Ms. Trice's Journal Writing Guidelines

Ms. Trice visits our class each week to support writing instruction. Her new day and time with us is Tuesday at 10:35. 

JOURNAL WRITING GUIDELINES

Please note that this is what they are working towards. There are some skills that 3rd graders may have not learned at this point. 

• Heading on top 2 lines from left to right margin-(first/last name, teacher’s name, & date w/no abbreviations)   
• Keep all writing within the margins.        
• Use social/friendly letter format for ALL journal entries.
• Indent each paragraph, using appropriate writing conventions, punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling & sentence formation.
• Write 2 paragraphs, consisting of a reflection and a recapitulation.  Paragraphs should fill a standard 3-ring sheet of notebook paper.
• The reflection captures (in half page or one full paragraph), what students may want to share about their lives.  It could include subjects like: favorite sports, hobbies, birthday parties, pets, new baby in family, family vacations, excerpts from a gripping trade book, movie review, or a how-to story.
• The recapitulation (half-page/paragraph) is a summary of a particular skill a teacher is teaching or has taught in a core class (math, science, social studies, & ELA).
• Attach a detailed pre-write for each paragraph (outline, clustering, bullet points, other graphic organizer).
• Use & code 10 literary elements (see resource book).  An element may be used more than once, but coded only ONE time.
• Each journal entry MUST contain at least ONE of the following types of sentences:  complex sentence w/adverb clause, complex sentence w/adjective clause, & a compound sentence.  These sentences should be underlined ONCE.
• Enclose clincher/conclusion for each paragraph in brackets.
• Skip one line after the body and ALIGN “closing” & “signature (in cursive)” at right margin on back of page.
• Include at least 2 Wordly Wise vocabulary words in each journal entry (4th and 5th grade only).
  
• DO NOT USE:-I am learning/studying                     -Hello, my name is….   -Once upon a time….                         -The end…-I’m going to tell you about…             -Have you ever…well, I have….-Students’ & teachers’ names             -One day….
  
• NOTES:-ALL journal entry paragraphs MUST have a lead, introduction, body, conclusion, closing, and signature (cursive).