Journaling Through Coronavirus: Week 1

Week 1

Do you have your journals ready? Let’s start!

As a reminder, each week, we will do three activities: Capture/Collage, Create, and Communicate. (Just joining us? Start here for the big picture!)

I. In your journals this week, look for ways to Capture and Collage. 

Here are a few examples of things that made me giggle or maybe nod my head in agreement:

As you go through this week, look for things that speak to you: memes, news headlines, comic strips, a quote, song lyrics, a poem, a passage from the Bible, a paragraph from a book you are reading, photos. etc. Choose a few each week, and make a weekly collage page by printing, cutting, and pasting into your journal; writing out quotes; copying by drawing; or whatever method works for you. Share a photo in the comments at the end of the week!

II. Create

Do your own thing! Write a poem, make a diary entry (or one each day!), ask questions, make lists, paint a picture, draw a cartoon.

Need an idea? Here’s one of my favorite poem projects I use in my classes. The results are always distinctive, offering a window into each writer’s own, unique perspective. This is also super fun to do as a character poem, so instead of your child being the “I,” they choose a character from a book. For example, perhaps Harry Potter is the “I.” Remember, there are no right or wrong answers in writing poetry! As always, parents, please transcribe for your student of any age if he or she prefers to dictate to you while you get the words on paper for them.

I Am

I am (two characteristics)

I wonder (something you are actually curious about)

I hear (a real or imaginary sound)

I see (a real or imaginary sight)

I want (an actual desire)

I am (the first line of the poem repeated)



I pretend (something you pretend to do)

I feel (a feeling about something real or imaginary)

I touch (a real or imaginary touch)

I worry (something that really bothers you)

I cry (something that makes you sad)

I am (the first line of the poem repeated)



I understand (something you know is true)

I say (something you believe in)

I dream (something you actually dream about)

I try (something you make an effort to do)

I hope (something you actually hope for)

I am (the first line of the poem repeated)


Example:

I Am

I am hungry and restless

I wonder what’s in the refrigerator

I hear a train whistle

I see a woodpecker.

I want to go hiking.

I am hungry and restless.



I pretend I’m in the mountains.

I feel the wind gently blowing.

I touch tree bark.

I worry about my friends.

I cry when I get a splinter.

I am hungry and restless.



I understand being home is the best place to be.

I say this will pass soon.

I dream about face masks.

I try to stay optimistic.

I hope we all stay healthy.

I am hungry and restless.

That’s just an idea! Students may prefer to draw or press flowers or make a list of all the shows they have watched on TV or all the books they’ve ever read. Remember, parents: you do this, too! 

III. Communicate

Do this however you wish—in a short freewrite, written out in dialogue, as an actual story. Think of this as stream-of-consciousness thinking. Just write what comes to mind as a response without worrying about proper grammar, sentence structure, etc. (Feel free to send me prompt ideas, especially ones related to the coronavirus that might come up at your house!) Guidelines to freewriting are found here at Brave Writer.

Here are a couple of prompts. The first one is not related to the pandemic, as some of your kids might need a break from thinking about it! (You may need to adjust them for younger kids.)

Option 1: “I stepped outside, the whole world smelled like…" Start with that line—and keep writing!

Option 2: Airports, museums, malls, sports arenas, libraries, Disneyland, Times Square: in the past month or so, the world’s busiest places have become empty. If this weren’t such a strange concept, it could be an absolute dream come true! Imagine that you were free to spend a day or more in a place that is usually crowded. Where would you go, and what would you do? Would you visit a theme park without having to wait in lines? Would you go to a movie theatre and binge on blockbuster films and buttered popcorn all day, or stroll through the Louvre with a magnifying glass, examining masterpieces? Close your eyes and imagine yourself—solo or with your family—then freewrite about your day!



{One reminder, one more time: This is not the time to correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. Let’s let those things go, okay?}


That's it for Week 1! Remember: sharing is important! I encourage you to share some or all of your kids’ work. If they don’t want to share publicly, that’s okay! Just be sure to set aside time each week to share at home or send photos to grandparents, friends, etc. If you are a BHEA member, you can share either on the weekly Facebook thread or here on the blog, if you'd like. Others are welcome to share here in the comments or in whatever way works for you.


GO TO WEEK 2 JOURNAL PROMPTS

Journaling Through the Time of Coronavirus

Who wants to journal together? Let’s do it!

Journaling is incredibly beneficial to all ages. It helps us process and make sense of the world. And--you’ll be happy to have a written record of this strange time in the years to come, I assure you!

Here’s what we’ll do. And when I say “we”—well, you decide who “we” is to you. Maybe you will do one journal as a family, or maybe you will each have your own journal. This should work for any age level, child to adult. I strongly encourage you, the parent, to participate too!

