Introduce G Suite for Education or Microsoft Word to primary students with TechnoJournal – the latest TechnoKids release. This new project was specifically designed for teachers using Google Docs for the first time with Grades 2 to 4. Using illustrated, step-by-step instructions, students create a daily journal and add fun clip art.
Journal Writing Activities
Students develop writing skills as they learn basic word processing tools. They begin by designing a journal cover. Three ‘daily’ journal entries teach students to:
- describe a recent event
- make a list of favorite things
- cite personal wishes
The text on each journal page is formatted and pictures are added to produce an appealing, eye-catching booklet. Suggestions are made to share the journal with others. Optional extension activities include keyboarding review and sentence starters for additional journal entries.
Technology Integration
The journal writing project can be a personal diary or it can be integrated into a variety of curriculum areas. The three journal entries can be adapted many ways:
- Field Trip – Reflect on a class trip by writing journal entries based on thoughts and experiences.
- Description of the trip
- Favorite things, parts, or activities done
- Wishes for future field trips
- School – Write about the school, such as sports, extracurricular activities, special events, or issues.
- Description of the school, school event, sport, or activity
- Favorite things about the school
- Wishes for future changes to the school, playground or sports equipment needed, or suggested new activities offered
- Special Interest Journal – Choose a personal area of interest and write journal entries limited to the topic, such as a video game, hobby, music, or sport.
- Description of the activity or interest
- Favorite features of the topic, reasons it is liked
- Wishes for future goals, improvements, or achievements
- Novel Study – Play the role of a character in a novel study and write from the character’s point of view.
- Description of an event from the plot of the story
- Favorite things the character likes
- Wishes that the character might have
- Social Studies – Write the journal from the viewpoint of a child living in a different time period or culture, such as Pioneers, Medieval Times, Ancient Egypt, or Viking era.
- Description of daily life
- Favorite things children of the culture liked, did, played, wore, or ate
- Wishes children of the culture might have
- Science – Write the journal restricted to an area of study, such as environmental conservation, plant or animal studies, rocks and minerals, or space.
- Description of a specific part of the subject
- Favorite things about the subject, favorite new facts learned
- Wishes for future learning, ideas to improve a problem, or facts about topic