Journal writing will be a big part of this unit. I find that journal writing is one of the most exciting and creative types of writing that my students regularly take part in. I emphasize creativity in the journals that I require my eighth graders to keep. They are never penalized for spelling or grammar in their journals because the entries are all about their ideas. I want students to feel free to express themselves in their writing. I want them to enjoy their ideas and allow themselves the freedom to not worry about form, structure, grammar and the elements that we regularly examine during other types of writing such as essay and research writing. Focusing on ideas also will help students to recognize their own voices in their writing and in their communication.
Having journals in the classroom also provides students with an easy access, low maintenance record of the writing they do. Journals are diaries for the students. They are encouraged to write in them often and keep them throughout the year. Entries that are too personal for my eyes are folded as a signal to me as I go through their journals to make comments on students' writing. These journals are wonderful places for students to explore their own voices, to let out their concerns and find ways to put on paper issues that may be hidden below the surface
This year I began using the back of the journals for students to take notes on literary terminology, or important points. (I picked up this idea from a Connecticut Writing Project workshop.) For example if we are reviewing alliteration, I will ask students to give me examples of what alliteration is, go through examples on the board, and then come up with a definition as a class. I then ask students to turn their journals over and upside-down so that the binding is still on the left side. In the back of their journals students will add their definition of alliteration and put in several examples. From that point on any time a student is not sure what alliteration means, they simply go right to the back of their journal. Similarly in this unit, students will need to identify several terms. What is voice? What is a narrator? What is point-of-view? These terms should be discussed and defined through classroom discussion. I will lead the class in a discussion of the terms and help them create a definition that is their own. I will have a student write down the definitions on the board as they develop and allow students to write them in their journals.
I enjoy participating in all writing activities. After explaining assignments I sit down and write with the students. Like the students, sometimes I share my writing, and sometimes I don't. Students notice my participation and it seems to give more credence to the activities.
Journal writing combined with literature is meant to lead students to the type of higher-order thinking that the latest changes in educational curriculum aim to enhance. Students make connections, take critical stances and are able to think past the literal interpretation that so often characterizes traditional assessment.
Journal writing will be especially important in this unit. As students examine literary figures' search for self they will discover that the journal can become a safe place for them to explore and confide their thoughts and feelings. As students make their way through the weeks of "open mic Fridays," the poems they accumulate in their journals will serve as something they can share and possibly use in the final project. I will encourage students to write as much poetry as they like during this unit and they will not be required to share it if they do not want to do so. But I have found over the years that aspect of journal-writing that is especially helpful is that it is an easy way to get students to share their work. I always ask students to share what they have written with classmates when they are done writing. It is not mandatory to share, but it is encouraged, and I find that most students enjoy reading their work out loud. The more they share, the more they enjoy the writing and the more their individual voices come out. In this unit journal writing will help to extend the conversation that we have about literature and the search for identity. Sharing is equally important in this unit, as the "Open Mic Fridays" just won't work without it.
Some Possible Journal Topics
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1 Write a poem about your home town
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2 Write a paragraph in which you are a famous poet, explaining one of your poems
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3 Write a dialogue between two Harlem Renaissance poets
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4 Write a song (blues/rap)
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5 Write a poem about what really makes you mad
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6 Write a poem about issues faced by teens today
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7 Compare two poems
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8 Analyze an aspect of a poem (mood, form, rhythm, etc.)
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9 Describe your inner conflicts/dreams/worries in a poem
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10 How might your poetry make others feel? How does a poem make you feel?
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11 Illustrate a poem