First, of course, you’ll need a journal. Normally I would recommend buying a new writing journal for each person and making this an exciting event; however, in the spirit of sheltering-at-home, I encourage you to scrounge around in your supplies and find some kind of notebook —and then let your kids make them their own. One easy way to personalize a journal is to decorate the front and back with scrapbooking paper, photos, magazine cut-outs, etc. You can use Modge Podge or just a gluestick. Take some time and thought in doing this—make it an event! Don't forget to make yourself a journal, too!

Each week, we will do three activities: Capture/Collage, Create, and Communicate.

• Capture/Collage: Capture things that speak to you during this strange time. For example: memes, news headlines, comic strips, a quote, song lyrics, a poem, a passage from the Bible, a paragraph from a book you are reading, photos. Choose a few each week, and make a weekly collage page by printing, cutting, and pasting into your journal; writing out quotes; copying by drawing; or whatever method works for you.
• Create: Do your own thing. Write a poem, make a diary entry, paint a picture. I’ll post weekly poetry ideas that may spark ideas.
• Communicate: I’’ll provide a couple of prompts each week for you to respond to. Do this however you wish—in a short freewrite, written out in dialogue, whatever. Think of this as stream-of-consciousness thinking. Just write what comes to mind as a response without worrying about proper grammar, sentence structure, etc. (Feel free to send me prompt ideas, especially ones related to the coronavirus that might come up at your house!) Guidelines to freewriting are found here at Brave Writer.

{One note: Please do the handwriting for your children if this is laborious for them! We want to tap into their thoughts and ideas here, so feel free to remove the handwriting obstacle. And…this is not the time to correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. Let’s let those things go, okay?}

Okay, here’s one more thing: sharing is important! I’ll provide a place each week for sharing photos of your journals or snippets from them if that works better. Maybe your kids will want to share each page, or maybe just one. If they don’t want to share publicly, that’s okay! Just be sure to set aside time each week to share at home or send photos to grandparents, friends, etc. If you are a BHEA member, you can share either on the weekly Facebook thread or here on the blog, if you'd like. Others are welcome to share here in the comments or in whatever way works for you.

First assignment: get your journals ready! Start whenever you want! See prompt links below.

Week 1 Journal Prompts
Week 2 Journal Prompts

January-March Books Read

Top of the List

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson: Stevenson's story of starting out as a young lawyer defending impoverished, innocent people who were unjustly convicted of crimes and sentenced to death row or to serve life sentences, including women and children. Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, and every single story he tells is heartbreaking—but lots of redemptive stories, too. Everyone should read this!

Becoming by Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama for President. Please, oh please! My admiration for her quadrupled after reading this memoir.

Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson. Total surprise! This is a book I "found" on my Kindle that I must have downloaded as part of Amazon Prime's free monthly book program. I loved this sweet, charming, and fast read! This is absolutely perfect as a lighthearted, happy ending but totally engaging book. In brief, Blix has the gift of matchmaking—of seeing people who would be perfect matches. When she meets Marnie, her nephew's fiancee, she realizes  two things: Marnie and Noah are not meant for each other, and Marnie has the same matchmaking gift. Super sweet book.

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen. Bruce for Michelle Obama's running mate! I've loved Bruce nearly my entire life. I love him even more now. Utterly open, honest, engaging....and I watched a whole lot of Springsteen videos while reading this book. I love him. The only thing that would have made this book better is if I had listened to Bruce Springsteen  actually read it in his gloriously gravelly voice on Audible; but alas, I didn’t know this was a thing until too late. Sorta side note: Bruce Springsteen was THE BEST CONCERT ever.

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. Parenting is hard. Being a boy named Claude is hard. Being a girl named Poppy is mostly wonderful. Claude or Poppy? This is a novel that tackles a tough subject with love and candor and puts us right in the midst of a wonderfully complicated family.

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. I adored this debut novel, set in London amidst the bombings during WWII. Emmaline Lake accidentally finds herself working for the intimidating and terribly proper Mrs. Bird as an advice columnist for a sinking women's magazine. Emmy is gutsy and sweet and this novel just made me warm and happy, in spite of its moments of tragedy.

 

Thoughts on the Others

Such a Fun Age and If Only I Could Tell You: Both were engaging and definitely had good moments, but something about each one fell apart for me. Too much tragedy in the latter, and the ending was off in the former.

Snow: I really wanted to love this book but it was too dense. I don't know enough about Turkish history to truly appreciate it. Beautifully written though—and I felt triumphant and enlightened upon finishing it.

Mrs. Everything:  I didn't hate this book, but it super annoyed me. It felt extremely forced. Practically every Big Issue between 1950-2016 is covered in the lives of Jo and Bethie, from sexual abuse to Civil Rights to interracial marriages, the Vietnam War, women's rights, sexual identity, drugs, sex, rock and roll, rape, cancer, abortion, on and on and on. I don't mean to be flippant about ANY of these issues, and she isn't flippant about any of them, either. But tackling them all in one book? To one family? Too much happens. Way too much. I stuck with the book because the characters interested me enough to keep going.