1. What is the American Dream?
Journal #1
What is the American Dream?
Do you want this for yourself? Do you think your family has lived the American Dream? How do you think the American Dream has changed over time?

2. How do you treat the people in your family?
Journal #2
How do you treat the people in your family?
Why do you think you treat them this way? Do you treat them all equally? Why/Why not? Do you think you should change how you treat any of them? How?

3. Journal #3
Who do you consider your closest friend? Why? How did you meet him/her? What do you enjoy doing together? What makes him/her different than your other friends? What have you two been through together?

4. FREE WRITE FRIDAY!!!! Journal #4 How are you feeling today?
Has something funny or interesting happened this week?
How is this quarter going?
FREE WRITE FRIDAY!!!!
Is there anything you would
like advice about?
What is going on in your life?
How are you feeling today?
What would you like me to know
about you?

5. Journal #5
What law or policy in the United States is the most frustrating to you? Why does it bother you? How does if affect your life? How could you work to change it?

6. Journal #6
How would you (or have you) help(ed) a friend that was struggling with drug addiction?

7. Journal #7
If your family was going to get a check for $100,000 what would do with it? What kinds of conflict might there be? How would the people in your family behave? How would it change your family?

8. Journal #8
What do you think Mama will do now that Walter lost the rest of the money? Why? How will everyone else be effected? How will this change plans for the whole family? How would you react in that situation if you were Mama?

9. Journal #10
What do you think is the theme or message of “A Raisin in the Sun”? How did the author convey this message? Do you think she was effective? Why or why not?

10. Journal #11
What holiday do you enjoy the most in your family? Why? What traditions do you have for that holiday? What do you eat? Where do you go? What is your role in the celebration?

11. Journal #12
If you could go back and change one decision that you have made in your life what would it be?
Why? How would your life be different? Who else would it affect? What do you know now that you didn’t know then?

12. What makes a book “good”?
Journal #14
What makes a book “good”?

13. Journal #15 Write a poem about yourself. You could…
start with I am… on each line
brainstorm words that describe you
think of yourself as an animal, inanimate object or season

14. Journal #16
Write a poem about your best friend or your family.

15. Journal #17
What grade do you think you have in this class right now? Why is that your grade? What could you do to improve your grade? What could I do to help you with your grade?

16. Journal #18
What is the best book you have ever read? Why did you like it? What was it about? When did you read it?

17. If you could be any animal what animal would you want to be? Why?
Journal #19
If you could be any animal what animal would you want to be? Why?

18. Journal #20
Who is your hero? Why? What qualities do you most admire about him/her? When did he/she become your hero? What obstacles has he/she overcome?

19. Journal #21
What is the best joke that you know? Why is it funny? What kind of humor is it? Who is the target audience of your joke? Who might not think it its funny? Why?