Introduce Google Apps for Education to primary students with TechnoJournal – the latest TechnoKids release. This new project was specifically designed for teachers using Google Docs for the first time with Grades 2 to 4. Using illustrated, step-by-step instructions, students create a daily journal and add fun clip art.
Journal Writing Activities
Students develop writing skills as they learn basic word processing tools. They begin by designing a journal cover. Three ‘daily’ journal entries teach students to:
- describe a recent event
- make a list of favorite things
- cite personal wishes
The text on each journal page is formatted and pictures are added to produce an appealing, eye-catching booklet. Suggestions are made to share the journal with others. Optional extension activities include keyboarding review and sentence starters for additional journal entries.
The journal writing project can be a personal diary or it can be integrated into a variety of curriculum areas. The three journal entries can be adapted many ways:
- Field Trip – Reflect on a class trip by writing journal entries based on thoughts and experiences.
- Description of the trip
- Favorite things, parts, or activities done
- Wishes for future field trips
- School – Write about the school, such as sports, extracurricular activities, special events, or issues.
- Description of the school, school event, sport, or activity
- Favorite things about the school
- Wishes for future changes to the school, playground or sports equipment needed, or suggested new activities offered
- Special Interest Journal – Choose a personal area of interest and write journal entries limited to the topic, such as a video game, hobby, music, or sport.
- Description of the activity or interest
- Favorite features of the topic, reasons it is liked
- Wishes for future goals, improvements, or achievements
- Novel Study – Play the role of a character in a novel study and write from the character’s point of view.
- Description of an event from the plot of the story
- Favorite things the character likes
- Wishes that the character might have
- Social Studies – Write the journal from the viewpoint of a child living in a different time period or culture, such as Pioneers, Medieval Times, Ancient Egypt, or Viking era.
- Description of daily life
- Favorite things children of the culture liked, did, played, wore, or ate
- Wishes children of the culture might have
- Science – Write the journal restricted to an area of study, such as environmental conservation, plant or animal studies, rocks and minerals, or space.
- Description of a specific part of the subject
- Favorite things about the subject, favorite new facts learned
- Wishes for future learning, ideas to improve a problem, or facts about topic