How to Use Journals in Social Studies
No idea how to engage students in your social studies lessons? Consider having them write journal entries. These thoughtful responses to real-life events and hot-button issues require students to demonstrate knowledge of a topic by imagining they are taking part in it. As education writer Gary Hopkins explains, fitting journal assignments into social studies lessons is limited only by the teacher's imagination. Allot extra class time so you can introduce students to the theory and practice of writing journals. The time spent on research and writing the journals depends on the topics you choose.
Instructions
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Choose one or more events within a historical period or specific points raised by a hot topic. For example, if your class is studying World War II, you might choose the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Or if the social studies lesson concerns urban affairs, a specific point could be how inner city schools are funded.
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Introduce the idea of journal writing. Explain that famous people---such as Anne Frank and Richard Nixon---have kept journals to document events and memorialize personal responses. Education writer D.W. Moore suggests telling students that journal writing is particularly suited to social studies topics that are grounded in real-life stories.
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Tell students why you are having them write journal entries for this specific lesson. Explain they must know what happened to people during a historical event or what arguments define a public debate. Explain that students must relate to the events and issues on a more personal level through journal entries.
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Give examples of acceptable journal entries, such as those by Anne Frank or other historical figures. Point out instances where journal writers not only recorded facts but related their hopes and struggles. Tell students they must use these examples to create their own entries.
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Set clear rules for the entries. Specify how many entries students must write and how long each one must be.
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Expose students to a specific historical event. Teachers at Lowell Scott Middle School in Boise, Idaho, showed eighth-grade students a film about the Oregon Trail to introduce the subject matter. You also can give a lecture or have students gather information about the event during a class trip to the library.
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Allow time in class for students to write their journal entries responding to the event or issue. Use a prompt if you are selecting the subject they must write about.
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Wrap up the lesson or unit with class discussion. Have students explain whether they found journal writing to be an effective way to understand a social studies topic. Encourage students to share their entries with the entire class.
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References
Resources
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