Homeschooling from the Heart

Welcome to the first Journal Writing Wednesday of the school year! The purpose of Journal Writing Wednesday is to provide journal writing ideas for grades 2 and 3 students. Starting in the beginning of March, journal writing ideas will be provided for Grade 1 students as well.

Each Wednesday a journal writing prompt will be posted. For the months of October and November the journal writing prompts will be strictly copy work. The benefit of copy work is that your child gets to practice writing quality language using correct spelling, grammar and punctuation!

For the month of October, the copy work will focus on the theme of "Thankfulness". For the first journal writing assignment have your child copy the following scripture into his/her journal:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Although I will be providing journal writing prompts throughout the year, you are welcome to direct your child's journal writing however you see fit. Following are a couple of ideas that parents have been/are using with their children in grades 1-3.



This is an example of a grade 1 student at the end of grade one. This journal entry was started by a parent and then completed by the student. The added drawing enhances the written text and allows the student to represent thoughts and ideas in a different way.



This is an example from a grade 3 student. Again, the parent started the journal entry and the student completed it.

Recently I received the following email from a mom describing how her grade 2 daughter is focusing on journal writing:

"[S]he is doing quite a bit of writing and has decided to use your journal as a Dear God Diary/ Prayer to start her day off everyday. We read the devotional that came with the Agenda and then she writes her Dear God…. Then we dedicate our home school day to Him. It's been quite an encouraging start to the year."

I hope that you too will be able to incorporate journal writing into your home schooling routine. Not only will it encourage your child to practice good writing skills, but it may end up being a treasured keepsake in the years to come.

Blessings!