j is for journal

I just bought 40+ composition books…excited for another year of journal work.

here’s a post from years back…

at the end of the school year each child took home a rainbow wrapped book of memories (and lots of dried glue).

each child starts the school year with a blank journal.  we’ve used the “composition books” for the past few years.  their names and/or photo are on the cover.

a guided activity is made available to preschoolers most days.  children are also allowed to work in their journal anytime they want to.

one year we started each day with journal time.  one year we ended each day with journal time.  one year we had a journal table.  i’m not sure what next year will hold.

one thing that is unique about journal work is that a teacher is almost always very involved.   most of our activities are explained and demonstrated by a teacher, but then children are set loose.

in this case, a teacher was there to help keep that quarter still.  we ended up taping the quarter in.  at the last day of school, one little friend found a quarter still in her journal!

for this project it was holding the cookie cutter down while tracing happened.

there are times we’ll save work and glue or tape it in journals as well.

a self portrait (or portraits in this case) is always done.

we practice number writing and letter writing too.

teachers write dictations as children like it.  one way we ask the question is:  “is there anything you want to pretend this is?”  as many of you know, when asking a preschool child, “what is it?” h/she will often freeze up.  but pretending is often easier.

i’ve got a new stash of journals, all clean and smooth waiting for another stash of preschoolers.