Journal Entries
English I
2016-2017
JE # 12 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
View the short film Lamb from Filmbilder.
Describe in detail what happened in the
film. What was the animator’s primary
purpose for creating this short clip? What
theme or message was he trying to
communicate?
JE # 11 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
Describe in detail the 3 foods
you dislike the most. Be sure
to explain exactly why you
hate each of your least
favorite food choices.
JE # 10 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
In Chapter 3 of The Pearl there are many
people in the town who covet Kino’s pearl.
Which character is the most aggressive about
trying to get a piece of Kino’s new wealth?
What steps does this character take to try to
get money out of Kino? If you were Kino, how
would you protect your newfound
treasure/wealth?
JE # 9 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
Describe a time in your life when you felt
guilty or ashamed. What is the difference
between being guilty versus being ashamed.
What advice would you give Doodle’s brother
for working through his feelings of guilt and
regret?
“Guilt is to the spirit what pain is to the body.”
~ David Bednar
JE # 8 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
View the clip “Everyday Hero.” According to
the video, what qualities define an everyday
hero? What is the difference between super
heroes and everyday heroes? Does the main
character in the commercial epitomize an
everyday hero or not? Why or why not? Who
are some other everyday heroes you can think
of?
JE # 7 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
What is your personal definition
of pride? How is pride gained
and how is it lost? What is the
difference between pride, vanity,
and self-respect? Which of these
3 can be helpful to a person?
Which can be destructive? How
does the concept of pride factor
into the texts/stories we have
studied so far this semester?
How does pride reveal itself in
the story and what is the effect of
it on the characters?
• The Lady or the Tiger
• The Interlopers
• Invictus
• Some Paint and a Few Flowers
• Handlebars
• The Scarlet Ibis
• The Pearl
JE # 6 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
Examine the cartoon by Steve
Cutts on the right. Describe what
you see in each panel – use lots
of details. What is the overall
tone of the image? What was`
Cutts’ purpose for creating this
comic strip? Do you agree or
disagree with the message that is
being communicated? Why or
why not?
JE # 5 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
Read the statements on
the right and select one
with which you AGREE
and one with which you
DISAGREE. Explain your
reasons for
agreeing/disagreeing and
support your opinion with
examples.
People will respect and accept you if you
have a lot of money.
A person‘s personality changes when they
become rich.
You can tell the character of a person by
his/her clothes.
Money can’t buy happiness.
Family is the most important thing in life.
Sometimes winning a lottery is a bad
thing.
When you have what you need to survive,
you are happy.
Doctors should help sick people even if
they cannot pay.
It is not good to want a thing too much.
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JE # 4 (10 Line minimum)
Examine the English idioms (metaphors) below. Select one or more and explain
exactly what you think it means and provide an example of when you might use the
phrase. If you can think of other idioms or proverbs that are not listed, please feel
free to use them as well.
A hot potato
A penny for your thoughts
Actions speak louder than words
Add insult to injury
Costs and arm and a leg
At the drop of a hat
Back to the drawing board
Ball is in your court
Barking up the wrong tree
Curiosity killed the cat
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Beat around the bush
Best of both worlds
Best thing since slices bread
Bite off more than you can chew
Blessing in disguise
Burn the midnight oil
Can’t judge a book by its cover
Cross that bridge when you come
to it
• Cry over spilt milk
• Cut corners
JE # 3 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
View the short commercial Take Action. What occurs in
the clip? What is ironic about the responses of the
people to their apparent problem? Why do you think
the director titled the commercial Take Action? What
was his purpose for producing the commercial, and
what message does it send that we can apply to our
own lives? What does the commercial recommend
that you do, if you find yourself in a situation where
you seem to need help?
JE # 2 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
Which is the stronger emotion –
love or jealousy? Write a journal
entry describing a situation in which
a person might act out of love and
one in which a person might act out
of jealousy.
JE # 1 (10 Line minimum)
Discuss Briefly in your Small Group and then write!
Read the following 3 quotes about jealously, and select the quote
that best reflects your beliefs and experiences about jealousy. Write
about what you think the quote means and then give an example that
fits with the quote you picked.
• “Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes
they’re better than you, and sometimes they’re not.”
~ Mary Schmich
• “Jealousy is just a lack of self-confidence.”
• “Jealousy comes from counting other’s blessings
instead of our own.”
Alternative Journal Entry # 1
Select one or more inanimate
objects to compare yourself to using
metaphors.
For example, I am a pencil because I
am sharp, and sometimes people
erase me from their lives.
Alternative Journal Entry # 2
Examine the story starters provided below. Pick one of the story starters, copy
onto the top line on a clean page in your journal and then add details and ideas
to try to complete the story.
The horrified butterfly breeder boiled a potato in the pencil museum in April
for the doctor.
The timid hat tester flew a helicopter near a neat closet at sunset to create a
diversion.
The exhausted bowler crawled into the kitchen when the grandmother arrived
to avoid the argument.
Alternative Journal Entry # 3
Use the following sentence starter to begin a 1 page
journal entry being as descriptive as possible!
If I was a crayon, I would…..
Alternative Journal Entry # 4
Talk about a time that you did something you
had never done before for the first time.
What compelled you to try this new
experience? How did you feel before, during,
and after? Would you try this experience
again – why or why not? What did you learn
about yourself from trying something new?
Alternative Journal Entry # 5
According to a Czechoslovakian proverb,
“Better a lie that soothes than a truth
that hurts.” Do you agree? Why or why
not? Use specific reasons and examples
to support your answer.
Alternative Journal Entry # 6
Read the quote below and explain what you
think it means and how might apply to your
own experience.
“ When people undermine your dreams,
predict your doom, or criticize you,
remember, they’re telling you their story,
not yours.” ~ Cynthia Occelli