Journal Prompts

1. Journal Prompts Write for the entire allotted time (generally 15 minutes) Your grade is an effort grade dependent on the percentage of time you are reflecting/drafting/writing.

2. Testing Your Skills at Characterization How would you describe your: • Mother • Father • Boss • Coach • Best friend • Gym teacher Use direct and indirect characterization

3. Life is but a journey… Describe a journey you have experienced • A personal journey • A travel to a foreign land, another state, etc • An emotional journey • A physical journey

4. Friendship Write about a friendship that is important to you: • One you lost • One you’ve had for years • One that has withstood the test of ups and downs • One you’ve just acquired

5. Back in August… Think back to August 29th,2011—your first day as a senior at BRHS. What were your feelings then---the expectations? …and now???

6. Marriage Marriage---who has the “upper hand”? Write about the topic of marriage—who would be the ideal mate for you? What do you think constitutes a good marriage?

7. Stereotypes and the Media What does the media do to perpetuate stereotypes? From your own personal experience, what stereotypes have seemed most unfair, painful, or frustrating? Which stereotypes have you ascribed to others?

8. Who would you invite? If you could host a dinner party inviting any four from history, who would you invite and where would the party take place?

9. What Color Are You? Respond to the activity from your writing portfolio packet on color (#8)

10. You are a Poet Generate a poem by mimicking a sample poem from the packet on poetry.

11. Do-over Day Writing Prompt--Respond to the following: If you could eliminate one day from your past so that you would never have to live through it, which day would it be? Explain why in detail.

12. Synectics Which is wiser? A pen or a pencil? Which is more trustworthy? History or literature? Which is sadder? Seek or find? Which is happier? Music or art? Which is more fearful? New or old? Which has more pride? An entrance or an exit? Which is like a promise? Mathematics or science?

13. Alcohol—its use and abuse Two years ago, a 22-year-old UVA student kicked in the door of his former girlfriend and beat her to death in a drunken rage. Yesterday, he received the lighter of two sentences, partially due to a convincing argument from defense that his violence could be directly attributed to his abuse of alcohol and that the jury wanted him to serve some time behind bars so that when he was released, “he would be more mature.” Is alcohol an excuse for violence? Are some people more influenced than others? What do you think of the decision in the Yeardley Love-George Huguely murder case from UVA?

14. My Life as a Movie If your life as you see yourself were made into a theatrical production, what type of story would be told? A tragedy? A comedy? Maybe a bit of both? Write the introduction to your story, not as others perceive you, but as you see yourself.

15. My Tips for Success In some schools, senior mentors get paired up with freshmen for the first weeks of school. What wisdom would you pass along to a freshman student? What three or four tips would you provide for success in high school? Write an essay explaining the way to succeed in high school.

16. Board Game Personality List all the BOARD GAMES you remember playing in your lifetime. Choose several from your completed list and write about HOW BOARDGAMES CAN DICTATE WHAT TYPE OF PERSON YOU BECOME."

17. What Would You Do? You have an extra $100,000 to give away; you cannot spend it on yourself. What would you do with the money? What's the first step you can take to making a difference in the world today? Would you try to feed the hungry, improve the environment, promote peace? How would you start?

18. Weave a Story…. Last night I awoke to a bright beam of light coming in my window… (finish the story)

19. Creative Exercises Describe the ocean to a person who is blind. Using all of your 5 senses, describe your favorite food.

20. Technology…forward? Or backward? “Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.” Assignment: Do you agree that technological progress has made us go backwards? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your viewpoint on the issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experiences, or observations.

21. “Technology designed to make our lives simpler often turns out instead to make our lives more complicated.” http://www.utdallas.edu/~duym/topicsIV.htm Assignment: Write a unified essay in which you perform the following tasks: explain what you think the above statement means; describe a specific situation in which a new technology might not make our lives more complicated; and discuss what you think determines whether a new technology simplifies or complicates our lives.

22. Free for a Day… If you and your best friend could have a free limo for 24 hours, where would you go and what would you do?

