reminded of the privilege and responsibility that comes with exploring the cosmos. I am grateful for this extraordinary journey and the opportunity to witness the wonders of the universe.

Until next time,

Today’s trip to the zoo left me feeling deeply unsettled and saddened by the conditions in which the animals and birds are kept. As I walked through the enclosures, I couldn’t help but notice the cramped spaces, lack of enrichment, and signs of distress among the inhabitants.

The sight of majestic creatures confined to small cages, pacing back and forth in frustration, broke my heart. It’s agonizing to witness their suffering and helplessness, knowing that they deserve so much better.

This experience has ignited a fire within me to advocate for the welfare and rights of animals. We must strive to create a world where all living beings are treated with compassion, respect, and dignity.

With a heavy heart,

Today, I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude as I write these words. I have been honored with the title of “Best Student Ever,” and the feeling is simply indescribable.

This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion that I have poured into my studies and extracurricular activities. It’s a validation of my efforts and a reminder of the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

I am grateful to my teachers, classmates, and family for their unwavering support and encouragement. This achievement is not just mine alone, but a reflection of the love and guidance I have received from those around me.

As I reflect on this milestone, I am filled with a sense of pride and determination to continue striving for excellence in all that I do.

With immense gratitude,

Today was a day filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories as I celebrated my birthday. It began with the warm wishes and hugs from my family, filling my heart with joy and gratitude.

As the day unfolded, I was showered with thoughtful gestures and surprises from friends and loved ones. From a delicious homemade breakfast to a surprise party with balloons and cake, every moment was a reminder of the love and affection that surrounds me.

The highlight of the day was spending quality time with those closest to me, sharing stories, laughter, and creating new memories together. As the day comes to a close, I am filled with a profound sense of happiness and gratitude for the blessings in my life.

With love and gratitude,

Answers 15 

Just returned home after watching an exhilarating match of my favorite sport, and I’m still buzzing with excitement. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, with fans cheering and chanting passionately for their teams.

Witnessing the skill and athleticism of the players left me in awe, and I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout the game. The thrill of each goal or point scored added to the intensity of the experience.

As I reflect on the match, I’m grateful for the opportunity to witness such talent and passion firsthand. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love sports so much and leave me eagerly anticipating the next game.

With adrenaline still coursing through my veins,

Answers 16 

Today was the day of the Parents-Teachers-Meeting (PTM) at school, and it was an enlightening experience. Meeting with my teachers and parents provided valuable insights into my academic progress and areas for improvement.

The discussions were constructive and filled with encouragement and support from both sides. I appreciated the opportunity to share my goals and aspirations with my teachers and parents, who offered valuable guidance and advice.

Seeing my parents and teachers come together to discuss my education reaffirmed the importance of teamwork and collaboration in my academic journey. It was a reminder of the strong support system I have and the shared commitment to my success.

Leaving the PTM, I felt motivated and empowered to work towards my goals with renewed determination.

Answers 17 

Today, I discovered the fascinating autobiography of a mango tree. It began as a tiny seed nestled in the soil, slowly growing into a majestic tree over the years. Through its branches, it witnessed countless seasons, bearing witness to the cycle of life.

The mango tree shared tales of providing shade and shelter to birds and animals, and the joy it brought to humans with its sweet fruits. It recounted the challenges it faced, from harsh weather to human encroachment, yet persevered with resilience.

As I read its story, I marveled at the resilience and beauty of nature, finding inspiration in the life of this remarkable tree.

With wonder,

Today, my heart is heavy with sorrow as I mourn the loss of my beloved pet. [Pet’s Name], my faithful companion, has crossed the rainbow bridge, leaving behind a void that feels impossible to fill.

The memories of [Pet’s Name] frolicking in the backyard and snuggling beside me on lazy afternoons flood my mind, bringing tears to my eyes. The pain of losing [him/her] is unbearable, and my home feels emptier without [him/her] by my side.

Though [Pet’s Name] may be gone, [his/her] love and companionship will forever remain etched in my heart, a cherished reminder of the bond we shared.

Diary Entry for Class 7 Exercises and Answers, offering a platform for self-expression, reflection, and personal growth. By practicing diary entries regularly and following the tips provided, students can enhance their writing skills

What should I write about in my diary entry?

Write about your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and observations from the day.

How often should I write a diary entry?

Aim to write in your diary daily, but it’s okay if you miss a day here and there.

Can I write fictional stories in my diary?

While diary entries are typically based on real-life experiences, you can incorporate elements of fiction if it helps express your thoughts and feelings.

Should I share my diary with others?

It’s up to you whether you want to share your diary with others. Some people find it helpful to share with trusted friends or family members for feedback and support.

Related Posts: