Title – Using journals with pet rocks

By – Scott Dan

Subject – Science, Art, Language Arts

Grade Level – 1st – 2nd

Concept: using pet rocks as a journaling topic

Materials: journals, crayons, colored pencils, markers, computer and printer

Preparation: make pet rocks, make shape journals (in the shape of a rock) for every

child in the class

Procedure:

1. Pass out a journal to each child in the class and explain that they will be used to keep track of what your pet rock does from day to day.

2. Brainstorm of titles that they use for their journals. Write these down on the board, chart paper, or marker board.

3. Have the children choose one of the titles, or use another one that they like, and write it on the front cover along with their name and a picture.

4. Have the children take out their journals and pet rocks. Read to them a passage from a journal that you have been keeping about your pet rock. When finished reading, explain that you had ideas about what to write because your pet rock actually did all these fun and exciting things. For example you may have written, “My pet rock climbed on the jungle gym.” Tell them at recess time you took your pet rock to the top of the jungle gym so that he would have fun. Invite the children to either take their pet rock to one fun place a day or to have their pet rock do one fun activity a day. Explain that each day, after lunch recess and silent reading, they will have time to write about their rock’s experiences. With each journal entry, ask them to provide a picture.

5. After a month’s time the children will have accumulated about 25 journal entries for their rocks. Pass out another small book in the shape of a rock (different from the one before). Read a story that you created from your journal entries. Explain to the children that your story came right out of your journal entries. Ask them to put a star by at least 7 of their favorite journal entries. Explain that these will be typed out and made into a storybook. They may use more journal entries if they wish.

6. Have the children type out their stories in either Kid Pix or another child friendly word processing program where they can create pictures along with their text. Have the children print out each page as they finish. This may take several days to finish. This may be done at centers, or computer lab time.

7. Have children share their completed story when finished.

Extension:

1. Have children use their rock profile and retype it on the computer. Add a picture and print it out. Make a class book.

2. Using 12 x 18 sheets of paper, have each child rewrite their favorite day from their entries and add a picture. When finished, bound the pages to make a class book.

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