Wow Journals
By Maggie Hogan
Taking notes, writing essays, keeping journals, researching and organizing thoughts are all wonderful methods of discovery and learning.
● What we perform, we remember
● If it’s enjoyable we are motivated to do more.
Keeping a notebook is a time-honored way to:
● Learn research skills & Develop writing skills
● Improve orderly thinking skills
● Cultivate independent study habits
Keeping student notebooks also provides:
● an outlet for creativity
● an opportunity to develop note-taking skills
● a place to practice penmanship and drawing
● a permanent record of what was learned
Ideas for ways in which to use notebook pages:
● Chronological note taking of each week’s lesson.
● Summary of each time period or event covered.
● Diary approach - writing as if the student were in the story.
● Repository for meaningful items. Attach with tape:
● postcards, pictures or drawings, brochures, ticket stubs, maps
● Recording data about significant people.
● Top lines may be used for quoting a primary source or Bible verse.
Science
● Develop orderly/logical thinking
● Observations
● Journal entries
● Vocabulary/terms
● Diagrams/pictures
● Experiments
● Success & Failures
● Ideas/brainstorms
Science Examples: bird or tree field guide, rocks & minerals, work from a text but your student writes their own student book, Daily nature observations, Scientists & inventions.
History
Biographies/autobiographies
Chronological study of a time period. Sections for:
- Rulers
- Famous People
- Battles
- Cultures
- Socio-economics
- Politics
- Timeline
- Drawings: Maps, routes, illustrations of discoveries, inventions, clothing/cultural items, famous people or landmarks
- Insert: postcards, brochures, ticket stubs, maps, money, etc.
Literature
Fine Arts
Bible Studies