23. Hypothetical Situation Consider some of the parents others you know had growing up. What type of person would you be if you had one of those situations? Suspend reality for a moment and just suppose…

24. Who’s the Boss? “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” -- Sam Walton Assignment:What is your view of the statement that the customer is really the boss? Do customers have the ability to fire members of the company? In an essay, support your position by discussing an example (or examples) from your work experience with customers or with companies that have provided services to you.

25. Who’s the Boss? “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” - Sam Walton “Treat every customer as if they sign your paycheck…because they do.” –Anonymous Assignment: What is your view of the idea that the customer is always right? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning, and examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

26. Teary Tale When was the last time you cried?

27. Frienergy… “When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy.” --Anonymous Assignment: What is your view of the idea that friendships are a source of energy? Is that always true? In an essay support your position by discussing an example from reading, studies, or experience

28. Fourth Quarter Quick Writes If absent find the prompt that comes right after the last one you did in class and complete a page for journal credit.

29. Never Apologize? “A leader should never apologize for his or her actions because it shows a sign of weakness.” For a leader not to apologize or to show remorse is easier to do because s/he is denying his or her shortcoming, or choosing to ignore the issue at hand. Assignment: What is your view of the idea that to apologize shows a sign of weakness? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your experience, reading, studies, and observations.

30. Living in the Moment “Do not dwell in the past; do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” --Buddha Assignment: What is your view of the idea that living in the moment is the way to live? Is that always the best way to live? In an essay support your position by discussing an example from reading, studies, or experience.

31. What if….?? And other Story Starters… On Saturday morning you have plans to meet your friend down the street. You walk to the house, knock on the door, and a stranger opens. You ask for your friend. “Who?” the stranger replies… The wind howled through the window. The girl sat huddling her knees waiting for the storm to be over. . . The kid ran fast. His legs pumped and he pushed himself past the point of pain. He needed to get away. . .

32. If animals could talk… • What would happen if animals could talk? What are some of the questions you would like to ask animals? • Alternatively, write a story in which your pet is narrating the action at your home.

33. What Would YOU Do? If you were principal of Broad Run, what would you do?

34. Age of Anxiety Our Age of Anxiety is, in great part, the result of trying to do today’s jobs with yesterday’s tools. Assignment: Do you agree that we are more anxious because we use old tools for today’s jobs? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your viewpoint on the issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experiences, or observations.

35. Symbol of America There are many symbols of America and American history. Some include the Declaration of Independence, the Lincoln Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, the Capital Building and the White House. Which national monument or symbol of America do you think best represents America? Why?

36. If there was a …. I… I wish there really was..... If there really was, then.....

37. What I like about me… • What is something you dislike about yourself? • What is something you do well? • “If I am not for myself, who is for me?”- Hillel “The Elder,” PirqueAboth, c. 30 B.C. - A.D. 9

38. My Favorite Place What is your favorite room in your home and why? How many places have you lived? Describe the place you remember the most. Pick one room of the house that you remember the most and describe it.

39. Thirty-Something What do you think the world will be like when you are in your thirties?

40. Oooohh…..scary…..!!! What are you afraid of? Why?

41. Mind-stretch List twenty uses for a toothbrush. How about a toothpick? A pencil? A shoe?

42. RRRRIIIINNNGG---School’s out Describe the sights and sounds at 4:00 (after the end of day class bell).

43. Life without…. Explain what you think life would be like without: plumbing, electricity, cars, windows, air conditioning. On a daily basis, what things would you do differently?

44. Reflect on this… “When we ask advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.”- Marquis De Lagrange d. 1876, Pensees

45. Learning by Experience It is often said that experience is a great teacher, but experience isn’t the only way to learn. Write a brief essay to a person younger than yourself, comparing and contrasting learning by experience to learning by studying a subject.

46. Best Places in Ashburn What is the best place to get pizza? What makes it so good? The best place to unwind and relax? The best place to take a date? The best place to re-energize your spirit? The best place to meet people?

47. Rejection Everyone feels rejected by family or friends at some point. Tell about one such time.

48. Disappointment Write about a time you had high hopes for something and got let down.

49. Dream of a place… If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

50. If theyonly knew…. How would do you think your parents views would change if they lived your life for one day?